Students get valuable insight at Welsh Lamb butchery demonstration
Aspiring chefs from a leading further education college were given an insight into PGI Welsh Lamb as part of a demonstration of butchery skill and technique. Following the demo, Welsh Lamb took centre stage in a six course Great British Menu meal, cooked by the students themselves.
Held at The Academy Restaurant situated at The City of Liverpool College, the special cooking event formed part of a second phase of activity working in partnership with Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC).
The first phase, in October 2022, saw HCC’s Red Meat Development Programme working with the College to conduct a Welsh Lamb consumer taste panel. The Welsh Lamb Meat Quality Project asked 160 members of the public, including some college staff and students, to taste and rate PGI Welsh Lamb. It formed part of a trial investigating how lamb cuts, carcase hanging methods, packaging and lamb sire affects the tenderness, juiciness, flavour and aroma of the meat.
This recent second phase of the activity at the venue saw a butchery demonstration of a Welsh Lamb carcase at The City of Liverpool College to increase student awareness of the variety of Welsh Lamb cuts available and how they could create scrumptious meals with the meat. In addition, the students were also asked to think about the retail elements of selling Welsh Lamb to consumers.
Conducted by award winning butcher Ben Roberts, the students then went on to prepare the lamb as the main course at an evening event, themed ‘Great British Menu’ at the College’s restaurant.
College representative and Executive Chef Ian Jaundoo said: “The Academy Restaurant at The City of Liverpool College was delighted to welcome Welsh Master Butcher, Ben Roberts, to give a professional and informative demonstration of a Welsh Lamb carcase breakdown to our Level 2 and 3 Professional Cookery students.
“Using the meat to form part of the main course in our kitchen was a great experience for the students and all the customers commented on the tenderness and tasty flavour of the Welsh Lamb.”
Dr Eleri Thomas, Meat Quality Executive from HCC said: “Working with the College has given us some great insight into people’s views on Welsh Lamb. Liverpool forms only part of the story, as we have travelled the length and breadth of the UK during the project’s lifetime, asking nearly 2,000 consumers to share their opinion on Welsh Lamb during our taste panels. Nearly 13,500 pieces of Welsh Lamb have been sampled, with 64 farms supplying us with their meat.
“Bringing The City of Liverpool College’s students to work with us has given us an opportunity to give something back to the next generation of chefs, and hopefully some experience of using and preparing a great quality Welsh product. We are grateful to everyone involved for their enthusiasm and support.”
HCC’s Welsh Lamb Meat Quality project is nearing the end of its 5-year completion as part of the Red Meat Development Programme. Funded by the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
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