Crockpot (Was: Crackpot!)

[Steve]

---  "Zara" <zgirnius at ...> wrote:
>
> > bboyminn:
> > Omaha Steaks, Creekstone Farms, La Cense Beef (Montana)
> > are all good suppliers, but again they are NOT cheap.
> > A quick search of the Internet for 'Natual Beef' will
> > yield many sources.
> 
> zgirnius:
> Depending on where you live, looking local can also work. I
> live in Missouri, in a college town surrounded by farmland. 
> You can get meat at our farmer's market (and pick up the 
> farmer's card, for winter when the  market doesn't work).
> 
> I imagine some of the cost of the national suppliers comes 
> from the logistics of getting a highly perishable product 
> from them to us.
>

bboyminn:

I too live in farm country, sunny southern Minnesota. We 
also have local small town meat markets that will sell
locally raised meat. Which is why I was suggesting 'normal'
meat, as opposed to Natural or Organic. Normal beef is
raised on a more traditional blend of grazing and feed,
and are usually superior to 'factory' farm beef. 

But for those who really want superior quality beef and 
other meats, it is not necessary to go all the way to 
very expensive 'organic' meat. Natural meat is about as
good as you can get at a high but fair price. It is also
healthier for you since the meat is both lean and tender.
Plus it is higher in Omega-3 and Beta carotene. As a side 
note, most natural beef tends to be black angus, as 
apparently that is the preferred high end beef.
 
Natural beef if not just killed, cut, and shipped; it is
also dry aged and that takes time.

One company I have been in contact with with respect to
my export business is La Cense Beef (LaCenseBeef.com) in
Dillon Montana. They seem to have made a serious commitment
to raise natural stress-free 'clean' high end beef.

A typcial package of steaks might contain -

2 x 9.5 oz. Ribeye Steaks
2 x 7.5 oz. New York Strip Steaks
2 x 7 oz. Top Sirloin Steaks
2 x 6.5 oz. Flat Iron Steaks 

Which would cost - $100.49, which in turn is in the vicinity
of $25/pound; not cheap. 

Also, note that Natural beef is all vegetarian. These 
animals are NOT feed any meat scaps as are confinement raised
cattle. Their diets are 100% vegetarian.

For what it's worth.

Steve/bboyminn