The starting point: understanding the cuts on the block.
FROM THE BUTCHER’S BLOCK
Choose your cut. Make a good meal.
What it is, how to prepare it and how to cook it well. Choose from 43 guides below. These are cooking guides, not a list of everything currently in stock.
Beef steaks
Sirloin steak
A loin steak with a firm bite and a strip of fat along one edge.
01 / Prepare
Pat dry and season just before cooking. Snip a tight outer membrane if it makes the steak curl.
02 / Cook
Use a hot heavy pan. Hold the fat edge against the pan first, then sear both faces and turn regularly until cooked to your liking. Rest before serving.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
Cut from the rib, with seams of fat that bring flavour and keep the steak juicy.
01 / Prepare
Pat dry. Use only a little oil in the pan because the steak will release its own fat.
02 / Cook
Sear in a hot pan, then reduce the heat slightly to let the fat soften without burning the outside. Rest before slicing.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A tender, lean muscle from inside the loin, with a mild flavour.
01 / Prepare
Remove any remaining silverskin, or ask us to do it. Pat dry and season.
02 / Cook
Sear all sides in a hot pan. Finish a thick steak in a moderate oven, checking the centre with a probe rather than relying on the colour outside. Rest before serving.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A hardworking hindquarter cut with a fuller beef flavour and more bite than fillet.
01 / Prepare
Look for the direction of the grain before cooking. Pat dry and season.
02 / Cook
Sear in a hot pan and turn regularly. Rest, then cut across the grain into manageable slices.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A rump-cap cut with a distinctive fat cap and a coarse grain.
01 / Prepare
Keep a thin, even fat cap. Score the fat lightly without cutting into the meat.
02 / Cook
Start fat-side down over moderate heat to render, then sear the meat faces. On a barbecue, move away from flare-ups. Rest and slice across the grain.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A shoulder steak, tender when the tough central seam has been removed.
01 / Prepare
Check that it is a prepared flat iron with the seam removed, rather than a cross-cut featherblade steak. Pat dry.
02 / Cook
Cook quickly in a hot pan or over direct barbecue heat. Rest, then slice across the grain.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A loose-grained flank cut with plenty of flavour. It rewards careful slicing.
01 / Prepare
Unfold the steak and find the grain. Pat dry; wipe off a wet marinade before searing.
02 / Cook
Sear quickly over a high heat, then rest. Slice thinly across the grain, holding the knife on a slight angle.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A steak cut from the chuck beneath the shoulder blade, with a pronounced grain.
01 / Prepare
Check the grain and pat the surface dry. Ask us to trim any tough connective tissue.
02 / Cook
Sear in a hot pan, turn regularly and rest. Slice across the grain to serve.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
Also called hanger steak: a richly flavoured cut from the diaphragm area.
01 / Prepare
Ask for the firm central membrane to be removed. The two resulting pieces may differ in thickness.
02 / Cook
Sear quickly in a hot pan and cook each piece according to its thickness. Rest, then slice across the grain.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Pan-searing a 1½-inch steak (about 3.8cm)
For a thick sirloin or ribeye, start with roughly 2–3 minutes on each face in a hot heavy pan to build a crust, and sear all edges. Then lower the heat and turn every 30–60 seconds, checking the centre with a probe. Begin temperature checks after about 5–6 minutes total. Around 8–12 minutes total may be a useful planning allowance for medium rare, but a cold steak or different pan can take longer. Stop at the appropriate pull temperature, not at a fixed time.
Pat dry, lightly oil and season. Render a fat edge with tongs. If the crust is ready but the centre needs longer, finish gently in the pan or an oven at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Medium and well-done steaks need longer at this gentler heat; keep checking the probe rather than burning the outside. Rest for about 10 minutes and check the finished temperature.
This timing example is for a thick loin steak. Fillet shape, bones and the thinner profiles of bavette, flat iron and onglet change the timing: use the temperature guide for those cuts, not the same minutes.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A shoulder cut with a central line of connective tissue that softens during slow cooking.
01 / Prepare
Leave the central seam in for braising. Pat dry and season; brown in batches.
02 / Cook
Add onions, stock and herbs, cover and cook gently until a fork slides in with little resistance. Allow several hours; check liquid levels as it cooks.
Temperature and tenderness
Use a clean temperature probe. Braised beef and smoked brisket commonly become tender around 90–96°C internally, but the texture is the final test: the probe should slide in with little resistance. Keep cooking gently if it still feels firm, checking moisture. This is a tenderness range, not a minimum food-safety temperature; cook thoroughly first.
A lean joint from the inside of the hind leg, useful for Sunday lunch and cold slices.
01 / Prepare
Pat dry, season and keep any butcher-tied fat covering in place. Note whether the joint is intact or rolled.
02 / Cook
Roast with a probe to avoid drying it out. Rest before carving thinly across the grain. Rolled joints need thorough cooking throughout.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Roast with a probe
Use an oven-safe probe if leaving it in the joint. For a straightforward whole-muscle roast, brown the outside, then roast at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan, checking the centre regularly. Start checking early; weight-based timings are only a planning aid. The finished temperature, joint shape and whether it is rolled matter more than the clock.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A lean hind-leg joint with a firm texture, well suited to pot roasting.
01 / Prepare
Ask us to remove the tough outer membrane. Keep the string on while cooking.
02 / Cook
Brown, add stock and vegetables, then cover and cook gently until tender. Let it settle in its juices before slicing.
For our suggested pot-roast method
Cook thoroughly and gently until a probe or fork slides in easily. Safe temperature alone does not make a braising cut tender. The pink-roast guide below is for an intact silverside chosen for dry roasting, not the pot-roast method.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Roast with a probe
Use an oven-safe probe if leaving it in the joint. For a straightforward whole-muscle roast, brown the outside, then roast at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan, checking the centre regularly. Start checking early; weight-based timings are only a planning aid. The finished temperature, joint shape and whether it is rolled matter more than the clock.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
A rib joint with the bone left in, suited to a generous centrepiece roast.
01 / Prepare
Pat dry and season. Allow oven space around the joint; keep it refrigerated until preparation.
02 / Cook
Roast and check the thickest meat with a probe, away from bone and large pockets of fat. Rest well before carving the meat off the bones and slicing.
Cook to temperature
We recommend a digital temperature probe. These are approximate finished centre temperatures after resting, for intact whole beef steaks and unrolled roasting joints:
Rare: 50–52°C. red centre.
Medium rare: 54–57°C. warm red-to-pink centre.
Medium: 60–63°C. pink centre.
Medium well: 65–68°C. a little pink.
Well done: 70–72°C. little or no pink.
Insert a clean probe from the side of a steak into its centre, or into the thickest part of a joint. Avoid bone, fat seams and the hot pan. Check more than one spot. Clean the probe before and after use.
Roast with a probe
Use an oven-safe probe if leaving it in the joint. For a straightforward whole-muscle roast, brown the outside, then roast at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan, checking the centre regularly. Start checking early; weight-based timings are only a planning aid. The finished temperature, joint shape and whether it is rolled matter more than the clock.
Allow for resting
For intact steaks, temperature continues to rise during resting. A thick steak seared hard may rise 3–6°C or more, while a gentler finish may rise less. Begin checking a few degrees before your target, take it off early enough to allow for that rise, and monitor during the rest. If still below your chosen finished temperature, return it briefly to gentle heat. A large roast may rise around 5–6°C or more: monitor it rather than subtracting a fixed amount blindly. Rest roasting joints loosely covered for 20–30 minutes before carving.
Pink-centred guidance is only for intact whole beef with every outside surface thoroughly cooked. Rolled, stuffed, injected or mechanically tenderised beef, mince and burgers need thorough cooking throughout: 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. Do not remove these early and assume resting will make them safe.
Rib meat taken off the bone and tied into a neat joint for carving.
01 / Prepare
Keep the string on and pat the surface dry. Check the supplied cooking instructions.
02 / Cook
Roast until thoroughly cooked at the centre, following the safety temperatures below. Rest, remove the string and carve across the grain.
Rolled beef: cook thoroughly
Use a digital probe in the thickest centre, checking several places away from fat. Cook until the centre reaches 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. A boned-and-rolled joint brings outside surfaces into the middle, so the rare-to-medium chart does not apply. Do not rely on resting alone to reach the safety temperature.
Roast at 180°C conventional / 160°C fan after browning, checking early and regularly. Rest loosely covered for 20–30 minutes, remove the string and carve thinly across the grain.
A breast cut with strong connective tissue that needs time to become tender.
01 / Prepare
Choose a piece to suit the method. A lean flat and a fattier point will cook differently; leave a useful covering of fat.
02 / Cook
For a pot roast, brown then cook covered with stock at a gentle heat. For smoking, use indirect heat and manage moisture. It is ready when a probe slides in easily, not simply when a timer rings.
Temperature and tenderness
Use a clean temperature probe. Braised beef and smoked brisket commonly become tender around 90–96°C internally, but the texture is the final test: the probe should slide in with little resistance. Keep cooking gently if it still feels firm, checking moisture. This is a tenderness range, not a minimum food-safety temperature; cook thoroughly first.
Meaty ribs with connective tissue that rewards a long, gentle cook.
01 / Prepare
Pat dry and brown on the meaty sides. Remove only hard excess surface fat.
02 / Cook
Braise covered with stock until tender, or smoke over indirect heat until probe-tender. Keep checking moisture rather than allowing the surface to dry out.
Temperature and tenderness
Use a clean temperature probe. Braised beef and smoked brisket commonly become tender around 90–96°C internally, but the texture is the final test: the probe should slide in with little resistance. Keep cooking gently if it still feels firm, checking moisture. This is a tenderness range, not a minimum food-safety temperature; cook thoroughly first.
Boneless pork steaks can come from the loin or shoulder; the cut changes the best method.
01 / Prepare
Check which cut you have. Pat dry and trim only hard excess fat.
02 / Cook
Loin steaks suit a quick sear followed by gentle cooking through. Shoulder steaks can be cooked through in a pan or braised gently for a softer result.
Layered meat and fat from the belly. Rindless belly will not make crackling.
01 / Prepare
Check for any remaining bones or cartilage and trim if necessary. Season the meat evenly.
02 / Cook
Cook gently, covered initially if needed, until the meat is tender and the fat has softened. Finish uncovered at higher heat to brown the surface. Cook thoroughly.
A shoulder cut with connective tissue and fat, useful for slow roasts and pulled pork. Boston butt is the upper shoulder.
01 / Prepare
Check whether it is bone-in, rolled or rind-on. Score and dry rind only if making crackling.
02 / Cook
Slow roast, braise or smoke over indirect heat until thoroughly cooked and tender enough to pull. Safe cooking temperature alone does not guarantee pull-apart texture.
A hind-leg roast with lean meat and a clear grain, suited to carving.
01 / Prepare
Pat dry and season. Make small incisions for garlic or herbs if wanted, and follow thorough-cooking guidance for pierced or stuffed meat.
02 / Cook
Roast and probe the thickest part away from the bone. Rest before carving across the grain. For pull-apart lamb, use a covered slow-roast method with some liquid.
Boneless steaks, often from the leg, with a lean centre and firm bite.
01 / Prepare
Check the grain and pat dry. Wipe off excess marinade before cooking.
02 / Cook
Pan-fry or grill, turning regularly. Rest, then slice across the grain. Follow thorough-cooking guidance if the meat has been pierced or mechanically tenderised.
The term can be used differently at butcher counters. Confirm whether you have tenderloin or another boneless lamb cut.
01 / Prepare
Ask us to identify the piece and remove tough membrane. Check its thickness before choosing a recipe.
02 / Cook
Tenderloin suits quick pan cooking followed by a short rest. A larger boneless or rolled cut needs its own roasting guidance and thorough cooking if rolled.
A whole bird brings breast and leg meat together, so both need checking. Corn-fed and free-range birds still need thorough cooking.
01 / Prepare
Remove packaging and any giblets. Do not wash. Keep raw poultry and its juices away from ready-to-eat food.
02 / Cook
Follow the pack guidance and roast until thoroughly cooked. Check the thickest breast and inner thigh with a probe, avoiding bone. Rest before carving.
Chicken breast with a butter filling and crumb coating; the centre needs careful cooking.
01 / Prepare
Keep chilled and follow supplied instructions. Avoid piercing through the filling unnecessarily during preparation.
02 / Cook
Oven cook until the chicken is thoroughly cooked throughout. Check the thickest chicken portion with a probe; browned crumbs alone are not a reliable guide.
A large whole bird for a festive roast. Size, shape and oven performance affect cooking time.
01 / Prepare
If frozen, thaw fully in the fridge following the supplier’s guidance. Remove giblets. Do not wash; cook stuffing separately.
02 / Cook
Use the supplied time as a planning guide, then confirm thorough cooking with a probe in the thickest breast and inner thigh, away from bone. Rest before carving.
A crown is breast meat on the bone; a boneless joint may be rolled. Both need thorough cooking.
01 / Prepare
Check exactly which joint you have and follow its supplied instructions. Keep netting or string in place while roasting.
02 / Cook
Roast and probe the thickest centre in several places, avoiding bone on a crown. Rolled and stuffed joints must be thoroughly cooked all the way through. Rest before slicing.
Seasoned minced meat in a casing, with bacon wrapped around pigs in blankets. Ingredients and allergens vary by recipe.
01 / Prepare
Keep chilled. Space out on the tray and check the label for ingredients and allergens.
02 / Cook
Cook over a moderate heat, turning to colour evenly, until thoroughly cooked in the centre. Use a probe; browned bacon does not prove the sausage is ready.
Cooking safely — temperatures, storage and leftovers
Use a clean food thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone. For poultry, pork, mince, sausages, rolled joints and stuffed meat, reach 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds throughout.
Only intact whole cuts of beef and lamb may be served pink with every outside surface thoroughly seared. This does not apply to rolled, minced, pierced or mechanically tenderised meat.
Keep raw meat chilled and separate from ready-to-eat food. Follow the pack’s use-by date and storage instructions. Defrost in the fridge. Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate within two hours, eat within 48 hours or freeze, and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.
Cooking times vary with thickness, weight and your oven. Follow product instructions where supplied. Read official cooking guidance.
Not sure which cut you have? Ask us at 12 Town Street, Farsley. Tell us what you’re making and we’ll help you choose. Butchery videos will join these guides as we film them.
Put the knowledge to work.
Explore the butcher’s range taking shape, or shop the current Fire & Smoke range.
