A YOUNG entrepreneur from North Uist has launched the world's first online delivery service of rare organic beef and lamb from the remote pastures of the Outer Hebrides.
Douglas Stewart, 24, a lobster fisherman's son from North Uist, founded the Hebridean Food Company in 2014, selling fresh creel-caought lobsters, langoustines and crab. Now he is looking to the land to expand his range and to ensure everybody in the UK can enjoy a true taste of the Hebrides.
His rare and unique-tasting organic meat is reared by local farmer Angus Macdonald on an uninhabited island, Valley, off the west coast of North Uist, where the herds graze on species-rich machair grasslands and surrounding shoreline of seaweeds from October to June. From June to September they are moved back inland to graze on the sparse heather hills.
Douglas commented: "For over a year now we've been selling the amazing produce from the crystal clear waters that surround the Hebrides. But I've always intended to share what we produce on land as well. The beef and lamb I'm now able to make available is unique. It's a genuinely special product."
The prime Highland bullocks are processed at three years, longer than the industry standard. This is in part due to the slow-growing attributes of the Highland breed as well as environmental factors. The result is an overall rich depth of flavour that stands out from other commercial breeds and systems of farming.
The beef is then dry-aged on the hook for 3- 4 weeks. Douglas plans to experiment with longer hanging times for a more intense flavour and texture in the near future. The lamb has a hanging time of 2 weeks.
Chef Neil Forbes of Cafe St Honore in Edinburgh launched the beef and lamb at a special industry dinner. He said: "It's been great cooking with this Hebridean beef and lamb, it's wonderful to work with. Searing the beef is a joy; it's so tender and succulent. With a deep red appearance, the meat has a wonderful distribution of fat and marbling."
In September this year, The Hebridean Food Company will also launch a range of venison from the Leveson-Gower estate in North Uist.
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