Heat the oil in a large pan, and add the vegetables. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the vegetables from the pan and add a little more oil if required. Add the meat to the pan in batches, browning well before removing. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir in a little of the red wine to make a paste. Add the remaining wine and the stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Return the meat and vegetables to the sauce, add seasonings and parsley and simmer for 20 minutes or so until well cooked through.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Spoon the mixture into a pie dish. Roll out the pastry and cover the mixture well, making sure that the ‘lid’ of pastry is bigger than the dish. Press down edges and trim off overhanging pastry. Press the pastry well around the rim of the dish, and brush with beaten egg. Make a small hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is risen and golden.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of being on Pat Kenny’s new radio show on Newstalk. On the show we discussed my new book, co-written by Katy McGuinness, the Irish Beef Book which is full of tips, advice and recipes to help you get the best from your beef. We also talked about the art of butchery covering the complete process from raising and slaughtering the animals, the complex process of maturing the meat to develop flavour, the skills needed to butcher the whole carcass and the importance of communicating your message to the customer.
You can listen to the show in full on the Newstalk Player or by clicking on the ‘Podcast’ link below.
Publication Date: 5th December, 2013
Listen to the show: Podcast – Interview starts with Pat at 53mins and continues in part 3 of the show (6mins 30secs)
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Last weekend I was delighted to appear on Marian Finucane’s RTE Radio 1 show to discuss the best way of coping with the stress of Christmas. We discussed the stress people put themselves under when deciding what to cook for Christmas dinner. I talked about the differences between the two main breeds of turkey – the white and bronze, the tradition of buying a turkey from your butcher and the alternatives for Christmas dinner including the traditional free range goose.
You can listen to the show on the RTE Radio Player or by clicking on the ‘Podcast‘ link below.
Publication Date: 7th December, 2013
Listen to the show: Podcast – Interview starts with Pat at 10mins
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Chicken soup made with a whole chicken and enjoyed as a meal is perfect food for a busy lifestyle. Any vegetables can be added to this dinner in a bowl.
Put the chicken into a large saucepan and add water, one of the chopped onions and half of the celery. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 ½ hours, or until the chicken is cooked. Now remove the chicken from the stock and save the stock.
In a separate pan, melt the butter and add the remaining chopped onion, celery and parsnip. Cook gently until the onion is tender. Add the flour and stir until combined. Cook for one minute or so. Now add the chicken stock gradually. Return to heat and continue to stir until the soup boils and thickens. More water may be needed depending on consistency of liquid.
Season with salt and pepper and crumbled stock cube if using. Cover pan and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or so.
Remove meat from bones of chicken and add to the soup. Add cream and heat through.
Scatter parsley over the soup when dished up in bowls.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Leeks are possibly the dirtiest of vegetables as they push through the earth bringing lots of grit between the leaves. The root should be cut off along with the tough green leaves.
Wash the leeks and cut into thin rings. Fry the bacon until crisp and remove. Melt the butter in the pan and add the leeks, and cook until softened. Add the salt and pepper and the paprika and stir through. Add the sour cream and lemon juice, and continue over heat until heated through. Add the bacon and parsley and serve.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Friday, December 6th, 2013 by Pat Whelan in Press | No Comments »
Tom Hayes and Pat Whelan
Richard Tempany Esme Dunne and Catherine Tempany
Patrick Redmond, Katy McGuinness and Patrick Hanley
Maria Reidy and Niall Hill
Laura Moore and Patrick Ryan
Katy McGuinness and Elaine Walsh
Jenny Messenger and Enda Dolan
Fiona and Una O’Dwyer
Elaine Walsh and Patrick Hanley
Diarmuid Gavin and wife Justine
Caroline Davis and Hugh Chaloner
Bill King and Pat Whelan
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Brining your turkey is similar to marinating, but is primarily focused on moistening the meat as opposed to adding flavor to it. Brining your turkey prior to cooking will help ensure you end up with a deliciously moist and flavor-packed turkey this Christmas.
What you need to know about brining
The first step in the process is selecting your brine recipe. This recipe is a simple and versatile choice that works. Once you’ve selected your brine you’ll need to:
Purchase a fresh turkey .
The night before roasting rinse the turkey inside and out.
Prepare your brine. Be sure to mix ingredients until all of the salt is dissolved. If your brine is heated, be sure to cool it to room temperature.
Place your turkey, breast down, in a large container made of food-grade standard.
Add your brine, to cover the entire turkey.
Place in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove turkey from brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Cook turkey as desired.
Ingredients
8 cups water
1/4 cup sea or kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 lemons, cut in half
3 bay leaves, preferably fresh
8 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Makes approximately 8 cups
To Cook
Combine all of the ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Transfer to a bowl or other container and allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight before using.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Schnitzel is originally a German dish and, by tradition, pork is hugely popular in Germany. The key to great schnitzel is definitely in the pounding of the pork. The flavours here are great and can be served with other German favourites such as apple sauce or red cabbage.
6 bread slices, a few days old and processed to breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
1 tablespoon gruyere cheese finely grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
To Cook
Trim the pork of any fat and flatten it out by hammering lightly with rolling pin or similar. Mix the breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley together. Dip the pork steaks into the beaten egg and then bathe in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing well to make sure they are completely covered.
Heat oil in large frying pan and fry the schnitzels for 4 or 5 minutes each side, until golden and cooked through.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
This is easy to put together and is a brilliant side dish with any meat and particularly good as an accompaniment for barbecues. Roasted pumpkin makes this dish special and is a great way to introduce it into the vegetable range. All vegetables should be cut into cubes or thickly sliced.
1 whole garlic bulb left whole, sliced across the top of the cloves
4 tablespoons olive oil
Pepper and salt
Cous Cous
To Cook
Pre-heat oven to medium. Pour a little oil into the base of a baking dish, and add the vegetables. Pour a little more oil over the top and mix through, and roast for an hour or until the vegetables are well cooked through and slightly browned.
Assemble the cous cous according to instructions. The garlic cloves should pop out of the skins when squeezed, and mixed through the vegetables. Mix the cous cous and the vegetables together and serve either hot, or cold as a salad.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Brush the breasts with the melted jelly and then press the breadcrumbs into the pheasant. If time allows refrigerate for an hour or so.
Heat the butter and oil in a pan and cook the pheasants over a high heat to ensure the crumb coating is golden brown. Reduce and cook for 5 minutes or so.
Combine the mustard, cream and seasonings in a bowl, and then pour over the pheasant and simmer for 10 minutes until cooked through.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
This morning I had the pleasure of talking with Keelin Shanley who was filling in for Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio 1. We discussed what “Spiced Beef” is made from and how the recipe originated in Cork during the 16th and 17th centuries. At that time Cork was one of the largest exporters of beef in the world and was also a very important shipping port for spice traders. At James Whelan Butchers, we’ve been using the same recipe for making Spiced Beef since 1960 and you can find this recipe in my latest book, co-written with Katy McGuinness – The Irish Beef Book.
You can listen to the show on the RTE Radio Player or by clicking on the ‘Podcast’ link below.
Publication Date: 28th October, 2013
Listen to the show: Podcast – Interview starts with Pat at 1hr 29mins
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Because all venison in Ireland is from the wild there is an intensity of flavour and firmness of meat that makes it a very tasty option. Overcooking venison should be avoided, as it is a meat almost devoid of fat and a marinade that includes oil is essential when cooking the leaner cuts. Juniper berries are a natural partner with venison.
1 strip orange peel, sprigs of parsley, thyme, rosemary, and 1 bay leaf, tied with string into a bouquet garni.
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 onion finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
10 each juniper berries and black peppercorns
To Cook
Combine all marinade ingredients and mix well in a bowl large enough to hold the meat. Leave the meat to marinade overnight. When ready to cook, remove the joint and dry it well, and brush with the melted butter.
Lay the rashers over the leg, and place in a roasting pan, covered with foil.
Place in an oven that has been pre-heated to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and cook for about 1 hour per kg/ 30 minutes per lb and then 15 minutes more.
Strain the marinade, and simmer over a low heat until it has reduced by half. Thicken with a little cornflour which has been mixed with ½ cup beef stock, and add to the sauce, along with juices from the cooked venison.
Rest the meat for at least 15 minutes before carving, and serve with potato and red cabbage.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
