Get to Know Your Meat

Learning about the origin of the meat you consume can enrich your food experience.Chefs source their meat for the best flavor and richest dining experience.

An ideal cut of meat has no antibiotics or GMOs. Try to find meat from an animal that wasn’t fed corn or soy. Pasture-raised meat is advised. A happier, healthier animal becomes tastier meat.

Find out where your food comes from; and that doesn’t mean to just take a trip to the grocery store. Visit a local food-raising farm or butcher to learn more about your meat.

An animal gave its life to nourish your body. Making the connection to that animal’s life cycle pays respect to the animal.

Heritage breeds don’t have the fat bred out. They have better flavor. Their flavor reflects their environment. A pig that eats apples in the fall will have a different flavor profile from the pig that eats grass in the spring.

European style butchers bring the butchering experience to the people. Look for a butcher at your local farmers’ market.

Grocery store butchers are stuck selling cuts that come in a box. Smaller butchers have to make the most out of the animal and can get creative with their cuts of meat. They don’t want to waste anything so their sausage may contain better cuts of meat.

Cathrine Walters and Abraham Jindrich of The Cloven Hoof join Dr. Mike Fenster to discuss how to enrich your food experience by getting to know your meat.