Why Sussex beef tastes like Sussex
If you drive around the Sussex countryside, chances are you’ll have passed a herd of Sussex cattle without giving them much thought, writes Ed Johnstone from The Sussex Peasant.
They're the rich, deep-red cattle you often see grazing our fields, and they're one of Britain's oldest native breeds. But there's rather more to these animals than meets the eye.
Jayne Duveen of Jacobs Ladder Farm has been working with Sussex cattle for over 25 years, having first chosen the breed when farming in Chelwood Gate.
"This ancient breed suits our heavy clays, damp lowlands and permanent pasture land," she explains. "They are not fussy eaters, highly efficient and non-selective foragers.”
In fact, Sussex cattle are sometimes described as a thrifty cow, which I rather like. They're able to maintain excellent condition on pasture that other breeds might find less appealing. Their hardy nature, strong legs and black hooves also make them particularly well suited to life outdoors on our often wet and heavy Sussex soils.
For Jayne, that's an important part of why she chose them. She believes in keeping animals as close as possible to the way they would naturally live, allowing them to graze and behave as cattle should. And there's another quality she particularly admires: their temperament.
"They have a wonderfully calm nature and they make fantastic mothers," she says. "Mostly the cows would calve themselves, outdoors with no help from ourselves.”
It's a lovely reminder that choosing the right breed for the land isn't just about producing good beef. It's also about working with the natural characteristics of the animal.
The Sussex beef we buy at The Sussex Peasant comes from 100% pasture-fed cattle, raised on grass and forage rather than grain. It's a slower approach to farming, but one that produces beef with wonderful flavour.
Jayne certainly has no doubts about the results.
"Having worked with this breed for over two decades I can confirm that this breed along with what it is grazing and its lifestyle makes for some of the best beef that I have ever eaten.”
And when the raw ingredient is that good, I think it's worth making the most of it. Everyone knows fillet and sirloin, but at this time of year I'd happily choose brisket, shin or chuck. Give them a few hours with onions, stock and perhaps a bottle of Sussex beer, and you'll have something wonderfully rich and comforting. Often the less fashionable cuts are the most rewarding.
It's also a good way of making properly reared beef go further. Buying good meat doesn't necessarily mean choosing the most expensive cut, and slow cooking is one of the best ways to get flavour and value from the whole animal.
Jayne always said to me; "I am so grateful for what these wonderful animals offer.”
I think that sums it up rather well. Sussex cattle are part of our farming heritage, but they're also very much part of our working countryside today. And if you've never tried native Sussex beef, autumn is a very good time to start.
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