GRID IRON GOURMET / THE KITCHEN

Articles, guides & features

Practical buying advice, comparisons between cuts and cooking guidance to help you choose well and cook with confidence.

Browse the Guides

Start Here

How to Buy Good Meat

Buying good meat starts with asking the right questions — not just about the cut, but about the animal, the farmer, and the journey from field to butcher block. In an age of pre-packed trays and barcoded anonymity, making a conscious choice to buy better meat is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to support proper farming and better flavour.

How We Prepare and Age Our Beef Before It Even Reaches Your Pan

Before a single flame is lit or a skillet gets hot, the character of beef has already been shaped by a series of quiet decisions — choices made over time, with tradition, flavour, and respect for the animal in mind. This section is less about process and more about principles: what we believe makes beef worth cooking.

Understanding the Beast: A Guide to Beef Primal Cuts

Beef is a big beast, quite literally. To cook it well, it helps to understand where each cut comes from, what it brings to the table, and how best to honour it. This section breaks down the cow into its primal cuts — the major muscle groups and regions that determine flavour, texture, and cooking method.

Comparison Guides

Not sure which cut is right for the job? These practical comparisons explain the differences in flavour, texture, preparation and cooking method, helping you choose the best meat for the meal you have in mind.

Tomapork: Single Bone or Double Bone - Which Should You Choose?

Discover the difference between single and double bone Tomapork chops. Learn how to cook, rest and carve these rare breed pork cuts for the best results.

Fillet Steak, Centre-Cut Fillet, Chateaubriand or Whole Fillet: Which Should You Choose?

Beef fillet is prized for its tenderness and fine texture, but choosing between fillet steaks, centre-cut fillet, chateaubriand and a whole fillet is not always straightforward. They all come from the same exceptionally tender muscle, yet the way each is prepared makes it better suited to a particular style of cooking and serving.

Skirt, Bavette or Onglet: Which Beef Cut Should You Choose?

Outside skirt, bavette, onglet and traditional beef skirt are all richly flavoured cuts, but each has its own texture, character and ideal cooking method. This guide compares them side by side, helping you choose the right cut for a quick steak supper, barbecue centrepiece or slow-cooked dish.

Bone-In vs Boned and Rolled vs Butterflied Leg of Lamb: Which Should You Choose?

Three preparations of leg of lamb, compared for roasting, barbecuing, carving and feeding a crowd.

Pork Collar vs Boston Butt vs Boneless Pork Shoulder: Which Should You Choose?

Three shoulder cuts, three different strengths — for roasting, smoking, pulling and carving.

Fresh from Grid Iron Gourmet

Why a Good Butcher Still Matters

A good butcher does more than prepare meat. From understanding the differences between cuts to helping customers cook with confidence, skilled butchery still has an important place in the modern kitchen.

Bone-In Pork Belly: Why Leave the Ribs Attached?

Skin on and ribs still attached, bone-in pork belly makes a generous slow roast. Here is why the cut works, how to get crisp crackling and how to carve it.

Chuck Roast for Sunday Lunch: Six Ways to Cook It

Discover six ways to cook native breed beef chuck for Sunday lunch, from traditional slow roasting and rich pot roasts to Ninja Foodi cooking, smoking and sous vide.

Mutton Shoulder: Why Slow Cooking Suits It So Well

Mutton shoulder rewards patience. Its deeper flavour and shoulder structure suit a long, gentle cook, with simple seasoning and enough resting time before carving.

Pork Shoulder: How to Slow-Roast It for Tender Meat and Crisp Crackling

Pork shoulder rewards a slower approach. Here’s how to get tender meat, crisp crackling and the best from a boned-and-rolled shoulder roast.

Lamb Shoulder: Why Slow Cooking Suits It So Well

Lamb shoulder has more natural fat and connective tissue than leg, which is exactly why it becomes so succulent when given time. Here’s how to cook it, rest it and make the most of it.

FREE UK MAINLAND DELIVERY ON ORDERS OVER £70