Things I Love Thursdays.

Here it comes, this week's edition of "Things I Love Thursdays!"

On the radar this week are fellow recreational butchers, courtesy of the New York Times. Great article, even though it uses every conceivable butchery anecdote, leaving me to feel a bit like a can of potted meat.

Legendary food writer Jonathan Gold shared his words of wisdom and caution for us aspiring food writers at class on Tuesday. He is quite the inspiration-- had the class hanging on his every word! Just as candidly eloquent (if that makes sense) in person as he is in his columns. Too bad his event at LAPL is full for tonight. Any suggestions on how a lady might sneak in?

My new issue of Meat Paper magazine came in the mail this week! Such a lovely magazine. Gorgeous and full of flavor. In this issue, they set out to determine whether a T-Rex tasted like chicken. The diagram is priceless. Truly the best way to stay on top the trends in the meat world.

KCET (or your local PBS, I'd imagine) has been airing loads of episodes of Julia and Jacques cooking at home. I caught an episode this week about pork and watched Jacques break down an entire rack. His methods and instruction were so simple and straightforward I could imagine someone actually doing it at home for themselves. All the while, Julia towered over him making fabulous yummy sounds and smacking her lips. Now that's classic TV.


And because we really just like cook dinner at home, drink wine, and watch bad TV, I made an somewhat elaborate birthday dinner for the man that I have to share.

We love, love lamb, and these chops were pretty killer. They come with a silly story, too. I usually buy my lamb either from my favorite local butchers, Marconda's Meats or Huntington Meats at the Farmer's Market at 3rd and Fairfax or from Whole Foods, but the giant Ralph's near my house now carries quite a selection. I didn't give it a second glance when it first appeared, as grocery story lamb makes me think of the suspicious meats I remember as a child-- an oozing slab of a mystery cut shrink-wrapped with a little packet of mint-flavored jelly.
Not wanting to be too pretentious, I thought I'd check out Ralph's supply. I then ran into roadblock number two. All of the packages of chops were labeled "Wine and Mustard Marinade." Hm. I kept walking. That didn't seem right.
One more try. Aah. They weren't actually marinated, just topped with a poorly designed, misleading recipe card. So four pretty little lamb chops came home with me and did not get marinated in mustard.
Instead, they were quickly seared in my trusty cast iron and topped with the birthday boy's favorite mint sauce, a zippy seasoned-to-taste puree of fresh mint, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.
Delicious. Sweet, spicy, savory and just special enough for a birthday.

Have a protein-packed day!

still cooking the goods...

Yes, I still have meat left from butchery class.
Here are a few fun meal shots. Yum!


Yet another tasty lamb burger!


Lamb steak with garlic and onion rub.


And with added mint sauce.

cooking the goods.

What better occasion than a 4th of July barbeque to grind and grill up a round of my butchered lamb meat?! Now those were some satisfying burgers, especially since I got to share them with those who have supported my meat adventures!

I also discovered that I'm a pretty good shot, so you never know, maybe I'll make a hunting trip sometime in the future.

(The man agreed that a BB gun is the best use for a can of Bud Light.)

butchery class.

Just a few short months ago, I proposed the idea of "Lady Butcher" to a friend. I had been post-vegetarian for about a year-- struggling to find pleasure in food again and wanting to be being a "good steward" of my money, meat resources, and even my desire to eat healthful and tasty foods. I thought I could go on a meat journey and document my findings, perhaps in the form of a reality television show. Unfortunately, it turns out that even though I live in Los Angeles, a reality television opportunity was not dropped in my lap. Hence, I started a blog. I didn't know what would come of it, but looking back, I am pretty excited for what I've learned and that I have already had the chance to go behind the scenes of a super neat, artisan, lady-owned butcher shop!

Thank you for following my story!

Here are some photographs and highlights. (I didn't take that many pictures because I was pretty focused and aware of sharp objects.)

We had the opportunity to learn about two animals, pig and lamb. First up was the pig. Suckling pig, to be exact. What is a suckling pig, you say? This refers to a very young animal that has never been fed solid food and has not developed its muscles fully, resulting in very tender meats. For us in the butcher class, this also meant that the animal was small enough to arrive at the shop relatively intact, i.e., head and trotters still attached. Basically, full-on shock value.

The class was structured in a way that all of the participants had the opportunity to make several cuts on each animal. I had been feeling a little nervous, so I was very happy that I was not making the first cut of the day.

The first cut was the head.

Next, the trotters.

Then, my turn, removing the kidneys (the only organs left in by the slaughterhouse. Sidenote: slaughterhouses remove and clean out the animals before they arrive at a butcher shop, resulting in a much less gruesome process than I imagined. Butchers actually have to purchase many of those parts back from slaughterhouses if they want to use and/or sell them!), doing some cleaning touch-ups, and making the first cut to divide the beast into sections. We used three tools, a flexible boning knife, a hand saw, and a cleaver with a mallet. There didn't seem to be specific tools for specific tasks, we were instructed to use what felt comfortable and appropriate.

After lunch, my queasiness had dissipated. I thought, gosh, the lamb wouldn't be too difficult as it looked much more like a piece of meat than a furry creature... but I had to go first this time around!

I was the only female in the class and had stayed pretty silent throughout the process, so I wasn't totally prepared for what I was asked to do, but I'm super happy I got to do it! While the lamb was hanging from the hook, I split and tore off the flanks and skirts, cleaned out the inside, and then...

Made that cut. First, I made an incision straight through, then sliced from the spine out on both sides. Next, I was told to wrap my leg and my arms around the lamb and snap the spine where I had made the cut. Wow! That was intense! Then, I supported the weight on my leg and cut behind the spine, caught it when it dropped, and hoisted it up on the table. Whew!

I felt pretty bad ass. I can't come up with a more appropriate word.

When the cuts were being portioned for us to take home, I happily said that I had a meat grinder and, why yes, I do make sausages! And I would take the fun bits for stock-making. Perhaps the other dudes in my class thought they were making out because they got to fight over the pig head, but for the man and I, the ground meat and stocks will be far more useful. I got some nice steaks too (and those were fun to cut down!) and a package labeled "pig shoulder."

Honestly, I think that was the biggest thing that I learned was that it all was very intuitive. The parts of the animal dictated how the cuts were to be made and the butchers worked instinctively. Not to get too philosophical, but this wasn't surprising. I carry no judgement for the decisions people make about their eating habits and choices, but we seem to be carnivorous beasts at heart and this opportunity reinforced that notion for me. So thank you, Avedano's (and to the ladies at Sweet Meats for telling me about them!) for a highly fulfilling experience.

cheap steaks and thoughts on butchery.

Just a quick little tip from the LA Times on cheap cuts of beef... Nothing too profound, but there are some good tips. And I must say, I had a fabulous top sirloin steak a few nights ago. (Yes, the one that made me stinky for ballet...) The advice for cooking and slicing it properly made a huge difference in the texture of the meat.

But what else is new in this lady's meat land? I've been trying to prepare myself mentally for my butchery class coming up on Sunday. The man and I are hopping in the Green Dragon on Saturday morning and heading up to SF for quick trip to return promptly after the class with our giant red camping cooler filled with fresh cuts of pork and lamb. I have to admit I'm not sure what I've gotten myself in to!

From the start of my meat journey, I have confidently stated that perhaps every one who eats meat regularly should, at some point, have the experience of seeing the animal in pre-vacuum wrapped state to understand and accept what we eat and demand humane treatment of animals and quality products. Now that I'm actually going to experience it, (or at least part of it, won't be going to a slaughterhouse this time around!) I'm a little squeamish. I keep replaying the guy on the phone telling me that it probably goes without saying, but remember to wear something that you don't mind getting.... He tapered off. Does he say "bloody"? Would that be offensive? Disrespectful? I got the picture. Still don't know what I'll be wearing though. Debating on a clean white t-shirt for an interesting splatter-paint fashion statement, but don't think I'll follow through with it. Suggestions?

daily burgers: finishing strong

I feel I must make some closing remarks on my burger adventure, so here goes!
Sometimes, the silliest things become quite consuming. Honestly, I'm not much of a meal planner. I've been trying to be a bit more organized since attempting a food budget, but I'm more of a pick up what you need every other day or so grocery shopper than a once a week shopper. I like to think of it as European-style or eco-friendly shopping since this allows me to walk my bags home, but I know it is actually just laziness!

That to say, it was a bit of a challenge to stay on top of my meat purchases (as it isn't realistic to run to the butcher every day!) and to plan well enough to keep my burgers interesting enough to satisfy both the man and I and make for fun pictures. I hope a few of my new found habits will stick. My burger cooking skills have grown, but sadly, I still can't replicate Morton's burgers. Perhaps a commercial grill is necessary to get the crisp inside while keeping the middle nice and pink? Also, I was pretty excited that I didn't come close to running out of ideas. I could probably make a year's worth of daily burgers! Very creatively stimulating and tummy-satisfying.

I asked my man to rank his top three burgers and I'll share mine as well. He did not eat all 31 with me (sometimes I had mine for lunch), but I'm always up for constructive criticism-- and a pat on the back!

Here are his choices:
3. Daily Burger Number Twenty-Four - Ostrich Burger with Crunchy Slaw
2. Daily Burger Number Fourteen - Lindner Bison Burger with Blackberry Sauce
1. Daily Burger Number Ten - Mini Lamburgers with Mint Oil


And here are mine:
3. Daily Burger Number Twenty-Two - Mini Chimichurri Lamburgers
2. Daily Burger Number Eight - Chicken Burger with Cranberry-Cilantro Relish
1. Daily Burger Number Twenty-Six - French Onion Soup Burger


And the unanimous least-favorite was Number Twenty-One.


Yes, the venison, cherry compote and all. The man has given up on venison, giving it one more shot in a little meat pie from Harrod's in London last week. I'm not ready to give up though. I still think that once cooked properly, it will be tasty. I've been advised to add some beef fat to the ground meat (counter-intuitive if you're choosing venison because it is so lean...) to give more flavor and keep it moist while cooking or to use it in chili or stew.

So, what's on the horizon? The next major meat event on my calendar is a butchering class in a few weeks. Surely, that will be a challenge and leave me with much inspiration-- and a giant cooler full of very fresh meat.

daily burger, number thirty.

Super Juicy Lamburger with lemon mint yogurt. Marinated tomato salad.

Perhaps the last burger I will be cooking for my adventure. It was mighty good though!

My kitchen, DTLA, sometime in the blur that was May 30, 2009.

daily burger, number twenty-two.

Chimicurri Lamb Burgers. Salad with caramelized pears and parsley.

Hooked on haiku:

new zealand lamb meats
fresh herbs olives feta cheese
mouth waters for more!

My kitchen, DTLA, 7:15PM, May 21, 2009.

daily burger, number ten.

Mini lamburger with garlic, onion, oregano, tomato juice and mint oil. Sauteed heirloom tomatoes and grilled eggplant and zucchini.
My kitchen, DTLA, CA., 7:11PM, May 9, 2009.

daily burger, number four.

Lamburger with garlic, parsley, red wine vinegar, tomato juice, Laughing Cow spreadable cheese, grilled onions, red leaf lettuce, and lemon zest on toasted sourdough round. Hollywood farmers' market tomatoes. (For the man-- mine was minus the cheese and bread.)

My kitchen, DTLA, CA., 2:44pm, May 3, 2009.

just a simple rack of lamb

Here's a typical weeknight meal at our house...


(source)

Ha! Just kidding. Thought I'd try to make you feel guilty for a minute.
I am still on a kick of incorporating lamb into our diet regularly. It is so flavorful and versitile, and pretty good for you too! Lots of zinc and iron, and us ladies need lots of that.

During my post-Argentina butcher stock-up, I visited Marconda Meats and picked up some freshly ground lamb. Last night, I used some of it along with rice, red wine vinegar, tomato juice, garlic, onions, and fresh herbs to stuff some super tasty baked red peppers. Such a simple and satisfying meal! The man had to go out of town at the last minute today, which is disappointing because after i made his rib adventure public, he had announced that tonight he would be cooking dinner for us. Guess I'll have to wait until next week to see what he had planned. I thought it would be fun to revisit my single days and have guacamole and a cocktail for dinner, but I can't escape the memory of yesterday's meal.
So, here's some lamb-facts to curb my cravings.

• "lamb" refers to a sheep between one month and one year old; "mutton" is older than one year
• the younger and smaller the lamb, the more tender the meat will be
• lamb, though rich-tasting, is relatively low in fat and calories and high in nutrients and antioxidants
• most supermarket lamb is usda choice, but higher quality cuts and organic meats are available
• new zealanders eat the most lamb, about 40lbs per capita (source)
• and for the exceedingly ambitious, here's a fun tutorial of how to bone cuts of lamb

This still doesn't give enlightenment to the mystery of the glowing green mint jelly packets that I associate with supermarket lamb!

ground meat experiences

i had several amazing ground meat experiences this week that i thought i should share.

in an attempt to bring an out of town guest into my meat-consumed lifestyle without too many major projects, we made a quick trip to marconda's meats in the 3rd and fairfax farmers market. the man and i bought the most amazing steak burgers a few weeks ago, so i decided to go on a search for some really great ground lamb to make a twist on soulvaki.

if we had been exceedingly ambitious, i would've loved to try this recipe, but we just cooked up some patties in the trusty cast iron with some lamb they ground fresh for us. we added some chopped onion and garlic, oregano, lemon zest, white wine, salt and pepper and made some rice and salad for an excellent simple (and cheap!) meal.

since we were at the fancy butcher shop, i had to get some more steak burgers that i cooked up last night, protein-style, for the ever-dieting man and i. gosh, such good meat. i'm usually kind of distrusting of buying preground meats... well, i guess i should clarify. i hesitate to buy preground meats and cook them nice and medium rare, so this was definately a treat because i knew i could trust the butcher-- i know where their beef comes from and know that they grind their burgers on-site. so tasty with fresh, leafy greens, onion, tomato, and avocado.

(not our burger, but an example of protein-style for the non-in 'n out initiated. ours were thousands of times tastier.)

i still want to try the alton brown meat grinding techniques... they're supposed to be the best, he says so himself! soon.

got any (meat) plans this weekend?

a birdie shared a great idea with me from good eats-- homemade gyros!

looks like another fun use for the new meat grinder. and i'm on the look-out for some sort of rotisserie contraption to fit in our oven. it doesn't need to spin or anything, our oven has a convection setting and i don't object to turning it often... any ideas? one of those stand-alone convection rotisseries looks great-- but not when you have about ten inches of counterspace!

maybe i can rig something up, i'm a resourceful lady...

this week's cut:

lamb!

(image source: http://www.osovo.com/diagram/)

and since i'm still rather ill, i'll share my recipe for simple lamb soup.
and i'll put a disclaimer here. i don't usually post recipes for a couple of reasons-- one being that i'm not great at following them and the other that i've had to modify my eats so much because of my dietary restrictions i'm afraid my recipes will be incredibly dull and limited to others. so if you are inclined to try a recipe, please just look at it as a springboard and cater it to your own culinary needs!



1lb lamb shoulder
1/4 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, washed and halfed, peel on
1 onion, quartered
3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 cup white wine
1 cup brown rice
6 cups water
handful of good, fresh tomatoes, cut into big chunks or wedges
several sprigs of fresh oregano
salt and pepper to taste



make the stock-
dredge lamb in rice flour and lightly brown in olive oil. then, add white wine, lemon, onion, and garlic and simmer for a few minutes. add 6 cups of water and simmer for at least 3 hours (but it will be better the longer you wait!). add more water if needed.



then the soup-
strain your stock, discarding the onion, garlic, and lemon. keep the lamb pieces and shread them into the stock. add brown rice and oregano and cook until rice is done (about 40 minutes). toss in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.



super simple but flavorful. and gluten-and dairy-free, for anyone who cares.

always keep one in your purse!

just a preview of the goodness that the man got me for valentine's day...

this perfect pocket-sized guide is an excellent reference for all things meat. the chapters include beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry and other game birds, game and other domesticated meats, and sausage and cured meats. each cut is detailed with a general description, recommended amount to buy, how to store, preperation instruction, and flavor pairing ideas. fantastic resource!!
i think it will be a great help in my next project... (a girl's gotta have some secrets!)

what i want to eat on valentine's day

leave it to jamie oliver to make the yummiest lady butcher-friendly dishes!

check out the recipe. and i hear lamb might be on sale at whole foods? and with a $25 purchase, you get a free pound of ground beef? that's what the birdies say...

book of the week:

(image source: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/)
Okay, stick with me here.
This is actually a really great book. I would go so far to say it may be useful for all genders! Don't be fooled buy the cutesy design elements (I actually think they're pretty great, but I'm a sucker with anything with stitching), there is quite a bit of substance inside. Essentially divided up into three categories, beef, pork, and lamb (no poultry or fish!), each section explains the different cuts of meats with instruction on purchasing, cooking, and serving, with a separate chapter on marinades.
Just a happy surprise to add to your meat library.