PRIME RIB WITH HERB GARLIC MARINADE

 2 –rib prime rib roast with fat cap*

 MARINADE

 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley

4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tables extra virgin olive oil

 

 

FOR ROASTING

 

1 teaspoon seal salt, crushed

 

1)   The day before you plan to cook the roast, make the marinade.  Place the fresh herbs and garlic on a cutting board and finely chop until well combined.  Mix the chopped herbs and garlic with the pepper and olive oil and mix well. Rub the marinade over the meat sides of the roast and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2)    An hour prior to cooking remove the roast from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  While the oven is preheating scrape the marinade from the sides of the meat and reserve.  Sprinkle the salt on all sides of the roast.  Put the herbe garlic marinade on the top of the fat cap, pressing it into the fat.

3)   When the oven has come to temperature, place the roast in the center of a large roasting pan, bone side down.  Place it in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.  Then reduce the heat to 300 degrees  and cook for 25 minutes.

4)   Reduce the heat to 250 degrees and cook for 10 minutes.  Check for doneness, if it is not done to your taste continue to cook it, checking at 5 minute intervals.

 

*Note: If the roast does not have a fat cap, cover it with beef tallow, or strips of natural bacon.

BROTH COOKING TIPS

1)   Use only filtered water.  Unfiltered water is full of chemicals, such as chlorine and fluoride that will ruin the taste of the broth.

2)   Always add the specified amount of unfiltered apple cider vinegar to your broth one-half hour to one hour before you start heating it.  The vinegar will help the bones and cartilage release their nutrients into the broth.

3)   Use only bones, meat and trimmings from grassfed beef, or free range poultry. They are much more nutritious, and will give a better flavor to your broth.

4)   Use only organic, or the equivalent) vegetables.  Non-organic vegetables are often full of pesticides, which will transfer into your broth, ruining the taste.  Organic vegetables are also much more nutritious, and flavorful.

5)   Use only good, natural, unrefined sea salt.  Factory salts have been stripped of minerals, and often have other ingredients added to them such as sugar and aluminum, which have no place in your broth.  Natural sea salt will add natural minerals and tastes much better.  Two excellent brands are RealSalt®  and Celtic Sea Salt®.

6)   Be sure to remove the scum from the broth as it rises to the top with a skimming spoon designed for that purpose.

7)   When the broth is ready and has cooled somewhat, strain it through a fine mesh stainless strainer into quart size mason jars, then refrigerate overnight.  The fat will rise to the top, solidify, and act as a seal that will preserve the broth.  Remove the fat before heating the broth.

8)   Fresh broth should be kept in the refrigerator and used within a week of the time it was made.  It is safest to bring it to a full boil when reheating it.

9)   Use the proper equipment.  You will need a large stainless steel stockpot, a large stainless steel skimmer, lots of quart size mason jars, and a stainless steel strainer that covers the opening of the jar.

TERRIFIC TOP SIRLOIN

 A good thick steak is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy grassfed beef.  The thickness allows a variety of textures, juiciness and stages of doneness, from a crisp, flavorful crust to a tender interior.    Top sirloin is loaded with flavor, and its texture is ideal for cooking a thick steak. 

 

Serves 4

 

1 thick (2 to 2 ½ inches) top sirloin steak, approximately 2 to 2 ½ pounds

 

MARINADE

 

2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil

 

FOR SAUTÉING

 

2 tablespoons butter

Coarse sea salt

 

1)   The day prior to cooking the steak, rub all surfaces with the olive oil, place in a glass bowl, cover and allow to sit for 1 hour.  Refrigerate overnight. (If you plan to cook it the same day, allow it to marinate for 2 hours at room temperature.)

2)   An hour prior to cooking, remove the steak from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.

3)   Heat the butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.  Rub the salt into both sides of the steak.  When the butter is hot and slightly smoking, add the steak and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Turn the steak over and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

4)   Reduce the heat to low and cook each side for an additional 5 minutes per side.

5)    Test the steak for doneness.  If it is rare in the middle, but warm, it will be medium rare as you move from the middle to the sides and medium near each surface of the steak, giving you several degrees of doneness.  If you prefer the steak less rare, continue to cook on low for another 2 to 4 minutes on each side.

COQ AU VIN

 COQ AU VIN 

4 LBS STEWING HEN CUT INTO 8 PIECES

2 cups Syrah or other dry red wine

 

1 ½ cups chicken broth

 

1 carrot, rough chopped

 

1 onion, rough chopped

 

1 celery stalk, rough chopped

 

1 garlic bulb, cut in half

 

2 bay leaves

 

1 cinnamon stick

 

1 tablespoons olive oil

 

salt and pepper

 

fresh thyme, chopped for garnish

 

1)     Salt & pepper the chicken.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Sauté the chicken until browned, about 4-5 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken and set aside.  Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic into the same pan, sauté for 3-4 minutes.  Then deglaze with about ½ cup of the wine, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

 

2)     Place the chicken in a deep baking dish with the vegetable mixture and the balance of the red wine.  Add the cinnamon stick and cover with foil.  Simmer in a 300 degree F.  oven until the meat is completely tender, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.

 

3) Remove the chicken and place in a casserole dish for serving.  Strain and pour the sauce over and around the chicken and scatter the chopped thyme over the top. 

Serve family style.

  Memos:

You could change to  “garnish with the chopped thyme”

Cooking Tips for natural Meats

Use all these rules of thumb when cooking any meats that are raised naturally without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones!

DON’T!
· Don’t overcook
· Don’t microwave. This process can change the texture and flavor of beef, and reduce tenderness.
· Don’t cook frozen or partially frozen beef – it causes the meat to be dry and tough.
· Don’t defrost roasts or steaks in a microwave oven – it causes tough spots. Thaw in your refrigerator for 12-24hrs.
· Don’t cook steaks to medium well or well done. If you usually like your meat well done, try a steak done to medium. Grass fed steaks have a different texture and taste at medium. If you are a die-hard well done fan, add a little marinade, and cook as slowly as possible.

Use all these rules of thumb when cooking any meats that are raised naturally without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones!

Grass fed beef has high protein and low fat levels, the beef will usually require 30% less cooking time and will continue to cook when removed from heat. For this reason, remove the beef from your heat source 10 degrees before it reaches the desired temperature.

Use a thermometer to test for doneness and watch the thermometer carefully. Since grass fed beef cooks so quickly, your beef can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked in less than a minute.

Let the beef sit covered and in a warm place for 8 to 10 minutes after removing from heat to let the juices redistribute.

Reduce the temperature of your grain fed beef recipes by 50 degrees i.e. 275 degrees for roasting or at the lowest heat setting in a crock pot. The cooking time will still be the same or slightly shorter even at the lower temperature. Again . . . watch your meat thermometer and don’t overcook your meat. Use moisture from sauces to add to the tenderness when cooking your roast. 
Never use a microwave to thaw your grass fed beef. Either thaw your beef in the refrigerator or for quick thawing place your vacuum sealed package in water for a few minutes.

Bring your grass fed meat to room temperature before cooking . . . do not cook it cold straight from a refrigerator.

For More information on the Benefits of Grass-fed and free range go to: www.eatwild.com

Deep Dish Pot Pie

Deep Dish Pot Pie

Double Pie Crust for top and bottom

3Tblsp butter

1 cup half and half

1 cup broth (chicken broth for turkey or chicken pie, beef broth for beef pie)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 1/2 cups cooked meat (chicken, turkey or beef)

3 diced carrots

2 Medium Potaotes

1 cup peas, greenbeans or other green veggie

Melt butter, stir in flour till smooth, add  half and half, broth, salt, pepper.  Bring to a boil for 2 minutes stirring continuously.  Add Meat, carrots, potatoes, and vegetable.

Place bottom crust in deep pan, pour hot mixture in.  Add top crust.  Slit top crust.  Brush a tablespoon of milk on top crust to prevent burning.

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Let sit 10 minutes, slice and serve.

This is a great dish when you have leftover, beef, chicken or turkey.  We freeze diced leftovers and then pull them our as needed to make potpie!

FRESH TURKEY

Storing Your Turkey

As cold as any stone…                    -Shakespeare, Henry V, Part II

Keep your turkey “as cold as any stone,” and you’ll keep it wholesome and fresh.  The best temperature for your turkey is between 28 and 34 degrees F. Properly stored farm-fresh turkeys keep well for 10 days or more.  To store your turkey, first remove the giblets from the front cavity and the neck from the large cavity.  Wrap giblet and neck in foil or plastic and put them into the refrigerator in a bowl. Turn the fridge to its coldest setting, and put the turkey into the coldest part of the fridge.  Leave the turkey in its plastic bag or transfer it to another bag. An alternative to the fridge is a large (40-quart or so) picnic cooler.  Put the turkey, with neck and giblets removed, into the cooler and pack ice around it.  You can also use chemical gel-ice packs.  Close the cooler tightly.  Check it daily and re-ice if necessary.

Roasting Your Turkey

Keep to moderation, keep the end in view…        -Lucan, The Civil War

The end you want to keep in view is a thoroughly cooked yet moist and tender turkey.  A farm-fresh turkey properly handled is the best way to achieve that end. Farm-fresh native turkeys roast faster than agribusiness turkeys, so follow these guidelines. Before roasting, rinse the turkey and the giblets under cold running water. Preheat the oven to between 300 and 325 degrees.  A hotter oven will dry out your turkey.  An oven below 300 risks extending the time that the bird will be between 45 and 140 degrees, the temperature range in which bacteria multiply fastest. If you stuff the turkey, put the stuffing into the bird immediately before putting the turkey into the oven. For turkeys up to 20 pounds, roast for 15 minutes a pound.  Thus, a 16-pound bird should roast for about 4 hours.  Roast larger birds for 12 minutes a pound.  If you stuff the turkey, add 30 minutes to the total roasting time. Some customers report that their farm-fresh turkeys have roasted even faster than times given here.  So, begin checking for doneness at least and hour before the turkey is expected to be done. It is usually not necessary to baste a farm-fresh turkey.  Some customers report good results with a roasting bag.  Other recommend covering the legs with foil after a couple of hours to prevent drying.

Tests for Doneness

There are at least three tests of doneness: The most reliable test is a meat thermometer.  The temperature in the deep breast should be 160 to 165 degrees.  In the deep thigh, temperature should be 180 to 185 degrees.  Happily, these two temperatures occur at the same time. A second test of doneness is to stick a fork into breast and thigh.  When the juices run clear, not pink or tan, the turkey is done. The third test is to lift the leg away from the thigh.  If it separates easily, the turkey is done. When the turkey is done, cool it at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before carving.  This lets the meat solidify a bit more and makes for easier and more attractive carving. Refrigerate leftovers no more than 2 hours after removing the turkey from the oven.  Wrapped tightly in aluminum foil or freezer-grade plastic, the roasted meat can be frozen. Enjoy your farm-fresh turkey!

Deep Dish Pot Pie

Double Pie Crust for top and bottom

3Tblsp butter

1 cup half and half

1 cup broth (chicken broth for turkey or chicken pie, beef broth for beef pie)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 1/2 cups cooked meat (chicken, turkey or beef)

3 diced carrots

2 Medium Potaotes

1 cup peas, greenbeans or other green veggie

Melt butter, stir in flour till smooth, add  half and half, broth, salt, pepper.  Bring to a boil for 2 minutes stirring continuously.  Add Meat, carrots, potatoes, and vegetable.

Place bottom crust in deep pan, pour hot mixture in.  Add top crust.  Slit top crust.  Brush a tablespoon of milk on top crust to prevent burning.

Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Let sit 10 minutes, slice and serve.

This is a great dish when you have leftover, beef, chicken or turkey.  We freeze diced leftovers and then pull them our as needed to make potpie!

Pork Liver and Apples

1 pound pork liver (beef, veal, venison, goat, or lamb will work)
1 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tart, firm apples, cored and finely diced, but not peeled
1 large onion, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 slices bacon
¼ cup hot water
1 ½ teaspoons paprika

Slice the pork liver into strips, about ½” wide. Place the strips in a small bowl, soak in the lemon juice, adding more in necessary. Cover the bowl, and marinate the meat several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Mix the apples, onion, salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a frying pan, and sauté the mixture until the onion is translucent and the apples are crisp-tender, about 5 to 6 minutes; set aside.

Remove the liver from the lemon juice, pat dry, and place in the bottom of a buttered baking dish. Pour the apple and onion mixture over t he liver. Arrange the bacon slices on top, and pour in hot water. Sprinkle with the paprika. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the liquid is bubbling and the apples are soft. Serve immediately.

Brandied Pork Shoulder Chops with Apricots and Prunes

4 pork shoulder chops or country-style ribs
Mustard Sage Rub
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 leek, finely sliced, white part only (optional)
3 to 4 carrots, scraped and finely chopped
½ cup pitted prunes (dried plums)
½ cup dried apricots
¼ cup dry sherry
1 cup beef or chicken stock
¼ cup brandy
2 bay leaves

Coat the pork chops with the Mustard Sage Rub. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight, or allow them to sit for 2 hours at room temperature.

Place the onion, leek, and carrots in the bottom of a large slow-cooker. Ser the shoulder chops on top, then cover with the prunes and apricots. Pour in the sherry, stock and brandy; add the bay leaves. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the meat falls from the bones.