Celebrate the Local Seasons

Victorian Meat

From the beef-grazing country of Central Victoria to dedicated pork growers to the west of Melbourne and sheep graziers around the state, we grow some of the finest meat in the world. Most fresh red meat in Victorian supermarkets is Victorian grown, but if you’re unsure, support a local butcher and ask him where his meat comes from.

BEEF
British breeds of beef cattle, namely Aberdeen Angus and Hereford, dominate Victoria’s beef herd. Bred for the cold British winters, they similarly thrive in our cool-climate areas.

Grass-fed beef is at its best in spring and autumn as the rains and sunlight hours give a flush of fresh green grass, which helps improve the meat’s full flavour.

Grain-fed beef doesn’t change in quality depending on the time of the year – it is known for its tenderness year round.

LAMB
Victorian lamb is brilliant. We have specialist breeders who only grow prime lambs for the table. In the hot north and north-west of the state, some farmers graze their animals on saltbush, which gives the meat a delicious herbal quality.

The best time of year to eat lamb is spring, undoubtedly. This is when the lambs born earlier in the year are large enough to slaughter but still small enough to be tender. Some traditionalists, however, prefer the full flavour of older animals, namely hogget, two-tooth and mutton, though these meats are harder to come by.

PORK
Victoria boasts some excellent pork producers – people who really care for the animals and their product, something that shows in the quality of the eating. If preserved pork products are your taste, see your local butcher specialising in homemade small goods to ensure you’re buying Victorian-grown pork.

POULTRY
From small boutique growers, to medium-sized organic producers of chickens and ducks, to state-of-the-art poultry processing plants, Victoria produces some superb eating birds.