Buying meat from the butcher doesn't necessarily mean that it is better quality than the supermarket. It all depends on the butcher, the supermarket, the specific product, and how fresh it is. I recently had the chance to try a selection of products from The Village Butchers, an online-run family based butchers in Essex.
The Essentials Box
They have different meat boxes available to try including Lean Meat and BBQ Basics. However, I got to try the Essentials Box, which feeds a family of four for five to seven meals. Priced at £70.75, the meal box is prepared fresh by butchers and covers breakfasts, midweek dinners, and a classic family roast.
Everything is vacuum-packed for freshness and freezer-friendly convenience, perfect if you don't get the chance to cook it all week.
What Was in the Box
The 1kg steak mince beef was excellent and worked brilliantly in a homemade bolognese. It had a lovely flavour and a good texture, and I can see it being just as good in chilli or cottage pie. I also tried the 1kg premium diced beef/braising steak, which was ideal for a slow-cooked beef casserole. The meat became beautifully tender after cooking and was packed with flavour. Due to the weight of the meat, we also made beef skewers, which made for a quick and easy midweek meal.
The dry cured thick-cut unsmoked bacon was delicious — lovely thick slices with a great texture and plenty of flavour. It made a fantastic breakfast and was noticeably better than a lot of supermarket bacon I've tried. The traditional English sausages were a big hit with the family. They had a really nice flavour and texture and were exactly what you want from a traditional sausage. Definitely a family favourite! We used them to make some classic dishes: sausage and mash and a toad in the hole.
The Steaks Stood Out
The two 10–12oz rump steaks were another highlight. I rarely buy steak in the supermarket because of how much it has risen in price, so it was great to have this on the menu. The steaks were full of flavour, cooked beautifully and made for a really easy steak night at home. Definitely the sort of quality you appreciate when you want a good steak without making a fuss.
Meanwhile, the large whole chicken was perfect for a Sunday roast. It cooked really well, stayed juicy and gave us plenty of meat for leftovers afterwards, which is always a bonus. Finally, the 1kg chicken breast fillets were fresh, lean and incredibly versatile. We've used them for a few different meals, and they've been consistently good quality. This time we made a Chicken Karahi, which is a South Asian dish. The dish is usually made with boneless chicken thighs, but the breast worked just as well and was perfect for having the leftovers the next day.
Overall Verdict
Overall, I was really pleased with everything I tried from The Village Butchers. The quality of the meat really stood out, and there's something particularly nice about getting good-quality produce from a local butcher rather than simply picking it up from the supermarket. For me, the steaks really stood out and would be something that I would consider buying again for a treat meal.
