‘There has long been a shyness, almost a taboo, about butchery. To me it is an art, a craft, something to be celebrated and I want to tell people about it. I find myself marvelling at the animals I rear and the link they provide between us and the land. These gracious, primal animals provide us with food that keeps us healthy and strong. I am responsible for making sure that every part of that animal that is a source of nourishment can be used as such. It is a calling, a purpose, and so much more than just a job.’ Pat Whelan

Immersed in the world of meat since he was a child Pat Whelan, a fifth generation butcher, has learned the skills of the farmer, the stockman, the slaughterman, the butcher, the shopkeeper and the business man. Fundamental to all of those skills is his goal to ensure the successful journey of high-quality meat from farm to fork.

The popularity of Pat’s physical and online butcher shops, which provides meat reared and slaughtered ethically on his own farm, and of his regular butchery classes is testimony to the increasing popularity of the food philosophy he has espoused for years and to consumers growing desire to get closer to the source of their food.

The Irish Beef Book is a celebration of the best things about the Irish food scene and of what makes our beef world class – artisan producers, quality land and animals, and excellent husbandry and farming techniques.

It empowers cooks with the knowledge to choose quality meat that is good for their health and is packed with recipes for nose-to-tail eating, whether you are looking for a new recipe for the perfect Sunday roast or want to experiment with more unusual and often cheaper cuts like skirt and shin.

Pat Whelan is the fifth generation of his family to be involved in farming and meat production and has established a reputation as the foremost butcher in Ireland, recognised as an Irish Food Hero by Rick Stein.  From his farm at Garrintemple, Pat supplies all the beef and lamb to his family business, James Whelan Butchers, with shops in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Avoca Monkstown, and Avoca Rathcoole, Co. Dublin (opening later this month), and was Ireland’s first online butcher. Pat’s rigorous approach to animal husbandry and devotion to exemplary standards and the craft of butchery has earned him numerous prestigious accolades. As chair of the Tipperary Food Producers, Pat is a key member of the flourishing Irish artisan food community. Pat lives in Clonmel with his wife and three children. Pat is the author of An Irish Butcher Shop.

Katy McGuinness is a restaurant critic and food writer. Her work has been published in the Irish Times, The Irish Independent, The Sunday Tribune, Image and Image Interiors. She is a contributing editor at The Gloss and writes regular food features for The Sunday Times. Katy is a member of the Irish Food Writers Guild. She lives in Dublin with her husband and four children.