Cross Lanes Butchery
Sandy and Simon manage our traditional butchers shop which sits within the farm retail shop.
You can contact Sandy and Simon directly on:
Cross Lanes Butchers - t: 01833 694395
Grass fed shorthorn beef at Cross Lanes
Shorthorn beef renowned for its superior meat eating qualities in terms of both taste and health benefits took pride of place in the fresh meat counter at Cross Lanes and will return later in the year. The shorthorn herd has been established by Simon Hare with his father John at Brignall near Barnard Castle, their farm is next to Cross Lanes and is in its final stages of organic conversion. These animals have been finished on the rich clover pastures of Brignall without any supplementary feeding. The grass fed diet leads to a creamy soft yellow coloured sweet tasting fat which is higher in Omega 3 oils. This is one of the lesser known health benefits of grass fed traditional rare breed meat. It also has a rich natural source of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). The end product is marbled beef giving the meat a unique flavour, being succulent and tender.
Shorthorn cows were one of the traditional breeds of Teesdale, evolving over the last two centuries from Teeswater and Durham cattle which were found originally in the North East of England. With farmers over the years favouring the more continental breeds, Simon wanted to help the traditional breed make a comeback.
Food miles are virtually zero with the animals raised on pastures next to Cross Lanes, giving this product a real focus on shortening supply chains from farm gate to consumer. Provenance as well as local is high on the agenda with all stock, born, reared and finished on the farm. The proof will be in the tasting, call into Cross Lanes and purchase your grass fed shorthorn cuts of meat.
Featured in the local press.
Testimonial: "The large Shorthorn Sirloin we had for last weekend was TERRIFIC! There were 12 of us plus one, we had a young man driving the oven and he did get a bit hot under the collar - kept talking about "let the beef speak for itself" - so it was just plain roasted with several halved Spanish onions and herbs and lots of ground pepper.
We had planned "cold cuts" but every scrap was eaten". Kiki & Kurt Angelrath,
Norfolk.
Beef and Lamb
We source our organic beef and lamb from Richard & Beverley Ward of Cragg Top. The beef is hung for 28 days and really is superb quality meat.
Testimonial: "We bought a lovely piece of Topside last weekend. Entertaining people who really know good food, the judgement was that this was the finest beef they had ever eaten. Even children with no great appetite for meat had two or three helpings each – what should have lasted three days was severely hammered by the enthusiastic gannets.” David Wallace-Lawrence (Barnard Castle)
Pork and Chicken
Our organic pork and chicken comes from Piercebridge Organic Farm. Pigs are now also being reared at Cross Lanes belonging to Simon and John Hare of Trees House Farm, Brignall.
Cross Lanes's own products
We dry cure our own bacon and gammons, these are very popular with our customers, particularly after they've sampled the bacon in our Cross Lanes Country Breakfast in the cafe. We make organic pease pudding which is available on the delicatessen and served in a sandwich in the cafe with some of our roast ham.
We have organic homemade haggis!! This can be ordered and made to any size just ask the butchers.
Farm Shop Butchers Competition
We entered Simon into the butchers competition at the Beef Expo event in 2012, see events page for further detail.
Butchery Demo
Sandy and Simon gave the Cross Lanes team a quick lesson in butchery to help the understanding in where all the cuts of meat come from, breaking down both a fore and hind quarter of beef.
Opening hours
Mon-Sat 8.30am - 5.00pm
Sun 10am - 5.00pm
Tel: 01833 630619
Spring Fair Saturday 25th May
Vacancy Kitchen Assistant / Porter
Awards - 'Rural Oscar', 'Environmental Farm Retailer of the Year', 'Building of the Year' and many others!
Free WiFi
Free Parking
Coaches, bikers & dogs welcome
