Cooking Instructions

Thank you for buying or organic meat. We believe organic meat is better for our health, our animals and the environment; and of course always tastes better – especially when cooked correctly. 

Please follow our simple effective cooking instructions to bring out the full flavour of our organic meat and preserve its nutritional goodness. Always remove meat from the fridge and bring to room temperature before cooking - just like a good red wine, it will taste better if allowed to breathe first.

Daylesford Organic Aberdeen Angus Beef
 

Beef Topside Joint
Pre-heat the oven to 190C/375F. Put 15ml of oil in a pan on a high heat. Season the joint with salt and pepper and brown the meat on all sides. Transfer the joint into an oven proof dish and cook for 15 minutes for every 500g. Add a further 25 minutes for medium rare, a further 25 minutes well done. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand, covered, for at least 15 minutes. This allows the juices to re-absorb and carved with ease.

Rump Steak
Always pre-heat the grill, griddle or frying pan to high before cooking. Sear the steak quickly for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. If you like your steak rare, remove after searing and allow to rest. For medium, turn down the heat and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. For well done, cook a further 1 to 11/2 minutes on each side. Turn as little as possible and do not overcook.
Rest the steak before serving so the juices re-absorb. This is essential to have a succulent, tender steak.

Rare, 2 1/2 minutes each side, rest for 6 minutes
Medium, 4 minutes on each side, rest for 4 minutes
Well done, 6 minutes on each side, rest for 1 minute

Beef Mince
Place the mince in a pan on a moderate heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the meat is all browned. Once sauce and other ingredients are added, cook for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up any meat clumps.

Beef Diced
For stews and casseroles, pre-heat the oven to 170C/325F. Heat 15ml of oil in a casserole dish - one that can be used on the hob - and add the beef and colour all sides until light brown in colour. Add vegetables as needed and 900ml of stock, season with salt and pepper before putting the casserole dish in the oven to cook for 90 minutes.

Beef Burgers
Pre-heat a pan on a medium heat with 15ml of oil. Add the burger/s and fry for 4 to 8 minutes - depending on their size - flipping the burgers during this time so each side is brown and cooked through.

Daylesford Organic Award-Winning Lamb

Leg of Lamb
Pre-heat the oven to 220C. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and drizzle over 15ml of oil and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 190C and continue to roast the lamb for a further 1 hour for rare and 1 to 1/2hours for well done. Allow the lamb to rest, covered, in a warm place for 5 minute before carving.

French Rack of Lamb
Pre-heat the pan with 15ml of oil. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and place in the pan and brown each side for 2 minutes. Transfer to a oven proof dish and cook for another 15 minutes for rare and 20 minutes for well done. Allow to rest, covered for 10 minutes before carving.

Rolled Shoulder of Lamb
Pre-heat the oven to 220C. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and drizzle over 15ml of oil and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 190C and continue to roast the lamb for a further 1 hour for rare and 1 to 1/2hours for well done. Allow the lamb to rest, covered, in a warm place for 5 minute before carving.

Lamb Loin Chops
For a rare chop, place lamb under a moderate grill for 6 minutes each side. For medium to well done, allow 8 minutes for each side. Allow to rest, covered, in a warm place for 10 minutes before serving.

Lamb Mince
Place the mince in a pan on a moderate heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the meat is all browned. Once sauce and other ingredients are added, cook for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up any meat clumps.

Lamb Diced
For stews and casseroles, pre-heat the oven to 170C/325F. Heat 15ml of oil in a casserole dish - one that can be used on the hob - and add the lamb and colour all sides until light brown in colour. Add vegetables as needed and 900ml of stock, season with salt and pepper before putting the casserole dish in the oven to cook for 90 minutes.

Daylesford Organic Pork

Pork Roasting Joint
Pre-heat the oven to 220C. Season your pork joint with a little salt and olive oil and place into an oven proof dish. Roast for 30 minutes at 220C and then reduce the oven temperature to 160C and continue to roast for a further 50 minutes per kg. Remove the joint from the oven and check that the juices run clear. Allow the meat to rest in a warm place, covered, for half an hour before carving.

Dry Cured Smoked & Unsmoked Back & Streaky Bacon
Place your frying pan on a medium heat adding a tiny drizzle of olive oil to help prevent the bacon from sticking to the pan. Place bacon in the pan so they are not touching each other and cook on one side until the bacon releases easily from the pan. Once released, gently turn over with tongs and repeat the process. Keep turning the bacon for a total even cooking time - 3 minutes for firm, 4 minutes for crispy. When cooked, place on a kitchen towel to soak up the excess grease before serving.

Pork Sausages
Place your frying pan or griddle on a medium heat, too hot and the sausages will burst. Cut the sausages so they're all separate, ideally they shouldn't be touching each other whilst cooking. Add a tiny drizzle of olive oil to prevent them from sticking to the pan or griddle and add the sausages. Turn the sausages every minute or two for about 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Before serving, check sausages are piping hot all the way through with no pink meat remaining.

Pork Chipolatas
Place your frying pan or griddle on a medium heat, too hot and the sausages will burst. Cut the chipolatas so they're all separate, ideally they shouldn't be touching each other whilst cooking. Add a tiny drizzle of olive oil to prevent them from sticking to the pan or griddle and add the sausages. Turn the sausages every minute or two for about 6 - 8 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Before serving, check sausages are piping hot all the way through with no pink meat remaining.

Daylesford Organic Whole Chicken

Roasting Chicken
Pre-heat the oven to 210C. Season your whole chicken with a little salt and olive oil and place into an oven proof dish. Roast for 20 minutes at 210C and then reduce the oven temperature to 180C and continue to roast for a further 45 minutes for a small chicken and 70 minutes for a large chicken. Remove the chicken from the oven and check that the juices run clear. Allow the meat to rest in a warm place, covered, for 20 minutes before carving.

If your chicken includes stuffing, increase the above reduced heat cooking times by 15 minutes.

Vlad's tips
Also see our Cookery School Chef's handy tips, for getting the best from different cuts of meats...Beef & Veal...Pork...Lamb...Poultry...Game...Stocks & Sauces...