I don’t want Australians feeling guilty every time they eat. Having to worry about potential harm they may be doing. But as I found out when making our decisions do matter. And what matters when we eat meat is being more mindful. It’s not the rushed, normal, budget-constrained decisions we make that will help make positive change. It’s recognising when there is the chance to make a better decision, and then acting on that possibility. And having meat-mindful recipes at hand is a big part of that.
What can you do to become a conscious carnivore? (Actually, a conscious omnivore, because caring about the meat you eat means caring about eating a whole lot of other things on the plate besides the meat.)
Whether you’ve chosen to care more about the meat you eat because you’re concerned about the impacts on the environment, the impacts on your health, or the impacts on the living animal, some guidelines are the same. Try to buy better meat, and by that I mean meat with more flavour, as well as meat that has a better ethical standard.
Try to make your meat go further, which is what these recipes are all about – not sacrificing flavour just because you want to put less pressure on your body, on the world, on the animals reared in your name.
And sometimes, just don’t eat meat. Plain and simple. Have meals that don’t have any meat, and you can still easily meet your dietary needs, and save up your meat eating for a bigger meat fix less often, if that is the kind of meat eating you relish.
Treat meat like an indulgence. It does cost the earth more. It does involve taking the life of a sentient being. But it is an amazingly dense, high-quality protein, which tastes terrific. Honour the animal, and the meat that it provides. Respect the farmer and the land that produced it. And don’t buy into industry hype that never, ever countenances the fact that we could eat less meat and still live fulfilled, happy, healthy lives filled with glorious meals. We eat more meat than any other nation in the world, and something, or someone, pays the price for that.
asking the question
Do we eat too much meat?
To this end, we need help in the kitchen. I grew up with meat and three veg (not two veg, Mum was ahead of her time…!). I know how hard it can be to go from the mind set of grilling, frying, or roasting a large piece of meat, and bunging some spuds and carrots on the side, to actually making a delicious meal where meal isn’t the star on the plate.
I’m sharing these 21 recipes below to help you discover ways to have truly delicious meals that reflect positive change. As well as some meat-free meals, this is a starting point in eating more of the animal; or making meat go further, without sacrificing flavour.
We eat a lot of meat in Australia – more than most other nations on earth. But do we really know what meat we are eating, and where it’s come from? Find out more with Matthew Evans in , Thursdays 7.30pm on SBS and also on .
Chicken
This minced chicken cooked in a sweet-salty sauce with vegetables and spring onions is a quick midweek meal.
Source: Alan Benson
Pork
Okonomiyaki is a savoury Japanese pancake that’s great for using small amounts of leftover meat. Pork belly is popular, but if you want to adopt a nose-to-tail approach to eating, let’s start thinking about using other bits, like pork trotters.
Source: Alan Benson
This is a version of the classic spicy Beijing noodles, but I’ve reduced the pork and increased the vegetables.
Spicy pork noodles. Source: Alan Benson
Beef
You can make a smaller amount of steak go much further if you combine it with more substantial vegetables.
Source: Alan Benson
This is a great example of nose-to-tail eating. Serve these kebabs with a hefty garden salad made with baby carrots, cucumbers, radish and lots of green leaves."
Beef heart kebabs, anyone? Source: Alan Benson
Meat-free meals
Freekeh is a green wheat berry with a delicious nutty flavour.
Source: Alan Benson
The cheese, nuts and eggs in this tart contain all the protein you need for a great meat-free option. if you can't find spring garlic, small leeks or regular garlic can be used instead.
Source: Alan Benson
Other ideas
The hero of this dish is the dahl, made with creamy coconut milk and fresh tomato. The fish plays a supporting role, which makes for an excellent light-on-meat option. You could even ditch the fish altogether.
Source: Alan Benson
Keema is a dish from the sub-continent. I’ve added more vegetables to the mix here, which makes for a great pastie filling.
Source: Alan Benson
READ MORE
Spring green risotto
Matthew Evans is back in his brand-new series of starting Thursday August 3 at 8pm on SBS. Visit the program page for recipes and to find out more about the show.
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The need for the ethical omnivore
