American Grass Fed Beef Newsletter

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January, 2004
Circulation 19,018
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Welcome to the latest issue of the American Grass Fed Beef Newsletter. In this issue, you will find the following:

* Skirting the Flanks
* Customer Testimonies
* A Single Person's Guide to Grass Fed Beef
* We Want Your Grass Fed Beef Recipes, Testimonies, Suggestions and Tips

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SKIRTING THE FLANKS
J SCOTT WILSON - NATIONAL FOOD EDITOR
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Unless you've lived in the Southwest, flank and skirt steak are probably cuts you haven't heard about very much. However, if they're treated right and sliced properly, these can be the most flavorful pieces of meat to come off your grill. 

These cuts are traditionally marinated before grilling, and there are many, many options there. The one thing most marinades have in common is some form of acid, to help soften the fibers in the meat and carry the other marinade flavors into it. Some recipes go the papaya routes, allowing the papain enzymes therein to do the tenderizing voodoo.

Below are a couple of my favorite marinade recipes, the first for fajitas and the second with an Asian flair.

How you cut the meat is at least as important as how you flavor it. After it comes off the grill and rests, cut it across the grain, which will leave shorter meat fibers and a much more tender bite. I know this goes against your hard-learned steak-carving knowledge, but trust me. 

After mixing the marinade, put the steak in a large plastic bag and pour the marinade inside. Push out as much air as possible and refrigerate at least eight hours or overnight. I usually go almost 24 hours.

These recipes make enough to marinate two 1 ½ lb. steaks, enough to feed the hungriest bunch of cowpokes!

Fajita Marinade:

1 c. tequila
1 c. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. Tabasco or other hot sauce
2 tbsp. crushed fresh oregano, or ½ tsp dried
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tbsp. ground cumin

Asian Marinade:

½ c. dark soy sauce (Tamari)
½ c. plum sauce
½ c. tomato juice
½ c. pineapple juice
¼ c. finely chopped shallots
2 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

After marinating, I like to slice the Asian-marinated beef and use it in stir-fry dishes. It's also fantastic on the grill!

Get out there and explore some of the more basic cuts on the American Grass Fed Beef menu. Remember: it doesn't have to be a ribeye to be delicious!

J Scott Wilson
Food Editor
Internet Broadcasting System

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TESTIMONIES FROM SATISFIED CUSTOMERS
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Thanks for the thoughtful and considerate email. We sing the praises of your beef every time I cook with it. We can't eat anything else anymore. We are even eating out much less because of the taste and health benefits of your beef! Truly - I am not joking!

We are buying a freezer in the next two weeks just so I can keep my orders better organized. We are also buying grass fed chicken and ostrich from another farm - we have gone 100% because of your wonderful product.

I will look into the buyers club next time I order.

Thanks
A very happy family of grass fed beef eaters!
Maureen Mullen

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I'd love to give a good review - the beef is tasty indeed, and others should know! I'd also like to say that I really liked your beef jerky - it helped sustain me during a grueling convention, and then a friend of mine liked it so much that he finished half of my supply on the road trip home while I wasn't paying attention!

Anyway, thanks for raising such yummy beef; I hope to place another order in the not too distant future!

Claire

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I have just received my order of hot honey beef jerky, and it is marvelous!!! Woo-HOO!!! 

Thank you very much!! This jerky is delicious! In the words of the new California governor --- "I'll be back!!"

Sincerely,
Belinda Millard

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A SINGLE PERSON'S GUIDE TO GRASS FED BEEF
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As a single woman who loves beef from AmericanGrassFedBeef.com, I’ve had to come up with ways to prepare and eat a 3 pound roast without doing it in one sitting! At first I tried cutting through a solidly frozen piece of meat in order to divide it into manageable portions. This was practically impossible, so my next thought was to cook the whole thing first and then to make the divisions. Over time my most recent plan has worked famously and, according to a friend, is now a healthy fast food alternative!

The roast can be quickly thawed in a bowl of cold water and then placed in a roasting pan or crockery cookware. I like to pour a little red wine over it, followed by a heavy sprinkling of Italian dried seasoning. Around the edges I place chunks of carrots and onions and then cook it at 250 to 300 degrees for about 3 hours or whatever it needs to be well done throughout.

Usually when it comes out, I have to eat at least part of it on the spot! What’s left can be used in any number of different combinations. 

You can remove the vegetables and a few slices of meat, and place them in individual containers for later. For a different taste, you can make gravy of the juices. 

If you are tired or don’t have time to subdivide into individual portions, you can put the whole pot in the refrigerator. When you have time the next day or a few days later, remove the fat that has risen to the top. There won’t be much, and frankly I’ve been wondering if the fat from this beef is so healthy that throwing it out is a mistake! 

What I’ve done most recently is cut the whole leftover roast into tiny pieces, which are placed in individual Tupperware containers (the hamburger patty size or larger). These are then stacked in the freezer for various uses later. 

They can be thawed one by one and thrown into homemade vegetable soup, spread over fresh organic salads, covered with barbeque sauce for a tasty dish or sandwich, etc. The point is that I now have a variety of ways I can use the meat without tiring of the same dish for the next several days or weeks! 

So don’t shy away from a 3 pound roast next time. Enjoy!

Kitty
Atlanta, Georgia

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WE WANT YOUR GRASS FED BEEF RECIPES,
TIPS, TESTIMONIES  AND SUGGESTIONS
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We decided to add an area to our website which will make it easy for you to share your recipes, tips, testimonies and suggestions with us.  With 6 children, we always love new ideas for family meals.

http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/recipes.asp

We may even post your recipes and comments on our website.  Feel free to share pictures of your recipes and gatherings.  It is always fun to see and hear of people's experiences with our beef.





Patricia Whisnant, DVM
Grass Farmer and Veterinarian
AmericanGrassFedBeef.com

P.S.  Feel free to forward this newsletter to your friends, clients and colleagues.

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http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/menu-grass-fed-beef-news.asp

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Reprinted from "American Grass Fed Beef Newsletter," a free ezine published by Dr. Patricia Whisnant. This ezine features health information, recipes and tips about grass fed beef. Subscribe and enter a grass fed beef drawing at:

http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com