Let’s talk about Dexter & Sandy. No, not the sequel to Grease, or another American sitcom, but two free-range breeds that have piqued my interest. I recently visited two free-range farms to get an insight into non-industrial meat sources and learn about high-quality meat. I was not disappointed. Dermot Allen runs Winetavern Farm, near Baltinglass, County Wicklow and raises pedigree Oxford Sandy & Black pigs. Peter Bryans runs Donabate Dexter in North County Dublin.
Look out for Dexter beef and Sandy pork. You’ll be hearing a lot more about them in future. Here’s what you need to know.
Dexter Beef Is A Native Irish Breed.
Dexter is also Heraldic Latin for right (side) while Sinister is Latin for left side. This might explain the bias towards left-handed people in less enlightened times.
Dexter beef is the right choice when choosing high-quality, environmentally-friendly meat.
But why?
Dexter beef is naturally more tender than other beef and contains more Omega-3 fatty acids. The cattle are a hardy breed that live on grass all year round and don’t need veterinary attention except in extreme cases. They are truly free range.
are a mountain breed that is well-adapted to the harsher landscape of Ireland’s rocky fields. They thrive on low-quality pastures and will also eat weeds and unwanted vegetation. Their small size and weight also ensure that they do less damage to damp, water-logged land. They are more agile than larger animals and can climb better to reach awkward spots bigger cattle cannot.
