Happy Tuesday,
When I do my weekly delivery-round in Laramie I am often asked questions about processing animals. Usually these are technical questions about how things work and what tools and proceedures are used. I appreciate the opportunity to provide some clarity on this process that many folks are curious about.
I have so much respect for individuals who at least want to have some sort of awareness about the process of converting animals into sustenance for our well-being. Acknowledging this sacrefice and transition is imperative in our efforts to moving towards a more sustainable world- in my opion.
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Some folks even want to take part in the harvesting of the animal that will sustain them and their family for the next few months.
Luckily, we can provide this opportunity to folks who are interested!
It saves a lot of money too, about half of what our bulk beef packages cost are just processing fees that go to our local butcher.
I'm all for supporting another local business that is very good at what they, do but I understand how big of an investment filling your freezer all at once can be also.
For folks who want to process their own animals, this saves about a thousand dollars per steer and provides a very educational experience!
Don't get me wrong though, it is A LOT of work to process an entire steer and you will want a team of people to help- at least for the post-harvest packaging part. It is not a one-man job, although I have done it alone before and it takes FOREVER by yourself.
You will sleep really well the night after, because it takes a lot of physcial labor, but it is really rewarding to fill your own freezer. It can be a great day of learning and fulfilling work with a good team.
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Most of the folks who partake in the harvest on the ranch do so for religious reasons. We have many Muslim customers who have specific practices that make animals acceptable to consume once harvested- many of these practices are to ensure the animal is respected to the fullest extent throughout the process.
It is also a great way to keep a lot of the parts off the animal that the butcher won't usually allow. You are purchasing the animal live/on-the-hoof, so you can choose to keep or discard any and/or all parts.
If you are interested in harvesting your own beef this Fall, email me at BJ@tasteofthewind.com, and we can get that process started.
It is sure to be a memorable experience, and meat that you have put effort into yourself always tastes better!
Total Grass-Finished Beef Snack RESTOCK!!!
We finally got our latest batch of beef snacks back from our local butcher and they taste AMAZING!!!!
NEW
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Jalapeno Cheddar Summer Sausage
BBQ Jerky
And a Previous Crowd Favorite-
Honey Jerky
You can try all Three with FREE Shipping in our Fall Beef Snack Bundle HERE.
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We also had some Fresh, New Products made with our Grass-Finished Beef that are SO delicious!
Beef Hot Dogs
Beef Cheddar Hot Dogs
Beef Beer Bratwursts
Beef Beer and Cheddar Bratwursts
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Want to give all of these Fall Products a taste at once?
Try out our Fall Cook-Out Bundle HERE.
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You are bound to love these grass-finished delights, Chris and I have already eaten more than I care to admit...
A Freezer-Aisle Taquito: Recipe Hack
You probably already know that pregnancy cravings can get a little,,, odd.
But, did you know that it is really common to crave foods you haven't had since childhood BJ?
Me nether, until lately- I have been craving a lot of food I haven't had in years and years.
Unfortunately, I was raised on a lot of junk food: Pre-made meals out of the freezer or a box... my parents did the best they could- I'm not criticizing them, but I choose to live differently.
SO this week, when I had a hankering for freezer-aisle taquitos, I made some Chicken Liver/Ground Beef Taquitos instead!
Oh my gosh they hit the spot and they were full of nutrients and no preservatives or additives!
Ahhhhhh
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Here is the recipe: (makes 3 servings... or one ravenous prenant lady serving and a half a serving for her poor skinny husband)
2 pasture-raised chicken livers
1/2 lb grass-finished ground beef
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
for a little kick, add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and chili powder
1 cup shredded cheese
10 corn tortillas
Finely-chop chicken livers and place in cast-iron skillet with ground beef.
For extra nutrients and buttery-ness add 1 Tbsp of bone marrow to the mixture- it will melt in and add to the sizzle and help the spices bind to the meat.
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Sear for roughly 15 mins on med-high heat- or until well-cooked.
Switch off heat (to keep the pepper from burning), add seasonings, and stir.
Grab a 9 x 11ish baking pan and line up your corn tortillas in it side by side with the edges curled up like little tacos.
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Spoon meat mixture into the tortillas.
Add shredded cheese to each one.
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Roll into tubes and tuck them into the pan tightly, side-by-side, so they don't unroll.
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Bake on 250 for 10 minutes. You can use your toaster oven too if you have one and that your pan will fit inside.
They don't have to bake, since the meat is already cooked, but making the tortillas a little crunchy helps them hold their shape and keeps them from falling apart while you eat them.
Remove from oven once the edges just start to crisp up.
Enjoy with Sour Cream, and your favorite Salsa.
These are a fantastic game-day treat without all the junk of normal sports foods, for the Fall Sports fans.
Liver is truly nature's multi-vitamin and chicken livers are very mild in flavor.
Chris ate his share of these without even noticing that I put livers in them!
HAH- Wifey Victory- that's my kind of Fall Sport!
If you try this out, or any variation of it, leave a comment on this blog post to let me know what you think and what you would change! I love exchanging cooking tips, especially with the "weird parts" of animals.
Want some livers to try this recipe out with. Order yours HERE. (Chicken livers are a Wyoming-Only product)
If you would like to try out the recipe with Beef Liver instead, we can ship our grass-finished Beef Liver nation-wide because it has been processed in a USDA inspected facility. You can order those HERE.
Our Fall Beef Packages include these awesome products as well as the custom cookbook we wrote just for our customers
Cooking Your Way Through a Whole Beef
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We wrote this book so you could have an easily-accessible, wire-bound, colorful cookbook with water-resistant pages to help guide you through all the cuts you could possibly receive in a beef package.
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This Cook Book is organized by the cut, so if there is something in your freezer you just don't know how to tackle- you can flip right to it. We have got your back!
It also has a Meet Your Rancher Section where you can learn a little bit about each producer we have partnered with to bring you Amazing, Local Beef!
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Here's what folks are saying about our Cook Book:
"Thanks so much for the cook book! I love the pictures and I already have some recipes picked out that I am excited to try." -Vladimir A.
"The cook book you sent us is a real treasure. Thank you for including it with our awesome beef package." -Marilyn A.
"I am grateful to have the Cook Book you gave us. The grass-finished beef has been a learning curve, because I never would have known how to cook things like the oyster shell steak or the flat iron. Thank You!" -Susan D.
All of our Fall Bulk Beef Packages come with a copy!
Please keep in mind, our Fall Beef Packages close in October, so don't wait to reserve yours with a deposit ASAP.
You can do so HERE.
A deposit is only a portion of the payment to hold your slot. Full pricing is explained on the product page at the link above.
The balance is not due until your beef is ready- which will be starting in October.
Reserve for Yourself a Wonderful, Grass-Finished Beef Package and get:
- 1/3 steaks, 1/3 roasts, 1/3 ground beef
- a FREE Copy of our custom Cook Book
- a wide variety of steaks, roasts, and other cuts to keep meals exciting and new for you and your family
- some extra beef snacks (including jerky, snack sticks, summer sausage, brats, and hot dogs)
- FREE Organ Meats and Soup Bones (if you would like them)
- That great feeling that comes with a full freezer, clean and ethically raised meat, and supporting local ranching families and our local butcher
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Introducing the Oxford Ranch
This family raises Wagyu cattle just south of Laramie and they are helping us fill our demand for grass-finished organ meats!
You may see their label on your organ meats and soup bones if you order these items.
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The oxford ranch has a lot of great things going on, on the ranch.
They not only raise grass-finished Wagyu Beef, but they also offer ranch-stays in their cabins!
You can check them out HERE.
You can also follow them on Facebook @oxfordranchwyoming
We are excited to make their spectacular products more accessible for you!
Would you do me a quick favor?
Would you take 5 minutes to leave us a google review?
This helps us immensely!
People are searching for the products our team works hard to offer our community, and reviews help these folks find us!
We would sincerely appreciate it!
Thank you!
Until next week my friend!
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-BJ, Pip, and the Taste of the Wind Crew
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