Summer is in full-swing here at our sustainable family farm, and we’re pleased to announce that we now have Pasture Prime half and whole-chickens available.* These delicious heritage birds are raised according to strict Label Rouge methods, which dictate that the birds are raised with ample room, forage on a natural diet, and are raised longer than conventionally raised poultry.

Raising chickens with these strict standards takes longer, but the results are well-worth it. We promise you that our Pasture Prime chickens are like nothing you’ve ever tried before – tender, incredibly flavorful, and juicy. You’ll never want to eat a commercially produced chicken again after you experience Pasture Prime chicken.

Just how important is the quality of the chicken for the tastiness of the dish? Don’t take it only from us! This month, Bon Appetit, published their list for making chicken a success and their top suggestion reads:

“BUY A GOOD BIRD!” Quality chickens are more delicious. Look for those that are antibiotic-free, and extra points for going local …”

This is where our amazing pastured, Heritage Red Ranger birds come in. Tender, juicy, sustainably and humanely raised outdoors on our family farm in Central Florida. Order 2 of our gorgeous birds now and invite the neighbors over!

*Please note that we can only ship our chickens within Florida.

Half-Birds – a new cut from Pasture Prime

For the first time, we are now offering half-chickens. We highly recommend grilling these smaller cuts on the grill, as skin-on, bone-in meat stays much more moist and flavorful on your BBQ.

A great way to grill these birds is to use the “chicken under a brick” technique. By using this clever method, the weight of the brick helps you keep the bird flat, resulting in more uniform cooking and the creation of crispy skin. If you don’t have any bricks at home, you can purchase one from any home improvement store. Simply wrap it in foil before sticking on the grill.

Recipes and tips from the farm to ensure a delicious chicken

Our chickens are so delicious, naturally, because of their healthy diet and the ample space and time they have to grow, you don’t need to do much to the meat to enjoy a terrific chicken meal. However, if you’re looking to “spice things up,” try this recipe for burn-free BBQ sauce.

If you are using our WHOLE birds, and you haven’t tried Beer Can Chicken, you are really missing out. If you want to keep it simple, we love this simple rub  — it’s super easy to remember, and the ingredients are most always available in your kitchen.

Preparing your grill – simple tips to ensure your chicken cooks evenly

For amazing chicken, the first step, as we’ve covered, is to source the right type of chicken. The second step is to make sure you cook the chicken properly. One of the best ways to help you cook your chicken “just right” is to set up your grill properly. Here are some easy suggestions to ensure your success:

• Scrape your grill before cooking
• Use indirect heat when cooking larger pieces; i.e. half chickens
• Wipe the grate using tongs with a paper towel lightly dipped in oil
• Use your thermometer! For poultry, cook the chicken to 160-165 degrees and then let it rest
• Make sure not to overcook the chicken.

For a “Prep School” on grilling, check out this link from Bon Appetit.

Order your Pasture Prime heritage chickens and half chickens today!

And don’t forget about Pasture Prime Grass-Fed Wagyu beef …

We haven’t forgotten about our wonderful Grass Fed Wagyu Beef, even though the chickens are taking top billing this month.

Now that the rains have come and our grass is once again lush, the cows are happy and growing fast. We will have our one-quarter and one-half Wagyu Beef shares available through the summer. Make your deposit today, and you’ll be able to fill your freezer with our amazing beef.

If you’ve tried our Pasture Prime 100% grass-fed Wagyu beef, you may have noticed that it’s different than other grass-finished beef. Wagyu is a unique breed that contains natural marbling, and it has superior flavor and tenderness, as opposed to traditional 100% grass-fed beef. Plus, it still has all of the benefits of 100% grass-fed beef: higher Vitamin E and A, and it has the perfect ratio of Omega 3s and 6s. Plus it doesn’t contain hormones and antibiotics … but we digress.

Wagyu 100% grass-fed beef requires a different cooking technique than regular grass-finished beef because of its amazing marbling. To enjoy the flavor and get the most pleasure out of your Pasture Prime grass-fed meat cuts, we recommend you follow the following guidelines when cooking our meat:

Wagyu 100% grass-fed steaks and burgers require a “hot and fast” technique:

For Pasture Prime 100% grass-fed Wagyu steaks and burgers, cook them hot and fast – a cast-iron skillet works great for this. Get the skillet smoking hot, then sear the meat for 3-4 minutes a side, depending on how thick the meat is. The key here is to not overcook it – undercook it slightly, and then tent it under foil for 10 minutes to allow it to finish cooking.

When cooking 100% grass-fed Wagyu roasts, season the roast, do a quick sear on all sides, and then cook the roast around 50 degrees cooler and for 30 – 50% less time than you would a traditional roast. Because these cuts are still leaner than feedlot beef, they will dry out if you cook them too long or too hot. Additionally, you help preserve the nutrients this way.

Use a meat thermometer when cooking grass-fed beef

A lot of people rely on the “touch” test when cooking beef, but because grass-fed beef is leaner, it cooks faster, and you don’t want to have any room for error. Use a meat thermometer for the most accurate results. Here’s a quick guide for your thermometer – but note: Remove the meat from the heat when it’s about 10 degrees from your desired finished temperature (below). Let it rest with foil over it, and it will rise to your desired temperature:

Rare — 120F

Medium Rare — 125F

Medium — 130F

Medium Well — 135F

Well — 140F

Pull the meat out of the fridge, first

For best results when cooking grass-fed meat, first pull it out of the fridge and let it reach room temperature before you place it on the grill or in a skillet. By allowing it to reach room temperature, it will cook faster and stay tender and delicious!

Don’t smash or press down on that grass-fed meat!

It’s tempting when cooking meat to constantly press down on it with a spatula or fork – however, doing this only presses out the yummy juices and fat that keep the meat tender and delicious. Resist the temptation – the only thing that should be going in the meat is the thermometer so you can monitor the temperature.

Finally, give your grass-fed meat a good rest

Once you’ve finished cooking the meat, you’re satisfied it’s come to the right temperature, and you’re ready to dive in and experience succulent, mouth-watering Pasture Prime 100% grass-fed beef – wait! Let the meat rest for 10 minutes first, preferably with a foil tent. Doing so will keep the meat moist and capture all of the juices in it.

Enjoy our 100% grass-fed meat this summer grilling season

At Pasture Prime, our family offers a full-range of 100% grass-fed beef, in addition to heritage pasture-raised pork and free-range poultry. All of our meat is sustainably raised by our family on our farm in Northern Florida. We invite you to browse our full selection of grass-fed beef cuts, and be sure to check out our recipe section for great ideas!

Happy cooking!

Did you know that May is National Burger Month? It’s true, and for us here at Pasture Prime Family Farm, that sounds like a great reason to celebrate and offer you some bonus 100% grass-fed Wagyu hamburger so that you can grill up some amazing burgers for Memorial Day and for some late-spring grilling.

Act quick! This special won’t last long!

From now until the end of May, we’ll throw in 5 pounds of our beyond-organic, 100% grass-fed, absolutely succulent Wagyu ground beef for free, when you order $250 or more of product (not including shipping) from our website. Five pounds of amazing and healthy Wagyu ground beef will allow you to have quite a cookout! This is a $33 dollar value, so shop now on our online store and stock up your freezer with our sustainably raised Wagyu beef cuts, heritage pork, and heritage poultry.

And some great recipe ideas for National Burger Month …

We wouldn’t leave you with a free hamburger offer without mentioning some great ideas for making delicious burgers! We’ve combed the internet high and low, and came up with some fantastic ideas for making our Pasture Prime Wagyu Hamburger absolutely perfect. Enjoy, and happy grilling!

Start off by learning how to build a great burger

Bon Appétit published a great guide for how to build a great burger, with all of the details you need. We think it’s just fantastic.

Then choose your favorite toppings and stuffings

Feel like something savory-sweet? This recipe, featuring teriyaki and grilled pineapple looks just amazing.

Or, how about cheese and bacon? Can’t beat that, right? This recipe has a great twist on both, and it even includes a recipe for homemade Thousand Island dressing. Yum!

And finally, we loved this burger, which is stuffed with a Meyer-Lemon butter.

Order your Pasture Prime meat today, and we’ll send you 5 pounds of our amazing grass-fed  hamburger!

We’re moving through our 4-H and FFA pasture-raised lamb fast! We have some featured cuts available that we want to make sure you know about before they’re gone.

This past spring, we embarked on a new project: Offering lamb raised by 4-H and FFA students. True to our sustainable farming philosophy, these lambs are of the finest quality. Their meat is incredibly tender, flavorful, and full of lean protein.

Fresh Florida lamb legs and racks

Our lamb legs and racks are so delicious and good for you, and these premium cuts will go fast! They are perfect for a dinner party, family feast, or late-spring celebration. Browse our full selection of lamb.

Lamb Riblet Recipe – the perfect appetizer

We are also featuring lamb riblets. If you’ve never tried lamb riblets, they are slightly smaller than pork spareribs, and they are just perfect as a finger food appetizer dish. The meat falls off the bone, and the rich savory flavor is simply unparalleled.

The honey and wine in this recipe complement our succulent lamb just beautifully. We know you’ll love it!

Order your Pasture Prime Lamb Riblets today! We’re offering these riblets in 1.5# packages for $8.00, or, the best deal, 3 packages for just $22.00.

Lamb Riblets with Honey and Wine

Courtesy of Allrecipes.com

3.5 pounds Pasture Prime Lamb Riblets

2 onions, chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic

3 teaspoons honey

3 teaspoons olive oil

¼ cup soy sauce

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

To Marinate: Place lamb in a 9×13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl combine the onions, garlic, honey, oil, soy sauce, wine, pepper, salt, lemon juice and cinnamon. Mix well and pour mixture all over lamb. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes or until cooked through.

Nearby to our family’s sustainable farm, Pasture Prime, is a large retirement community, The Villages. We asked the good folks over there if they wouldn’t mind doing a few rain dances for us, because it’s been an unusually dry spring here. Well, their dancing worked! In the last week, we received 2.5 inches of rain.

Here on our farm in North Central Florida, we depend on the rain to help keep our pastures watered and keep our feed growing. When it’s dry for extended periods, it delays the growth time of our animals, so to honor our new rains, we’re pleased to offer some exclusive specials, just for you!

Lamb Specials from our 4-H and FFA Lambs

We still have some of our amazingly tender and flavorful 4-H and FFH lamb for sale, but it won’t last long! We’re offering premium chops, legs, racks, shoulder chops, and a shoulder roast. (Contact us to order this amazing lamb.) I recently cooked up the roast a few nights ago for a family birthday celebration, and it simply blew everyone away. My secret? Rub on some Herbs de Provence and kosher salt, then sear on all sides. Roast at 325 covered with foil for 3-4 hours, and you will have yourself some amazing, free-range, healthy lamb. You can sear it easily in a cast iron skillet – this is our go-to tool for cooking everything from hamburgers to steaks.

Berkshire Ham Specials

In addition to our lamb specials, in honor of our now watered and greener pastures, we’re offering cured and smoked Berkshire hams, from our 100% all-natural, truly range-grown heritage Berkshire pigs. Don’t miss out on this delicious pork!

Happy spring, and keep up the rain dances!

The Siverson Family

If you are looking for a healthy way to shed weight, get more energy, and nourish your muscles (especially after a good workout!), protein is one of the best ways to help you feel your best and round-out your diet.

Numerous studies, including a recent one reported in the Journal of Nutrition, found that moderately high protein diets, around 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight, helped people lose weight faster and preserved muscle mass better than those who were on low-protein diets.

However, not all protein sources are created equal, so make sure that you’re getting the best-quality and maximum nutrition from your protein sources. So what do nutrition specialists recommend for high-quality protein sources? In the top list, poultry, pork, and lean beef are listed as top choices for a healthy diet.

However, before you go racing to just any grocery store to grab some chicken nuggets or pulled pork, take note – the quality of the animals matters just as much as the protein source itself. If you are what you eat, as the adage goes, make sure you’re getting your protein from animals that eat a 100% natural diet, are never given growth-hormones or antibiotics, and are able to forage and roam for a well-balanced diet.

Lucky for you, our family farm in Florida raises high-quality, healthy protein

When it comes to meat sources, how the animal is raised and what it eats is one of the most important determinants of the meat’s nutritional value. In fact, purely pasture-raised animals have up to four times more essential vitamins, such as vitamin E, as well as lower cholesterol and more omega-3s than animals raised in industrial settings.

In short, paying attention to where your protein comes from is just as important as what type of protein you choose if you’re going for maximum nutritional punch.

Our family’s sustainable farm in Summerfield, Florida exists to provide the tastiest, healthiest protein sources possible. For this reason, we humanely raise our 100% grass-fed Wagyu cattle, heritage pork, and free-range chickens in their natural environment, and we never administer growth-hormones or antibiotics. Our meat is as good as it gets when it comes to an outstanding source of protein!

And our meat tastes so good, Chefs from all over are scrambling for our high-quality products

In addition to raising meat that is healthier for you, our pastured animals produce meat that chefs from all over the country rave about. Why? Well, we choose select, heritage-breed animals that grow slower and are chosen for their meat quality (as opposed to factory breeds, which are selected for their ability to put on weight fast).

We are so proud that top chefs in Orlando and New York choose to source their meat directly from our farm, and we are even prouder that you, too, can provide your family with high-quality protein from our family’s ranch! We invite you to browse our full selection of pastured meats today.

Spring will be here before you know it, and to celebrate our favorite season, we’re pleased to offer, in very limited quantities, locally raised lamb at Pasture Prime. We’re happy to be partnering with, and supporting, local 4-H ers and FFA members who have raised and exhibited these lambs. It’s the first time that we’ve offered local lamb, and we’re excited to see how well you, our loyal customers, like it. If you are interested in purchasing our humanely raised local lamb, contact us – we’ll put you on a waiting list. Our lambs will be available in March.

Mangalitsa Pork Specials

We’re pleased to offer great deals on our Mangalitsa pork. In case you don’t know, renowned restaurants throughout the States are scrambling to get their hands on Mangalitsa pork. We’re one of the few farmers in the U.S. raising pastured Mangalitsa pork, and we’re so proud to offer it directly to you, our valued customers.

How Can Mangalitsa Pasture Raised Pork Taste So Different from More Conventional Pork Breeds?

Mangalitsa pigs are a classified “lard-type” breed. However, Mangalitsa pigs actually have more unsaturated fat (versus high levels of saturated fat) than conventionally bred pigs (classified as “meat-type pigs”). When cooked, Mangalitsa pork is exceptionally, juicy, tender, and marbled. Chefs rave about the meat and lard’s versatility—the lard can be whipped, and chefs don’t need to dress up the meat’s flavor with excess salt or spices. When cured, Mangalitsa meat makes unsurpassed hams, charcuterie, and salamis, due to the high monounsaturated fat content (versus high polyunsaturated fat in commercially produced pork).

Free Range Mangalitsa Pigs: The Pasture Prime Difference

True to our sustainable farm philosophy, we raise our Mangalitsa pigs on an all-natural diet. They’re free to roam in 20 acres of woods where they are able to find hickory nuts, roots, berries, insects and other tasty morsels.  Of course, they’re never injected with hormones or antibiotics or fed anything but all-natural feeds. You benefit from pork that has a healthier blend of fats, higher levels of oleic acids, and a product untainted by artificial additives.

Mangalitsa Pork Chops

We’re pleased to offer Mangalitsa pork chops, on special – just $32 for 2 lbs. (Priced down from $20/lb.) Our Mangalitsa pork chops are versatile in a variety of recipes, including stir fries, slow-cooker recipes, in kabobs, or on the grill. They’re the most amazing pork chops you’ll ever try. We promise. Order yours today.

Mangalitsa Pork Ribs

For another irresistible way to enjoy Mangalitsa pork, try our Mangalitsa pork ribs. We’re selling our pork ribs in 2 – 2.5 # packages for just $20. These won’t last long! Order yours today!

We often get questions from customers on the status of our grass-fed beef; namely, is our meat “certified organic grass-fed beef?” We want to devote some space to this, because we understand that organic grass-fed beef and organic meats are a popular topic at the moment, so we want to clearly explain our position, explain our farm’s practices, and dispel any myths that may be out there regarding the purity and health benefits of our grass-fed beef and pastured meats.

First, for you to understand our operation, we must explain the distinction between a sustainable farm and a farm that is simply “certified organic.”

Sustainable Farming and Organic Farming Practices

Our family operates a sustainable farm in Summerfield, Florida, and it’s not a large operation – Pasture Prime Farm is roughly 500 acres, and it is a multi-species farm, meaning that we raise grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and free-range poultry – all of our animals equally contribute to the health and vitality of our farm’s pastures and ecosystem, which is why we choose to raise multiple species, versus run a monoculture-model farm.

In a sustainable farm system, such as ours, every species and the type of pasture rotation we practice contribute to the health of the soil and ecosystem; on traditional, “non-sustainable,” or industrial farms, because the concentration of animals is higher, and typically only one type of animal is raised, the farms require the use of fertilizers and must supplement food with additives, since the pastures or environment is not able to fully sustain the operation. The result of these practices not only erodes the quality of the meat and the health of the animals, but it also contributes to a damaged ecosystem. In short, these types of farms are not “sustainable” – they require artificial input to function.

Now, here’s where a big distinction lays – a farm can be “certified organic” but not be sustainable. Monoculture farms can be organic, and in fact, you can buy “certified organic beef” that comes from cows finished on feedlots (which are the antitheses of a sustainable farming operation).

At Pasture Prime Family Farm, we are truly sustainable, and our grass-fed cattle are never finished on grains or sent to feedlots. This is why we prefer the label “Sustainable Farm” rather than “Organic Farm.”

So What About Certified Organic Grass-Fed Beef?

Certified organic grass-fed beef cattle must meet the following criteria, according to the USDA:

• Born and raised on certified organic pasture
• Never receive antibiotics
• Never receive growth-promoting hormones
• Are fed only certified organic grains and grasses
• Must have unrestricted outdoor access

At Pasture Prime Family Farm, all of our farming practices and our grass-fed beef meet these criteria. However, to undergo “certification” from the USDA requires an expensive, lengthy process that, in the end, doesn’t change the purity of our practices or the quality of our meat – it just results in higher overhead, which we don’t want to pass on to you, our consumer. Our goal is to offer affordable, healthy grass-fed meat online, for purchase on our farm, and to be available at farmers’ markets and in local restaurants.

To guarantee the purity of our grass-fed meat and, in our opinion, to offer a higher standard than “Certified Organic Grass-Fed Beef,” we have third-party certifications from respected organizations, including the American Grass-Fed Organization and Animal Welfare Approved.

Finally, we’re so confident about the humanness of our practices and the quality of our grass-fed meat, that we have an “open-door” farm policy – we invite visitors to come out and visit us! We want you to see the beauty of our sustainable farm for yourself.

Order meats online >

Contact us >

With the autumn season being the time to celebrate the harvest and the time to welcome the winter events, we have plenty of upcoming events that we invite you to join us at. Not only can you meet our family—the farmers who grow delicious grass-fed meats—but you’ll have a chance to sample our delicious products—including some prepared by world-famous chefs.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival, Orlando, FL

We are so pleased to once again be a part of the world-famous Epcot Food & Wine Festival, at Epcot Center in Orlando from September 28^th  – November 12^th.. We invite you to come and see fantastic cooking demonstrations, from famous worldwide chefs, sample amazing cuisine, and see what’s new in the food world. While you are in the area, be sure to visit Executive Chef Chris Windus, from the BlueZoo Restaurant in Orlando. We hear he is serving some of our Milk-Fed Chickens, served with truffles. It’s a definite don’t-miss.

Farmers’ Market at The Villages!

The Villages is a large retirement community, located close to our farm in Summerfield, Florida. We will be making our first appearance there at the Grand Opening October 13^th. We’ll be selling our all-natural free-range chickens, grass-fed Wagyu beef, and pasture-raised pork. It’s a great chance to buy our products and meet Torm (head family farmer), directly.

Pig Stock Traverse City, Michigan on Oct, 23

The annual Pig Stock Event occurs in Traverse City, Michigan on October 23^rd, where all things Mangalitsa will be featured.  Chefs will be showcasing their recipes along with tips for butchery, etc.

And there’s Still Time! Steak Variety Pack Still on Special!

If you haven’t ordered it yet, we still have our Steak Variety Pack available. But hurry! This great special ends in September. Order today!

Turkey Pick Up, November 19^th – 20^th

If you placed an order for one of our homegrown heritage turkeys, turkey pick up takes place from November 19^th– 20^th. Torm will contact you to set-up convenient times.