Kobe and Kurobuta are the names given to these animals due to the styles of rearing, which are based upon traditional Japanese methods ...
Kobe cattle are finished rearing by being fed on a mixture of grain, maize, wholecrop silage and the all important ingredient of BEER! (and no they don't walk round the farm drunk!) Also they are massaged 2-3 times per week which produces a very tender and marbled meat. The breeds of cattle used would be Pure Aberdeen Angus and Pure Guernsey, which incidentally were featured in Rick Stein's Food Heroes BBC programme where 14 of the 15 experts chose the Guernsey as the best tasting. The animal is slaughtered between 15 and 20 months. This is when they have reached their ideal weight 550kg. Then they are hung for no less than 2 weeks.
Kurobuta (which has a meaning of black pig in Japanese) is pork from pigs that have been reared in a free range manner and allowed to freely forage. They had access to the same forages as the Beef and Dairy cattle, as well as a topping of Guernsey milk. This results in the meat being a tender, darker product with more fat that gives a wonderful flavour. The breeds used for this were Berkshire or Berkshire Tamworth cross.
Rosé Veal is a pink, tender, tasty meat. The veal animals are reared in groups with lots of straw and have access to whole milk, plus they have maize, grass and wholecrop silage. They are kept in a light, well ventilated yard with plenty of room to move, unlike traditional Veal. The word Rosé describes the meat's colour, which is not pale or white but has a definite Rosé pink hue. This meat has a wonderful texture and flavour, coming from animals that have been reared in a more humane manner than the traditional/continental ways — importantly, this method of rearing provides a respite for the bull calves from Dairy herds which otherwise might be shot at birth.
UPDATE Jan 2009: Unfortunately, Digby Gribble who owns the business is no longer involved with the farm in Chettle; thus far he has been unable to find a source/farm locally with the ability to tend the cattle and pigs in the manner that is required to produce this specialist product. He has decided, coupled with the economic climate as it is, to suspend the Kobe Beef and Kurobuta Pork business. He is hoping that in the future this will alter and, of course, the situation will be updated again on here as soon any changes are made. Stocks of Kobe and Kurobuta products are virtually exhausted — the shop items will remain for reference only, with zero stock level. On a brighter note ...
The Rosé Veal, although a small market, has been very well accepted by Chettle Beef’'s customers. Although Digby is no longer rearing the animals personally, he has a reliable local farm that is willing and very able to do this. They will produce the animals; Chettle Beef Producers will hang, cut and package the meat; between them the two businesses will sell the products.
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