If you've been reading any of my previous posts, you already know that we raise a few cattle on our pasture each year that end up in the freezer. We recently emptied our pastures of the four small holstein calves and took them "up north" to cow heaven. Friday was the lucky day that our order was ready for pickup at the butcher's, and the day we got our first taste of our own farm raised steak in quite some time.
This is what they look like when they come back home. Two small animals came home in 8 cardboard boxes like this one. We've been using the same butcher each year and have been very happy with how the meat is processed and packaged.
Beef. MMMMeeat as we like to call it. We eat a TON of beef. Ok, so I exaggerate. But not by much!
There is nothing as tasty as baby beef steaks. Flash seared in a heavy cast iron pan with a little olive oil and montreal steak spice, and then oven roasted for a few minutes until it just has a hint of pink in the center. At least that's how we eat it. Whoever tells you meat from a dairy breed like a holstein is garbage is completely out to lunch. Sure, maybe if it's a 6 yr old retired dairy cow after a hard life in a milking parlour like the majority of grocery store meat out there. Not when it comes to young calves less than a year old - it's practically veal.
We were warned that we'd have to slow cook it in a crockpot or it would be like gnawing on an old piece of shoe leather. Horse Puckey! (or rather... Cow Patties!) Those first few mouthfuls of round steak were fabulous - and tender as all get out.
We were warned that we'd have to slow cook it in a crockpot or it would be like gnawing on an old piece of shoe leather. Horse Puckey! (or rather... Cow Patties!) Those first few mouthfuls of round steak were fabulous - and tender as all get out.
Bon Apetit!
