Wow! What a totally awesome dining experience at Prime 1000 in St Louis this week.  Prime 1000 hosted Rain Crow Ranch night at the restaurant on Washington Ave. Along with wine from Royalty Importers the chef and staff presented a truly memorable dinner.  The evening created an eclectic bridge from the rustic old farm to the modern elegance of Prime 1000.  The restaurant balances modern aesthetic taste with rustic, reclaimed industrial design aspects. So it captures “down on the farm” and envelopes it in total modern elegance, sophisticated taste and charm to present local, sustainable and fresh foods.

Our own Peter Whisnant from Rain Crow Ranch got an opportunity to speak to the 85 or so diners who had reserved places at the table.  Peter was able to tell this audience the story of Rain Crow Ranch, our family farm on which he was raised.  Today along

with the efforts of the entire family Rain Crow Ranch is bringing the finest grassfed beef, heritage breed pasture raised pork and pasture raised poultry to the table from the farm.

Rain Crow is a sustainable family farm located in southern Missouri that sells directly to customers. We value and take pride in the ethics of the food we produce and would be willing to put it up against any in the country.  Yet, of equal importance to us at the farm is the developing of strong and warm relationships with those who believe with us in how the food world should work.  These end-users lend support to our farm (and others like ours) when they buy what we raise.  We like to say we grow the food and chefs like those at Prime1000 make it great.  Farm to the table just doesn’t get much better than what was experienced on Monday night. 

On the farm side of the conversation we often talk about how great protein is produced by attention to the right genetics, a quality pasture environment, attention to high animal welfare and just the right processing.  Yet, we know equally well that to carry that product forward for an awesome dining experience requires knowing just how to prepare and present it exquisitely.  Ray Carpenter, chef de cuisine of Prime 1000 did a magnificent job of taking our local pasture bounty and transforming it into the elegant 6 courses presented.  Each course was paired beautifully with 6 wines.

The first course was a salad with lobster wrapped in pancetta with orange, pickled coriander, celery and radish.  This was paired with a 2010 Azlend Agricola Branko Pinot Grigio.  Cooked to perfection the pancetta wrapped lobster made a perfect start to a memorable dinner.

Course 2 featured an inverted ravioli of grassfed tenderloin using horseradish, truffle, fine herbs and fingerling potato for this salad paired with 2009 Riofava Barbera D’ Albo.

The third course was our roasted farm grazed chicken served with a corn custard, crispy chanterelles, pearl onions, banyls vinegar, and asparagus.  This feature was paired with 2007 Deluco Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo “DiRe”.

Fourth course was our Berkshire, pasture raised pork loin with nasturtium rounded with cauliflower, parsley risotto, crackling and pork sauce.  It was paired with 2007 Riofava Barolo ‘Suri”.

The highlight course was our Rain Crow Ranch Roasted strip loin with barley, carrot, roasted onion, nebrodini bianco and sauce bordelaise paired with 2003 Triberini Vino Noblle di Montelpulciano ‘Riservo.

Finishing off the evening was an apple crumble with macadamia, burnt caramel, bourbon served with Fracarolli ‘Valerie’.

Our many thanks to Prime 1000 owners, general manager Tom Sutliffe, Chef Ray Carpenter and the Prime 1000 staff who allowed the Rain Crow Ranch family to be a part of the evening.  But a special thanks for all the diners who came out and supported the restaurant and our farm.

Ingredients:

1 Chuck roast
2 Onions
1 tbsp. Pepper ( Fresher ground pepper is better)
1 tbsp. Onion Powder
1tspn. Sea Salt

Preparation Option #1 (shown in pictures below): Pot with Lid

Pre-Heat oven to 225° F. The key is to match the Chuck Roast to the size of the pan (this is the secret to a juicy roast). Sprinkle pepper, onion powder, and sea salt over the roast. Then slice the onion and distribute evenly over the entire roast. Cover and place in the center of the oven for 5 to 8 hours. The roast will be ready in 5 hours however the longer the cook time the more tender the roast will be.

**Additional cooking methods below**

Chuck roast vary in size, typical chuck roasts weigh between 3 to 5 pounds

 All ingredients needed

 The key is to get the roast to fit snuggly into the pot, even if it means trimming the chuck roast

 Ready to go into the oven

 The finished product

Preparation Option #2: Medium to Large size crock pot

Place roast in crock pot.  Sprinkle pepper, onion powder, and sea salt. Slice onions and distribute evenly over the entire roast. Place in the crock pot for 6 to 8 hours on the low setting. Do not worry your cook time is over the 8 hours it will become more tender the longer it is cooked.

Preparation Option #3: Wrapped with aluminum foil

Sprinkle the chuck roast with pepper, onion powder, and sea salt. Slice onions and distribute evenly over the entire roast. Wrap the roast as tight as possible (this is key, if the juices escape the roast will be dry and lose flavor) place in the center of the oven for 5 to 8 hours. The roast will be ready in 5 hours however the longer the cook time the more tender the roast will be.

Our Favorite way:

For all preparation methods after the roast is cooked add a tbsp. of flour to the juices to make gravy

Favorite sides:  Mashed potatoes, Baked Potatoes or Rice

Grass Fed Braised Beef Short Ribs by Rain Crow Ranch

 Here at Rain Crow Ranch we are always looking for new recipes to utilize all cuts of beef. Although short Ribs are not typically the most popular cut of beef we have found, when cooked correctly, that they are the most delightful, tendor cut of beef packed full of flavor. This sensational recipe is sure to ignite your taste buds. It is so simple and easy to prepare, in 30 minutes or less you will look like a five star chef.

 All Ingredients needed for this Delicious Short Rib Meal!

 Oil Cast Iron ( you don’t have to use a cast iron, it is just our favorite). Turn stove on high heat.

 Cut Short Ribs into one Rib Sections

 Sear Grass fed beef short rib sections until all sides are equally brown (You sear to lock in flavor)

 Apply salt and pepper then add cubed potatoes and onions to pot with your short ribs and allow to cook for a couple of minutes

 After onions and potatos are warm, add red wine ( the dryer the better) and beef broth

Cover pot with a lid and place in oven at 350 degrees for two hours. Remove and serve !!!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes      Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Serves 4 People

4 3×2 Grass Fed Beef short Ribs

2 potatoes – cubed

1 onion – sliced

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 cup Dry Red Wine

1/4 cup Beef Broth

1tbs Pepper

1 tspn Salt

Preperation Instructions

Heat Oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil on high heat in pot (we prefer cast iron). Cut short ribs into 1 bone sections. Sear short ribs in extra virgin olive oil on all four sides. Once all sides are seared (should take around 5 minutes) add salt and pepper. Add cubed potatoes and spread sliced onions on top (you can’t use too many onions). Remove from heat. Add red wine and beef broth. Cover. Place in oven for two hours.

Remove and serve.

Pasture Raised Turkey Roast Recipe

Family, food and holidays are so intertwined in our memories that they are nearly synonymous. Just like most American households for 30 some years our family has celebrated our traditions of Thanksgiving with a feast.

Holding hands around the table to pray and say thanks, signing the traditional tablecloth (which I usually don’t get embroidered until the last couple of days before the next Thanksgiving), playing board games, the annual skeet shoot and the college football game are big parts of our turkey day memories.

Yet, nothing says Thanksgiving more than the centerpiece roasted turkey. This year was extra special as we prepared our first Rain Crow pasture raised turkey.

In preparing for the feasting day I made the dreary trek to the local grocery store earlier in the week. Our local grocery was running a special that for a certain amount of groceries bought you received a free turkey. It made me think about our food system and how in the world the factory farms raise turkeys for less than fifty cents a pound?

Cheap food but with high cost and consequences to the birds, our health, flavor, and respect for the things of this world. But, that is a topic for another time and I intend to write about how to cook the perfect pasture raised turkey.

Pasture-raised: Pasture-raised turkeys roam around outside and eat primarily grass, so their food and activity level — both of which affect flavor — differ from those of their grain-fed cousins raised in confinement. These birds tend to be heritage breeds made to be outside where the factory farm birds are so heavy of breast and short of leg that they can’t thrive out in the open.

Our birds are frozen for delivery and food safety. So it must first be thawed slowly in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. This is where I normally brine the turkey but I wanted to taste the natural flavor and juiciness of just the bird this year, so I did not brine.

A room temperature turkey will roast more evenly, so early in the morning I removed the turkey from the refrigerator (about an hour before putting it in the oven).

Next I prepped the turkey by placing some of the herbs I grow in the body cavity. My daughter picked fresh rosemary, thyme and sage from our greenhouse to use. I then added softened butter along with salt and pepper to the outside skin.

I simply placed the bird breast up in the roasting pan with some chicken broth, onions, celery and carrots. These will help keep the bird moist and allow me to baste during the cooking process. It will also contribute to some great tasting gravy.

The basic reason most turkeys are dried out and tough is because they are overcooked. In the past, the USDA recommended cooking a turkey to 180 degrees, to assure all bacteria was killed. Problem was, so was all the flavor and moisture.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced a change in the “Single Minimum Internal Temperature Established for Cooked Poultry” in 2006 and the USDA says it’s safe to cook a turkey to 165 degrees.
I prefer to cook to 160, remove from the oven and cover with foil while I prepare the gravy with the drippings from the pan and it continues to cook to the full 165.

These cooking times are merely a guide. Instead I use a good digital thermometer and test the temperature. I also prefer to use a lower temperature to roast the bird. I start at 325 and after an hour lower the temperature of the oven to 300.

10-13 lb. – 1 ½ to 2 ¼ hr.
14-23 lb. – 2 to 3 hr.
24-27 lb. – 3 to 3 ¾ hr.
28-30 lb. – 3 ½ to 4 ½ hr.

I must tell you that my family is a critical group when it comes to food. It is hard to WOW them. Everyone agreed that this was our best turkey ever!

Simple good food and a wonderful memory. Food you can feel good about eating.

Whenever we are in town and close to one of the restaurants that uses our beef we absolutely have to go and try it.  The hero chefs have made the effort to seek out farms and farmers from which to source product directly.  Over the years we have developed some great relationships and friendships with these guys.  It is such a privilege get to know chefs who make food an art.  It is a thrill to see, smell, taste the efforts of their art in the preparation of what we have raised.  It reminds us that what we do it not simply produce livestock but we produce food that is part of an incredible eating experience.  It humbles us to see the full circle from farm to table, especially a table other than my own.

We had never eaten at YaYa’s before and were full of anticipation.  First off it was a thumbs up when the restaurant proudly displayed a sign on the front of their building, YaYa’s Buy Fresh Buy Local and the names of the farms from which they purchase product.  This idea and philosophy carried through to the menu which offered a bit of information about the farms, proud to see Rain Crow Ranch American Grassfed Beef there.

The atmosphere at YaYa’s was an upbeat casual, the crowd and activity pretty vibrant on a Saturday night.  They were very busy and glad that we had made reservations.  As is a habit with my husband when we go to a restaurant that uses our beef and they do not know us he innocently inquires of the waiter about selections on the menu that feature our beef.  He wants to hear what they have to say and how well they handle questions.  (Mark likes to play games with people.) Darrell did a great job and told the story of our beef beautifully.  We of course introduced ourselves and made a great new friend.  Later in the meal, Chef Rob Uyemura came out for a chat and what an honor it was to meet him. 

There were two selections on the menu tonight that use our beef.  One was a Hickory grilled flank steak, fresh corn sauté, okra, white cheddar-chile polenta, and sorghum steak glaze. The other was beef tenderloin, potato puree, seasonal vegetables, cracked black pepper gorgonzola Chianti sauce.  Both were fantastic.  Should I admit I am also a little bias?  No, it was really really good.

Thank you Chef Rob and YaYa’s for a great evening.

The competition, which took place Friday, Saturday and Sunday featured dishes created from our beef in the finals on Sunday. This competition matched head-to-head a battle between great and innovative chefs. Chef Jack MacMurray III, the returning 2010 champion faced off against Chef Wes Johnson to prepare the two export ribs we had provided for the completion. The hour long battle was exciting and fun as the chefs interacted with each other and the beef.

Taste of St Louis 2011 Chefs with Dr Whisnant

The Chef Battle Royale hosted by the Taste of St. Louis Executive Chef, Vito Racanelli of Onesto and Mad Tomato and Chopped Champion Chef Marc Bynum. It was indeed entertaining and a moment of pride in seeing two great chefs prepares our beef.

It was my privilege to sit as one of the judges of the competition. So often we at the farm are caught up in what we do to raise healthy, safe livestock with attention to animal welfare, the environment and the quality. We think and talk in terms of forages, rainfall, calf crop, rate of gain and animal pasture rotation.

It is always with great humbleness and at the same time great pride to have a really great chef prepare our beef, pork or chicken. It reminds me that what we do is produce food. We all talk about pasture to plate, farm to fork, farm to table etc. but it never ceases to amaze me when I am privileged to see the full circle. I have a unique appreciation of the efforts and care our family put into raising the animal. To watch a chef prepare it for a truly remarkable tasting experience is wonderful. It raises the bar to do all in our power to make our contribution the best it can be.

In these finals Chef MacMurray prepared a heavenly risotto with a seared and cooked to perfection portion of ribeye. Yet, my favorite was the Carpaccio served on toasted bread with micro greens. Sorry, Chefs, remember I am the farmer not the food writer!

Chef MacMurray’s creations truly showed his remarkable talent and signature taste. It was wonderful.

Carpaccio

Seared beef ribeye with mushroom risotto and balsamic sauce

Seared Beef Ribeye with Mushroom Risotto and Balsamic Sauce

Chef Wes Johnson also prepared the bone-in ribeye. He cut the rib into steaks with a frenched bone. To “french” a bone means to cut the meat away from the end of a rib or chop, so that part of the bone is exposed. This is done with racks of lamb, beef and pork for esthetic reasons. Many steak aficionados believe the beef has to be cooked with the bone in to have the greatest beef flavor and tenderness. This big hunk of meat is often referred to as the cowboy steak.

Grass Fed Steaks in Hay

Chef Wes seared these steaks in a hot skillet then broke out of the traditional as he finished the beef slowly in the oven smothered in hay soaked with Missouri malt whiskey! I loved the innovation and the taste was phenomenal. I loved it.

Chef Johnson finished off his plating with hand cut and fried potato and a specially prepared Manhattan made from the malt whiskey (it’s in the Mason jar).

When Jack heard of the Joplin devastation, he wanted to do something to help but didn’t have a lot to offer financially. However, he did have his grill which survived the fire, a willing heart to help others in need and his skill to cook for large crowds. When he asked friends to help with logistics to feed Joplin residents and rescue workers this weekend, word spread like wildfire.

We discovered that Americans throughout the United States want to express their love and support to the residents of Joplin. What started as one man with a grill from a business in ruins has mushroomed into our community of American family farmers as well as friends of our family reaching out to Joplin through Jack’s efforts.

American Welfare Approved is helping us coordinate donations, food, refrigeration and ground support. Jack will be in Joplin this weekend and he will try to keep you posted with ground reports. Follow us on Facebook or this blog for news from Joplin.

Dr Patricia Whisnant
AmericanGrassFedBeef.com

Actress and author Suzanne Somers has written 20 books (12 best sellers) on health, beauty and fitness.  In her new book “Sexy Forever: How to Fight Fat after Forty,” she discusses why balanced hormones, exercise, and a diet that includes “good fats” are key to losing weight after the age of 40. 

Part of the problem has to do with leaky gut syndrome where she explains that antibiotics in meat cause a dying off of the good bacteria that protects the gut.  In Ms Somers’ opinion, this can result in a situation where the bad bacteria eats small holes in the lining and cause leakage leading to a increased toxic burden in the body.  Coupled with hormonal changes at 40+.  our weight as we age often increases.  Ms Somers’ recommends that you should eat American Grassfed Beef that has no antibiotics or hormones and has good fat.

Watch her interview on the Today Show below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 CONTACT: Jill Nado
December 10, 2010    

Alexandria, VA– Some of the best burgers in the United States are now being made with humanely raised beef, thanks to Animal Welfare Approved, American Grass Fed Beef, and Dan Rosenthal, owner-operator of the Rosenthal Group. 

The legendary Poag Mahone’s, of the Rosenthal Group, is the very first restaurant in Chicago to be serving this prized beef.

 Poag Mahone’s  has been named as  one of the best burgers in America by Oprah Winfrey, and GQ magazine declared Poag Mahone’s as serving one of “Top Twenty Burgers You Must Eat Before You Die.” Animal Welfare Approved director Andrew Gunther says  “ the AWA label is going to help make Poag Mahone’s burgers  NUMBER ONE . “

Dan Rosenthal says he’s proud to be serving meat that bears the AWA label.  “There’s no question that the treatment of the animals is one of the top priorities that we’re seeking in the continuation of our purchasing program,” says Rosenthal.  He adds, “It’s not only the humane treatment of the animal, but what the animal is fed and what impact the farming system has on the environment and the quality of the meat people are consuming. AWA certification gives us the total package.”

Finding just the right humanely raised beef for Poag Mahone’s was no easy chore. Rosenthal tried meats from as far away as Uruguay until he came across the renowned stock of American Grass Fed from Missouri. AWA’s American Grass Fed worked extensively with Dan to get just the right blend of beef to maintain that classic Poag Mahone’s burger flavor.

Poag Mahone’s is using AWA beef in other dishes, too, and one of those is Rosenthal’s favorite—Guinness Beer Beef Stew. He says diners get two bonuses for the price of one out of the stew.  “You get nutrition and you get a little high from having this Guinness marinated product. It’s such a great combination of flavors.”

Interviews are available. Please call Jill Nado of AWA at 202-446-2138 or 301-233-4544.

Animal Welfare Approved audits and certifies family farms that raise their animals with the highest animal welfare standards, outdoors, on pasture or range. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has lauded these standards for two years running as being the most stringent when compared to other third-party certification programs. Visit www.AnimalWelfareApproved.org for an online directory of approved farms, as well as restaurants, shops and markets where AWA farmers’ products are sold. Choose the one independent food label that means healthy, safe, environmentally responsible and humanely raised.

November 17, 2010 01:54 PM UTC by John Stossel

This Week’s Column: Natural Is Not Always Better

“Natural” food sounds so pure. Tampering with nature feels wrong.  So it’s easy to believe that things like chemical pesticides and genetically modified food are unhealthy.  It’s intuitive to believe that they harm the planet. But as so often happens, what we know just isn’t so. My Fox Business program this week (Thursday at 9pm ET) takes on some of those cherished environmental beliefs.

In my syndicated column this week, I examine one:  “Natural” food promoters claim grass-fed beef is better for the environment that corn-fed cattle:

Michael Pollan, the prolific food author and activist, wrote in The New York Times that “what was once a solar-powered ruminant (grass-fed steer) (has been turned) into the very last thing we need: another fossil-fuel machine”. How so? Farmers burn fossil fuels to ship corn to feed cows instead of letting them eat what’s naturally under their feet.

The American Grassfed Association — surprise, surprise — says cattle are better for the environment because harmony is created between the land and the animals.

People believe. Nobody likes the idea of cattle jammed into feed lots.

…But so often, what sounds logical is just wrong.

…Once again, modern technology saves money and is better for the earth. By stuffing the feed-lot animals with corn, farmers get them to grow faster. Therefore they can slaughter them sooner, which is better for the earth than letting them live longer and do all the environmentally damaging things natural cows do while they are alive.
Read more: http://stossel.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2010/11/17/this-weeks-column-natural-is-not-always-better/#ixzz161Oad4wL

 Response to John Stossel’s piece – Busting Another Food Myth, Natural is No Always Better

 I currently serve as President of the American Grassfed Association (AGA) and represent around 400 grassfed producers.  Our membership is primarily comprised of small-scale family farms that put care and pride into the protein they produce.  Our foundation is that we produce food for the table with respect for the animals, the land, the quality and healthfulness of the food and the farm. 

 Grassfed versus grain-fed beef is a topic that seems to provoke controversy. Determining which of these methods of production is “best” is a complicated matter bringing in animal welfare, human health and environmental outcomes. It is unfortunate that Mr. Stossel appears to have taken a rather blinkered and biased approach to this very complex subject.

In making the statement about grassfed meat that “there’s no evidence it’s better for the environment or better for you” Mr. Stossel relies heavily on the evidence of Dr. Jude Capper. Dr. Capper has presented a few brief papers and posters at recent Animal Science conferences but her main published work is on dairy cattle. Aside from the fact that dairy production is a very different thing to beef or lamb production Dr. Capper does not mention that she has close associations with organizations that have a vested interest in promoting the most intensive systems of production. At AGA we are of course in favor of sustainable, pasture base systems but at least we come right out and say so!  Why did Stossel not ask Capper who funded her research?  Don’t forget the idea of follow the money.  It just might prove bias in the outcome.

 We are very familiar with Dr. Capper’s work. Her dairy paper was the subject of significant conversation “Bad Science” blogs [see http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/2009/11/16/beware-of-bad-science/]

 Capper claims that a ‘whole-system approach’ proves that intensive livestock systems – where meat or milk production is maximized per animal, per acre – are less environmentally damaging than ‘inefficient’ pasture or grass-based systems.  Yet it is Dr Capper who is not looking at the ‘whole system’ – or indeed the ‘bigger picture’ we all face. For the vast majority of scientists who are working in climate related issues contend that it is intensive agriculture – with its heavy reliance on fossil fuels and other damaging environmental practices – which is the real climate culprit. And in the face of the reality of climate change and ever-decreasing oil reserves, ‘business as usual’ agriculture is just no longer an option.

 AGA was not the only organization to challenge this report from Dr. Capper and indeed other similar reports from other authors. One of the biggest problems is the fact that any report that states grassfed meat is less environmentally friendly than grain fed meat does not take into account the environmental costs of all the inputs needed for the industrial system. The true cost of feedlot beef has to take account of the full environmental footprint caused by producing cattle feed – raising vast monocultures of corn which is the most heavily laden fossil fuel crop in the country, including the destruction of vast tracts of rainforest in order to grow soy and corn and the dead zone in the gulf caused by runoff of artificial fertilizers into the Mississippi River.   This is before we start adding in the environmental pollution from feedlots, the greenhouse gas emissions from the stockpiled manure and no mentions of the positive influence of carbon sequestration that is specific to grazing grassfed animals.

 AGA are disappointed that Dr. Capper maintains that there is no evidence of the health benefits of grassfed versus grain-fed beef. On the contrary there are many published papers on the health giving benefits of omega 3 fatty acids, conjugated lineoleic acids (CLAs) and vitamin E – all found at higher levels in grassfed rather than grain fed meat. Dr. Capper states that the differences in the levels of these compounds between grass and grain fed are “minor”. Perhaps she hasn’t read a recently published report (partly carried out by the USDA) that states CLA levels were 117% higher in animals that were simply pasture finished – not on pasture all their lives – compared with those finished on concentrates. Or another study that showed grassfed meat was several times higher in vitamin E than either grain-fed animals or – surprisingly – grain-fed animals that were given high doses of synthetic vitamin E.

 The representation by Stossel and Capper that other inputs to the industrial system such as synthetic hormones and sub-therapeutic antibiotics are of no importance is a travesty.  They contend that since it has not been proven that these inputs cause direct harm in the beef produced then it is not logical to demand products that do not have them involved in their production.  This ignores the research that indicates otherwise.  But more importantly it ignores the desires of society who may choose not have them as a part of their diet.  A growing number feel strongly that while sub-therapeutic antibiotics and synthetic hormones contribute significantly to the accelerated growth of feedlot animals but ignore the issues of antibiotic resistance and pre-mature puberty.  It is the height of elite mind sets that does not allow a consumer to choose what they want in their diet without being presented all the facts and instead presents a one sided approach to a complicated issue.  It must be remembered that the consumer has the freedom to vote for what agricultural system (pasture based or industrial) by how they spend their dollars.

 Mr. Stossel sadly relied on only one source for his information.  He didn’t take the time to listen to both sides of the argument and, like a poorly researched paper, published his article without review or evidence. This lack of rigor academically and journalistically appears to be the only way industrial agriculture can defend itself.

 Mr. Stossel I challenge you to follow up and present both sides instead of the biased report you presented on the show.

Sincerely,

Patricia Whisnant, DVM

President

American Grassfed Association

Grass fed producer