THE STAR ATTRACTION

Meat, be it pork, beef, lamb or chicken, is the centrepiece of the festive table. Three supermarkets shared four choices from their vast range of meaty options for Christmas 2018. We gathered a group of meat lovers including some esteemed chefs who put the selection to the taste test and we share the results in the last instalment of the Sunday Times Food Awards.

IT’S FREE AND FAIR

Unlike the previous tastings where we purchased the same items from different supermarkets, for this tasting three retailers shared four meats for the Christmas tasting so this is not comparative. Rather, each item was rated individually. All the products were cooked to package instructions and served as is, except for the unglazed hams that were scored and glazed with apricot jam. The meats were numbered and presented to the tasters prepared whole, without any packaging or reference to which store they came from, then sliced and served on platters. The preparation was by the chefs of the HTA School of Culinary Art in Randburg under the guidance of head chef Kabelo Segone.

FESTIVE SEASON 2018

I found the emphasis this year, a tough one for consumers, are a wide selection of meat and chicken dishes, with an eye on budget. Joints appear to b e smaller — or am I imagining it — and chicken, SA’s favourite protein, is available in more convenient and exciting ways like deboned (or partially deboned) stuffed with interesting ingredients and some come with sachets of sauce. Turkeys appear to be available in limited quantities in selected stores which is unfortunate because the large bird makes a great centrepiece and good for a crowd and leftovers. It’s interesting to see things like pickled tongue making a comeback and served with a mustard sauce is a popular and more affordable option.