Blade (Bone-in) - Rachel's Farm

The Beef: This is Rachel’s Farm beef, 100% grass-fed and grass-finished, raised regeneratively on pasture managed for soil health first. The cattle graze on diverse, living pasture their whole lives, moving often so the land gets time to rest and recover. That slow, natural growth comes through in every bite: a deeper, more mineral beef flavour, a satisfying chew, and fat with a golden tinge that tastes of grass. It’s beef with real character, grown in a way that leaves the land better than it found it.

The Cut: Bone-in blade is cut straight across the shoulder, through the shoulder blade itself. Each steak holds several muscles together, threaded with connective tissue and anchored by a flat piece of bone. The shoulder works hard every day, which gives this cut a big, deep beef flavour. Cooked slowly, that connective tissue melts into the sauce, and the bone adds body and richness as it goes. It’s one of the best-value cuts on the animal, and one of the most rewarding to cook.

How to Cook It: Take the blade out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and pat it dry. Season well with salt and pepper.

Brown it hard in a heavy, oven-safe pot with a splash of oil, 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply coloured. Lift it out, soften onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the same pot, then deglaze with red wine or stock. Return the blade, bone and all, and add enough liquid to come about halfway up the meat.

Cover and cook at 150°C for 2½–3 hours, until the meat pulls away from the bone with a fork. Grass-finished beef is leaner than grain-fed, so keep the lid on and the heat low. A gentle braise keeps it moist.

Lift the meat out, pull it from the bone, and reduce the cooking liquid into a rich gravy.

Tips

• Don’t remove the bone before cooking. It’s where a lot of the flavour comes from.
• Make it a day ahead. Braises always taste better the next day, and the fat sets on top for easy skimming.
• Shred the leftovers into pies, toasties, tacos or a ragù for pasta.
• A slow cooker works beautifully. 8 hours on low and it looks after itself.

A Little History: The shoulder has always been the home cook’s cut. Before refrigeration and supermarket trays, families bought what they could afford, and blade on the bone went into the pot on a Sunday with whatever vegetables were in season. It’s the backbone of the French pot-au-feu, the Italian stracotto and the Aussie beef casserole. Proof that the best meals often come from the cuts that ask for a little patience.