The River Cottage Meat Book

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Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

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Pages: 543 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 0340826355

Pub: Hodder & Stoughton

Pub date: 2004-05-24

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 2311

Editorial Review:

As you would expect from the quirky and strong-minded Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, The River Cottage Meat Book is a quirky and strong-minded book. This arm-straining volume (weighing in at an impressive and well illustrated 543 pages) is quite the most ambitious volume yet by an author who absolutely refuses to be categorised. Is he a cookery writer? An expert on the sociology and history of food? An eccentric TV personality? Actually, of course, he's all three (and more); and all of his various skills find expression in this, his magnum opus.
The first intriguing question that The River Cottage Meat Book inspires is: what is the author's agenda? The book has so many aims it's difficult to know where to begin. First of all, this is a definitive guide to the preparation and cooking of meat, in all its various forms. Fearnley-Whittingstall deals (in assiduous detail) with such topics as roasting, grilling and preserving everything from turkey to trotters, in a variety of recipes that he obviously knows and loves. But there is far more to the book than this--fascinating sections on the many different types of meat (lamb, pork and so on) are crammed with information on the different cuts of meat and what they should be used for.

But as someone who raises and utilises his own livestock at the River Cottage, Fearnley-Whittingstall is clearly passionate about the welfare of animals bred for food, and provides some unpalatable information on widespread misdemeanours in these areas. If nothing else, this book will persuade you that it's a good idea to buy your meat from butchers who are equally passionate about these issues, or even direct from reputable farms. The concept makes sound ideological sense, but also ensures that your meat dishes will have an unrivalled depth of flavour. --Barry Forshaw

Reader Reviews:

A great way to "meat" some new ideas! (0/0 people found this helpful)

Everything you could want in a complete guide to meat!

The book starts with some background to meat, talking about finding good quality meat from well cared for animals. It goes into a fair amount of detail on the importance of understanding where our meat comes from, which more sensitive readers may find upsetting - I didn't let certain friends and family read these parts but I found it well worth looking at. After a full discussion of different cuts of meat from different animals it starts on the main reasons to buy this book...

...The recipes here are quite simply devine! I've only tried a few so far and intend to keep working my way through the book to try every single one. The discussion of meat and cooking methods will even allow you to experiment with different recipes of your own with greater success, finding the cooking style to get the most from the meat.

Overall, top marks!
Now I just have to decide which of his books to buy next. :)

Meat (0/0 people found this helpful)

I am unashamedly a river cottage fan, i have many of the books and DVDs, and once again i am amazed at the quality that Hugh produces. This book is almost a bible of meat. It starts off with Hugh describing the various meat production methods, how meat has changed over the years, benefits and drawbacks of where meat can be purchased and many other tidbits.
What really sets it apart is how much detail he goes into about each meat. The section on beef, for instance, covers everything from how it is hung, to a diagram of each cut (and how best to cook them), and what to look for when buying.
He does this for lamb & mutton, pork, poultry, venison, game and many other meats. The scope of the coverage makes any other book pale in comparison. Certainly it has changed in a nights reading my entire outlook on meat, and what i am buying. I now have a local butcher who is always happy to see me come into the shop with a new request for some obscure cut or joint for that weeks roast.

And this is even before you hit the recipes, which are as per usual delicious, hearty and you can really picture Hugh slaving over a joint of meat in his kitchen as you prepare the dishes.

This book is a must buy for any self respecting cook, the knowledge you will gain about your food is incredible. The only problem i have now is how am i going to fit all the meat joints that i want to cook into my fridge and freezer.

Brilliant through and through.

Hugh on Meat (0/0 people found this helpful)

This an unusual, and fascinating, variant on the cook book genre, possibly the first of its type with a manifesto. After reading it, I completely sympathise with the author's thesis: if one wants to eat meat, one needs to understand both the means of production and slaughter, too. The sequence of photographs of the slaughter process are challenging, completely unglamorous, and vital to the book's message.

The recipes are excellent, and because the author likes to eat as much as he likes to cook, they are unfiddly, and can be completed without resort to a delicatessen's worth of fancy additives. I cannot wait to try the home curing recipe.

This is the second copy of this book we have had - the first mysteriously vanished when our son moved to his first job. It is now a set text in our kitchen - in much the same way as with Delia and Jane, "what does Hugh say?" prefaces any meat cuisine.

Fab (0/0 people found this helpful)

In the words of Jay Rayner: "Probably the best on the subject ever written". I couldn't agree more, It teaches you everything you need to know but really focuses in on the non-preparatory side and you are not overloaded with recipes. Essentially for any smallholder/enthusiast.

River Cottage - Meat (1/1 people found this helpful)

Everything you ever wanted to know about meat - and something you didn't! An excellent reference with high ethical values. It will change your meat buying habits.

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