Good morning! It has been a while since I have done a discussion thread and I want to open today’s thread up to all subscribers not just Kitchen Club members.
Supporting regenerative and sustainable agriculture has become very important to me and I have been slowly making the shift towards cooking and eating meat from local farms. I’ll talk more about this on Sunday but this week I picked up two huge orders of meat from two local farms to stock up our deep freezer.
The ways Marco and I consume meat and the way I develop recipes will have to change now that I am no longer running to the store and buying whatever I want when I want it but I am excited about this shift.
I am curious and want to hear from you about your relationship with meat.🥩✨
How often do you consume it?
What is your favorite and most consumed aminal?
Are factors like how it was raised and where it came from important to you?
Do you have any “weird” feelings about meat? For example, bone-in chicken creeps you out because of bones.
Any vegetarians/vegans in the house? Why did you make that switch?
Is there anything meat related that you want to know more about? What does pasture raised really mean? What is regenerative agriculture? How do I find a local farm?
Hit me with your thoughts below, there are no wrong or right responses, and you’ll hear all of my thoughts on Sunday.
Hi Marcella! I eat mostly chicken. For a long time, I would only buy kosher chicken, I thought it tasted better and just liked the factors associated with kosher meat. For whatever reason it's harder for me to find locally in New England, so now I only buy Bell and Evans Organic chicken, which is sold by the butcher at my grocery store, I can buy as much or as little as I choose. I recently had to buy some "regular" chicken at a different market our of convenience and definitely noticed a difference in taste and texture that was highly unappealing. I rarely eat red meat but when I do, I go to Whole Foods and get rib eye or filet mignon. For one person, on a rare basis, it's worth it to me to spend more for the best quality I can find. I have no weird feelings about meat, lol. I also love pork, but I don't know how to cook it well, so that's usually a restaurant choice.
I totally believe you can taste the difference in quality of meats. Bell and Evans chickens are also air chilled instead of water chilled (when they dunk them in ice water). Air chilled chicken meat has a better texture and the skin gets crispier. I am a fan!
I love meat but I have cut back a little on the amount and frequency because I think it may be a little healthier. I still probably eat it 5 times a week. I like beef, chicken, pork and lamb but probably eat beef and chicken the most. Can't stand turkey. Creeps me out since the day my brother told me it's the dirtiest bird in the barnyard LOL :) :) other than that I don't have any problems with meat. I buy organic pasture raised but would love to know more about local farms.
I do make turkey for Thanksgiving while spending most of the day calling it "the dirty bird" LOL. I am always trying new ways to prepare it but most recently have been using Cristina Ferrare's marinade recipe. Not gonna lie, it comes out pretty good.
We eat some kind of animal protein almost daily. When we still lived in the US, that was turkey more often than not. Now that we're in Europe, we typically buy direct at the butcher's counter. Meat here is almost all local and extremely fresh. The difference in meat quality is amazing, and they'll trim it, slice it, grind it or whatever! Portugal is a very pork-centric country, so we probably have equal amounts of poultry and pork; beef is a relatively rare occurance, and we eat a lot more fish and seafood than we used too. My only "weird" thing about meat is that at home it has to be super lean - I normally trim almost all the fat off before cooking.
Hi Marcella. Big meat lovers here! However, I have big ethical and sustainable concerns. My husband is an equally avid meat enthusiast, but we try to eat meat less frequently, opt for cheaper cuts and byproducts, and especially to consume less of it when it is a meat based meal. In my childhood we used to eat meat at least daily if not twice a day. I used to feel squeamish not about bones but fattier cuts of meat (regardless of the animal), nowadays I appreciate fat although I am not the keenest on gelatine.
A big chunk of our friends are vegan/vegetarian, and since we host very often (or used to pre-pandemic) we cook a lot of vegan meals. We have tried to do at least two or three vegan meals per week, and keep our diet plant-based for the most part with the addition of small amounts of animal protein. I would say we our weekly meal rotation is 2/10 vegan, 4/10 meat based, 3/5 fish based, and 1/5 vegetarian.
Growing up I ate mostly beef, as a young adult I ate mostly chicken, and now being married I try to vary as much as I can: beef, pork, chicken, lamb, and different kinds of game that we or our family members hunted. Everyone cooks a lot in our household, so we are not really shy of trying any animal, any cut or preparation!
My re-approximation to Judaism has made me question my diet, and I am trying to eliminate treyf proteins from my diet. In addition to this, we privilege high quality animal products, preferably pasture raised and humanely killed.
Thank you for sharing all these details! I loved reading it all. I'm interested in the family members that hunt, how awesome for you guys! What part of the country are you in and what do they typically hunt?
Hi! So we live in Portugal, my FIL hunts everything but mostly fowls (everything from partridge, to wild pigeon, song thrush, ducks, etc.) and hares, whereas I prefer to hunt wild boars. There's not much deer here, unfortunately, otherwise I'd like to hunt deer.
Gramps and I cook at home most every night and every dinner has to have a protein. Our only rule is to not have the same protein two nights in a row. We eat poultry, fish, beef, lamb, and pork, preferring pork tenderloin. We use our barbecue for most protein. It’s Southern CA with great weather and we can! A meal is always rounded out with a vegetable and/or salad. We add a starch, usually a grain like quinoa, or kasha or whole wheat pasta, just to make the dinner well balanced. We eat well….
I love meat but eat it rarely, maybe once every few weeks. When I do eat meat I want to know where it came from, how it was raised, etc. and almost exclusively buy meat from small local farms and our local co-op. I’ll sometimes say I’m vegetarian in group settings because it’s unlikely I’ll eat meat at a random restaurant and it’s easier than explaining in detail. The most common meat in our house is chicken and pork. I don’t eat beef or shellfish because it doesn’t agree with me.
Marco and I had lunch out last weekend and discussed not knowing where meat at restaurants come from. I proposed the idea of being a "part time vegetarian" who cooks meat at home but doesn't eat it from random restaurants. It is something that is totally on my mind!
That’s pretty much how I approach it! Here in Seattle some restaurants have started sharing what farm they source their meat from, so that helps as well.
- fave is beef (steak), most consumed is chicken and ground turkey
- yes definitely, but as long as it doesn't take away from the quality. i've had some grass fed beef that doesn't stack up in terms of tenderness. i also had a bad experience with farmers' market ground beef
- i don't like any weird bits, gristle, tendons, fat, anything that isn't pure meat i will eat around. i don't want to bite into a piece of meat and there be anything crunchy
Hey Marcella. We probably eat meat at least 4 times a week in various forms; mostly chicken and beef. Although we are trying to find and mix in wild fish that we can find (at the store, not our local creek lol) and trying to find better ways to consume and cook tofu. Tofu is new for us and typically a texture issue - I know, first world problems.
I grew up being told you need a “balanced” meal meaning 1/4 carb 1/4 meat and 1/2 veggies. Sometimes we do this, most times we don’t. It’s probably closer to 1/3 for each.
We try to buy organic meat although with the American food regulations not being great, I’m not sure how much or a difference it makes. Would love to learn more about this including how to find local farms, what to ask, while being budget friendly where possible.
I hear you on the texture of tofu! I'm really picky about it too. I tend to stick with firm and extra firm mostly.
It is so tricky shopping with all the random labels they put on food. The USDA organic label is the only one that really means anything because the USDA requires companies follow certain agricultural practices before getting verified. I see "natural" or "all natural" a lot and it means nothing.
My first suggestion for finding local farms is to check out a local farmers market and get talking. Google works too but not all farms are online. I look for sustainable and regenerative practices. Meaning they use holistic practices working with their land and animals together to restore the balance and produce the best products. I like to hear/see things about their animals like "we rotate them daily" "our pigs root around in the forest" "our chickens roam the pasture and eat bugs" etc. Things animals should be doing.
I found a local cattle farm here that looked promising but with a little poking around I found on their website "100% corn diet." So most the info you need is out there. My plan is to tackle more of this in my newsletters over the next few months 😊
The upper-midwest has very cold, long winters. Fresh herbs, vegetables, and mushrooms are generally eaten in the summer because they are not readily available in winter. The fresh produce that gets shipped into local grocery stores are bland and not worth the money. After seeing the amount of chemicals that are sprayed on grains, fruits and vegetables, I strongly prefer to eat locally grown meat and vegetables.
Locally produced meat is the way to go. It tastes so much better than factory farmed and processed meat. Buying locally also contributes to the local economy and results in a higher income to the farmer. The land here is not good for growing crops, so raising animals is the highest and best use of most property.
Our family purchases half a cow from a local rancher every year. We also purchase a pig and chickens every year from small, local farmers. A deer or two puts venison on the menu most years. We eat meat at every meal along with fermented or pickled vegetables, and wash it all down with home brewed beer and cider. Our favorite meals are beef roasts, beef stews, and baked chickens in the winter. In the summer, we will grill a meat main dish about five times per week.
Hi Marcella! I eat mostly chicken. For a long time, I would only buy kosher chicken, I thought it tasted better and just liked the factors associated with kosher meat. For whatever reason it's harder for me to find locally in New England, so now I only buy Bell and Evans Organic chicken, which is sold by the butcher at my grocery store, I can buy as much or as little as I choose. I recently had to buy some "regular" chicken at a different market our of convenience and definitely noticed a difference in taste and texture that was highly unappealing. I rarely eat red meat but when I do, I go to Whole Foods and get rib eye or filet mignon. For one person, on a rare basis, it's worth it to me to spend more for the best quality I can find. I have no weird feelings about meat, lol. I also love pork, but I don't know how to cook it well, so that's usually a restaurant choice.
I totally believe you can taste the difference in quality of meats. Bell and Evans chickens are also air chilled instead of water chilled (when they dunk them in ice water). Air chilled chicken meat has a better texture and the skin gets crispier. I am a fan!
I love meat but I have cut back a little on the amount and frequency because I think it may be a little healthier. I still probably eat it 5 times a week. I like beef, chicken, pork and lamb but probably eat beef and chicken the most. Can't stand turkey. Creeps me out since the day my brother told me it's the dirtiest bird in the barnyard LOL :) :) other than that I don't have any problems with meat. I buy organic pasture raised but would love to know more about local farms.
Lol about turkeys! Do you have a turkey on Thanksgiving or make something else?
I do make turkey for Thanksgiving while spending most of the day calling it "the dirty bird" LOL. I am always trying new ways to prepare it but most recently have been using Cristina Ferrare's marinade recipe. Not gonna lie, it comes out pretty good.
We eat some kind of animal protein almost daily. When we still lived in the US, that was turkey more often than not. Now that we're in Europe, we typically buy direct at the butcher's counter. Meat here is almost all local and extremely fresh. The difference in meat quality is amazing, and they'll trim it, slice it, grind it or whatever! Portugal is a very pork-centric country, so we probably have equal amounts of poultry and pork; beef is a relatively rare occurance, and we eat a lot more fish and seafood than we used too. My only "weird" thing about meat is that at home it has to be super lean - I normally trim almost all the fat off before cooking.
I have been curious about farm/butcher/meat relationship in Europe. I am going to do lots of exploring while I am in France!
Hi Marcella. Big meat lovers here! However, I have big ethical and sustainable concerns. My husband is an equally avid meat enthusiast, but we try to eat meat less frequently, opt for cheaper cuts and byproducts, and especially to consume less of it when it is a meat based meal. In my childhood we used to eat meat at least daily if not twice a day. I used to feel squeamish not about bones but fattier cuts of meat (regardless of the animal), nowadays I appreciate fat although I am not the keenest on gelatine.
A big chunk of our friends are vegan/vegetarian, and since we host very often (or used to pre-pandemic) we cook a lot of vegan meals. We have tried to do at least two or three vegan meals per week, and keep our diet plant-based for the most part with the addition of small amounts of animal protein. I would say we our weekly meal rotation is 2/10 vegan, 4/10 meat based, 3/5 fish based, and 1/5 vegetarian.
Growing up I ate mostly beef, as a young adult I ate mostly chicken, and now being married I try to vary as much as I can: beef, pork, chicken, lamb, and different kinds of game that we or our family members hunted. Everyone cooks a lot in our household, so we are not really shy of trying any animal, any cut or preparation!
My re-approximation to Judaism has made me question my diet, and I am trying to eliminate treyf proteins from my diet. In addition to this, we privilege high quality animal products, preferably pasture raised and humanely killed.
X
Thank you for sharing all these details! I loved reading it all. I'm interested in the family members that hunt, how awesome for you guys! What part of the country are you in and what do they typically hunt?
Hi! So we live in Portugal, my FIL hunts everything but mostly fowls (everything from partridge, to wild pigeon, song thrush, ducks, etc.) and hares, whereas I prefer to hunt wild boars. There's not much deer here, unfortunately, otherwise I'd like to hunt deer.
How awesome! Marco has wanted to get into hunting for a few years now and is very jealous.
Gramps and I cook at home most every night and every dinner has to have a protein. Our only rule is to not have the same protein two nights in a row. We eat poultry, fish, beef, lamb, and pork, preferring pork tenderloin. We use our barbecue for most protein. It’s Southern CA with great weather and we can! A meal is always rounded out with a vegetable and/or salad. We add a starch, usually a grain like quinoa, or kasha or whole wheat pasta, just to make the dinner well balanced. We eat well….
You do eat well and I was lucky to eat all your meals growing up!
I love meat but eat it rarely, maybe once every few weeks. When I do eat meat I want to know where it came from, how it was raised, etc. and almost exclusively buy meat from small local farms and our local co-op. I’ll sometimes say I’m vegetarian in group settings because it’s unlikely I’ll eat meat at a random restaurant and it’s easier than explaining in detail. The most common meat in our house is chicken and pork. I don’t eat beef or shellfish because it doesn’t agree with me.
Marco and I had lunch out last weekend and discussed not knowing where meat at restaurants come from. I proposed the idea of being a "part time vegetarian" who cooks meat at home but doesn't eat it from random restaurants. It is something that is totally on my mind!
That’s pretty much how I approach it! Here in Seattle some restaurants have started sharing what farm they source their meat from, so that helps as well.
That is really great I would love if more restaurants did that!
- 1-2 times per day
- fave is beef (steak), most consumed is chicken and ground turkey
- yes definitely, but as long as it doesn't take away from the quality. i've had some grass fed beef that doesn't stack up in terms of tenderness. i also had a bad experience with farmers' market ground beef
- i don't like any weird bits, gristle, tendons, fat, anything that isn't pure meat i will eat around. i don't want to bite into a piece of meat and there be anything crunchy
I don't like crunchy things in meat either 😂
Hey Marcella. We probably eat meat at least 4 times a week in various forms; mostly chicken and beef. Although we are trying to find and mix in wild fish that we can find (at the store, not our local creek lol) and trying to find better ways to consume and cook tofu. Tofu is new for us and typically a texture issue - I know, first world problems.
I grew up being told you need a “balanced” meal meaning 1/4 carb 1/4 meat and 1/2 veggies. Sometimes we do this, most times we don’t. It’s probably closer to 1/3 for each.
We try to buy organic meat although with the American food regulations not being great, I’m not sure how much or a difference it makes. Would love to learn more about this including how to find local farms, what to ask, while being budget friendly where possible.
I hear you on the texture of tofu! I'm really picky about it too. I tend to stick with firm and extra firm mostly.
It is so tricky shopping with all the random labels they put on food. The USDA organic label is the only one that really means anything because the USDA requires companies follow certain agricultural practices before getting verified. I see "natural" or "all natural" a lot and it means nothing.
My first suggestion for finding local farms is to check out a local farmers market and get talking. Google works too but not all farms are online. I look for sustainable and regenerative practices. Meaning they use holistic practices working with their land and animals together to restore the balance and produce the best products. I like to hear/see things about their animals like "we rotate them daily" "our pigs root around in the forest" "our chickens roam the pasture and eat bugs" etc. Things animals should be doing.
I found a local cattle farm here that looked promising but with a little poking around I found on their website "100% corn diet." So most the info you need is out there. My plan is to tackle more of this in my newsletters over the next few months 😊
The upper-midwest has very cold, long winters. Fresh herbs, vegetables, and mushrooms are generally eaten in the summer because they are not readily available in winter. The fresh produce that gets shipped into local grocery stores are bland and not worth the money. After seeing the amount of chemicals that are sprayed on grains, fruits and vegetables, I strongly prefer to eat locally grown meat and vegetables.
Locally produced meat is the way to go. It tastes so much better than factory farmed and processed meat. Buying locally also contributes to the local economy and results in a higher income to the farmer. The land here is not good for growing crops, so raising animals is the highest and best use of most property.
Our family purchases half a cow from a local rancher every year. We also purchase a pig and chickens every year from small, local farmers. A deer or two puts venison on the menu most years. We eat meat at every meal along with fermented or pickled vegetables, and wash it all down with home brewed beer and cider. Our favorite meals are beef roasts, beef stews, and baked chickens in the winter. In the summer, we will grill a meat main dish about five times per week.
How amazing! I love that you are buying half cows and whole pigs from local farmers and making your own cider and beer! What a fun activity.