Lincoln Red Beef: Our nose-to-tail approach to cooking

If you’ve visited Doddington Hall before, you may have spotted our herd of Lincoln Red cows roaming the land or blocking your path - but why are they there?

Dating back to the late 18th century, the Lincoln Red is one of Britain's oldest native cattle breeds and an iconic part of Lincolnshire's farming heritage.

There has been a small herd of Lincoln Reds at Doddington long before the estate’s rewilding project began, but these cows now play a vital part in the regeneration of the landscape.

As one of the estate’s ecosystem engineers, the Lincoln Reds help shape the habitat around them. They graze the grass, create bare patches of ground through trampling and rub against trees and shrubs, increasing the diversity of the landscape. Their presence also encourages a variety of wildlife, from dung beetles to small birds.

We take a low-impact approach to farming, allowing our grass to grow longer and encouraging the cows to naturally browse the hedgerows and plants. This gives them a more varied diet and allows them to benefit from more natural minerals.

Our cattle are naturally adapted to life outdoors, growing thick, fluffy coats through the winter and developing beautiful, glossy conker-coloured coats during the summer. They spend most of their lives grazing our fields, moving from pasture to pasture, following the natural rhythms of the seasons.

From pasture to plate

Our cattle are a key part of our nose-to-tail approach to cooking. This considered method allows us to honour the whole animal, making the most of every cut and celebrating the quality and flavour of our beef.

In our cattle herd at Doddington, we have around 50 mother cows and two bulls. During winter, pregnant mothers are brought into the barns where they are fed on our own grass, preserved as silage and hay. We raise all of our calves here on the estate, selecting some to become the next generation of breeding cows.

When the time comes, our cattle travel to a nearby abattoir, keeping our food miles low and ensuring the beef we serve is truly local.

From pasture to plate, every animal has a story - and our nose-to-tail approach means we celebrate that story in full.

A chef’s guide to nose-to-tail cooking

We spoke to our Catering & Commercial Manager Conrad Adams, on the importance of nose-to-tail cooking at Doddington Hall:

“Our nose-to-tail approach to cooking is about respecting the whole animal and making the most of every part. Rather than only using the premium cuts, we look at the cow as a whole and find the best way to showcase each piece - from steaks and roasting joints to the cuts that require more time, skill and creativity.

Nose-to-tail cooking means every part has a purpose. We use different cuts depending on what they are best suited for: brisket for slow cooking, shins and knuckles for rich, gelatinous dishes and premium cuts for steaks and roasting joints. The muscles that do more work often need longer cooking, but they can deliver incredible flavour and texture when treated properly.

Another great example of nose-to-tail cooking is beef dripping. Inside the cow is a large piece of internal fat, known as cod fat, which is often discarded. We carefully chop, roast and render this down to create a completely natural, high-quality dripping with no additives. Once the darker crispy pieces are removed, we are left with a pure white fat that sets in the fridge. We use this for our roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, sauces and other dishes across our kitchens.

We also make use of the bones from our aged cattle. When buying individual cuts of meat, many places don’t receive the bones, but by working with the whole animal we can roast these bones and create rich, flavourful stocks. These ingredients might once have been considered waste, but with the right knowledge and skill they become some of the most valuable parts of the animal.”

What does nose-to-tail cooking look like at Doddington?

“The Lincoln Red breed plays an important part in our story at Doddington. An old British breed, Lincoln Reds are naturally smaller and more compact than some modern breeds, with excellent muscle and marbling. They may not produce the highest yield, but they produce exceptional flavour, which makes them ideal for our approach to cooking.

Using the whole animal is not only about reducing waste - it is about sustainability and respect. If we only used certain cuts, we would need more animals to produce the same amount of food. By celebrating a wider range of cuts, we can make sure every animal that comes through our kitchens is valued.

It also changes how we think about our menus. Instead of buying in individual cuts, we work with the whole cow and distribute the different parts across our kitchens. All of our chefs at the Grain Store are trained in butchery, allowing us to prepare much of our own beef on-site.

Some cuts appear as specials on our à la carte menu at the Grain Store, while others are utilised across our regular menus, for burgers, sandwiches – our cottage pie. This allows us to use the animal fully, rather than just focusing on the popular cuts.

For us, nose-to-tail cooking is about more than reducing waste. It’s about inviting people to try something different and reconnect with the story behind their food - the journey of the animal and the landscape that shaped it.”