The Process

That is our guarantee to the customer. It’s no surprise then that this small-town business has collected Food Safety Authority awards. It passes the annual Department of Agriculture and Food inspection which is a prerequisite for a licence to operate a victualling business. This is a business which can hold its place in an international market.

A look around the abattoir and processing areas shows the importance of what happens before the meat comes to the counter. Nothing is left to chance here. Cleanliness is essential. Chilling is carried out at a pace that allows the meat to attain a natural maturity and full flavour over a period of twelve to fourteen days. It could be done much more quickly and cheaply, but this would mean compromising on quality, and compromise in this area is not a word in Nolans’ dictionary. The quality control process includes a self-imposed, continuous, critical assessment of the finished product to ensure maintenance of standards. Everything is carefully regulated and the reputation of the meat is a paramount concern of proprietor and staff alike.

The carcasses are hung and chilled for days and then we begin the breaking down process that enables us to produce the products you require. Then to the counter where it is then over to you in the kitchen to bring to life the full flavour!

All our methods are EU and approved and approved by the Health and Safety Authority. All the staff have also taken the safety courses necessary to meet standards. Everyone on the team holds a safety certificate. If you would like any further information please feel free to contact us for details.

The Animals & Meat

Often one hears that a butcher specializes in a particular breed “ Aberdeen Angus” for example or “ Charolais”. In Nolans the breed is important but more so we look at each individual heifer carefully before hand selecting that which we believe will give the best flavour possible. The breeds however from which we choose include Aberdeen Angus, Charolais, Limousines, Belgian Blues, Black White Heads and Herefords.

We do have one rule and please do not feel we are discriminatory - “ Heifers only”. Why? Generally Heifers have a little more fat than other cattle and as Andy would often be quoted “ Fat means flavour”. Fat helps to flavour the meat and plays a very important role in developing excellent beef flavour.

Our heifers are selected from our farm and local farms mostly around the Kildare region. However we source store heifers from the West of Ireland as they simply thrive once they reach the grasslands of Kildare.