Tribute to a Cow

We've just finished dinner and I feel inspired to write a very brief tribute to my cow. So, one more entry for today, and then I promise to be done.

Tonight's menu was not particularly inspired or creative. First, some little baby potatoes from the farm - roasted and then tossed with farm garlic, kosher salt, pepper, and mint from the backyard. And, of course, some extra virgin olive oil. Next, broccoli...steamed...very simple. And finally, the centerpiece of the whole meal...broiled tenderloin, aka., filet minion - liberally sprinkled with ground black pepper and cooked rare. Tender, flavorful, and delicious.

What makes this beef so special is that it comes to our freezer from a local family farm via a 5th generation family-run butcher. The cows are pasture-raised, grass-fed, no hormones, no antibiotics. They are Belted Galloway, as pictured above, sometimes known as "belties" or as "oreo cows."

Belted Galloways originated in Scotland a few centuries ago and were imported to the US in 1950 by a gentleman in Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania. They are hardy stock, good foragers, very self-sufficient, and can be raised outdoors in harsh climates. They are currently on the "watch list" of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, which means that there are fewer than 2500 registered Belted Galloways in this country, and fewer than 10,000 in the world.

The mission of the ALBC, by the way, while we're on the subject, is as follows:

"The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy protects genetic diversity in livestock and poultry species through the conservation and promotion of endangered breeds. These rare breeds are part of our national heritage and represent a unique piece of the earth's bio-diversity. The loss of these breeds would impoverish agriculture and diminish the human spirit. We have inherited a rich variety of livestock breeds. For the sake of future generations we must work together to safeguard these treasures."

Our treasured cow had a very good life, hanging out, ruminating in a gorgeous green pasture. He was slaughtered and butchered humanely in January. Our cow farmer insisted on waiting until the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays had passed. Things get busy at the slaughterhouse that time of year and she didn't want to risk having the cow hanging out there for more than a few hours. Both for the sake of the cow and for the sake of the beef.

We bought a side. Worked out to approximately $1.92/lb. Roasts, ribs, steaks, stew meat, burger, dog bones, lard. This is the second side we've bought this way.

Because the cow was raised on grass, the beef is super lean, but still flavorful - one half to one third of the fat found in conventionally raised beef, and comparable to skinless chicken breast or bison. It has 100 fewer calories than an equally sized portion of conventional beef. It is also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are the "good" omegas, and low in omega-6 fatty acids, which are the "bad" ones - the opposite of conventionally raised beef.

It is also high in another "good" fat called "conjgated linoleic acid" or CLA, which has been shown to reduce cancerous tumor growth in laboratory research, and it has 4 times the amount of vitamin E than the average corn-fed cow. I should also add that grassfed beef is FAR better not only for the cow and the consumer, but also for the environment. It's better for our hearts and better for our souls.