Ric Orlando, chef/owner of New World Home Cooking, makes a living out of his socially conscious approach to food. He says that about 85 percent of the meat he serves is grass-fed or naturally raised; the meat fits into his philosophy of preparing what he describes as clean, focused, healthy, robust food. “Most health food is so austere—it doesn’t need to be. People are looking for lust when they go out to eat, not discipline.”
Orlando likes pasture-fed meat, in part because he has to be creative. “I use a lot of alternative cuts—brisket, shank, short ribs; Americans tend to be hung up on loin cuts—which is just a small part of a large animal,” he explains. One of the signature dishes on New World’s menu is Ropa Vieja—a Cuban pot roast that’s simmered all day. But you can also order a big ol’ steak and feel OK about it—it says right on the menu it’s grass-fed in Montana.
Richard Erickson at Blue Mountain Bistro also enjoys the inventive aspect of cooking pasture-raised meat. “It’s easy to throw a steak on the grill—fun but not that rewarding. On the other hand it’s a challenge to take a big shoulder, a sinewy chunk of meat, and transform it into an unctuous, silky-smooth stew.”
He adds that the fact that he often knows the suppliers—that they’re from the area—makes the whole thing more rewarding too. “This beef doesn’t exactly come from my backyard, but I know the person who raised it and brought it to me…. I really want to make something delicious.”
Dave Work from the Inn at Stone Ridge voices the same attractions of pasture-raised meats. “I serve it not just for the flavor, but for political and health reasons too. Commercially raised meats are fed all kinds of things they shouldn’t eat—chickens eat ground up cows and chickens, whatever. [In contrast] the ducks we get are raised outside, eating grasshoppers and an assortment of grass and grains that are healthy for them.”
One drawback the chefs do cite is some difficulty in getting a consistent supply of the cuts they want on a regular basis to assure the availability of items on the menu. They all agree that distribution channels are improving, but there is an inherent seasonality to the nature-driven pasture raising process that makes it less dependable for restaurant use.
A well-established local purveyor of organic and natural meats is Jack’s Meats and Deli in New Paltz. Proprietor Abdul Joulani has been selling organic meat for over a decade—it represents about 80 percent of his butcher business—drawing customers from as far away as Albany and Westchester. “About four years ago I was approached by a local farmer who had seen my ads for organic and wanted me to try the grass-fed,” says Joulani. “He sent me samples and they were delicious.” He says that now about 40 percent [I believe this stat confuses the last stat]of the noncommercial meat he sells is grass-fed. “It’s becoming more and more popular because people are becoming more aware of what they eat. They eat less meat and they want to eat healthier.” Joulani himself eats only naturally produced meat and says the grass-fed has the best flavor.
One thing to keep in mind when preparing this meat at home is that you can’t just toss every piece on the grill. The lower fat content calls for a more traditional approach to the cuts, emphasizing the slower cooking of braising, stewing, and roasting, methods that create a profusion of flavor in a rich, succulent meal.
All this tender loving care comes at a cost: pasture-raised meat is more expensive than commercially raised. But if the health benefits and nutritional qualities are taken seriously, the benefit to the consumer, the community, the environment, and the animals offsets any higher cost over the long run.
Where’s the Beef?
How can you get your own hands on this wonderful stuff? For a long time most of the local pasture-raised meat was sold to restaurants, but in recent years increasing demand for good quality grass-fed meat to cook at home has created retail channels.
