Ziman meats – R’fontein’s quality of cuts

Have you ever wondered how that lovely chargrilled chop made its way onto your plate?

How about that piece of boerewors you ate outside the stadium at a rugby game?

Well, the herald went to the local butchery, Ziman Meats to find out.

Incidentally, we found that they were not grown on chop and boerewors plants in rows on fields. The cattle are raised on farms and are given different kinds of feed, depending on various factors farmers take into consideration.

These cattle then are taken to the farm’s abattoir where the cattle are slaughtered, hung and cleaned. Carcasses have to hang and be cleaned in a specific way in order for it to be fit for consumption. The carcasses also are stamped as per farming regulations in South Africa.

The carcasses then are bought and transported to local butcheries who hang it on display to ensure that customers can see what kind of meat and quality they are buying when purchasing a whole carcass.

In butcheries like Ziman Meats, customers can request to have a specific cut of meat. When an entire carcass is bought, butchers cut it in specific ways depending on the customer – should the customer not know what they would like, butchers provide guidance.

Whole meats are not the only thing that have specific processes. Boerewors also has to undergo processes before it can be eaten. Meat is taken and put into the mincer. There are various kinds of meats that can be used, from beef to mutton.

The meat is minced with fat and sometimes without it for a leaner sausage. Once it undergoes the first process of mincing, spices are added for flavour and it is minced a second time.

Casings from the animal of choice, which can range from beef to fish, then are placed over the mince funnel and the casings are filled with the flavoured mince meat filling.

The next time you have a braai, just think of how many processes your braai pack went through to make its way onto your plate.