Here are 12 reasons to visit your Butcher

1. Full Traceability – a good butcher will know where his meat comes from and have a relationship with the farmer who supplies it.
2. Something special – a butcher can offer you something bespoke. Not keen on turkey? He can prepare a stunning rib roast instead. He’s not preparing for a mass market, he’s there to serve you.
3. Made to order – He’ll prepare cuts of meats to your requirements and mince meat to the quantity you specify.
4. Just for you – He will order special things, given a bit of notice; game in season, an ox tongue, a goose, pig’s trotters or organic meat.
5. Sausages – a good butcher makes a variety of his own sausages, from chipolatas, pigs in blankets to Cumberland, Lincolnshire, or Irish Breakfast. Often produced to well-guarded family recipe, and using quality ingredients, butchers sausages beat supermarket sausages hands down – and your butcher can tell you exactly what has gone into them.
6. A good butcher makes a selection of the following (or stocks examples made by local artisan producers) – bacon, black pudding, faggots, pork pies and pasties, pates.
7. Cooking tips – forget Delia, a good butcher will know how long to cook any roast or bird he sells.
8. Advice – he will advise you on the right cuts for particular dishes, and point you to where cheap cuts shine.
9. A warm welcome – a butcher will chat with you about your day, you won’t get that in the meat aisle of the supermarket.
10. Questions are welcome – butchers are there to cut meat and offer a service. Butchers love to talk shop.
11. Regular customers do get special treatment – pop in often and you’ll get to know about special offers and different deliveries, including seasonal products like game.
12. The butcher needs your custom – it’s a case of use them or lose them. Your High Street Butcher, Farmers Market or Farm Shop needs you to shop often and regularly.