What is Australia’s favourite meat?

We Australians are known around the world for our love of a good barbeque – we simply can’t resist a day in the sun with some good mates, a few beverages and the meat cooking! The stats say just as much, with Australians consuming the second highest quantity of meat per capita, losing out only to the Americans. But what is our favourite meat of all? The companies that advertise lamb have labelled it as ‘the flavour of Australia’, but we are lovers of beef, chicken, pork and even kangaroo too.

The truth may actually surprise you. According to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences, Australians ate more chicken than any other meat. In actual fact, during 2012-2013, we ate more than twice the amount of chicken meat than we did lamb and beef combined. The average Australian woofed down almost 45 kg of chicken, 32.8 kg of beef and just 9.5 kg of lamb, a figure that we really didn’t predict considering how large our lamb industry is! In comparison pig meat, which obviously includes ham, bacon and pork, came in at roughly 26 kg person and its consumption has grown by 20% in the past decade.

So according to the statistics, chicken is Australia’s favourite meat by a significant margin. The global figures also suggest that chicken is soon to top pig meat as the most widely consumed animal product. What is the main reason for this? Ultimately, it may have a lot to do with the price of chicken meat, which is comparatively much lower than its red meat counterparts.

 But there are other things to consider. Chicken is generally seen as a more environmental friendly option when compared with beef, which has traditionally been seen as the go-to meat dish. Methane gas produced by cattle is seen to be damaging to the environment and more resources are required to support the farming of them. While this is passed onto the consumer in the form of higher costs (as discussed) there remains the obvious adverse effect on the environment as a result.

These factors seem to have contributed to beef consumption halving over the past 25 years. While it is still the second most consumed meat, it is clear that we are eating less beef than in previous years on a per person basis.

Our Favourite Pork Dishes

Despite the fact that it is forbidden for consumption in many cultures, pork remains one of the most widely enjoyed meat product in the world. Accounting for almost 40% of meat production globally, pork is a great source of protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins. It also comes in a variety of form, being used for ham, bacon, smoked pork and sausage - truly one of the most versatile meats on the market.

This might be part of the reason why it has been such an important part of human history, with evidence of pigs being farmed and domesticated as far back as 5000 BC! In Europe, before the 20th century when pork was mass-produced, the meat was typically enjoyed in the Autumn months when apples are in season. This has meant the two foods are traditionally served together, and the pairing remains relevant to this day.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular, lip-smacking pork dishes that are sure to treat your tastebuds.

Pork Belly

If you’ve tried a slow roasted or braised pork belly dish, chances are you’re not going to forget it in a hurry. Certainly the most tender part of the animal, the pork belly is popular in Asian countries and is usually used to process bacon too. Ideally, you want to contrast the succulent meat with golden crackling of the skin - this is certainly one of the defining features of pork that makes it special when compared to other meats. Also, pork belly is extremely tasty when served with apples, garlic, cherries or ginger to name a few of our favourite ingredients.

Pork Chops

Pork is becoming more and more popular as the go-to meat of choice when people are throwing a meal together at home. Pork chops are quick, easy and delicious, taking as quick as 20 minutes to cook and quite versatile in terms of what they can be served with. Much like chicken, they’re great with pesto sauce or even crumbed! We highly recommend making a night for pork chops every week or so.

Fried Pork Nuggets

Nuggets might seem the domain of chicken, but pork is one of those adaptable meats that rises to any challenge (so to speak). These can be prepared quick similarly to chicken nuggets; deep fried and beautiful when served with an accompanying sauce (we recommend mixing garlic, chives, white wine and mustard!). There are some great recipes for pork nuggets online, so if you like the sounds of them, give them a go! We’re sure you’ll be impressed.

Buy Premium Meats Online For Quality and Convenience!

As the global and local communities get smaller (thanks to the internet), it has never been easier to do your shopping online. With many major retailers allowing customers to place orders online and having items delivered, shopping has never been easier and more convenient. Whether it’s for groceries, clothing or more specialist items that might be difficult to find in stores, there’s not much you won’t be able to buy online.

Castrium Master Meats is one such online supplier that delivers premium meats all over Melbourne at the best prices. We specialise in bringing our customers restaurant quality, gourmet meats that are not often found in your regular supermarket.

With great weekly specials on specific meat, Castrium Master Meats provides everything from top quality Angus and Wagyu beef, to aged Lamb and pork joints that are bursting with flavour. Unlike most supermarkets that stock standard cuts of meat, our premium product range provides great value for money and allows you to creating tantalising dishes at home for a fraction of the cost!

The Castricum Guarantee

We select the best cuts and deliver to your door fresher than ever. By ordering online with you have your choice of delicious premium meat delivered to your door and some great special offers afforded to your every order. Deliveries of your order will be made between 4am and 8am every morning to allow you to safely stock your meat before you leave home for the day, and work deliveries are available after 3pm for your convenience.

All deliveries come safely packaged in vacuum bags or trays which are placed in a sealed carton to lock in the freshness of your meats, giving you peace of mind and making sure your order stays fresh whilst in transit. Any order after 1pm will be next day delivered for your convenience.

With food delivery being one of the biggest growing areas in the online retail world, these services are becoming more dependable and convenient, as more is invested into them. Large supermarkets are getting in on the act and realising that many more people are willing to purchase essential everyday groceries online. Further, prices have fallen dramatically over the years to give you the best service at the best price with premium meats being offered without the premium price tag.

With a range of premium meats that are renowned their quality, Castricum guarantees the finest cuts at the best prices, so visit our website and find out how we can save you time and money today!

The Health Benefits of Eating Beef

We all want to stay healthy, and diet has a great deal to do with this. In modern society, we’re seeing more and more people change their eating habits and - in many cases - move to less of a meat-based diet. Yet one of the most important parts of every diet is protein, and people can often forget this.

The benefits of adding the right proteins to every meal improve health in a multitude of ways, and with meat home delivery services like Castrium Master Meats, you can benefit from fresh prime cuts delivered straight to your door. In this article, we look at some of the health benefits of eating beef in particular, and why – if eaten in moderation – it’s such an important part of your diet.

Beef is likely the most widely enjoyed meat dishes and is an important part of a healthy diet. The average cut contains around 64.1% of your daily value in protein. For young growing bodies, it’s very important to have a lot of protein in a diet. Beef is also rich in vitamins B12 and B6, which help to fight infection and are essential for babies, young children and teenagers.

Beef is also a great source of the zinc and B-Complex proteins, which help regulate the body and keep it in tip-top working order. When you consider that it is also high in Omega-3 fatty acids (the good acids!) when cows are grass-fed, you start to see the growing number of benefits by just adding a few cuts of beef to your weekly diet.

While beef can be quite fatty, many people don’t realise that almost half the fat in beef is oleic acid, which is actually healthy for the heart and is found in olive oil. Lastly, beef is very high in important nutrients such as iron and zinc. So while it should obviously be consumed in moderation, there are some important health benefits that come with eating beef regularly.

Castrium Master Meats specialise in meat home delivery, so you can have premium beef brought directly to your door! By taking advantage of this great service, you can be sure to find the best beef and other meat, the highest quality cuts and the best prices.

With a wide range of beef cuts available, including everything from Porterhouse and Scotch Fillet to Rump, you can start reaping the rewards of quality beef with Castrium Master Meats. The other great thing is that there are so many cooking options with beef, so you’ll never run out of tasty dishes!

Shopping For Fresh Meat Online

The phenomenon of online shopping and getting deliveries has been growing at a rapid pace. With the commitments that come with work and family, who has the time to cart a trolley around a grocery store anymore? We have seen a recent trend where households are purchasing more of their foods - including fresh fruit, vegetables and even meat - online.

Large supermarket chains have started to offer this service to compete with online competition, and this has provided numerous benefits for the consumer. Not only does it mean you save precious time, but you can also be assured of the quality and freshness of the fresh foods you have purchased. A good cut of steak can be delivered to your door on a weekly basis without you having to lift a finger.

Is buying beef online a good idea?

Initially, consumers were rightly suspicious about buying products online 10 or so years ago. This was the case not only because of concerns about the legitimacy of such websites, but also due to suspicion about the quality of the products themselves.

This is no longer the case and the rise of online shopping has changed the retail market for good. More and more people are purchasing their meats including beef online, and with all the benefits, it’s not difficult to see why this is the case.

First of all, it is really convenient to buy from an online shop which saves time. People can buy their vegetables and fruits at any time of the day including afterhours. Hence, they do not need to spend extra hours in traffic or in queues. Further, since these shops do not have any outlet and additional overhead costs, they can also sell items at a relatively inexpensive price.

How to get quality meat delivered

It really doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that ordering your meat on the internet is the way to go. It’s so easy to set up that it’s a wonder why people bother going to their local butcher when they can get restaurant quality meats with the click of their mouse.

Castricum Master Meats takes pride in the quality of our cuts and we guarantee the satisfaction of all our customers. Just jump on our website and choose the meat that you’re interested in purchasing on a weekly or one-off basis. Setting up your account couldn’t be simpler, and you’ll be happy with your decision to buy online when you taste our premium meats.

We also have a shop front in Dandenong, but considering the range of Melbourne suburbs we delivery too, you’re just as well served by ordering online. Visit our easy-to-use website for more information and check out our weekly specials!