Just Local Foods... An Excellent Resource for Locally Raised Meats


Now that the sun has remembered how to shine again, and the glaciers have receded from our garden beds, some of you might also be ready to transfer your meat from the crock-pot to the grill.  Burgers, brats, beer-can chicken anyone?

 

One of the pleasures of the Chippewa Valley for me is the ever-ready supply of sustainably-raised meat.  As the meat buyer for Just Local Food Cooperative, it is a privilege to work with so many thoughtful, intelligent, and passionate farmers--people who understand their land and resources, who allow their livestock to eat and be for the sake of the water, the soil, the herds and muddies, and for all of us omnivores who enjoy real food and food culture.  Knowing our producers, processors, and distributors, provides me peace of mind to make my own educated decisions and to select the finest (and sometimes most eccentric and traditional) cuts for our ever-expanding customer base--customers who want to make their own healthy and delicious decisions for themselves and their loved ones.

 

With this in mind, you can feel confident that the meat you buy at Just Local Food is of excellent quality.  No antibiotics or synthetic hormones, just access to pasture, sunshine, and necessary forages all the year round.  You name the cut, we probably have it in stock (although sometimes it is buried or I set it in a special place because I know who wants it) or, if we don't, just ask for Nik and I'll get you what you need when the next animal comes in.  Pastured chicken and turkey, grass-fed beef, buffalo, lamb, piles of heirloom pastured pork, elk, rabbit, wild sockeye, scallops, cod, trout, Lake Superior whitefish...fresh, smoked, or fermented--you name it, we sell it

 

Stop by today and ask about nose-to-tail eating in the Chippewa Valley.

 

 Just Local Food Cooperative

 
1117 South Farwell

Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701

 

715.552.3366

 

Better yet, stop in and then go home with these delicious grilling recipes:

 

Marinated Beef (Buffalo, Lamb, or Venison) Steak

 

For your more economical (but more flavorful) steak selections, procure a sirloin, chuck-eye, flank, or skirt steak.  My personal favorite is the skirt (or diaphragm muscle) done up in a coconut-lime satay.

 

Marinade ingredients:

 

1 lime

 

¼ cup coconut milk

 

4 tablespoons soy sauce

 

3 cloves minced garlic

 

1 tablespoon grated ginger

 

1 teaspoon grated turmeric

 

Pepper (to taste)

 

Rinse meat and place in a glass dish.  Mix all marinade ingredients.  Pour marinade over meat.  Let rest two to three days in the refrigerator, turning daily.  One hour before cooking, remove dish from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.  Sear meat in a greased cast-iron pan, or grill over an open fire.  Serve rare on a bed of your favorite salad.

 

Serbian Bacon Burgers

 

Ingredients:

 

1 pound ground beef

 

1 pound ground pork

 

3-4 strips uncooked bacon (coarsely chopped)

 

Your favorite aged cheese (coarsely chopped)

 

4-6 cloves garlic (minced)

 

Hungarian paprika (to taste)

 

Salt (to taste)

 

Pepper (to taste)

 

Mix meat, cheese, and garlic in a bowl, form patties and season liberally.  Sear in a greased cast-iron pan or grill over an open fire.  Serve with cabbage salad, pickled peppers, and beer.

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