spek.boonen

**The EU-Mercosur Deal: A Setback for Ethical Animal Welfare**

As an artisan butcher shop that sources only ethically raised animals, we are deeply disappointed by the European Commission's decision to shelve plans for improving animal welfare standards. This decision is a betrayal of the EU's commitment to animal welfare and a step backwards for ethical farming practices.

The proposed laws would have made significant improvements to the lives of farm animals, including phasing out cages and banning fast-growing breeds for chickens. They would have also required corporations to disclose animal welfare information to consumers, giving them the power to make informed choices about the food they buy.

The EU-Mercosur trade deal, which is reportedly the reason for the shelved animal welfare proposals, is a prime example of how trade agreements can undermine ethical farming practices. The deal would allow for the import of meat from countries with lower animal welfare standards than the EU, putting pressure on EU farmers to lower their standards in order to compete.

This is a race to the bottom for animal welfare, and it is unacceptable. We urge the European Commission to reconsider its decision and to prioritize the welfare of animals over trade deals.

We also urge consumers to support artisan butchers like us who source only ethically raised animals. By making informed choices about the food you buy, you can make a real difference in the lives of farm animals.

Here are some things to look for when buying meat:

- Source: Ask where the meat came from and how the animals were raised.
- Labeling: Look for labels that indicate the meat was raised ethically, such as "certified organic" or "grass-fed."
- Price: Ethically raised meat is often more expensive than conventionally raised meat, but it is worth the investment.

By buying ethically raised meat, you are supporting farmers who are committed to providing their animals with a good life. You are also sending a message to the food industry that animal welfare is important to you.

Together, we can make a difference for farm animals.

FR:
Nous recrutons un(e) vendeur(euse) en boucherie pour rejoindre notre équipe !

Dans ce rôle, vous serez responsable de :

- Fournir un excellent service à la clientèle
- Préparer et couper la viande selon les spécifications du client
- Maintenir un environnement de travail propre et sécuritaire

Si vous êtes un boucher qualifié et que vous avez une passion pour le service à la clientèle, nous vous encourageons à postuler ! Nous offrons un salaire et des avantages sociaux compétitifs, ainsi qu'un environnement de travail amical et positif.

Pour postuler, veuillez consulter le site https://zurl.co/w2ij

EN:
We are hiring a butcher salesperson to join our team!

In this role, you will be responsible for:

- Providing excellent customer service
- Preparing and cutting meat to customer specifications
- Maintaining a clean and safe work environment

If you are a skilled butcher with a passion for customer service, we encourage you to apply! We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, as well as a friendly and supportive work environment.

To apply, please visit https://zurl.co/w2ij

Spek & Boonen - Butcher Salesperson dans Bruxelles Spek & Boonen FR: Nous recherchons un vendeur en boucherie pour rejoindre notre équipe. Dans ce rôle, vous serez chargé de fournir un excellent servic

Spek & Boonen: A family-run butcher shop with a passion for quality

We are pleased to announce that we are changing our opening hours, effective next Wednesday. We will now be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and our new hours will be:

Wednesday-Friday: 10am-7pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 10am-4pm

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we believe that this change will allow us to better serve our customers and provide them with the best possible experience.

At Spek & Boonen, we are passionate about providing our customers with the highest quality meat and charcuterie. We only work with the best suppliers, and our meats are all raised and slaughtered in a humane and sustainable way. We also make our own charcuterie in-house, using the same high-quality meats.

We are committed to providing our customers with the best possible service and expertise. Our staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and they are always happy to help you choose the right cuts of meat for your needs.

We invite you to visit our shop and experience the Spek & Boonen difference. We are confident that you will be impressed with the quality of our meat and charcuterie, and by our friendly and attentive service.

Basse côte mariné au paprika et cumin

Cipollata catanesi

Rendez vos barbecues délicieux et excitants avec les brochettes frigărui! Notre porc plein air, notre bacon, nos champignons, nos paprikas et nos oignons rouges marinés dans une marinade maison avec des herbes vertes fraîches rendront votre grillade aussi incroyable que savoureuse. Faites preuve de créativité et amusez-vous entre amis et en famille avec nos délicieuses brochettes frigărui!

Notre poulet cou nu est une race unique de poulet élevé en plein air et à croissance lente. Le poulet à cou nu est apprécié pour son apparence étrange et sa viande délicieuse.
Comme pour tous nos produits, nous nous efforçons de raccourcir la chaîne entre vous et l'agriculteur.

En coulisses: Cervela des Marolles 😍

Wishing you a Happy Easter to you and your family!

Zalig Pasen!

Joyeuses Pâques!

Our organic lamb cutlets are a beautiful classic cut that you cannot go wrong with this Easter.
Order your Easter lamb in time via our website: spek-n-boonen.be

Check out our signature cutlet recipe below. 🍴

Ingredients

For the lamb:
2 racks of lamb, approx. 500g each
Extra virgin olive oil
6g reserved flavoured salt

For the flavoured salt:
6g caraway seeds
Zest of a lemon
2g garlic powder
5g thyme, leaves picked
1g black peppercorns
0.5g bay leaves
15g salt

For the salsa verde:
10g mint leaves
6g parsley leaves
Zest and juice of a lemon
13g capers
7g Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, peeled
90g olive oil

Recipe:
1. Begin by preheating a water bath to 60°C. Then, place each rack in an individual sous-vide bag and add 15g of olive oil to the bag. Seal the bags under full vacuum and submerge them in the water bath for 1 hour. Once finished, take out the racks from the bags and gently pat them down with kitchen paper towels.

2. Enhance the flavour of each lamb rack using the flavoured salt.

3. Take a large pan, add some olive oil and bring it to medium-high heat. Once hot, place the lamb onto the pan and cook for 4 minutes by flipping its sides every 15 seconds until it is golden brown on every side.

4. After the lamb has cooked, let it rest for 5 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing into cutlets. Enjoy with a side of salsa verde!

Enjoy!

Be quick to order your Easter lamb with us!
You can order via our website: https://zurl.co/3edJ

Our team has prepared a variety of lamb cuts from our special breed of old Belgian sheep which has been raised to provide sustainable meat. Enjoy the unique, delicate flavor of free-range organic lamb.

Are you looking for something else for your Easter meal? Include your question in your order and our team will help you with more options.

Delicious & Festive! Carvery Leg of Lamb is a deliciously juicy, succulent treat perfect for creating a hearty feast.
Hand-selected from the Belgian Ardennes and part-boned for easy cooking, this cut feeds up to 8 people.
Enjoy a festive, organic, free-range leg of lamb that has been trimmed of knucklebone and excess fat, all with short preparation time!
Order your Carvery Leg of Lamb today - the ideal centerpiece for your Easter celebration.

Recipe:

For the lamb

Whole leg of lamb
1 sprinkling sea salt, to season
3 tbsp groundnut oil
12 anchovies, sliced in half lengthways
6 garlic cloves, peeled and halved (germ removed)
3g fresh rosemary

For the sauce

100 ml dry white wine
500 ml chicken stock
1 tbsp wholegrain Tierenteyn mustard

1. Season lamb with salt, then heat oil in a pan over high heat. Sear each side until golden brown, then remove from pan and place it on a board.

2. Cut even incisions in the lamb and spoon-fill them with anchovies, garlic, and rosemary.

3. Place rosemary in a roasting tin, then put lamb on top. Pour 150ml of water into the pan and cook as directed. Adjust cooking time based on the weight of the lamb joint. Lamb should be cooked for 25 minutes per 500g, plus an extra 25 minutes for a medium-cooked result. Once cooked, let it rest in foil for at least 30 minutes.

4. Make the sauce while the meat is resting: reduce the lamb juices, add the wine, and scrape all the delicious bits from the pan. Reduce the liquid by half. Add the chicken stock and, again, reduce by half.

5. Strain the liquid through a sieve and stir in mustard. Pour the mixture into a jug to serve with the lamb.

Enjoy!

Our premium T-bone lamb chops are a delicious and versatile cut of meat that can be cooked in several ways.
😍We love them grilled, we love them roasted!😍
How do you prefer to cook your T-bone lamb chops?

Lamb chump is a flavorful cut of meat with a rich, slightly gamey taste that is well-suited for roasting. This meat is also marbled with fat, which adds moisture and depth of flavor to the roast.

The Black Angus is a breed of beef cattle that originates from Aberdeen, Scotland.
It is renowned for its ability to marble naturally when kept on a grass-fed diet. Marbling is the intramuscular fat that gives beef its flavor and tenderness. This distinctive marbling ability makes the meat flavorful and tender, eliminating the need for excessive grain feeding.

Free range beef is both nutritious and delicious but it is important to know how to spot the best quality!

The first indicator of premium quality free-range beef is the colour. The best quality beef has a deep, ruby red colour with a bright sheen.
When selecting free range beef, it is important to look for marbling - the white flecks of fat distributed throughout the meat. This is an indication that the meat has been given a high quality diet and it is packed with nutrients and flavour.
Also take note of the texture, the meat should be firm and not too soft or overly tough.

Happiness is a homemade Sunday breakfast 🥓🥚

For those who enjoy flavor and tenderness in their chicken dishes, Cou Nu is the perfect choice for Sunday meals.
This breed of chicken has a unique golden color and a succulent texture that makes each bite truly memorable. Every chef dreams of having Cou Nu on their menu, as it can bring out any dish's full potential through its rich taste and aroma.

When I arrived in Bantry Bay, Cork, I was introduced to the father of the Lynch siblings who invited me inside the farmhouse for a cup of tea. We began talking about his many years of experience with raising cattle, selecting only the best animals for breeding and combining their genetics in order to produce premium quality meat.

He explained that his methods weren't just about producing higher quality meat, but about creating a better environment for his livestock too. He provided detailed information about his rearing practices and how he managed his land in order to achieve maximum efficiency from it.

We spent hours talking about different aspects of caring for cattle and how we could maximize our efforts in order to create a sustainable environment that would last for generations.

Bantry Bay Farm is a family-run cattle farm that has been operating for generations. The farm specializes in grass-fed, free-range cattle, and their commitment to the ethical treatment of the animals has always been a top priority.

The current generation of farmers, the Lynch siblings, take this commitment to heart and strive to provide the best possible care for their herd. They go beyond the minimum standards set by industry regulations and ensure that all of their animals are given a clean, spacious environment that promotes health and happiness.

This week, I am visiting Bantry Bay Farm in Ireland. 🍀
Bantry Bay Farm is our partner, providing premium Irish grass fed beef directly from the farm to your table.

We are very excited about spending time on the farm with the Bantry siblings John, Eoin and Clodagh!

Our saucisse de toulouse makes a perfect winter classic dish with potato purée and braised lettuce. 🍴

Have you tried our Jambon Rue Blaes yet?

We are proud to be one of the very few or possibly even the only maker of raw ham in Brussels.
This ham is made after a typical Belgian-style ham recipe, salted with sea salt only. No pickling salt is used in the process.
The ham is then hung to dry from the ceiling of our shop for a minimum of 10 months.
Our Jambon Rue Blaes has floral aromas and a pronounced fresh, tangy taste.

Cook to temperature, not time. 🍖

Jacob's Ladder, also called short rib is one of those forgotten beef cuts.
It has a beautiful fat cap and soft, flavourful meat, making it one of our favourite slow-cooked recipes ever.

Spek & Boonen recipe

Our Gueuze braised short ribs recipe for your Dutch Oven will transform beef short ribs into the most tender, succulent, and richly flavored feast, perfect for these last winter days.
✅Remove the Jacob's Ladder from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. ✅Then liberally season the meat with the flaky sea salt, making sure it is well-covered
✅Begin building layers of flavor by browning the short ribs on all sides in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.
✅Set the short ribs aside and sauté the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Tomato paste and brown sugar can be added and it is cooked just enough to bring out the flavors, then the Gueuze is added to deglaze the pot.
✅Add all of the ingredients to the pot, then cover and place in a 110°C oven for two and a half hours. The meat should be perfectly tender now; taste for salt and adjust as needed.

Enjoy!

I have always been passionate about learning new skills, and I am fortunate enough to open my own shop.
My team is composed of some of the most talented butchers in the business; we learned quickly to work together and efficiently and have created amazing quality products. I am eager to learn from them not only about butchery techniques, but also about their seemingly effortless teamwork.
Thanks, Oscar, Xavier, Maxime and last but not least Temmy ❤️

Introducing Mortadella, the delicious cold cut that can make any meal shine! Whether you're looking for a fresh panini or a tasty addition to pasta, sauces, and pizza toppings, Mortadella is the perfect way to enhance your favorite dishes.

Experience the taste and quality of handmade products!
Discover a range of unique, handcrafted products that are made with the freshest ingredients from trusted sources. Our butcher shop is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality products that you won't find anywhere else.
Enjoy our selection of meat, poultry, game, cheese, and other unique items that we craft by hand.
Indulge in a wide variety of fresh and natural products! Our butcher shop strives to provide you with care and attention to detail that you can’t find from any other source. With our extensive selection, you’ll be able to explore flavours and ingredients that you won’t find anywhere else.
Taste the difference for yourself — visit our butcher shop today! From our specialty meats to our handcrafted cheeses, there's something for everyone. Come experience the quality and flavour of handmade products.

Introducing Pâté crème à tartiner, a classic European hearty and ready-to-serve delicacy that can be enjoyed in the comfort of your home.

Our all-natural, traditional liver Pâté is made from finely ground pork liver and lard, blended with a mix of seasonings and spices and delicately baked in the oven.
The creamy and smooth Pâté crème à tartiner is perfect for spreading on toast or crackers —it's guaranteed to add flavor to your snack time or meals! 🍴

🌱 Slow raised pigs are the preferred choice for making homemade coppa.
These pasture-fed pigs are reared in a traditional and natural way, giving them a higher quality of meat and fat. The traditional curing methods used to make coppa ensure that the pork must be of the highest quality.

When selecting the best pork for making homemade coppa, slow raised pigs should be your top priority. Not only do they provide superior taste and texture, but they also come with several health benefits. With the right selection of pork, you can enjoy a delicious and healthy homemade coppa that will bring joy to your dinner table!

In case you have always wondered how to cook the great Mort-tôt sausage, keep reading.

Start with poaching the sausages in cold water, then cook them without boiling for at least 20-25 minutes. This is a great way to cook the sausage because it keeps all the juices inside, which makes for a more flavorful final product.
Once the sausages have been cooked, allow them to cool in their cooking juices and peel them before serving.

Chef's tip: serve with lentils
To make your lentils, start by bringing water to boil with carrots and onion that has been pierced by clove and garlic. Once the lentils are cooked, sweat chopped scallions in a saucepan until they are soft.
Next add two tablespoons of Dijon mustard and let it simmer for a few minutes.
Deglaze with some chicken stock so that there isn't any dryness left over from the cooking process. Then add your cooked lentils and allow them to cool slightly before serving with slices of Mort-tôt sausage.
Enjoy!