The Butcher's Autumn Cooking Guide: Roasts, Slow-Cooking and Fast Weeknight Cuts

As the evenings draw in and the oven starts working harder than the barbecue, autumn is when the kitchen really earns its keep. It is roast season, slow cooker season and, on the busiest weeknights, still needs to be a fifteen-minute pan season too. The trick is knowing which cut suits which job. Here is a butcher's guide to the best cuts for slow cooking, the best meat for roasting, and a few cheap cuts for stew that will stretch further than you expect.

Best Cuts for Slow Cooking This Autumn

Slow cooking rewards patience, and the cuts that work best are usually the ones people overlook at the counter. Beef shin, ox cheek, brisket and lamb shoulder are all built for it. They come from parts of the animal that do more work, so they contain more connective tissue. Cooked slowly, that breaks down and leaves the meat tender and full of flavour.

As a simple rule, lean and delicate cuts are usually better suited to quick cooking. Cuts that are well marbled, sinewy or have visible connective tissue tend to benefit from several hours in a slow cooker or a low oven.

Best Meat for Roasting: Sunday Lunch Made Simple

Roasting asks something different of a cut. Rather than breaking down tough tissue over hours, a roast relies on an even shape and a reasonable fat covering to stay moist while the outside crisps up. That is why whole chicken, leg of lamb, and rolled beef joints such as topside are classic choices. Your butcher can also advise on the right size of joint and how long it needs to rest once it comes out of the oven. A good ten to fifteen minute rest can make a noticeable difference when you carve it.

For the best results:

• Take the joint out of the fridge around 30 minutes before cooking so it is not going into the oven stone cold.
• Season generously, including underneath the skin on a chicken, for flavour that runs right through.
• Use a meat thermometer where possible rather than guessing by time alone, particularly with poultry.
• Always rest the joint before carving. It gives the juices time to settle, so there is less liquid lost when you slice the meat.

Cheap Cuts for Stew: Budget-Friendly Comfort Food

Stew is where a good butcher can genuinely save you money without asking you to compromise on flavour. Cheap cuts for stew, such as diced beef shin, lamb neck or stewing lamb, are among the most flavourful cuts available once given time in the pot. The collagen and connective tissue that make these cuts unsuitable for a quick fry break down during slow cooking, leaving the meat tender and adding body to the sauce.

Times will vary a little depending on the size of the joint or dice, and whether you are using a slow cooker, a casserole dish in the oven, or the hob, but the general principle holds. The tougher the cut, the longer and gentler the cook.

Fast Weeknight Cuts When You're Short on Time

Not every autumn evening allows for a four hour braise, and that is fine. Diced chicken thigh, lamb mince, beef strips and thin cut steaks can all be on the table quickly and still make a proper, satisfying dinner. Keep a few of these in the freezer alongside your slower cuts, so you have something practical to reach for when time is short.

Autumn cuts worth keeping in your freezer

Autumn Dinner Ideas for Every Night of the Week

A little planning at the start of the week makes autumn cooking far less stressful. Pair your slower cuts with the weekend, when there is time to let the slow cooker do the work, and save the quicker cuts for the nights when you are in from work and hungry within the hour.

• • Sunday: A roast chicken or lamb leg, with the bones saved for stock.
• • Monday or Tuesday: A quick pan of diced chicken thigh or beef strips with vegetables.
• • Midweek: Lamb mince for a shepherd's pie, ready in under 30 minutes.
• • Thursday or Friday: A beef shin stew started in the slow cooker before work, ready by the time you get home.

Stock Up for Autumn Cooking

From slow cooked stews and Sunday roasts to quick weeknight dinners, find the right halal cuts at Tariq Halal. With more than 40 stores across the UK, you can shop in store or order online for UK delivery.

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