Meat. Liquor. I think that’s fairly self-explanatory. I am simultaneously sad and excited about the opening of The Meatwagon’s new bar and meat-fest, for it has now opened – early. For the past few months I have enjoyed living opposite The Rye pub in Peckham, where The Meatwagon has been in residency and where it still parks itself. Having those burgers a mere 2 minutes walk away has been joyous, although the effects on my waistline = savage. Now The Rye has closed for refurbishment and the meat has moved on, to 72 Welbeck Street, just North of Bond Street; I will have to travel for my fix.

The Meat Liquor venue is a space filled with a mix of gothic-cross-fairytale arches and graffiti. Basement-chic, Spuntino-style light bulbs bear butcher’s hooks. Red neon lights scream ‘LIQUOR!’ like Dan Flavin got to party. There’s plenty of room for drinking, partying, drinking, eating, more drinking and er, dancing on tables (that’s already happened). My memories of The Meateasy make my liver quiver; I suspect Meatliquor will bestow similar ravages.

I’ve not tried all the food yet, just some (proper) buffalo wings made with Frank’s-style hot sauce and butter, devilled eggs (at the preview) and the chilli fries, ever-outstanding burgers and a wondrous thing called ‘crack pie’ (on the opening night). It tastes like a pimped treacle tart and was addictive as…as…ummm…well, you know. “It’s all sugar” I’m told.

It’s dark inside, just like the Meateasy was, so I don’t have many photos for you but let me just refresh your memory of the burgers, albeit with an iphone photo (I’ve eaten about a hundred this summer and not taken a proper picture?!)

I do have a ‘photo’ of the ‘crack pie’ – it’s the pie shaped blob on the far left. I think most famous food photographers will be fearing for their jobs after seeing this, quite frankly:

The new venue is the biggest yet for The Meaty Gang, but in case you’re worried the new kitchen won’t be able to cope, don’t be – I’ve seen it in all its vast, expansive glory. The walk in fridge is bigger than my bedroom. That’s not true but it’s big and filled to the brim with London’s finest Americana. The drinks mean business too; frosted beers and kick ass cocktails from Soul Shakers. I would give you more details but you know, they got me drunk. There are so many reasons to go back – deep fried pickles and ‘dirty chicken’ being very high up on the list.

Meat Liquor was due to open on 11th November but opened last night and will remain so for the next 3 years. Things have certainly come a long way since the day I first bit into a bobcat burger on an industrial estate in Peckham.

There are some much better pictures of the food here.

Meat Liquor
72 Welbeck Street
London

When I saw some lamb shanks going cheap, I snapped them up then scuttled away fast before anyone remembered to make me pay through the nose for them. I’m a bit in love with the flavour of lamb cooked with sweet dried fruits (see my saddle stuffed with dates, aubergine and pistachios), especially for a long roast or braise; this time I decided on a very ‘Peckham’ mixture of squidgy semi-dried figs and pomegranate molasses. I added a quantity of sliced onions described in my scrappy notes as ‘a shitload’, which cooked down to a caramelised base; the figs plumped and leached their sticky treasure while the pom molasses licked everything it touched with that magical, Arabian Nights perfume.

A scotch bonnet was pin pricked to gently seep heat, riding the bubbling sauce for a good 3 hours until the meat was flopping off the bone in great silky lobes; it was all I could do to get them onto the plate in one piece.

We ate it with a pomegranate and cucumber salsa because we’d eaten rather a lot already that day (the perils of recipe writing: I’d done a dhal for AoL and a decadent quiche for the new Lurpak Christmas site) but it would be lovely with something stodgy to soak up that sauce; rice, mash or even a hunk of Middle Eastern style bread.

Lamb Shanks Braised with Figs and Pomegranate Molasses (serves 2, although you could divide up the meat and serve 4, with sides, if you have big shanks)

2 lamb shanks
Flour, for dusting the shanks
2 large onions, sliced into half moons
4 cloves garlic, peeled
400ml stock
1 scotch bonnet
6 semi-dried figs (the squidgy, ‘ready to eat’ ones)
4 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon honey

Fresh pomegranate seeds to garnish (optional); some chopped coriander would also be nice, now I think about it.

Preheat the oven to 150C.

Cover a plate with flour and season it with salt and pepper. Roll the lamb shanks around in the flour until they are completely covered. In a large, oven proof casserole dish, heat a little oil and brown the lamb shanks well, all over.

Set the shanks aside and add the onions into the hot fat in the pan. Keep cooking and stirring until they start to colour. Add the stock, scraping around the bottom of the pan to get all the good caramelised bits to loosen then turn off the heat and add all the other ingredients plus some salt and pepper. You can cut open a few of the figs to encourage them to give forth their contents.

Put a lid on the pan and cook for about 2-3 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone. You can then take the lid off an reduce the sauce if you want but I was too hungry so I just drizzled a bit over and chowed on down.

On Saturday I will be selling my new,  improved, spingly spangly shiny shiny jerk marinade at Ms. Marmite Lover’s Underground Farmers Market. I originally wanted to cook jerk chicken or pork but hoofing a jerk drum between Peckham and Kilburn without a vehicle is just impossible, and anyway, cooking it yourself at home is all part of the fun. I’ll be selling jars of various sizes so you can buy one that will perfectly suit your jerk needs.

As I said, I’m there on Saturday 5th but there’s a night market/bonfire party too on Friday 4th. To buy tickets, check the link below. It would be lovely to meet some of my readers, so if you do come along, make sure to say hello!

Do click through to Kirsten’s post about the market to see the list of stallholders – it’s a cracking line up I think you’ll agree. There will be hot food to eat on the spot, home made stuff to take away, music, booze (including a cocktail bar on the ironing board), crafts, masterclasses and even a food Dragon’s Den – all in Kerstin’s beautiful home. What are you waiting for?!

Buy tickets for both days HERE.