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9 April 2008 — Where's The Beef Quality Of Yesteryear? In Montana
By MICHELLE and GREG BAKER for Tampa Tribune
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Do you remember the days of butcher shops?

They weren't located in major grocery stores. They were manned by folks who knew what every part of a cow was and how to cook it right. They would divulge their family recipes and tell you exactly what cut you needed to make your Sunday roast. Most wouldn't sell you the wrong cut, even if you demanded it, out of sheer principle.

Most importantly, the meat tasted like meat. That deep beefy flavor of a well-aged New York strip steak and the buttery tenderness of a well-marbled rib-eye were expected flavors. Anything else would be uncivilized.

Oh, the glorious days of the local butcher shop.

We're sure some are still out there, hidden in Florida's small towns, guarded by the townspeople for fear the city dwellers will take over.

Are you there, Mr. Butcher? Can you hear our cries for mercy!

Silence.

Instead, we are forced to buy our beef at major grocery chains from people who are more concerned about what time their break is than helping you decide if a rump or a London broil is the right choice for chili con carne. (Neither is, by the way.)

As for where the beef came from? Forget about it. Not even the regional butcher manager can tell you that. Why? Because he doesn't know. Some buyer, somewhere, haggled a deal with a broker in another state who represents a collection of beef producers.

A bigger question: Why do you even care where the beef came from?

FLAVOR. Let's say it again. FLAVOR. One more time. FLAVOR.

Feed and region are big factors in the flavor of beef, in the same way that terroir is important in the flavor and quality of great wines. If cattle have had a corn-fed, strenuous life, the beef will be tough and very dull in flavor. If the cattle have been grass-fed and allowed free range, the beef will taste meatier, deeper in flavor and tender. It also would be more healthful.

Because cows aren't supposed to eat corn, the introduction of antibiotics had to come into play, thus diminishing many natural vitamins and minerals, such as omega-3 fatty acids.

What the antibiotics also did was "beef" up the amount of omega-6 fatty acids. The bad fatty acid. The fatty acid linked to cancer, heart disease and depression.

Great. All of those truck stops serving steak and eggs are only breeding cancer-ridden, heart-diseased, depressed truck drivers. Like we need that on the roads.

So what do we do, folks? Just stop eating beef?

We, for one - well, two - are not willing to sacrifice our carnivorous rights. After the whole cow/forklift episode, we set out to find a supplier who uses old-school ranching methods, believes beef should taste like beef and doesn't require you to buy an entire cow.

A sliced New York Strip Steak from La Cense BeefEnter La Cense Beef.

These guys have been ranching the same way since 1869. Their stock is 100 percent grass-fed; they ship directly to you from the ranch (meat in a box) and just plain kick butt. The New York strip tastes bold and rich. The rib-eyes are fork tender and marbled perfectly. Even the burgers melt in your mouth.

You're not exactly sure how to cook your prime rib? No biggie; workers send recipes with your beef and are happy to answer your culinary calls. They're the modern local butchers, if you consider Montana local.

With such a great starting point, it would be a shame to mask the pure flavors of the beef with rubs or sauces. We took the simple approach, which can be done with lesser-quality beef, of course, and will still be ... The Greatest Steak Ever.

THE GREATEST STEAK EVER

2 New York strip steaks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons butter (unsalted, of course)
2 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme

Take the New York strips out of the refrigerator, and let them warm on the counter for about 15 minutes prior to cooking (this will lessen the "shock" of cold meat being thrown into a hot pan).

Season the strip steaks well with salt and pepper.

In a large, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, add the canola oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.

Place the pan over medium-high heat on the stove top.

When the butter becomes foamy and starts to brown, place the steaks in the pan and cook for 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes, the bottom side of the steak should be nicely browned and crisp. Turn the steaks over and cook for another 2 minutes, basting the tops of the steak with butter from the pan.

Discard the excess grease in the pan.

At this point, the steaks will be rare. If you desire a different temperature, place the skillet into a heated 400-degree oven, for about 2 minutes per degree (medium rare - 2 minutes, medium - 4 minutes, etc.)

Remove the steaks from the skillet, and let them rest.

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan along with the shallots and thyme, and place over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until the shallots have softened.

Season the shallots with salt and pepper, and top the steaks.

Because we care about you, Tampa, we struck a deal with La Cense. (Don't worry, we'll only be working it off for the rest of our natural-born lives.)

La Cense is offering $25 off any order from the Tampa area that is over $55.

For information, go to www.LaCenseBeef.com/TAMPA3.

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