Caroline McCann – Braeside Meat Market
Few people know as much about meat selection and preparation as Caroline McCann, owner of the award-winning butchery Braeside Meat Market. After practicing as a lawyer in South Africa for seven years, Caroline realized that she needed a change … the work consumed all her time and simply didn’t satisfy her any more. When an aunt’s butchery in Parkhurst, Johannesburg, came up for sale, Caroline jumped at the opportunity for a new challenge.
Soon after purchasing Braeside, Caroline spent some time in the UK, where she visited local butcheries, and was impressed by the butchers’ knowledge about the food’s origins. “The meat in each shop was so different,” Caroline muses, “and they all gave so much detail about their products … the farmer, the cattle, even the animals’ diet. I had never done that, and it got me thinking – why should the meat in my shop be just like everyone else’s? From then on, I’ve made it my business to offer the best that I can.”
I just love my Big Green Egg! It’s easy to use, controllable and everything I’ve cooked has been a hit!
The move to a “greener” way of thinking was just the first on her path to becoming a passionate ambassador for meat from ethically raised animals. Today, Caroline’s butchery stocks only premium grassfed beef and lamb, as well as free-range organic chicken and pork, and she holds educational dinners once a month which she calls “Beef Appreciation” evenings.
“We make our own smoked bacon at the shop so that was the first thing I attempted on my Big Green Egg. I just couldn’t believe the flavors that we achieved with the EGG … there was a depth and nuance to the bacon that was unbelievably good. After that, we just went wild and tried anything and everything on the EGG.”
“Once I did a home-made bacon smoking demo on the Big Green Egg using some smoking chips and the result was ridiculously divine. When I opened the lid ready to remove the bacon, the smell reached the audience and there was a collective sigh and everyone looked longingly towards the EGG – I wished I’d taken a photo!”