I’ve spent quite a lot of time in Holland and Belgium over the last 12 months, and eating steak about 10 times, including horse twice. Went to Croatia and Montenegro last year, had steak in both countries, both times incredible.

Had dinner at a colleague’s house in Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago and he served up a piece of beef and carved it at the table, it was incredible, just so tender and tasty, beautifully pink but not running with red liquid.

In contrast the meat we seem to get in the UK, especially the beef, is just so disappointing, it’s chewy and tastes of nothing, and has a huge lump of fat hanging off it half the time that I’ve probably paid for.

I’ve all but given up on ordering it when I’m out in the UK, I’d probably send it back in disgust.

Anyone out there who knows what I mean about continental steaks? If so have you found a way to get that sort of quality back in the UK?

Blimey. Of course it is. Go to any decent restaurant.

Best steak I ever had was the fillet at the Aviator Hotel in Farnborough. I could hardly believe what was happening in my mouth.

yes.
the stuff we buy in english supermarkets is not ready to eat.
it needs leaving uncovered in a fridge for 4 to 6 days. it will then be good for cooking.

I’ve had great steaks in many places in the world, and many of those in the UK. In fact my experience of steaks in the UK is probably a bit better than those I’ve had elsewhere in Europe. The best steaks I’ve ever had were at The Champany Inn in Linlithgow, near Edinburgh.

There are also loads of good steaks available to buy and cook yourself.

Find a decent butcher, such as Robinson’s in Stockbridge, or a good restaurant such as Boisdales or The Pope’s Eye and you need never eat bad steak again.

British beef, sourced and butchered well and then cooked properly is as good as it gets.

Yes very easily from a good butcher.

I’ve had very few good steaks abroad and when I have it’s been at a premium.

Took my wife to Goucho in London a while ago…the steak there was nice.

They even ‘introduce’ the meat to you and tell you what the different cuts are like before you order.

They even ‘introduce’ the meat to you and tell you what the different cuts are like before you order.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1nxaQhsaaw[/video]

I went to a Goucho’s in Amsterdam, that was good, made me realise what I’d been missing so far in the UK, but not as good as the horse meat steak I had in Mechelen, which is probably the nicest steak I’ve ever had.

Glad to hear that a good steak can be had in the UK, I shall keep looking.

Home

Yes, it’s very possible.

Piccolinos in brum do a fantastic steak.

Wetherspoons also do steak but it’s like a piece of microwaved carpet underlay.

Miller and Carter are supposed to be a steak restaurant but theirs was pretty poor when I went.

It was the waitress who used the term ‘introduce’, as in “I’d like to introduce our cuts of beef to you”.

I asked for their names; the waitress ignored me and the wife giggled.

Another vote for the Hawksmore from me.

molgrips – Member
Blimey. Of course it is. Go to any decent restaurant.

Best steak I ever had was the fillet at the Aviator Hotel in Farnborough. I could hardly believe what was happening in my mouth.

Is the aviator any good ? ( other than the steak ) I’ve been told the cocktails are great, but that’s not really my thing.

F X Buckley, Dublin.

My mate is also a farmer.

Both provide excellent steaks in my experience.

Of course you can get good steak in the UK, you just have to be a bit more selective than rocking up to your local pub and expecting to be blown away.

Santa Maria del Sur on queenstown rd on that Landon is a good place to start

The Italian* restaurant in our village often does a **** lovely fillet steak from a farm just over the hill (the restaurant is owned by a moderately posh gastropub place down the road, I think their spare steaks end up on the specials menu in the Italian).

* It’s about as Italian as I am, they have the weirdest pizza selection ever: e.g. Hoisin Duck, WTF?

Some good suggestions that I’ll check out next time in London, would be nice to find somewhere nearby (Shropshire), or maybe I just need to try a few different butchers and cook my own.

To be fair ALDI’s 21 day aged steaks are bob on.

Steak bought from a good butchers, cooked well and it’s beautiful. Two best butchers I know are in Blagdon, south of Bristol and Wincanton. Lovely!

Lidl also do a steak comparable with one from a good butcher, surprisingly.

http://www.theduncow.co.uk

You need a better butcher.

Try a bison steak. Excellent each time I’ve had one

Been a while since I was in the Dun Cow, probably to see England lose a World Cup game in 2006, seemed a bit of a dump, have they done it up?

See I can’t believe that Aldi and Lidl steaks are any good, they might be as good as an ok butcher (which is what I think we have in Wem), but given that I’ve eaten a fair few steaks in the UK and in comparison with continental europe they have all fallen short I am, sceptical…

would be nice to find somewhere nearby (Shropshire)

Ludlow will have something nice – I’ll ask my folks.

Well, for £4 even if you don’t like it, it’s not like yer gonna break the bank eh?

Have a look at Q guild butchers . All the butchers who are members will tell you everything you need to know about the Best Steaks.
Qguild.co.uk

Chatsworth Farm shop, or Croots a bit further south. Both do excellent beef (and pork) if you’re in Derbyshire.

epicsteve – Member
I’ve had great steaks in many places in the world, and many of those in the UK. In fact my experience of steaks in the UK is probably a bit better than those I’ve had elsewhere in Europe. The best steaks I’ve ever had were at The Champany Inn in Linlithgow, near Edinburgh.

There are also loads of good steaks available to buy and cook yourself.

At their prices, no, I don’t think so. I can’t enjoy being overcharged for something.

If you’re doing it at home, yes. At ton says, most supermarket meat is not ready for eating. I keep it in the garage rather than the fridge.

Regarding restaurants, I find that I am increasingly disappointed. Cooking a steak is easy, why can’t the so called professionals get it right? Been a while since I paid for a good steak.

Well, for £4 even if you don’t like it, it’s not like yer gonna break the bank eh?

I prefer paying that little extra for good food and very fussy about meat.

Well, for £4 even if you don’t like it, it’s not like yer gonna break the bank eh?
I prefer paying that little extra for good food and very fussy about meat.

I’m the same, but try one… You may be surprised?

I’ll try one but given the butcher we have here it has some fierce competition.

The Bridge Inn at Grinton does a fine steak.

The Champany is great if you’re on expenses! Chop house is more reasonable if it’s your own money.

I had a lovely fillet in the Whiski Rooms in Edinburgh a few weeks ago.

Aviator eh Molly? I’ve heard good things about it, might have to give it a try next time we’re feeling flush.

Yes it is, I too spent a while working in Belgium (Vilvoorde the horse eating capital of the world) and the steaks both beef and horse were some of the best I have tasted. I shared a cote du boeuf in a restaurant next to smithfield market last week and it was fantastic.
I think in the last few years post foot and mouth there were changes in the age of slaughter and how long the carcass could be hung for that had an impact on the flavour of beef. Well that’s what my butcher told me anyway.

21 days is still allowed though?

Drac, don’t know if the quality of Lidl meat varies around the country, but i have had a sirloin and a fillet from the clitheroe store and both were very passable. Far superior to the Tesco dogmeat my wife has bought in the past.

Yeah you’re comparing it with Tesco there though supermarket meat tends to be a poorer quality, M&S with it’s Scotchbeef is an exception.