Goods Shed launch 'Nose to tail' Butchers
The Whole Beast: Find the right farmer. Buy the whole animal. Use every scrap
In October 2019, The Goods Shed - a Canterbury farmers market, food hall and restaurant to the left of Canterbury West station - officially launched its new nose-to-tail concept butchery. By strictly sourcing whole carcasses from only local Kentish farmers, the Goods
Shed are on a mission to connect meat eaters with the meats they eat - paying homage to the lives of animals raised and slaughtered humanely by selling the entire beast, as well as inspiring customers on the thrifty, rural tradition of cooking with lesser-known cuts.
Most butchers don’t buy whole animals - only the easy-to-sell prime cuts, meaning much of these beautiful animals are going to waste. Buying the whole beast is a better deal for the farmer and more respectful to the animal. This nose-to-tail approach involves the shopper in developing taste and skill in working with uncommon ingredients, but shouldn’t hold anyone back. Head Butcher Christian and his assistant, Mike, are on hand to give advice, with daily inspiration thriving on the restaurant menu from chef Rafael Lopez.
There’s much to be said about the politics of our global food system, and much that is murky around the meat that we eat: where it’s from, the conditions in which it is raised, the chemicals used in rearing and additives in preparing... the list goes on. If you are going to eat meat, why not choose meat that is high quality, traceable and - when you cut out the middleman - far greater value.
Susanna, owner of the Goods Shed says: “We have amazing meat from our local farms via small, local abattoirs only. We have beef from Duncan Anderson near Doddington with beautiful butter-coloured fat, porky pork from the village of Coldred, Laughton poultry’s amazing Kentish ranger chickens from just outside Canterbury, and my old friend Al Palmar’s delicious spring lamb from Shottenden, as well as wild rabbits and plenty of offal. We want to keep nurturing the local economy, keeping our local farmers and abattoirs firmly in a business, especially when the alternatives are pretty grim.”
Christian, Head Butcher adds: “This is really only the beginning and we’ve come so far already. We can be so nimble without the middle man, not only providing really great quality, local product at excellent value but bringing meat to life in a way that supermarkets or larger butchers can’t. Our sausages are free from additives and we like to play with the ingredients as the season changes - adding exciting fruits and herbs - and our bacon is smoked right here on the premises. I’ve got a real vision for this place, and I’m excited for the way it’s progressing.”