Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
- News -
- News -
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
- News -
- News -
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
- News -
- News -
- News -
- News -
- News -
- News -
- News -
- News -
- News -
- News -
- News -
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
Hook & Cleaver
Traditional and High Class Butchers
- Meats -
The Beef
Our steaks are possibly what we do best. Whether you prefer sirloin, ribeye, rump or fillet, we aim for them to be perfect for you every time. Some information on how we do this and our dry-ageing methods are set out at the bottom of this page.
If it's a roasting joint you're after, we offer the lean and succulent prime topside rolls, the traditional cut. For something a bit fancier, it has to be the rib of beef. you can either have it rolled, traditional or french-trimmed. It really benefits from the higher fat content, and that richer beef flavour shines through. If you prefer a leaner premium joint, you can try the rolled sirloin or a piece of fillet, both exquisitely soft and succulent.
We also always have the usual braising, diced, shin as well as the more uncommon brisket, short ribs, skirt or bavette steak, ox cheeks and onglet or hanger steak.
The Lamb
Our free-range lamb is sourced mainly from the grassy fields in the west of England, specifically Dorset and Cornwall, but also from the Scottish hillsides depending on the time of year. We deliberately choose lambs with a little more covering and age them, as we do beef, up to a week in order to enhance their flavour and tenderness. We also regularly stock Salt marsh lamb when in season and occasionally the rarer Jacob lamb when available. The former we source primarily from the Romney Marshes in Kent, with the latter coming from North Yorkshire.
For traditional roasts, we offer legs and shoulders, both of which can be boned and rolled for ease of carving. We also offer the full range of chops, cutlets, shanks and stewing lamb, as well as products such as minted burgers, koftas and meatballs. For something a little more fancy, you might want to try a rack of lamb, either super-trimmed or french-trimmed, or a rolled saddle or noissette. These come from the loin and will be the softest and most delicate cut. As always, we are on hand to help with advice on cooking and preparing lamb, so don't be afraid to ask!
The Poultry
Our popular free-range Norfolk chickens are reared using only the highest welfare standards, allowed to grow at a natural pace, which produces succulent birds full of flavour. We also source free-range and organic chickens from Rhug Estate in North Wales, as well the truly sublime premium free-range, slow grown Sutton Hoo bird.
Chicken is one of the most versatile and popular meats, as its size and softness lends itself to a multitude of different types of meals, from a chicken pasta bake to a curry to a Sunday roast.
We always have a full range of whole birds, breast and leg portions, breast supremes and fillets, thighs and drumsticks. As well as all the traditional cuts you'd expect, we also prepare our own free-range breast chicken nuggets, as well as flavoured portions, cajun and garlic & butter, and our very own Thai chicken stirfry.
The Pork
The pork we source and prepare is from traditional, black–haired, slow–growing breeds. They are reared outdoors, free to roam as they wish, sheltering from the sun or simply bathing in mud. This relaxed, easy lifestyle really shines through in the meat, and pork is a great example of the benefits and advantages of choosing free-range. Our regular supplier is Plantation Pigs based in Shackleford, Surrey and we also use Orchard farm and the Rare Breed Meat Company. As we stock whole pigs, it means you can usually have any cut you want, from head to trotter and everything in between.
You can roast shoulder, belly, leg and loin cuts, as well as the simpler chops and steaks. All of these can be tailored to your requirements, bone in or out, skin scored or removed, rolled or left flat! For something special we can prepare a french-trimmed rack, or a trimmed loin with prunes and apricots perhaps? Or any stuffing of your choosing.
We regularly source Tamworth, Gloucester Old Spot, Black Pig, Middlewhite, Mangalista and the unique Iberico pork.
The Game
Autumn marks the start of the game season in the UK, which means that we stock a range of game sourced primarily from Brompton-on-Swale and the surrounding areas in Yorkshire. Some breeds such as farmed rabbits, guinea fowl and quail we have all year round, but the UK game birds are seasonal due to the permission of shooting seasons. We generally source the traditional venison cuts, wild rabbits, pheasants, red-leg partridge, mallard ducks and grouse, as well as quail, guinea fowl and farmed rabbits. We will also source English wood-pigeons, snipe and woodcock occasionally and to order when required.
The Sausages
We make the sausages ourselves at Pitshanger Lane using meat from the shoulders and bellies of our free-range pigs. Depending on the type of sausage we add a variety of fresh ingredients, some rusk, a pinch of seasoning, a little water and then we fill into natural hog casing to be linked finally by hand. The sausages we have on offer easily suit any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner, and in–between too!
The Veal
Milk-fed veal has a uniquely delicate and mild flavour but also an extremely tender composition, meaning it is a versatile meat to cook with. It is soft enough to pan fry most cuts and also sturdy enough to withstand a slower cook.
We regularly offer escalopes cut from the topside, as well as veal loin chops and calves liver. We occasionally have brisket, flat iron, and ribs too, which can be rolled or cooked on the bone.
We are immensely proud of our beef at Hook and Cleaver. There isn't a piece in the house that hasn't been handpicked, discussed, tagged, hung, rotated, hung some more, rotated again and then lovingly selected for show! This process takes at least a month which is why we are pleased when we hear the feedback that we do, a little recompense for the hard work and effort! With the rarer beef that we choose, there's a little extra excitement in the unknown, waiting to see how it will look, cook and eat, and how the different breeds compare to each other. On any given Saturday, we invite you to ask us about these different and interesting breeds, and take part in the experience!
Regular superstars at Hook and Cleaver include Longhorn, Shorthorn, Dexter, Hereford, South Devon, Piedmontese, White park and Wagyu.
The Rare and Native Breeds
We constantly strive to provide new and interesting breeds that you may not have tried before. These include Salt Marsh and Jacob lamb, Gloucester Old Spot, Black Pig and Tamworth Pork, and a range of Beef cuts including Longhorn, Shorthorn, Hereford, Dexter and Wagyu. Being able to source these rarer breeds from independent farmers is what helps stand us out from the crowd. We've included a little bit of information on this page about the breeds, but our availability really does change every week.
As well as our regular favourite, Westcountry lamb, we often shout about our Salt Marsh lamb. They carry a subtle sweetness and succulence that comes from grazing and roaming freely on the Essex and Suffolk coastal marshes during the summer months. Their diet consists of grasses and samphire, both of which are free from any form of fertilizers and pesticides. We have also recently stocked Jacob Lamb, which were imported from Spain in the 17th Century and acquired their name because they were believed to be descendants of the flock established by Jacob in the book of Genesis. Jacob meat tastes delicious, is low in total fat, low in cholesterol and high in quality protein compared to other red meats.
In addition to the fantastic free–range Plantation pork range, we also regularly stock Gloucester Old Spot and Black Pig breeds. The high degree of marbling and fat found in the Black pork adds an extraordinary depth of flavour and succulence, whilst the laid back, hardy Gloucester Old Spot breed, free from growth promoters and routine antibiotics are considered by many to provide the best tasting pork in the UK, definitely worth a try! Also keep a lookout for Iberico, Tamworth and Mangalitsa too, each one special in their own way.
