 No doubts, Charlie is the pro when it comes to cooking steaks at our house! I'm better than I once was, thanks to his guidance, but I leave the grill to him! It might be 40 outside today, but the forecast is looking mighty chilly for New Year's Eve! Fear not - you can still master steak on your cooktop! Here are Charlie's secrets - follow them & you can make the perfect steak every time :
Steak Doneness Temps: Rare 125 Medium Rare 135 Medium 145 Medium Well 150 Well 160 Please don't ever cook a steak to well done....your mouth will thank you! 
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1 1/4 C honey
1/4 C soy sauce 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp ground black pepper 6 14oz pork chops kosher salt Bring honey, soy sauce and garlic to a boil in small saucepan, reduce heat to simmer for 5 min, until garlic is cooked. Remove from heat & whisk in black pepper. Set aside. Lightly salt chops. Heat grill to 450. Sear pork chops on all sides, turning frequently to develop a crust on all surfaces, about 7 minutes total. Lower the heat and cook through, continuing to turn, 15-20 minutes more. Cook until internal temp is 140. Brush the chops with honey garlic glaze, and serve with additional glaze. Recipe adapted from foodandwine.com. Tis the season for Pork Carnitas – the Mexican version of pulled pork! Our pork shoulder roasts are perfect for this tasty dish and if you've never tried them you're missing out! Our roasts have a thick fat cap which will render out as you’re cooking it low & slow, keeping the meat moist & juicy. Traditional carnitas are deep fried in lard, but if you use a cooking vessel close to the size of your roast, you can accomplish the same outcome without adding any lard. I love this explanation behind the science of this cooking technique! (PS We also offer rendered lard if you'd like to try the authentic technique!)
The key to carnitas is crisping up the pork after shredding it – you can do this in a frying pan or under the broiler. Serve carnitas as tacos, enchiladas, burritos, over rice or on a salad. They store well refrigerated or frozen (before crisping) and used as needed! Rather than reinvent the wheel, here are links to recipes I can recommend: this one uses an oven, and this one offers options for slow cooker or insta pot! Enjoy! Is sourcing your meat from a local farm that ethically raises animals important to you? Are you overwhelmed by the options and not sure what will work best for you? Let me help you sort this out!
First, answer these questions: 1. How much meat does my household prepare on a daily/weekly/monthly basis? Every household has unique habits and needs! Determining both how many meals per week typically include meat, and how much meat at each meal, will give you a rough idea how long a bulk purchase might last you. Are you cooking for 1 or 2, or 6 or 8? And are those teenagers (aka bottomless pits) or seniors with smaller appetites? Does one pound of ground beef make one meal plus leftovers for a second, or will you need two pounds to get everyone fed tonight? 2. How much freezer space can I dedicate to meat storage? The freezer of a typical fridge/freezer can easily hold any of our CSA shares, or one of our 20lb bundles, in addition to a “normal” variety of other frozen items. If you’d like to try ordering a ¼, ½ or whole animal, more freezer space is necessary. Chest/upright freezers can be a great investment, especially if you also want to store fresh fruits or produce harvested in season. You can often find them used on Craigslist or Marketplace, though I’m wary of any that are more than 10 years old (likely limited lifespan and less energy efficient). Try to choose a size freezer that you will fill at least once a year – freezers are most efficient when they are full! Another option is to rent freezer space as needed. The Ithaca Meat Locker (http://ccetompkins.org/agriculture/buy-local/local-meats/the-meat-locker) offers lockable bins for $3-5/month. Our local grocery store also offers the same service – check into what might be available in your community! 3. How fussy is my household about the cuts of meat we cook with? Do you only like to cook with your tried & true favorite cuts, or are you open to trying new things? Both our CSA shares and 20 lb bundles include an element of surprise – you do not have complete control over the items you receive. Both DO include staples including ground beef, bacon, and sausage, but the balance of the order will vary. They’re a great opportunity to experiment, perhaps learn a new technique for a new recipe, and push outside your comfort zone on occasion! You can also plan your meals around the meat cuts you receive, rather than having to plan everything from a blank slate. In contrast, each ¼, ½ or whole animal purchase is cut specifically for your order, so you can choose exactly the items you receive. However, you receive the cuts in proportion to how many are in one animal. There’s only so much bacon & so many steaks in each animal. Your order will also include parts like the shoulder and rump. There’s flexibility in how these parts are processed – they can be cut as roasts, less common steaks, or ground for more sausage/ground beef. You need to be willing to cook with all of the cuts (in some form) or you’ll soon find you’ve used all of the bacon and still have 7/8 of a pig in your freezer! 4. Can my budget handle larger, infrequent outlays for stock-ups, or do I need to purchase on a weekly/monthly basis? Ordering a ¼, ½ or whole animal is a one-time purchase that will range from $325 to $2400, but because you’re buying a large volume it’s the most cost effective way to purchase our meats. We offer these options every 2-3 months, so you can plan your purchase in advance, perhaps to coincide with a time that you have more cash available (like your tax return!) . We also gladly accept EBT or credit cards. Teaming up with a friend, neighbor, or family member is another great option for capturing bulk pricing while making the cash outlay and freezer space requirement smaller. Our CSA shares are a 6 month commitment, which can be paid up front or in monthly installments, making it easier to budget evenly. Our freezer bundles are a one-time purchase with no ongoing commitment, and can be ordered anytime! Just how much is a ½ pig or ¼ beef? A ½ pig is roughly 60 lb of meat for your freezer, and might look like 6 lb bacon, 15 lb ham/ham steaks, 10 lb shoulder roasts/steaks, 15 lb chops/loin roasts, 8 lb sausage, 3 lb ribs, 1 lb hocks, 2 lb heart/liver (or more cuts can be ground for more sausage). You’ll need 3-4 cubic feet of freezer space for a 1/2 pig. Double these numbers for a whole pig. Our beef vary more in size from animal to animal but 150lb is a typical hanging weight for a ¼ for our farm. This might be 35 lb ground beef and/or patties, 10 lb chuck roasts/steaks, 5 lb stew beef, 5 lb soup bones, 4 lb brisket, 10 lb premium steaks, 5 lb sirloin, 10 lb round/rump roasts/steaks, 4 lb short ribs, 4 lb organs. (This is just an example – you choose how it’s cut!) You’ll need about 5 cubic feet of freezer space for a ¼. Double for a ½, double again for a whole beef! To summarize: if you have freezer space and the ability to make larger, less frequent purchases, stocking up with a ¼, ½ or whole animal is the most cost effective way to purchase local meat. You can place a reservation for pork or beef today! If your freezer space is limiting, our monthly CSA shares divy that purchase up into smaller deliveries. Or, if you’d prefer to not make a monthly commitment, you can order a 20lb bundle whenever it’s convenient, or you can pick and choose by the cut from our current inventory! Hopefully these questions have helped you think about your households’ eating & buying habits and will help you to make the meat purchases that suit you best! I have a confession – we could care less about football in this house. It would have been cool to see Buffalo make it all the way, just because they’re in our backyard and have been SO FAR from it for so long, but otherwise….The first Sunday of February is just another day.
But football game or not, classic comfort food to warm up from winter weather IS key to survival in this house. Mac n cheese, meatloaf, and chili all make appearances. We make them in large quantities and then feast on the leftovers or toss some in the freezer for quick meals on busy nights. This favorite recipe for Beef Roll Mozzarella adds an Italian twist on a classic meatloaf. Let us know what you think! (You can stock up on our ground beef at a great price here!) Beef Roll Mozzarella 1 ½ lb ground beef 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper 1 tsp onion powder 1 egg, beaten ½ C dry bread crumbs 4 oz chopped mushrooms Liquid from canned mushrooms or ½ C water ½ green pepper, chopped 1 ½ C shredded mozzarella 1 (15oz) can tomato sauce Combine beef with next 5 ingredients. Add enough water to mushroom liquid to make ½ C. Add to meat mixture with mushrooms and peppers, mix well. Line 9x13 pan with wax paper. Press meat mixture out flat on top of paper in pan. Sprinkle cheese on meat, leaving one border free of cheese. Roll meat with cheese as you would for a jelly roll, removing paper as you roll. Place seam side down in same pan. Spread ½ of tomato sauce over the roll. Cover with foil & bake at 375 for 35 min. Remove foil, spread on remaining sauce, bake 15 minutes more.  Creamy Potato and Ham Hock Soup What the Heck is a Hock?
If you’ve ever studied our product list and wondered “what exactly is a hock?”, this post is for you! One of the benefits of sourcing food directly from the farmer is that we offer access to nearly every part of the animal, including things you might not find in most stores. Hocks are the joint on the rear leg of the pig. Sometimes called ham hocks or pork knuckles, they’re adjacent to the shank and then the ham (the rear end of the pig). Hocks have a good amount of meat attached to bone, so perfect for slow cooking to release the collagen. Because the hock is a joint, there’s a lot of connective tissue, which needs to be cooked low & slow to tenderize. The moist, tender meat is covered in a tasty layer of fat & skin. We generally offer them smoked, which brings a delicious flavor to your table. Hocks star in traditional dishes of many different cultures, but here are two basic recipes to get you started. What's your favorite way to prepare hocks? Hocks & Beans 1 lb dry beans of your choice (pinto, navy, etc). 1 large smoked ham hock (or 2 small) 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 diced red chili peppers (optional) 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper
10 C chopped potatoes 2 lb smoked ham hocks 2 C chopped yellow onion 1 C chopped celery 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 ½ tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 5 C water or broth 1 C heavy cream
Four of Our Family's Favorite DipsHealthy eating around the holidays is always a challenge. Whether we are “eating to live” (consuming nutrient dense foods only necessary to maintain our bodies) or “living to eat” (making food a more central focus of our daily lives) has been in my thoughts this week. My opinion: Everything is okay in moderation. Indulgence is okay, in moderation. Is filling up on empty calories of junk food worth the health consequences? No! But there are too many foods that are absolutely delicious, that are treasured family traditions, that sharing them with loved ones makes memories and life worthwhile. Whatever those foods are for your family, embrace them and indulge!
Here are 4 of our family’s fast & favorite dip recipes – the perfect accompaniment to family game night or watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve! Tomato Dip 8oz Morning Glory Original 1 quart canned tomatoes ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste) Allow cheese to come to room temperature. Heat tomatoes to a simmer in saucepan or microwave. Drain most of juice from tomatoes. Place tomatoes, cheese & pepper in blender and pulse until smooth, scraping sides with a spatula as needed. Refrigerate until serving. Best with fresh veggies or potato chips. Bacon & Swiss Dip 8oz Morning Glory Original ½ C mayonnaise 4oz Butternut Baby Swiss, grated/cubed 2 tbsp chopped onion 8 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled Reserve a handful of bacon crumbles, then mix all other ingredients. Place in a small greased loaf pan. Top with remaining bacon. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until browned on top. Serve hot/warm. Best with bagel chips or crackers. Cheesy Crab (or Chicken) Dip ¼ C butter, softened 4 oz Morning Glory Original, softened 1 C shredded Goblin cheese (or NY cheddar) 1 C sour cream ½ Tbsp minced dry onion 8 oz crab meat or cooked chicken, shredded Mix all ingredients in bowl, spread in casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers, bread bowl, etc. Yield: 4 C Glorious Fruit Dip 8oz Morning Glory Original ¾ C packed brown sugar 1 C sour cream 1 tsp vanilla 2 tsp lemon juice 1 C cold milk 1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding Beat together cheese & sugar til creamy. Add rest of ingredients & mix until smooth. Cover & chill. Serve with fresh fruit! This week was Charlie’s birthday. Birthdays, when you farm, are like most every other anniversary, holiday or special occasion – not much different than any other day. He spent an enjoyable day (his words!) making a big dent in our manure spreading project.
Lyle & my mission was to make Dad his favorite treat – rhubarb pie. We also needed to load a semi-trailer with hay that we’d sold. The truck appeared just as the pie was ready to go into the oven – perfect timing. You can load a tractor trailer with 44 round bales in less than 50 minutes, right? Turns out you can, but when the phone alarm went off I didn’t rush inside. Our oven always seems to cook a bit slower than the recipe requires, so I figured a few extra minutes would be a safe bet. Got the load strapped & headed out the driveway, then went in with Lyle to check the pie. Of course the oven picked today to work super efficiently & the pie was definitely overdone. Not totally ruined, but the crust edges were on the verge of black. Charlie was a good sport & pronounced it “not that bad”. Lesson learned…pay attention to the alarm! Pie crust is a big deal in both Charlie & my families…today I’m sharing my mom’s recipe. You can fill it with rhubarb if you have it in the freezer – or since we’re at the peak of apple season, go for Maple Apple! If you ever want feedback on your pie, our household will gladly sample! Happy baking! Sarah, Charlie, Lyle & Hannah DONNA'S PIE CRUST 5 C flour 2 1/2 C shortening 1 Tbsp salt 3 Tbsp brown sugar 1 egg, beaten plus enough ice water to total 3/4 C Mix dry ingredients. Cut in shortening with pastry blender. Moisten with egg & water. Mixture will be sticky so use lots of flour to roll out dough. Makes approximately six 9" pieces. Roll out on plastic sheet or between 2 pieces of waxed paper. MAPLE APPLE PIE ~5 C apple slices 1/2 C sugar 2 Tbsp flour 1/2 tsp cinnamon Dash salt Dash nutmeg 3/4 C Morning Glory Maple cheese Pastry for double 9" pie crust Bring cheese to room temperature. Line 9" pie pan with bottom crust. Combine dry ingredients & sprinkle 2 Tbsp over bottom of crust. Add rest of mixture to apples & cheese, stir. Turn into crust & cover with lattice top (cut top pastry into 1" strips and weave into lattice). Bake at 425 for 15 min, then reduce temp to 325 and bake 45 min longer or until nicely browned. Ground beef is a staple in our freezer, pulled out for quick & tasty family meals all year long. Here are 3 of our favorite recipes - give them a try when you're looking to change it up from the usual burgers or meatloaf! Our 100% grass-fed ground beef is lean but flavorful, making it an economical protein source boasting heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and CLA. We have plenty available - let us know if you'd like to place an order for your family's freezer! SWEDISH MEATBALLS Servings: 4-6
3 lb ground beef 1 onion, diced 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 C seasoned dry bread crumbs ½ c fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley (or 1 Tbsp dried parsley) 2 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper GRAVY: 4 Tbsp flour 2 ½ C beef consommé or broth 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 C milk 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 12 oz medium egg noodles, cooked ¼ C butter 3Tbsp fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley (or1/2 Tbsp dried parsley)
BEEF & POTATO MOUSSAKA Servings: 6-8 1 lb ground beef 1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced ¾ C water 1 can (6oz) tomato paste 1 tsp salt ½ tsp dried mint (optional) ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp pepper Parmesan sauce: ¼ C butter ¼ C flour 2 C milk 4 eggs, beaten ½ C Parmesan cheese, grated ½ tsp salt 5 medium potatoes, peeled & sliced
GROUND BEEF & CAULIFLOWER HASH Servings: 4 2 ½ + C frozen cauliflower (defrosted & drained) OR fresh cauliflower OR summer squash, chopped ½ C bell pepper, chopped ¼ C onion, chopped 1 lb ground beef or sausage 2 C shredded cheese (Goblin, sharp cheddar, mozzarella – or a mixture) ¾ tsp garlic powder ¾ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper
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AuthorI'm half of the Crosswinds farmer duo bringing you farm fresh cheeses, beef, and pork from the heart of the Finger Lakes! Stay tuned for our daily adventures growing a family & a farm, and food for your table. We welcome your questions & comments, but please keep them respectful! For the latest updates, please follow Crosswinds Farm & Creamery on Facebook or Instagram! Archives
February 2023
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