All about: Dexter Beef

Dexter beef is our latest speciality meats and is looked forward to by many customers. We stock Cumbrian Dexter in the autumn, through to the end of the year. But what makes Dexter beef unique to traditional beef breeds?

Here’s some facts about the breed:   

Here’s a few interesting facts about the regional delicacy:

• The Dexter is the smallest British breed of cattle.
• It is a dual purpose breed which means it is bred for both meat and milk.
• It originated in the South-west of Ireland, descendants of black cattle of the early Celts.
• Dexter cattle were first introduced into the UK in 1882, bought from the Dublin area and reared in Oxfordshire. By 1892, they were an established breed in England.
• The breed matures early, making beef of exceptional flavour and quality with good marbling.
• The Dexter cattle Cranstons buy are grass-fed and grow slower than the other cattle breeds we purchase; this maximises the flavour – we then take it one step further by maturing the beef for a minimum of 21 days.
• As Dexters are small, the size of the carcase makes it very economical as smaller joints and little waste is produced.

Cumbrian Dexter beef is now at our food halls in Penrith, Carlisle, Brampton and Orton Grange; and to order from our high street butchers in Penrith & Hexham. A Dexter beef selection box is available online here