Grass-Fed Bones, Broth & Berkshire Pork Tenderloin– CRAZY JANUARY SALES

April Fools Day is just around the corner and we want to debunk some common misconceptions about the cooking of meat and poultry.  Some may be labeled as “wives tales,” but some may have come factual basis.  .

Experts have debunked several common misconceptions.No more FOOLING AROUND, let’s see how you score

1. Searing meat will seal in the juices.    T or F

-as you can clearly see, even after you have “seared,” juice leaks out from your meat as it rests.  However, searing does boost meat flavor by causing The Maillard reaction, which is a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar, (… i.e.,caramel made from milk and sugar; the browning of bread into toast; the color of beer, )… creating additional flavor compounds in your meat.

2. Steaks should be turned as little as possible during cooking.   T or F

–steakhouse chefs do exactly the opposite.  They turning meat often to create a more evenly browned and flavorful crust over the entire surface of the steak.  Turning a “grilled” steak only once confines browning to the grill marks exclusively and does not deliver as much flavor as an evenly browned crust.

 3. All rare meat is BLOODY    T or F

-while it is common to refer to juicy, rare red meat as “bloody,” there is no actual blood in meat.  Blood is contained within the animal’s circulatory system, which is separate from the muscles which we eat as meat. The red liquid is a combination of water and protein, particularly iron-containing “myoglobin.”  This gives meat its red color while delivering and storing oxygen in muscle tissue.        

 4. Pork or Chicken turn “white” when safely cooked.   T or F

 -temperature is the only accurate measurement of doneness – color is totally unreliable.  USDA guidelines state that as long as pork is cooked to 145 degrees and chicken reaches 165 degrees they are perfectly safe to eat.  While both pork and chicken will become paler as they cook, the myoglobin – the red protein in meat – can maintain its red or pink color at the above recommended temperatures.  Also, the softer, porous bones of younger animals can leach iron-containing pigments from the bone marrow into the meat causing it to darken.

5. Meat labeled “natural” is free of antibiotics   T or F

 -the USDA and FDA have only LOOSELY defined “natural” as there being no added colors, artificial flavors, synthetic substances in meat and that meat can only be minimally processed (another        undefined term).  However,  there is no apparent enforcement of the terms usage. However, none of these details pertain to animals PRIOR to slaughter.  Meat labeled “natural” may come  from animals which have been treated with antibiotics, fed GMO corn, and/or raised in a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) i.e. “factory farm.”  Most consumers would not consider these conditions as “natural.”  Even “botulism” is “natural.”

6. Fat is What Makes Meat Taste Juicy  T or F 

-water which is bound to the protein in meat is the only substance that makes meat taste juicy.  Fat, however, can make the meat “taste” juicy by triggering a salivation response.  Fat is a concentrated form of calories & humans are evolutionarily primed to seek out energy rich foods.  We salivate upon the anticipation of eating fat and the moisture in our mouths makes the meat seem juicier.

We hope you got a PERFECT Score!!

This material adapted from The Science of Good Food by Joachim & Schloss

1. Toss your ancient, outdated thermometer & buy an instant read digital model (or win one here @ Pasture Prime)

                                                                                                                   (See details in upcoming LABOR DAY NEWSLETTER)  

       (This eliminates scorching your arm hair while waiting for a reading)

2. PRE-GRILLING TO DOS:

        – Create a GRILL CADDY with all your tools so you don’t have to “traipse” in & out of the house

        – Check the propane level in your tank (if using gas), what a bummer to run out in the middle of your incredible meal

        – Clean grate with wire brush right before the food goes on

3. PRE-HEAT your grill to a nice steady heat prior to placing your meat on to cook, 10-15 minutes. No matter which grill you use.

4. DO NOT OVERCROWD your grill grate, allowing space to move your food around to dodge flame flare ups.

5. THINK THIN when cooking hamburger patties.

         Keep them 1/2 inch thick & 5 inches across to maximize surface area for flavor and allowing you to cook quickly & evenly without drying out.

6. SPATULA OR TONGS are the tools of choice for flipping, turning & testing.

        Poking your meats with a fork punctures and lets those amazing juices escape which dries out your product & causes flame flare ups.

7. Ever hear of REVERSE GRILL ??- works great with cuts over an inch.  Here is the technique for the perfect medium rare steak

       Cook over indirect or lower heat until meat is below target temp by about 10 degrees (about 120), using your fancy new meat thermometer, then brown QUICKLY over direct or higher heat just before serving to your delighted diners!!!

8. PATIENCE is your numero uno virtue when displaying your grilling skills!!

        Slow down and enjoy life, grab a cool beverage and chat with your family & friends while they watch you perform!!

9. BAR B Q SAUCE should only be added near the very end of cooking, as most contain some sugar which can burn. 

      Check out Torm’s Awesome Bar B Sauce just posted in our recipe section 

10. LAST But DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, for the juiciest pork chops you will need to avoid the dry, white commercial pork found at your local grocery.  You will need to “spring” for the best chops around like Pasture Prime’s Berkshire Rosy Pink Beauties. 

        The streaks of fat (which commercial pork has effectively bred out of the animals) helps the chops stay moist & delicious.  Still, AVOID Overcooking the new guidelines specify remove from heat @ 130-135 and allow to rest to 145.

Check out our newsletter coming soon for Labor Day & Back to School Specials…and more of those terrific “giveaways!”

Your taste buds are in for a big treat when you grill up our sustainably raised meats from Pasture Prime.  While you pay a bit more for these meats, you can be assured that we are employing the most humane and planet-friendly methods of raising our animals as possible.  You will also be providing your family with the cleanest and healthiest protein available.  We truly appreciate your support of small-scale family farmers!!

Make sure to treat these meats as “tenderly” as we have cared for our animals here on our Central Florida family farm.  Grass Fed Beef is much different from your bargain priced factory farm produced, “big box store” bargain priced meats.

Due to the fact that our Wagyu cattle lead an active life and are not confined in any way, there is integrity to the muscle.  While this does not mean that they are necessarily less tender, they must however, be cooked MUCH more gently and with specific care.  As each animal’s musculature is different, there will be more variability between cuts than with grainfed meats.  

USDA has conditioned us to overcook our meats as they are assuming the meats have come from feedlots and industrialized meat packing facilities.  As grass fed meats can be leaner or less marbled than grainfed, it is likely to dry out & become chewy very quickly if cooked too hot & fast.  Grass fed meats should be eaten rare to medium rare. Steaks are the cuts we most need to get perfect and these tips below will work well for them.

All right, get ready for our Top 10 Grilling Tips!

1. Get a thermometer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Bring meat to room temperature before cooking.
3. Combine salt, pepper & garlic if you like, mix seasonings together and rub on your meat while preparing your grill. 
4. Make sure you have part of your grill off or your charcoal coals moved to one side, so you can cook indirectly for the SECOND phase of your grilling.
5. Use the “hand test”…the grate is hot enough when you can hold your palm 5 inches above the grate for no more than 3 seconds.
6. Sear steaks for 3 minutes on each side with lid down.
7. Move steak to section of grill not lit, & set lid.
8. Allow to cook until 120-140 degrees.  Use your thermometer by inserting in the side NOT the top of the meat.  Remember, that the temperature will rise a few degrees (5-10) on resting.
9. Cook time will be approximately 10-20 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your steak, but you should go by your thermometer as the definitive guide!!  This is why your Instant Read Thermometer is ESSENTIAL!!!!! Kathy C. won a Thermapen brand thermometer in our contest to Name our Smoker last year!!
10. Remove from grill and tent lightly with aluminum foil for at least 5 minutes before serving.

You can find more in-depth grilling, barbquing and spit-roasting information along with terrific recipes in Shannon Hayes great book: The Farmer and the Grill which we will be giving away in our current contest.  Stay tuned for more details.  We credit Shannon Hayes with The Grilling Tips which we have detailed above.

Lots of Great News Coming your Way from your Friends here on our Family Farm.

While the glory days of summer are sadly behind us….. our beautiful new pullets have “outdone” themselves with gorgeous brown eggs!!

HOT TOPICS:

• New Items – now offering a Premium Berkshire Pork Pack and a Large Combo Grass Fed Wagyu Beef pack. These are ready to ship along with some terrific deals! For more details on these packs, scroll down on each item in our store and find out exactly what is included.  We are discontinuing our Quarter Beef and substituting this much more affordable selection
• Valentines Specials & Gift Certificates –  We are offering Whole Hog Sale through February…now THERE is a gift for your favorite cook or Top Chef that they won’t forget any time soon!! If that is a bit “much” we have some other great selections of our Berkshire Pork.  Have us put together a list of your favorites. WOW your Valentine with a delicious home-cooked (or grilled) meal. Remember that Valentine’s Day can be more “healthful” than chocolates and candy and longer lasting than flowers!!

• Lamb Preorders –   Now taking Deposits for your early March delivery.  Last year we had lots of Lamb Lovers who were too late to get their orders in.  Don’t let yourself be disappointed this year.  These lambs should be better than ever. We have a DEADLINE of February 20, so we will know how many to have processed.  You will receive information on Cuts as soon as your order is confirmed.  Make Easter dinner devine with Lamb or one of our fabulous HAMS!

• Two new Contests Coming Soon – watch our blog for offers to receive the Top Selling Grass Fed Meat Cookbook and the ever popular and top-rated Digital Thermometer.

• Farmers Market – Every Saturday at the convenient Brownwood Paddock Square in The Villages, FL 32163 from 9-2.  COME SEE US and meet your local Farmer and find out about how your food is produced! Local, sustainably and humanely raised animals with never any antibiotics, hormones or animal byproducts.

PATURE PRIME Grass-fed Wagyu Beef is lower fat and higher in protein than regular beef. It’s become a popular option for good reason, but some people are still learning the best ways to cook this healthier beef. Here are some tips to get the most out of your Grass-Fed Wagyu Beef.

1. AVOID OVERCOOKING

Grass-fed beef is made for rare or medium rare cooking. If you like your beef well-done, cook at very low temperatures in a sauce to add moisture.

2. USE LIGHT COOKING OIL

Browning will be easier and flavor will be more rich if olive oil, truffle oil, or other light oil is used. (Of course, adding oil will also help prevent drying and sticking.)

3. MARINATE OR TENDERIZE 

 Coat your thawed cut with your favorite rub, place it refrigerator for 30 minutes up to overnight.  This method will also help infuse your grass-fed beef with the rub.  If you choose you may use a mechanical tenderizer such as the Jaccard.

Alternately, you may choose to marinate your beef before cooking. We recommend this method especially with lean cuts like NY Strip and Sirloin steak. Marinades using lemon, vinegar, wine, beer, or boubon are great choices for grass-fed beef. If you choose to use liquor or vinegar, use a bit less than you would with grain fed beef as grass-fed cooks more quickly.

4. USE LESS COOKING TIME

Grass-fed beef generally requires 30% less cooking time. Because it will continue cooking when removed from heat, remove the beef from the heat source 10 degrees before it reaches it’s desired temperature.

5. USE & WATCH A MEAT THERMOMETER CAREFULLY

6. LET BEEF REST

After cooking, let the beef rest lightly covered with an aluminum foil “tent” in a warm place for 5-15 minutes (depending on size of cut) – this will allow the juices to redistribute.

7. USE TONGS FOR TURNING

Stabbing at your grass fed beef with a fork during cooking will release those tasty juices, make sure to use tongs.

8. REDUCE COOKING TIMES

• reduce roasting temperatures by 50 degrees
• cook at the lowest heat setting in a slow cooker (cooking time will be the same or shorter at the lower temp)

        9. NEVER THAW IN MICROWAVE

Either thaw in the fridge or place a package of meat in cool water

10. BRING BEEF TO ROOM TEMP PRIOR TO COOKING

11. PRE-HEAT YOUR COOKING SOURCE (oven, grill, skillet)

12. GRILLING GRASS FED BEEF

Sear the meat quickly over high heat on each side to seal in juices, then reduce heat to medium or low to finish the process.

Baste throughout grilling to add moisture.

When grilling burgers use caramelized onions, olives, or roasted peppers to add moisture to the meat while cooking. Some moisture is necessary to compensate for lack of fat.

13. ROASTING GRASS FED BEEF

Sear the meat first when roasting as well, then place in a pre-heated oven. Save leftovers for healthy lunch meat!

Remember, grass-fed beef requires about 30% less cooking time than grain fed.  Your meat thermometer is your BEST FRIEND…contest coming soon to win one!!

We need your help!

Meet our smoker.  It sits nameless on our beautiful farm, waiting to become part of the family.  Please help us name it! 

If we choose your suggested name, you will be the lucky winner in our thermometer giveaway.

• the name will be painted on our smoker (Itsy? Judy? Francis?  you decide)
• we’ll send you this $96 meat thermometer (just think, you’ll never doubt if your chicken is done again!)

To enter, just fill out the form below before June 20, 2015 and push send.  We’ll notify you if you’ve won!

After seeing the New York Times article by the same name, I thought it was a good time to talk temperature.

The USDA recently lowered its safe cooking temperature for pork to 145 degrees, along with similar guidelines for whole cuts of beef and lamb.  Of course, we at Pasture Prime Family Farm in addition to most cookbook authors and respected chefs have long known this.

These regulators finally realized that a fine piece of meat overcooked becomes dry, tough and tasteless and much of its nutrient value can be lost.  Apparently, these folks don’t cook much.

So to celebrate the new wisdom coming from our government agencies, we will be giving away a top rated Thermapen Digital Instant Read Thermometer to one of you lucky subscribers!  Watch for the Contest coming up in our next newsletter!

We love it when our customers ask us for cooking advice so they can have the “ultimate” experience preparing our sustainably raised, hormone & antibiotic free meats.  While we gave you some initial details in our previous Butcher Shop Blog we think you are all ready for the Advanced Course now. 

Here are some of the top tips to consider;

     CUT SELECTION – remember that the parts of the animals that move the most will require the longest and slowest cooking i.e. shoulders & legs.  However, these bring great rewards with deep flavor and melt in your mouth texture when cooked properly

     BONE IN – when applicable always choose your cuts with bone-in, as the bone renders great flavor and nutrients (as indicated by the current trend toward bone broth)

     FAT – those cuts with increase fat will always hold more moisture during cooking (FAT is a topic that we will cover in-depth in an upcoming blog…you might read The Big Fat Surprise for some real eye-opening information)

     ROOM TEMPERATURE – always begin cooking with meats @ room temperature. Remove from refrigeration at least 30 minutes ahead for small/thin cuts and 1 hour or more for thicker meats.  Of course, frozen meats must be thawed in the refrigerator and then brought to room temp, as all recipes work from this principle.

     BOBBY FLAY Celebrity Chef says we all “Underseason.”  As you can’t season the inside of your meats you must be aggressive with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper on the outside.  This serves 2 purposes; helps to create formation of a gorgeous crust and ensures optimum flavor.

     SOME LIKE IT HOT – especially Wagyu.  Hot & Fast is our battle cry.  Don’t be afraid of a searing hot cast iron or other heavy bottomed skillet.  Be sure to use an oil with a high smoke point (grapeseed, peanut, & almond are the highest).  Of course FAST won’t work for those cuts that require slow cooking or braising as mentioned above in Cut Selection.

      TEMPERATURE – upscale chefs can tell you when meat is done by touch, but for the rest of us it is much trickier.  In order to be sure your meat is the perfect stage of doneness – use a reliable meat thermometer. I am sure you have all encountered meat with a great crust, but the temperature is only 100.  Not to worry, simply remove from stove top and pop in a 400 oven for a few minutes (approximately 5-8 minutes) until you reach your target temp.  (This is a major reason to use a cast iron or other oven-proof skillet).      

     REST – no…not time for a nap!!  When your meat is done (stop at least 10 degrees before desired temperature is reached, as the meat will continue to cook off heat.) 5-10 minutes is usually good for thin cuts and 10-15 for thicker cuts & up to 30 minutes for a turkey or large roast this enables the juices to redistribute and not run out all over your cutting board…Remember, finding your perfect cooking temperature is somewhat similar to determining your sleep number. Once you find it, all is right with the world!

Check out our newest item; Berkshire Baby Back Ribs…  

……and visit us soon at the Brownwood Farmers Market in The Villages, FL. every Saturday from 9-2 or in our online Store

 AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST:

There is really nothing to compare with the speed or dependability of the Thermapen…so watch for our upcoming contest.

QUIZ OF THE DAY: What gift from nature is pre-packaged, pre-measured & and can add richness & valuable protein
to both sweet and savory dishes??  The Incredible, Edible EGG of course!!

We know the answer to “why does the chicken cross the road?  It is to drop off her lovely fresh eggs at Pasture Prime Family Farm.

There are other mysteries involving eggs that we would like to clear up, as well.  How do all the claims made by egg producers & distributors really translate?

Here is what we found regarding labeling terminology:

• NATURAL – tells you absolutely nothing, every chicken egg is natural (unless of course it was dyed for Easter).
• CAGE FREE – means hens are not confined to cages, but many of these never leave crowded barns and do not necessarily have access to the outdoors and sunlight (essential for Vitamin D).
• ORGANIC – fed a diet of organic feed, but do not necessarily have access to the outdoors
• PASTURED – we think pasture raised eggs are  the best choice, but pricey &  harder to find.  They can roam outdoors, forage for bugs, insects, & grass seeds which helps to produce healthier and tastier eggs.  Do your own comparison between the color of a store bought egg and one from a pastured bird.  
• NO HORMONES OR ANTIBIOTICS – means what it says, but there is no certification.  This is why it is best to KNOW your farmer!!

It can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks to get eggs from where they are produced to a grocery store and then it is another month before they are pulled from the shelves as “out of date.”  The taste and nutritional content between a fresh, local, pasture raised egg and an “oldish” egg shipped from a distant source can be HUGE.

What do you know about the Anatomy of an Egg, in a further test of your IQ?

1. An Egg weighs about 2 ounces, has 74 Calories & is made up of several interconnected parts.
2. Yolk – contains about 3/4 of the calories & nutrients and is the main source of the vital protein.
3. Chalazae – (so that is what that “odd clump” is called) the pair of twisted cords that anchor the yolk to the center of the egg.
4. Inner White – 90% water, remainder is protein, thicker & firmer that the outer white.  This inner white cushions the yolk & appears cloudy when egg is fresh.  The freshest eggs make the most stable foams, souffles & merinques.
5. Outer White – cooks more quickly and is thinner than the center of the egg.
6. Egg Shell – this permeable skin as up to 17,000 pores which is how the egg loses moisture over time – it is also how and egg can pick up odors in the refrigerator, so store them in their carton.

You might be wondering “how to check if the egg you just brought  home from the supermarket is fresh?”  We have just the TEST for  you!

Drop the egg into a deep bowl or glass filled with water:

1. FRESH – if it sinks
2. OLDER – but good for most uses – if it stays submerged with the wide end up.
3. REJECT – if it floats – toss it out.

Check out future Blogs on Pasture Prime Egg Cooking tips & recipes.

GOOD NEWS – YOU PASSED THE TEST and are ready to move on to the Championship Round!!

February is an OUTSTANDING month to be in Florida.  If you should ever doubt that, just turn on the Weather Channel to see what is going on in other “weather challenged” parts of our country! Punxsutawney Phil saw HIS shadow, but it is bright and sunny in here on our familys’ farm.

Even though there are only 28 days this month, it is packed with fun, loving, exciting and “tasty” things happening.

Not only is the 14th Valentine’s Day, but also our own Noemi’s Birthday (she has been part of our “farm family” for over 17 years.) For those of you who don’t know, she is our “main chicken plucker.” She is the one responsible for getting all those pesky little pin feathers off of your wonderful pasture raised Heritage birds raised on a totally Non-GMO diet!  Possibly you would like treat your Valentine to a perfectly roasted one this year?

Or perhaps, you would rather celebrate with one of our Grass Fed Wagyu Beef Steaks or Delicious Pork roasts for your special someone? Just let us know if you would like us to help you select some fantastic new recipe. We are working on a “jazzy” new Recipe Grid which we will launch soon.

To cap the month off, we have our annual Southeastern Youth Fair here in Marion County beginning on February 21.  See the schedule of events here.  If you have never experienced a local youth fair we encourage you all to try to attend one of the activity packed days.  The event will renew your faith in the young people of our area and introduce you to their many and varied talents from sewing, cooking, animal raising, tractor driving, and rodeo competition.  You will be impressed with the magnitude of agriculture in our community.

Lamb Lovers will especially enjoy the Lamb Show as Pasture Prime Family Farm will be buying some of the prize winning lambs to bring to your table.  As this is only a seasonal offering, you will want to consider this as your only chance this year to purchase a whole or half lamb.  This is certainly not a huge commitment, as a half lamb will generate approximately 30# of luscious chops, leg, & ground lamb for your freezer.  We are taking preorders now for the next two weeks in order to determine how many we should buy from the 4-H & FFA exhibitors.  Remember, this serves two good causes: the youth of our area and the quality of your upcoming meals!!  Our Pasture Prime Family will only have a very limited number of chops & Ground lamb for sale individually.  Don’t miss out on this “once a year” opportunity.

Shop our Store Here:

“It didn’t just fall out of favor…it was PUSHED,”  according to Robert Smith of NPR.  How unfair that the financial might of giant business and corporate interest removed this pure, all-natural fat from our kitchens.

Animal fat has been around many times longer than the FDA – why were we so quick to toss lard “under the bus”?

A century ago, lard was big money and a standard pantry item with which EVERYONE cooked.  It was stable, cooked everything beautifully, and it was extremely affordable.

Its attributes were, and still are;

• Terrific fat for frying, as it is able to withstand high heat
• Unsurpassed for flaky pastry crusts, especially when combined with butter
• Can be refrigerated for 2 months or up to 2 years in the freezer
• Has antimicrobial properties
• Contains just 40% saturated fat (as compared with 60% for butter)
• Level of monounsatruated fat (the “good” fat) is 45% (as compared with butter’s paltry 23%)
• The saturated fat in lard contains 1/3 stearic acid, shown to have a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels
• It is high in oleic acid
• Lard has only half the level of saturated fat found in palm kernel or coconut oil, often used commercially in its place.

While the move away from our ethnic and country roots may have contributed to the disappearance of lard in our American diet, the big food industry certainly did their part. Their mass market and money-fueled advertising helped to convince us  that their highly processed and chemical impregnated products would make our life so much better than this “old school’ fat we had been using.

So how did we lose lard?

Historically, your friends at Proctor & Gamble owned a large number of cottonseed oil factories producing oil for candles & soap.  Along came the electric light bulb, which put an instant “crimp” in their oil business.  Their next question was, “what will we do with all of this cottonseed oil?”  Along came a scientist with a formula for hydrogenation, and voila, Crisco was born! That name is a contraction of “crystallized cottonseed oil.”

What followed of course, was a massive ad program to discredit nasty old lard.  They told you about this wonderful product produced in a lab by those food scientists in their tidy white coats.  So… out with the PIG and in with BIG Business.  Poor old lard didn’t have a chance.

As is so often the case of late, the pendulum is beginning to swing back.  The health sciences have proven that moving back to the earth and eating locally and sustainably  produced foods should be our focus.  We now seem to understand that natural, less, or unprocessed foods are the best thing we can do for our families’ nutrition.  

The obituary of solid shortening was written as soon as we found out it was full of the evil “Trans Fats.” These thankfully died, or were at least “mortally wounded,” along with high fructose corn syrup and the rest of the “franken-foods,” once we found out the Whole Horrible Truth. When McDonalds, New York City,  and the State of California banned Trans fats, hopefully your hometowns took notice. What a shame that so many Americans were the ” test case Guinea pigs for this experiment” with the resulting obesity epidemic.

Just in time for your holiday cooking, order our all-natural, farm-fresh, totally natural, non-hydrogenated Mangalitsa lard — rendered here on our farm for your holiday pies.  Grandma definitely knew best!!

Pete Wells of the NY Times food editor, refers to lard as “the most elegant fat I’ve ever met.”

For more information and some great recipes check out a book by Jennifer McLagan, author of Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the turkey isn’t the only thing to consider.

You may find yourself having an “AH HA” moment when you switch to homemade stock, thinking something like “this is what it is SUPPPOSED to taste like!”  

You will find that you can create a richer, deeper and more flavorful stock right in your own kitchen, better than anything coming out of a can, carton, or “old school” cube. 

 Auguste Escoffier, the Father of Modern Cookery stated back at the turn of the century:

“Indeed, stock is everything in cooking…”  

And this comes from someone who at 19 was working at the Moulin Rouge in Paris.  

This is considered such an important skill that:

students at the Culinary Institute of America spend 28 days learning the finer points of stock making.

However, we will try to boil it down for you. (Pardon the pun).  Follow these steps and you will be following in the footsteps of all great chefs!

Begin with TOP QUALITY ingredients: (Pasture Prime Turkeys and Chickens would fit this bill)

MEATY BONES – necks & backs have more collagen than other parts.  

Wings are also flavor making powerhouses, easy and economical.  The collagen will convert to gelatin during cooking giving stock its rich & full bodied flavor.

MAYBE A BIT MEATIER THAN THIS!!                                                Either of these below will work:

RINSE bones well for clear stock

Fresh AROMATICS; vegetables, well washed, peeled and cubed (cuts don’t need to be precise).  

RATIO: 2 Parts Onion/1 Part Carrot/1 Part Celery  This combination of vegetables is called mirepoix (your French word of the day.)  (These are added toward the end of cooking.) 

COLD WATER to start (warm or hot water will result in cloudy stock)

SPICES & HERBS; bay leaf, parsley stems, thyme, peppercorns

…can be wrapped in small piece of cheesecloth enabling you to remove.  This is called sachet d’epices (your second French word of the day…you are almost ready for your trip to France)

SALT –  small amount added at the start helps to extract proteins from the bones & juices from the veggies.

PROCEDURE:                                                                                                                                         

Cover bones by 2-3 inches in a tall pot.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a gentle simmer, as quickly as possible, and simmer for 3-5 hours.  Add the mirepoix  and the spices to the stock during the LAST HOUR of cooking. You will notice this will now fill your kitchen with a heavenly smell!!

Do not stir.  Gently skim off any foam.

REST stock for 10 minutes, allowing floating particles to settle.

LADLE out bones & veggies with slotted spoon or skimmer.

STRAIN remaining stock through a fine strainer, cheesecloth or coffee filter.  Great stock will be clear or light golden.  Excess fat can be removed when stock is cold.

CHILL quickly to lock in flavor

STORE covered and labeled in refrigerator for a week or in freezer for several months.

YOU HAVE CREATED LIQUID GOLD – Not only saving you money but creating a superior and praiseworthy product!!

We are looking forward to you joining us for our 5K FARM-RUN and FEAST on November 8.  Register now and receive your official Race Hat.

The Siversons

Fast Facts on the American National Sausage;

• 818 Hot Dogs are eaten every second from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

• 150 million “dogs” are eaten on the 4th of July, that is enough to stretch from coast to coast – 5 TIMES!

• 7 Billion are devoured during an average summer in the United States.

We are betting no one is enjoying theirs as much as our Pasture Prime customers.  Where else can you find GOURMET hot dogs from grass fed Wagyu, Berkshire & Mangalitsa pork???…And on sale to boot!  $9 per pound or 3 for $25. While we are discussing “dogs,” did you know that it is claimed that the “underdog of American grilling” is LAMB.  We firmly believe that lamb is the single most under appreciated ingredient in our American cooking.  There is really no need for any complicated spice rubs or marianades because lamb is so inherently filled with that wonderful flavor.

Pasture Prime Lamb

Lamb Chops are small enough to pick up and eat with your hands…don’t want to miss those tasty bits and lush goodness along the bone. Our chops cook quickly on the grill with just a quick rub of salt & pepper and a sear of a couple minutes per side and then moved to the cooler side of your grill. Cook to medium 130-135 and let them rest for 5 minutes and…VOILA! you have a meal which will impress anyone.    Torm is making me “cry”, offering these @ $14 per pound when they normally sell for $20.  Lamb is always the priciest item on fine dining menus.  So treat yourself now. A bargain alternative to the chops are Lamb Kabobs.  These 2″ hunks of flavor are cut from the leg and make a delectable meal ready in under 30 minutes.

• 1 1/2 # Boneless leg of lamb cut into 2″  (Can also be used as Lamb Stew)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 TBSP oil
• 1 TBSP Honey

Combine and add lamb to coat.  Thread onto skewers and grill until they are done the way you like them…please don’t OVERCOOK. This will serve 4-6 so you can certainly cut recipe in half for a smaller meal. You can also add a simple salsa, if you wish.  You might try;

• 1/4 c. fresh mint
• 1/2 c. parsley
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
• and top with pistachios                     (recipe courtesy of Sunset Magazine)

Watch for our August newsletter coming soon.  Mark your calendar for Novemeber 8 for our first annual Farm-Run.  A 5K trail run followed by a Pasture Prime Feast!!