OUR FAVOURITE RECIPES
From paddock to plate, we take great care in everything we do. We have collaborated with award-winning author and food journalist Richard Cornish to develop and triple-test this beautiful collection of recipes, all cooked with our very own meat.
Porchetta Ramen with Ajutsuke Tamago
Friday was National Ramen Day, and we couldn't resist putting our own stamp on this Japanese classic. Our weapon of choice? A perfectly roasted Otway free-range porchetta.
This recipe is definitely one to create over a couple of days – whilst not difficult, it does need time. Time is what will help develop the deep umami flavours.
How to dry-brine a steak
We give you the lowdown on how to dry-brine your steaks and give them that restaurant quality “crust” that tastes so so good.
Super Easy Golden Crackling Porchetta
Porchetta is a marvellous dish. Easy to cook but presents beautifully with a beautiful golden roll of crisp-skinned crackling - a piece for every slice, and tender juicy pork loin that has been seasoned to give extra flavour. This cut is super easy to cook, even easier to slice and almost as good as the roast itself, are the incredible sandwiches you can make from the leftovers!
Vietnamese Chicken Wings
Fish sauce can be divisive to some palettes not used to its flavour but it’s impossible to imagine a meal in Vietnam without fish sauce featuring prominently. And like most things, there are good versions and bad. But on the island of Phu Quoc, famous for its fish sauce and pepper, you will find the makers of what is, undoubtedly, the finest fish sauce in the world.
Rostbiff with French Gravy
Rostbiff is a cut from the centre rump, with the rump cap and fat layer removed. It’s a cut with remarkable flavour, especially when roasted. Rostbiff can be roasted whole in a hot oven, barbecued, or sliced into steaks for a tender, delicious stir-fry. Ironically, we use the French term "rostbiff" — meaning "roast beef" — to describe this very English cut.
Nana's Sunday Lamb Roast
My nana was a great cook. Growing up without a lot of money, she knew how to stretch out meals, make great dishes from cheaper cuts and fill up the bellies of hungry men and fussy kids. But it was on special occasions when she would really impress and nobody could come close to making a roast like hers. Nana would get up before the dairy farmers so that lunch would still be served by noon but I have tweaked her recipe so that the whole process takes about 2 hours with some prep the night before – and it might not be quite as good as Nan’s, but it's pretty close.
Roasted Pork Shoulder with Roast New Potatoes
Pork shoulder is affordable, tender, and delicious. You don’t need to buy a whole pork shoulder — a smaller 2kg portion is perfect for a smaller gathering and cooks in the same way, just more quickly. For a richer, crispier roast potato, use the rendered pork fat instead of olive oil.
Spicy Georgian Beef Soup - Kharcho
Want a hearty soup that has a spicy – but not spicy hot – tang to feed a few this winter? Then try this traditional dish of Georgia. There they call it kharcho which is pronounced ‘harcho’. It is exceptionally delicious and has a rich flavour thanks to a traditional spice mix called khmeli-suneli. And stacks of fresh herbs. Use a cut of beef that has a good fat content like chuck, brisket or blade that delivers, flavour, tenderness and value. While technically a soup, the addition of rice and hot toast, makes it a filling main course perfect for Winter in Daylesford!
Roasted Whole Pork Shoulder with Buttery Hasselback Potatoes
Pork shoulder is perfect when serving a crowd. It has more flavour than most other cuts, cooks to a lip-smacking succulence, and boasts skin that crisps to golden crackling. Here, we pair it with rich and delicious roast hasselback potatoes.
Rack of Lamb with Middle Eastern Vegetables
This grass-fed rack of lamb is tender, rich, and succulent, cooked on a bed of vegetables seasoned with Middle Eastern spices to soak up all the delicious juices. It’s a super colourful dish and perfect for large celebrations and feasts.
Apricot Glazed Ham
Serving up a whole leg of ham, beautifully glazed to a golden brown, is one way a home chef can really bring a sense of seasonal occasion to the Christmas table. Not only does a glazed ham look great, but it is also super tasty, with a hint of sweetness in every slice. This version has a touch of honey and Chinese five-spice to add another layer of deliciousness to the big day.
Sri Lankan Beef Curry
Rump steak is perfect for this curry. Because the coconut is quite rich, you want beef that is flavoursome but not too fatty. The result is an amazing, fragrant, and delicious curry that is perfect with flatbread, rice, and salad. This recipe has a lot of ingredients, as all good curries do—most of the spices can be found at Tonna’s. A quick shortcut would be to buy a pack of Zest Caribbean Colombo Curry Concentrate from our Daylesford store or online. They are made in Byron Bay, vegan, gluten and dairy-free without added sugar and are a fantastic alternative for when you are short on time.
Roast Lamb Loin Chops with Mint and Dill Sauce
Lamb loin chops are one of the best cuts in the butcher’s shop window. I love them grilled over charcoal, but I have discovered another way to keep their juicy and succulent texture. This is a one-pan roast packed with vegetables and finished with a vibrant and tangy green sauce made with spring dill tips and fresh mint.
Easy Carve Middle Eastern Lamb Shoulder
Lamb shoulder is so delicious. It is full-flavoured and cooks beautifully juicy and tender. It cooks more evenly and faster when it is boned, rolled, and tied, something we do in-house here for you gladly. We will even give it a rub with our special Middle Eastern Spice mix. Order online or come in-store and ask for one. We love the recipe so much we are going to share it with you.
Kipfler Chip Shepherds Pie
A great take on the traditional shepherd’s pie with a succulent lamb braise topped with sliced cooked kipfler potatoes, butter and pecorino cheese browned until crisp and golden.
Old Fashioned Pea & Ham Soup
We take great pride in our smoked ham hocks. We take prime, free-range pork hock, or knuckle, and brine them in our special blend of salt, sugar, and spices. They are then hot smoked for a deep, rich, smoky flavour. They make a great smoky, meaty start to dishes such as baked beans, ham terrine and this – our old-fashioned pea and ham soup. It’s a quick prep, one-pot dish finished with the secret ingredient – balsamic vinegar – for a delicious extra tang.
Bacon and Spinach Quiche
Nothing says Mother’s Day quite like breakfast in bed. This wonderful quiche recipe is for a family-size quiche – or you can make mini quiche’s in small 8cm dishes that are easier to handle when eating in bed!
We love our streaky bacon. Made from the belly, it is beautifully smoked, with a good layer of fat and seasoned with herbs giving it a rich smoky flavour.
Rosemary and Parmesan Crusted Rack of Lamb
It’s an early Easter this year so we have brought out a dish that is great for warmer days but still has everyone’s Easter favourite - lamb. The aromatics of rosemary with the punch of parmesan pairs beautifully with the sweet tender lamb. Making a little mustard glaze helps the panko crumbs stick to lamb and using panko crumbs are lighter and crunchier.
Beef Tartare by Sault Restaurant
Jack Powlay is the head chef at Sault, one of Daylesford’s most beautiful restaurants. We love how he transforms classic dishes into meals that are both spectacular to look at and even more wonderful to eat. We are honoured that Jack and the team at Sault have shared this wonderful recipe with us for you to try at home.
Middle Eastern Grilled Beef Heart
Flavoursome and delicious beef heart is a quietly making its way onto menus across the nation as diners look for something new, something delicious and something affordable. Beef heart is surprisingly tender. In fact beef heart is a lean muscle that tastes, well, beefy. Our version is redolent of spice, smoke and citrus and makes a great starter served with an IPA or a grenache or shiraz.
Quick Vietnamese Beef Pho
This quick version of the much-loved Vietnamese Pho soup is made using beef & chicken stock rather than cooking the broth from scratch.