Meat By the Bucketload

Posted on Tuesday 11 July 2006 at 10:03

We always buy our meat from the local abbatoir or a neighbouring farmer. It's a habit we've fallen into in the last 5 years, and we will save and scrimp to do it. Today, finally, was beef day. We're very happy about this.

We know we're not getting antibiotic-filled feedlot material this way. We can self-regulate for such touchy issues as BSE by means of friendly conversation. Guys who raise their meat on natural feeds will proudly say so.

And it's good for the local economy. Two Westman butchers I can recommend are the Oak River Quick-Freeze and, without any reservation whatsoever, J & S Meats in Souris. J & S can actually make bacon taste like bacon. Evenly curing it is tricky, but they're pretty good at it.

All this from a gal who'd really probably rather be a vegetarian. But being able to examine the quality and the cleanliness instead of wondering which industrial plant it came through and what exactly went in the grinder has changed my feelings considerably.