Top Tips: Knife Skills

Many of us are nervous about carving a joint of beef or lamb in front of our friends and family, so we’ve asked Denise Spencer-Walker, Food Advisor from Quality Standard Mark beef and lamb, to give us the run down on knife skill etiquette
The Quality Standard Mark for beef and lamb provides you with assurance that the meat you are buying is consistently of high quality. All beef and lamb carrying the Quality Standard Mark is traceable back to the farm it comes from with the addition of a guaranteed eating quality. This means that the meat on your plate is sure to be tender, succulent and delicious.

Leg of Lamb

Place the joint on a carving board with the meatier side of the leg facing upwards and the carving fork placed firmly in the narrow end of the joint.

Following the angle of the 'V' carve the lamb down to the bone and lift out the slices.

Try not to carve too thinly, but aim for about 5mm/1/4 inch thick.

Continue to carve slices of the leg on both sides of the 'V' cut

Carry on until all the meat is removed from the bone.

Using a clean tea towel to hold the bone, turn the joint over and cut horizontal slices away from you.

A delicious plateful of roast lamb ready for serving.

Carving a Rib of Beef

Place the carving joint on the carving board as shown

Hold one end of the ribs, with your knife carefully begin to cut along the back of the ribs until they are removed from the joint.

Remove any butcher's string or elasticated meat bands from the joint.

Insert the carving fork into the joint to hold it firmly in place and with a smooth action, letting the knife do the work, cut into even slices.

For everything you need to know about beef and lamb, recipe ideas, and information about the Quality Standard Mark, please visit www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk