Check out these food heros from 2012!

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/food-heroes-00412000078544/

Beef, Pork, Chicken, and Turkey FAQ’s

“All natural” Beef

All natural refers to the meat after it has been processed. The USDA defines it as a product that does not “contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, or chemical preservative.”

Marczyk all natural beef: In addition to the USDA requirements, we require that animals are raised humanely and sustainably, never given hormones or antibiotics, and fed a vegetarian diet. And it tastes great! For more info: http://www.nimanranch.com/Index.aspx

“All Natural Pork”

All natural refers to the meat after it has been processed. The USDA defines it as a product that does not “contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, or chemical preservative.”

Marczyk all natural pork: In addition to the USDA requirements, we require that animals are raised humanely and sustainably, never given hormones or antibiotics, and fed a vegetarian diet. Our pork is raised outside and allowed to root and roam. It tastes like pork used to!

For more info: www.nimanranch.com.

“Free Range” Chicken

USDA definition: “Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.”

Marczyk free range chickens: We search for farmers who practice the highest definition of the law, and actually provide a natural outdoor space for the birds, not those who follows the letter of the law, and opens a door to a concrete patch so the birds can go outdoors.

Antibiotic free, all vegetarian feed.

First let’s clear up the hormone question: it is illegal to give pigs and chickens hormones in the US. Antibiotics are allowed, and plenty of them: “The proportion of antibiotics sold in the United States each year that go to animals…is 80 percent. 28.8 million pounds.” Maryln McKenna, Wired Science. Not good for you, or them. All vegetarian feed means the animals were not fed any animal by-products: beaks, bones, etc. This helps reduce the spread of disease.

Prarie foraged chickens.

From farmer Dallas Gilbert in Bennett, CO. They are outside and inside, pecking around in the dirt in addition to their feed. These chickens are a little smaller, and have a very meaty texture.

Turkey FAQ’s:

What’s the difference between Marczyk’s turkeys and conventional?

Annually, the U.S. produces 220 million conventional turkeys that are raised in dark and cramped conditions within high density confinement barns.  They are bred for large breasts and often grow so large in as little as 2 months that their legs buckle under the pressure of their own weight.  They are continuously fed a diet that has an added antibiotic designed to promote “health” within the flocks.  No growth hormones are allowed in the use of poultry production per USDA regulation; however, these added antibiotics can mimic the growth hormone function.  These turkeys are typically injected with water and sodium phosphates to provide flavor and enhance tenderness. Marczyk’s birds are none of the above.

Do they really taste differently?

We say the truth is in the taste, and these birds are no exception. You’ll find Marczyk’s all-natural classic turkeys to be free of the slightly chemically taste of supermarket birds. If you want to go one step further, you can brine the bird in a salt and sugar water mixture. The heritage birds have a rich, deep turkey flavor, not gamy like a wild bird, but “turkeyer”.

Do I need to cook the Heritage turkeys differently?

Yes. Heritage turkeys are leaner and smaller than broad-breasted whites, so cook them fast at higher temperatures. Heritage turkeys should be cooked at 425-450 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140-150 degrees F. Butter or oil can be added under the breast skin to add moisture during roasting. We have also had great success with confiting the legs and roasting the breast, which of course requires taking them apart.

You won’t need to cover the breast with foil to keep it from drying out while the rest of the bird cooks. The smaller breasts on the heritage birds create a better balance between the dark meat and white meat, which means roasting a bird to perfection is much easier since white meat cooks quicker than the dark meat.

What do those terms on the turkey label really mean?

Here’s a guide from Bon Appetit 2006.
Free-range A turkey with access to the outside. According to Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma, many free range birds do not take advantage of their outside opportunities. So does it really make a difference? We feel the general protocol of raising a free range bird vs. a confinement bird goes far beyond whether they step outside or not. The fact they have a chance says a lot about how that bird is being treated.
Fresh Technically, a turkey that’s never been kept below 26°F. Most Thanksgiving birds are processed in September and October but are still labeled fresh in November.

Frozen A bird that’s stored below 0°F.
Natural A bird that contains no artificial ingredients or added color and is minimally processed. Amazingly, this doesn’t mean it hasn’t been treated with antibiotics.
Organic A turkey that has been certified by a USDA-accredited agency. The term organic ensures that the bird was raised on organic feed, was free-range, and wasn’t treated with any antibiotics.

What if I don’t want turkey?  Marczyk’s offers a wide range of other birds: Pheasant, Quail, Duck, and Goose are all available by pre-order by calling 303 894-9499 to order.

Other things to consider:

• Do bring a nice bottle of wine to the host’s house. And if they do not use it that evening, don’t take it back with you. No lie a girl I know does this.
• Don’t eat the crispy turkey skin when you think no one is looking. A - Some one is always looking. B - Everyone else is doing it and you’ll end up with a bald bird.
• Do offer to clean up afterwards.
• Don’t call the host the night before with a list of your allergies unless it is an allergy that will kill you. If there is something you are suspect of (oysters in the stuffing?), spread it out on the plate and it looks like you ate some.
• If you are doing the cooking and you tell people dinner is at 4:00, then serve dinner at 4:00. If the wine continues to flow and there is no food, you may be looking at a holiday version of “Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

   

   

  Day Do’s and Don’t:

   

   

   

   

   

   

Sausage and Politics

You may think you like them, until you see how they’re made.

Might be true for some, but not for us. On a recent tour of Continental Sauasge, a family-run Denver company, we were blown away by how clean and pure these products are.

• No fillers
• All natural meats
• Natural casings
• And even organic fruits and vegetables. I mean, who uses organic in a sausage?

Continental sausages curing

Continental ready to ship

Marczyk’s carries several kinds, including a breakfast apple and chicken, Avalanche Ale Beer brats, smoked brat, and the kid’s fave, mac ‘n cheese furters. Come try them! http://www.continentalsausage.com/history.shtml.

Whit’s Picks

Pick of the Moment:  Brown Bananas for Breakfast in “Brown Butter-Banana Barley Porridge”

Banana Barley Porridge from Marczyk's

Brown bananas are one of life’s inevitabilities. We buy too many bananas and watch them slowly wither on the kitchen counter, or whatever the reason, but how many of us end up simply throwing them away when they become overripe?  Well, not only are there tons of uses for ripe bananas (and I’m not just talking about banana bread!) but when incorporated into a dish, they add a rich, ripe sweetness and a creamy consistency.  If you can’t use them right away, just peel the banana, throw it in a plastic bag, and freeze it (they’ll last at least a month or two in the freezer before they start to brown even further).  Here at Marczyk’s, we don’t like to see anything go to waste, so we offer up the overripe fruit at a really great discount.  What’s not to love?

My tribute to the brown banana is this simple, wholesome and delicious breakfast recipe.  This whole-grain porridge is a great thing to make in large quantities on a leisurely Sunday morning, since it takes more time to cook. You can easily double the recipe and have leftovers that make for a lightning-quick, filling and nutritious breakfast throughout the week.  The bananas also act as a natural sweetener for the dish and give the barley a creamy, almost risotto-like texture.  That’s what I call a great way to start the day!

Brown Butter Banana-Barley Porridge
serves 4

1 T vegetable oil
1 T butter
1 1/2 cups banana puree, lightly mashed

1 cup water
2 cups lowfat milk (or milk substitute)
1 cup pearled barley
sea salt, to taste
1/2 cup walnuts halves
maple syrup (optional)

In a large pot over medium heat, add oil and butter. Cook until the oils sizzle and butter begins to brown (you may need to increase the heat level, slightly) and become toasty and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add banana puree. Allow bananas to saute in oil until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.

Add water, milk and barley and bring mixture to a boil, mixing often. Reduce to a simmer and cook, occasionally stirring, until barley is cooked and much of the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange walnut pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast until fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.

Serve the porridge hot, with the walnuts sprinkled on top and a light drizzle of maple syrup, if desired.

The Land of the Free?

In the U.S. 500,000 people die from smoking each year, 250,000 die from alcohol related causes; the FDA estimates 1 person every 9 years dies from raw milk related causes.  Soft raw-milk cheese is illegal.  Is this really the land of the free?