Courses and deli

Butchery tricks in London and Oxford’s dream pantry

In the heart of London’s theatreland sits the Waldorf hotel, a fitting venue for the inaugural Waldorf Butchery Masterclass in partnership with The Meat Room butchers. I’m led into the mahogany-walled Gentleman’s Room and greeted by the enthusiastic Jon Toy, the seasoned butcher of new The Meat Room in Twickenham. Straight away I quiz him on how to pick the perfect piece of lamb. He explains that the entire process from farmer, to abattoir, to butcher all works towards ensuring a quality cut. ‘Don’t be afraid to ask your butcher where their meat has come from or about the welfare of the animals.’

After the introductions and a glass of champagne, a whole lamb carcass is wheeled into the room by Karl Richardson, executive chef of the hotel’s Homage restaurant, and placed on the table. Toy starts by cutting the meat at the hipbone, describing how it’s essential to use all your senses for butchery; it’s as much about feeling and hearing the knife on the meat as it is about cutting it. For my first trick, I’m told that I will be sawing, cutting and tieing the butterflied lamb leg ready for marinating and roasting. Toy leads the way as he cuts the leg by following a sharp knife and letting it roll around the bone. I follow suit, scoring the leg with the knife before marinating with rosemary, garlic, oil and chilli. Usually, Toy instructs, you’d leave it for anywhere between one night to two days in order to let the flavours fully infuse. He goes on to explain how the fat and scrap pieces can be added to a stock to avoid wastage, and that the bone dust must be scraped off the meat before cooking. If this step is skipped, the residue can spoil the meat within a few days.

Butchery proves to be hungry work. When we finish, we retire to the restaurant, where Karl has prepared a spectacular three-course menu showcasing a range of cuts from The Meat Room. It starts with wafer-thin beef carpaccio and is followed by a magnificent lamb shoulder, ending with a fresh berry ice cream atop a molten chocolate cake (which is, thankfully, meat-free). To finish off a wonderful evening, we are handed parcels containing quality cut of meats, recipe cards featuring a handy diagram of different cuts and a bag of ingredients so we can recreate the main course at home. I leave dreaming about what I can rustle up with my leg of lamb. I’m so eager to experiment that the very next day I whip up a glorious mid-week feast featuring the very leg of lamb that I helped to tie, and the herb rub and redcurrant sauce from the ingredients pack. ET. A 2.5-hour butchery masterclass alongside a threecourse dinner with wine pairing costs £160pp. hilton.com