'61% of consumers want to know the origin of the meat that they eat and 80% want to see origin on menus.' Research by the Meat & Livestock Commission and NOP
How long, or if, the meat is allowed to age
Letting the meat age results in more tender meat. For this process to take place, the carcass is either hung in a cool, well-ventilated place or the butchered meat is left in a vacuum pack.
The breed
The quality of beef varies from breed to breed. Meat from cattle bred for milking, dairy cattle, can be eaten but the quality of the meat from beef cattle is generally of a higher standard. Flecks of unsaturated fat running through the meat is known as 'marbling' and gives the meat greater flavour when cooked and stops is from drying out.
The cut
Some cuts of meat have become 'fashionable' and this is reflected in the price. Including cheaper cuts of meat in the range you sell will attract new customers and may encourage existing customers to spend more in your pub. Similarly, using less-fashionable cuts of meat is a simple way of increasing the profit from a dish.
Regional varieties to look out for
Aberdeen Angus: a native British breed dating back to the 1800s and arguably the best known and most numerous beef cattle breed in the world. To guarantee that the beef you are really buying is Aberdeen Angus, look out for the Certified Angus Beef mark.
Gloucester: Gloucester-type cattle were numerous in the Cotswold Hills and the Severn Valley as early as the 13th Century. The meat is sometimes branded as 'Old Gloucester Beef'.
Hereford: one of the oldest and most important cattle breeds in British livestock history.
Lincoln Red: originally developed to thrive on the cold marshes of Lincolnshire.
Devon: the breed comes from all corners of the country. Some herds are referred to as 'Red Devon' or 'Red Rubies' because of the breed's red colouring.
Shorthorn: evolved over the last two centuries from Teeswater and Durham cattle found originally in the North East of England.
Sussex: one of the oldest and purest breeds of British cattle. The Normans found Sussex cattle in the South of England at the time of the conquest in 1066.
Additional marks to look out for
Quality Standard Beef and Lamb has been produced and processed through a fully assured independently audited supply chain.
The blue Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb marks confirm that the animals have been born and reared for all of their lives on assured Scottish farms and that they have been slaughtered in an approved abattoir in Scotland.
Welsh Beef and Lamb marks can only appear on beef and lamb that has been born and raised in Wales and that has been slaughtered in an approved abattoir.
