Brits don’t know their rump from their ribeye, according to new research.
Despite sitting down to 312 meals a year containing meat most people have a shocking lack of knowledge of where it comes from and how it gets on to our plates.
Almost two thirds could not identify the correct location of a rump steak – despite the clue being in the name – while only 36 per cent could identify that a pork shoulder steak comes from the shoulder of a pig.
A staggering 81 per cent of respondents could not find the part of a cow a ribeye steak comes from, with only nine per cent claiming they knew where a Barnsley chop comes from on a lamb.
The “steak of the nation” report, commissioned by butchers Donald Russell, found the average meat eater gets through 30 steaks, 36 roast dinners, 48 sausages , 60 chicken breasts, 36 chicken curries, 24 pork chops and 96 rashers of bacon every year.
But the survey shows a real disconnect between what’s on our plates and our knowledge of those animals – with almost a third of Brits claiming to have never seen a cow or a pig in the flesh.
In fact, 75 per cent of Brits admit their parents and grandparents’ generation know more about where products come from and cooking them than they do – with modern Brits only visiting a butcher once a month and more than a third admitting they don’t feel confident buying and cooking a wide range of cuts of meat.
A huge 93 per cent of Brits have never tasted a trendy bavette steak (taken from the flank of the animal), and 83 per cent said they are unsure what a flat iron steak was.
More than half have never tried a T bone steak – a cut taken from the lower middle of the animal.
Paul Adams, marketing director of “Scotland’s Finest Butcher” Donald Russell, said: “We wanted to shine a light on the UK’s meat-eating habits and the research shows that, although we are a nation of meat lovers, there is a lack of knowledge about how to source and prepare the best quality meat, and that lack of experimentation with different cuts of meat means we are missing out on some of the best options available.
“One of the problems highlighted by the study is poor access to local butchers, with most people now buying their meat from a supermarket and never therefore getting the chance to talk to a specialist butcher or explore how best to prepare the broad range of meat on offer.
“The generational knowledge gap needs to be filled, partly through inspiration of how best to prepare and serve a greater range of ‘crafted by hand’ meat, but partly through recognising the art of conversation is still alive.
“Even if, as with us at Donald Russell, it’s about talking on the phone or over a live chat for expert advice to feed your perfect direct to your door delivery, rather than in a butcher’s shop itself.”
According to the study, 65 per cent of Brits have never seen a butcher at work, while three quarters have never plucked up the courage to ask a butcher for advice about meat.
A quarter admit they feel confused, don’t know what to buy, and don’t understand what is on display in their local butcher’s shop.
Yet 34 per cent of those polled said they’d buy more meat from a butcher if they had one near them.
Adams added: “In the age of convenience, it’s important that traditional skills such as crafted by hand butchery don’t fade away, and with direct to door services such as ours now becoming much more frequent for people in broad range of food areas, we hope people can mix and match favourite cuts with interesting variety.”
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