A first class tomahawk steak

Australia's most-popular food blogger Not Quite Nigella, aka Lorraine Elliott, explores one of New South Wales' premier steak wholesalers.

I'm definitely someone that believes that things happen for a reason. Even from the most hideous events, a lesson can often be learned. In the case of the recent global turmoil, one trend that resounded with many was people saving money by shopping for things in bulk or at less expensive wholesalers which allowed them to enjoy the food that they had always liked, but at a better price.

Haverick Meats is one the largest food service distributors in Australia, selling over 20 tonnes of meat a day to Bilson's, Est, Sepia, Manly Pavilion, Assiette and Tetsuya's. Started in 1962 as a butcher shop in Paddington it now supplies meat to restaurants, airlines – Qantas' first class passengers eat the meat from Haverick's – cruise line and entertainment venues, and they have the largest inventory of dry aged meat in Australia. Because of customer demand, they have now started selling to the public from their warehouse in Banksmeadow, NSW, in an industrial estate. We arrive there one Saturday afternoon and see their trucks everywhere.

They are finding that customers choose to buy their whole primal cuts which they then offer to break down for them for free. There is also a trained chef Detlef Haupt on the premises at all times that can help buyers with any cooking questions. The prices are often lower than what you may find at supermarkets but the main distinction is the quality of the meat you can get.

They have Wagyu, grain fed and grass fed beef, suckling veal and pig, La Ionica, Barossa Valley and Glenloth chickens, rabbit, goat offal, pheasant and spatchcock. All of their pork is free range and female pork only. The piece de resistance, for me at least, is their dry aged steaks. Dry aged for five weeks in their custom built dry aging room, the cuts of meat are tender and full of flavour which is why steak connoisseurs prefer a dry aged steak.

And then... there's the tomahawk. At first I though tomahawk sounded like a cute name for a steak. And then he brought it out. Holy T-bone! I don't think I'd even know how to cook that. It certainly wouldn't fit into any of my pans! This retails at some restaurants for $150 and is meant to be shared between 2-3 people. Here it is $36.90 a kilo which makes each tomahawk about $56.

This is an abridged version of the original blog post. To read on click here.