It’s the time of year when hearty meals dominate the menus both in restaurants and at home, Sunday roasts, hot pork sandwiches, and bacon sandwiches on a Saturday morning for example. Everyone’s also beginning to think about Christmas, planning ahead, considering catering, spreading the cost and stocking up on quality food. Swaledale Butcher’s based in North Yorkshire recently contacted me to offer me to try some of their products, and as I always much prefer butchers meat to anything you can get in the supermarket, I happily accepted.

My dad, born and raised in Yorkshire, is a big fan of Swaledale, we spent many childhood days out there so it was also a bit of a trip down memory lane, and a chance to invite my grandad over for dinner on a few occasions for some proper Yorkshire food. 

Disclaimer: I received a complementary Chef’s Choice Meat Box from Swaledale Butcher’s for the purposes of this review. As always all opinions are my own. 

The Butcher’s Ethos: Heritage Breeds and Sustainable Practices

Before diving into what we cooked, I just wanted to quickly touch on the ethos and philosophy behind Swaledale Butchers. I mentioned they’re based in Yorkshire, and their focus is on heritage breeds of cattle, sheep, pigs, and game birds, with a strong emphasis on sustainable farming. 

They work with small sustainable farms across the Yorkshire Dales, where meat is slow-grown, free-roaming, and grass-fed, making it nutrient-dense and packed with natural flavours. Their commitment to whole-carcass butchery and nose-to-tail eating means that nothing goes to waste, and they offer a range of cuts, from prime steaks to the lesser-known but equally delicious options like smoked pig’s cheek. 

They uphold a ‘Always Fresh, Never Frozen’ approach, with speedy delivery where the meat is vacuum-packed, insulated, dated and able to be frozen. This level of service really makes them an excellent choice for anyone who wants premium quality meat delivered directly to their door, on a date that suits you. 

Now, onto the contents of the box that I received from Swaledale Butchers, within 2 days of finalising the order and direct to my door with signed delivery. I’ll take you through my experience with the meat box, and the meals we created from it.

The Swaledale Butchers Chef’s Choice Meat Box

I went for the Chef’s Choice Meat Box, which had a varied selection of usual and more unique meat cuts to try. All of it was from over 30 Yorkshire farms, and was packed with high-quality, versatile cuts that make it easy to create incredible meals at home. Here’s a breakdown of what I received in the box that filled my fridge!

• 1 1kg Salt Beef Silverside

• 1 Native Breed Pork Shoulder Chop

• 1 pack of Merguez Sausages

• 1 pack of Yorkshire Breakfast Chipolatas

• 1 Tuscan-style Pork, Fennel and Red Wine Sausagemeat

• Marrow Bone Canoes

• 1 Smoked Pig’s Cheek

• 1 Dry-Cured Smoked Streaky Bacon

It’s a great mix of traditional favourites like the Yorkshire breakfast sausages and smoked streaky bacon, alongside more adventurous options like the marrow bones and smoked pig’s cheek. Each pack was prepared, had good dates on them but also are all suitable for freezing. You could tell the quality from the moment you opened the packaging. 

What We Made

With a box this impressive, we couldn’t wait to dive in and start experimenting, so we planned out a few main meals including the salt beef as the main dish one Sunday, homemade meatballs with the sausage meat, and rather than just using the sausage and bacon for sandwiches, we decided to make a big shakshuka with them in.

Salt Beef for Sunday Lunch

The 1kg of salt beef became the centrepiece of our Sunday lunch. Although it’s not traditionally a roast dish, instructions provided on the Swaledale Butchers website said to slow-cook boil it in a pan until tender, and we served it hot with seasonal vegetables and gravy. 

The beef was deliciously salty but balanced—and paired beautifully with the veg and a good red wine. It was the ultimate comfort food for a Sunday roast, and a bit different to normal.

Salt Beef Sandwiches with Leftovers

One of the best things about cooking a large cut like salt beef are the leftovers. The next day, we made classic salt beef sandwiches with thick slices of cold meat, and a slathering of mustard. It was just as good cold as it was hot, and the texture of the meat was still tender. It was like a proper beef deli sandwich except all done at home.

Shakshuka with Merguez Sausages and Smoked Bacon

I think this is probably one of my favourites, because I love a sociable brunch/lunch and shakshuka is perfect for that. There were four of us, so we got creative with the sausages and the dry-cured smoked streaky bacon. We made a shakshuka with potatoes, tomatoes and fried eggs – baking the sausages and bacon amongst it. 

The spicy sausages really gave a kick to it, and it was the perfect weekend brunch for everyone around the kitchen island. 

Tuscan-Style Meatballs

The Tuscan-style pork, fennel, and red wine sausagemeat was perfect for making meatballs. My mum can take credit for these as she made them by rolling the sausagemeat into bite-sized balls, browning them off, and cooking them in a rich tomato sauce. 

The fennel and red wine in the sausagemeat gave the dish an extra layer of flavour, making it a hit with everyone at the table and always one of my winter favourites. A total level up from supermarket meatballs!

Sausage and Mash

Rather than use the breakfast sausages for breakfast, I decided instead to make sausage and mash, another typical winter meal for cold dark nights! It’s one of my favourite comfort food dishes served with yorkshires and gravy, and we used the leftover couple for a sandwich the next day. 

Still More to Enjoy

Even after all these meals, we still have plenty left in the freezer for future use. We’ve not even touched the pork yet, but rather than rush through it we’ve frozen them to keep for a later date. That’s the beauty of a box like this—you can spread it out over weeks and create a range of dishes. It’s also perfect for entertaining guests. The pork shoulder chop and marrow bones are waiting for us to experiment with next. 

Why You Should Try Swaledale Butchers

After trying their Chef’s Choice Meat Box, and really enjoying some of my favourite everyday meals but with added quality and flavours, I can wholeheartedly recommend both their meat boxes, and any individual products off their website to anyone looking for high-quality, sustainable, and delicious meat delivered straight to their door. 

Whether you’re after everyday staples like sausages and bacon, or more unusual cuts like the pig’s cheek and marrow bones, their range has something for everyone, and the website is really helpful at providing instructions and ideas for how to cook them. It really wasn’t a faff on or hard work at all, we all enjoyed our hand at trying something with all the choices we had. The meat boxes are a great idea if you want multiple meats, and they do everything from steak boxes, to BBQ boxes, Family meat boxes and lots more. Browse the full meat box range here.

The Swaledale Butchers focus on whole-carcass butchery and nose-to-tail eating means that you know you’re getting the best of what sustainable, small-scale farming has to offer so it’s a great investment for foodies who want to cook with top-quality ingredients.

The very quick, efficient delivery service made it so much easier than going shopping for it all, and storage was simple and easy too. It’s perfect for over the festive season especially, and can be enjoyed regardless of where you live in the UK. 

Swaledale Butchers are more than just a source for meat—it’s a celebration of Yorkshire’s farming heritage and a commitment to sustainable eating. 

Visit the full website here.