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USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

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Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

bigblue_dl said:
In the beef industry the name of the game is marbling. You don't get good marbling when a steer is raised on grass. Marbling leads to more tender meat and more flavorful meat. If I wanted to eat something with no marbling, I'd eat venison.
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While I do thoroughly enjoy a tastey grain fed rib eye because of the fat content, the fat you get from eating grass fed beef is better for you. It's better for your cholestoral, better for your blood pressure. My wife's family has had cows for a long time and they were probably close to 90/10 when it came to percentage being fed hay or grains. The taste is much different. I would never dry age grass fed beef because it's not as fatty as grain fed.

When it comes to pork, pastured pork definintely is better than feed lot pork. Pigs are generally clean animals to begin with, but I think the taste of pastured pork is cleaner tasting, especially when it comes to pork belly and roasts.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

bottomdweller said:
While I do thoroughly enjoy a tastey grain fed rib eye because of the fat content, the fat you get from eating grass fed beef is better for you. It's better for your cholestoral, better for your blood pressure. My wife's family has had cows for a long time and they were probably close to 90/10 when it came to percentage being fed hay or grains. The taste is much different. I would never dry age grass fed beef because it's not as fatty as grain fed.

When it comes to pork, pastured pork definintely is better than feed lot pork. Pigs are generally clean animals to begin with, but I think the taste of pastured pork is cleaner tasting, especially when it comes to pork belly and roasts.
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Hogs digestive systems are not condusive to pasturing, so I'm not sure how that makes any difference. Hogs are not like cattle, which need roughage to digest properly. Hogs are meant to eat grains and actually meats (though we don't feed domesticated hogs meat). Whether hogs are in a pasture or in a lot, they should still be eating grain because that is what they are supposed to be eating, that is what their bodies are designed to eat.

As for grass fed beef, like I said, if I wanted to eat something like that, I'd eat venison. If I have a choice between beef and venison, I choose beef every single time, and I have had plenty of both to know the difference. In my opinion, making beef taste more like venison is ruining beef. I don't much care about the alleged heath differences, first of all, I don't believe it, second, if you do believe it then eating in moderation is a good solution to that problem.

You'll never catch me eating that crap on purpose. I grew up on high quality, grain-fed, feedlot fed beef and pork, and nothing I've tried comes close to that meat from the farm.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

speaking of meat, I just bought a new grill (hooray for free delivery and assembly). I usually celebrate Opening Day as the official first day of grilling season, but I may have to start early this year. mmmmm grilled pizza. and grilled steak. and asparagus. and grilled... everything.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

This is hardly cooking but -- In a half-arsed attempt to get some protein with my breakfast, I put a thin slice of cheddar on a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel this morning. It was actually good! Have to think of a name for it now. :)
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Last night, I cooked pork chops and rubbed them with Dijon mustard before cooking. Still feels like it was missing something... maybe next time I'll do a maple-mustard rub. Or a lemon-garlic marinade.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Was going to smoke a whole chicken tonight but too windy and too cold, doubt I can get the grill very hot so I'm going to roast it in the oven instead.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Last night it was chicken tikka masala, followed by brunch today with my family for eggs Benedict casserole, homemade sourdough pancakes, and a nod to the day with corned beef. The eggs were good, but real eggs benedict is better; just can't makei individuals for the crowd.

Lots of bloody Mary's and champagne.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Roasting a chicken. Pot roast tomorrow. It is cold windy and it doesn't feel like Spring.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Prime strip steak, broccoli, potato-kale-cheese casserole. Already had my corned beef at lunch last week.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

The chicken I roasted Sunday night turned into soup today, awesome meal on a snowy night
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
Keep your mind open. I'm sure there are a number of chefs who would tell you that, while bacon fat is great, it's not suited for every application. :)
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Hey, according to Good Eats, prior to World War II, bacon fat was the fat of choice in America. I'm trying to move away from seed oils and focus more on olive oil, butter, and animal fats. Speaking of, I can't wait to get my hands on some duck fat and lard. A little fat goes a long way...
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

ShirtlessBob said:
Hey, according to Good Eats, prior to World War II, bacon fat was the fat of choice in America.
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I believe Alton said it was America's favorite frying fat. Butter was consumed too. ;)

You're right about the seed oils though - universal use of vegetable, canola, cottonseed, soybean oils, etc. has risen to prominence in the last 30 years. I personally believe, without concrete proof, that these oils are more processed and, in moderation, no healthier than butter, if not less so. But they are so prevalent that they are now difficult to avoid entirely.

Olive oil is the newest field entry, gaining most of its popularity in the past decade. You have to buy a good quality extra virgin though, or else there's little point to spending the money. It's kind of like the difference between blended scotch and single malt. I suspect the 'light' olive oils are heavily blended.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
I believe Alton said it was America's favorite frying fat. Butter was consumed too. ;)

You're right about the seed oils though - universal use of vegetable, canola, cottonseed, soybean oils, etc. has risen to prominence in the last 30 years. I personally believe, without concrete proof, that these oils are more processed and, in moderation, no healthier than butter, if not less so. But they are so prevalent that they are now difficult to avoid entirely.

Olive oil is the newest field entry, gaining most of its popularity in the past decade. You have to buy a good quality extra virgin though, or else there's little point to spending the money. It's kind of like the difference between blended scotch and single malt. I suspect the 'light' olive oils are heavily blended.
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Not only that, anything in a clear plastic or glass bottle has probably started turning rancid before you even purchase it. That's one of the downsides of poly-unsaturated fat; it goes bad very quickly.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

I don't know, I'd be hesitant to cook with added animal fats (much less any fat) that frequently.

Regarding the seed oils, I'm not sure how you define processed, but all fats are processed. ALL of them. That and the fact that you simply can't get a pan hot enough using the animal fats.
 
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