Butcher.ie

6 Luxury Summer Recipes Using Premium Irish Meat Delivered to Your Door

Make It a Summer to Remember — No Matter the Forecast

Let’s be honest: the weather’s been patchy at best. Plans have been cancelled, BBQs rained off, and picnic rugs never made it out of the boot.

But your summer table? That doesn’t have to be ordinary.
Because the real magic of summer isn’t found in the sky  it’s served, slowly, over hours of great food and good company.

At Butcher.ie, we deliver something no forecast can affect: the finest Irish meat, ethically raised, expertly prepared, and delivered direct to your door. What you do with it? That’s where it gets exciting.

This is not about average. Not rushed burgers or dry chicken. This is food that deserves attention. Meat with integrity. And recipes that turn your home into the kind of place where people stay longer than they planned, eat more than they should, and talk about it for weeks.

So we’ve created six show-stopping recipes.
All made for sharing.
All designed to impress.
All ready to turn your next gathering into the event of the summer — rain or shine.

Crispy Pork Belly Strips with Green Chilli Honey Glaze & Pickled Watermelon Rind Slaw

A proper showstopper that mixes sticky, crispy pork with a punchy sweet-and-sour glaze, balanced by a super-fresh slaw made from pickled watermelon rind, red cabbage and crunchy veg. Big flavours, zero waste, totally addictive.

Feeds: 4–6
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

Pork Belly:

• 1kg free-range pork belly strips

• 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 tsp sea salt

• Cracked black pepper

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Honey Glaze:

• 2 tbsp runny honey

• 1 green chilli, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Pickled Slaw:

• Rind from half a watermelon (white part only), julienned

• ½ red cabbage, finely sliced

• 2 carrots, julienned

• 2 spring onions, sliced

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• Sesame seeds, to garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Rub the pork belly strips with five-spice, garlic, salt, pepper, and sesame oil. Place on a wire rack over a tray and roast for 40–45 minutes until golden and crispy.

2. Mix honey, green chilli and rice vinegar. Brush over the pork for the final 5 minutes and return to the oven to caramelise.

3. Soak the watermelon rind in salted water for 10 minutes, drain, then mix with the cabbage, carrots, spring onions, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

4. Serve the pork piled high with slaw on the side and glaze drizzled over the top.

 

 

Slow-Roasted Duck with Tamarind Glaze & Shaved Fennel, Grapefruit & Mint Salad

Rich, sticky duck meets bright, zesty salad in this bold summer centrepiece. The tamarind glaze brings a deep tang, while the salad is sharp, crisp and cooling – a gorgeous balance of richness and refreshment.

Feeds: 4–6
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 2 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients

Duck:

• 1 whole free-range duck (approx. 2kg)

• 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice

• Sea salt and black pepper

Tamarind Glaze:

• 2 tbsp runny honey

• 1 tbsp tamarind paste

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 small knob of ginger, grated

Salad:

• 1 fennel bulb, finely shaved

• 1 pink grapefruit, segmented

• 1 cucumber, ribboned

• Handful of fresh mint leaves

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp white wine vinegar

• Pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Prick the duck skin all over and rub with five-spice, salt and pepper. Roast on a rack for 2 hours, draining the fat every 30 minutes.

2. Mix the glaze ingredients in a bowl. Brush over the duck and increase the oven to 200°C for 15 more minutes until glossy and caramelised. Rest before carving.

3. Toss fennel, grapefruit, cucumber and mint with olive oil and vinegar just before serving.

4. Serve shredded duck with the fresh salad to cut through the richness.

 

 

3. Braised Rabbit with Rosemary, Olives & Roasted Garlic Flatbreads

A rustic Mediterranean number, perfect for sharing around a table. Tender, slow-cooked rabbit in a garlicky herb broth, served with homemade roasted garlic flatbreads and a simple herb-and-radish salad for freshness.

Feeds: 4
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

Rabbit Braise:

• 1 whole rabbit (approx. 1kg), jointed

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• Olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, sliced

• 150ml white wine

• 400ml chicken stock

• 2 sprigs rosemary

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 100g black olives

• Handful of cherry tomatoes

Flatbreads:

• 250g self-raising flour

• 250g natural yoghurt

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 whole garlic bulb

• Olive oil

Herb Salad:

• Handful parsley, dill and mint

• 4 radishes, thinly sliced

• Lemon juice

• Olive oil

Method

1. Season and flour the rabbit joints, then brown in olive oil. Set aside. In the same pan, cook onion and garlic until soft.

2. Add wine, reduce by half. Pour in stock, add rosemary, lemon zest, and return rabbit to the pan. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Add olives and tomatoes for the last 10 minutes.

3. For flatbreads, roast the garlic bulb at 180°C for 40 mins. Mix dough ingredients and rest. Roll into flatbreads, pan-fry until golden. Mix roasted garlic with oil and brush over.

4. Toss salad herbs and radish with lemon and olive oil.

5. Serve the braised rabbit with flatbreads and herb salad.

 

 

4. Charred Bavette Steak with Smoky Citrus Marinade & Chilled Rice Noodle Salad

This one’s all about bold beef flavour and zingy freshness. Marinated in smoky spices and seared to perfection, the steak is served alongside a cold noodle salad packed with crunchy veg, herbs and a sharp lime dressing. Simple, fast, and packed with sunshine.

Feeds: 4–6
Prep Time: 20 mins + 1 hr marinating
Cook Time: 10–12 mins

Ingredients

Steak:

• 1kg free-range bavette steak

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• Zest & juice of 1 orange

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp chilli flakes

Noodle Salad:

• 200g rice noodles

• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 carrot, julienned

• ½ cucumber, deseeded and sliced

• 2 spring onions, sliced

• Fresh coriander, mint or Thai basil

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Dressing:

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• ½ red chilli, chopped

Method

1. Mix marinade and rub into steak. Marinate for 1 hour. Grill or pan-fry for 4–5 mins per side. Rest and slice across the grain.

2. Cook noodles, rinse under cold water. Toss with veg, herbs and dressing.

3. Serve steak over noodles with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

 

 

5. Seared Venison Steaks with Blackberry Balsamic Glaze & Charred Courgette, Barley & Feta Salad

Elegant and earthy, this dish pairs beautifully seared venison with a rich blackberry glaze, cut through by a hearty salad of charred courgettes, nutty barley, lemon and feta. Classy, colourful, and perfect for a summer supper spread.

Feeds: 4
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

Venison:

• 800g wild Irish venison steaks

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 tbsp thyme leaves

• Sea salt & pepper

• Olive oil

Glaze:

• 150g blackberries

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1 tsp honey

Salad:

• 150g pearl barley

• 2 courgettes, sliced

• 1 red onion, chopped

• 80g feta, crumbled

• Fresh parsley and mint

• Zest & juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Rub steaks with garlic, thyme, salt and oil. Rest for 20 mins.

2. Cook barley and set aside. Char courgettes in a hot pan.

3. Toss salad with courgettes, onion, herbs, lemon, olive oil and feta.

4. Sear steaks for 2–3 mins per side. Rest, then slice.

5. Simmer glaze ingredients for 10 mins until syrupy.

6. Serve sliced venison over salad, drizzled with glaze.

 

 

6. Spiced Yoghurt Chicken Thighs with Preserved Lemon & Herb Couscous Salad

Big on flavour, this crowd-pleaser features juicy chicken marinated in spiced yoghurt and grilled until golden, served with a fresh herby couscous salad that’s bursting with lemon, cucumber, and vibrant herbs. Simple, sunny and great for feeding a crew.

Feeds: 6–8
Prep Time: 20 mins + 2 hrs marinating
Cook Time: 25–30 mins

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 2kg boneless chicken thighs

• 250g natural yoghurt

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• 1 tbsp ground coriander

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Salt & pepper

Couscous Salad:

• 300g couscous

• 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped (or zest of 1 lemon)

• 1 cucumber, diced

• 2 spring onions, sliced

• Handful of parsley, mint and dill

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Optional: pomegranate seeds

Method

1. Mix marinade and coat chicken. Chill for 2–12 hrs.

2. Cook couscous with boiling water. Fluff, cool, and mix with other salad ingredients.

3. Grill or roast chicken at 200°C for 25–30 mins until golden. Rest, then slice.

4. Serve chicken over couscous, scattered with herbs and pomegranate.

 

A Summer Table, Elevated

 

When the ingredients are exceptional, the cooking doesn’t need to be complex — it just needs to be thoughtful.

These six dishes aren’t about theatre or trends. They’re about letting quality speak. About building a summer table that’s rich in texture, layered in flavour, and unmistakably elevated — without feeling effortful.

Each recipe invites you to create something worth gathering for. Something generous and grounded, yet quietly impressive. Whether it’s wild venison kissed with blackberry and smoke, or a perfectly charred steak sliced thin at the table, this is food designed to linger in memory — long after the last glass is poured.

At Butcher.ie, we source with purpose, so you can cook with confidence.
No shortcuts. No compromise. Just remarkable Irish meat, delivered to your door, ready to become the heart of something truly special.

So light the candles. Pour the wine. Rain or shine — this is your summer at its most delicious.