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Johnson Family Pastures

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Bavette - Our favorite cut of Grassfed Beef

7/14/2022

 
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A versatile steak similar to flank & skirt, but more delicious!

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These boneless steaks are cut from the plate, or lower chest and abdomen, near the flank and the skirt. The name comes from the French word for bib. 

As presented in the video below, Bavette are easy to prepare. They need only a hot pan, oil, salt, pepper, and proper slicing to be excellent.
This long, thin cut of meat is popular for grilling but also tastes great broiled or grilled. It is a well used muscle and can be toothy. We love to use marinades to tenderize, and cut against the grain.

It is excellent a top a salad, in Asian dishes, fajitas, or as a stand alone steak. The entertaining video below shows Kristen Kish grilling Bavette as a main with a mouth-watering green olive sauce.

Bare in mind that Kristen is grilling a whole Waygu Bavette and they have A LOT more fat than our Grassfed Angus Bavette. Also our Bavette steaks are portioned into two pound steaks. So imagine what she is grilling cut in half.
Like the Tri-tip and Flank, we only get a few Bavette off a Grassfed Beef. Therefor they tend to sell out fast. If you see them in stock, we highly recommend you give Bavette a try.

Bavette Steak w/ Chimichurri Sauce
​ By Aubrey, Jan 26, 2021

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Conservation Grant & A Mediterranean Lamb Bowl Recipe

7/7/2022

 
All the water that will ever be is, right now.
​- National Geographic, October 1993
Praise be, we have a well! And not just a dribble of a well, but a deep, high-capacity well that will be connected to water lines in all of our pastures. This is a huge, labor-saving development for our farm.

It's thanks to a conservation grant we received from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, plus the good faith and support of the landowners. The grant is also funding better fences and waterers.

The grantees know that supporting regenerative graziers like us, results in soil conservation, carbon sequestration, and protects surface and ground water.

"What do you do with ground lamb?", has been the frequent question at the farmers market. Burgers, Meatballs, Bolognese, Curry, Kebabs, and this month's featured recipe - Mediterranean Lamb Burgers. Here's your market shopping list - 
  • Herbs & Veg from your favorite produce farmers
  • Hummus from Adelle Foods
  • Cheese from LoveTree Farmstead
  • & Ground Lamb from yours truly
It's no surprise that we have had to raise our prices as our costs rise with inflation. However we can offer you discounts when you purchase in bulk. It saves both of us time and gas money when you purchase more at one time from our farm. Check out our Meat Bundles & Shares.

Water is life,
Tamara Johnson

Mediterranean Lamb Bowls
Author: Meghan McMorrow | Fox and Briar

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Little Lambs, Father's Day Bundle, & a Farmers Market Omelet Recipe

5/31/2022

 
While the days farming are long, the animals make them sweet.

Lambing season caught us off guard starting a week earlier than planned. The lambs have been really healthy this year, with only two needing to be bottle fed. We are up to about 73 lambs born on pasture in the last couple weeks.

Any guesses to this year's final total? 

Father's Day is just around the corner and we've put together a Father's Day Gift Bundle for Dad. You can choose to get the Father's Day Gift Bundle in a gift box for $54, or in one of our quality logo cooler bags for $66.

I'm renaming this month's recipe the Market Omelet, because it highlights some of my favorite ingredients at the farmers markets. Here's my shopping list for the dish - LoveTree Farmstead's Ricotta Cheese, mushroom's from R&R Cultivation, Burning River Farm's greens, Bacon ends from yours truly, plus eggs and chives.

Bon appetite!
- Tamara Johnson

P.S. Less than 3 weeks to get your Father's Day gift ordered.
ORDER GRASSFED
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FARMERS MARKET OMELET
Omelet With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Ricotta 
bon apetite January 10, 2017

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Order Meat for your Grillout

5/23/2022

 
We have plenty of grill-ready meats in stock for your Memorial Weekend Cookout -
  • Brats & Hotdogs
  • Spare Ribs & Brisket
  • Burger
  • Steak & Chops
Plus we have a new website for placing orders that I am really excited to share with you. It includes images of our products an approximate order total, so you have a better idea of what you are ordering.

CHECK IT OUT!

While our freezers will be stocked at the Northeast Minneapolis & Kingfield Farmers Markets this weekend, if you have a special cut in mind we recommend you place a Pre-order. 

Wishing you are nice Memorial Day,
Tamara

PS - Place your orders by noon Thursday for pick-up this weekend! Orders placed after noon on Thursday will be for the following week.

Summer Markets, Grill Season Bundle, & Salt-and-Pepper Rib Steak Recipe

5/4/2022

 
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May is month full of excitement - The mama sheep look double-wide and are close to lambing. The cattle are jumping fences because you know, the grass is always greener. Spring flowers are buzzing with bees and the pigs are laying in the mud. 

Our family will be soaking in all these wonders this weekend, because May 14 is the kick-off of Summer Farmers Market Season. Tamara will be returning to -
  • Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market
  • Kingfield Farmers Market
Note that we will be taking the fourth weekends off June-September

We'll continue to take pre-orders for markets and for our Western WI followers Friday On-Farm pickups.

At this point we don't anticipate resuming our Stillwater deliveries. If you are a customer for this delivery site who'd like to see it continue please reach out to us. We are open to exploring other delivery locations and modes of advertisement in this area.
 
In hopes that spring will cooperate, we've put together a Grill Season Bundle. Save 10 % on some BBQ essentials. Plus check out the recipe below for Salt-and-Pepper Ribeye, because that and a hot grill is all you need for a good steak.

Happy grilling,
Tamara

P.S. Don't forget to place an order for the best Grassfed Meat!!!
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Salt-and-Pepper Rib Eye
BY THE BON APPÉTIT TEST KITCHEN
June 15, 2011

Cider Baked Ham Recipe

4/14/2022

 
I have an abundance of frozen Apple Cider each year thanks to my family at Baker Orchard. I love that I am able to combine their cider with our farm-raised ham to produce a local food center-piece roast each Easter. This recipe has been adapted from Cooks Country.

Ingredients1 cinnamon stick, broken into rough pieces
1/4 t. whole cloves
13 C. apple cider
8 C. ice cubes
1 cured bone-in half ham
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 C. packed dark brown sugar
1 t. pepper

Recipe
Cut the skin from the ham and trim the fat to a thickness of about one quarter of an inch. Score the fat in a crosshatch pattern, making sure not to cut into the meat.

In a large saucepan over medium heat toast the cinnamon and cloves for about 3 minutes. Add 4 cups of cider and bring to a boil. Pour the cider into a container large enough to hold the ham, the cider and an additional 4 cups of cider. Add the ice and the 4 additional cups of cider and stir until chilled. Place the ham in the container, making sure that the liquid nearly covers the ham. Refrigerate for 4-12 hours.

One and a half hours before baking remove the ham from the soaking mixture (discard the mixture) and place the ham in a roasting pan. Pour one cup fresh cider over the ham and cover with foil. Let the ham sit at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bake ham until it reaches 100 degrees – about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan mix the remaining four cups of cider and the mustard. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until it has reduced to 1/3 cup (1-2 hours), stirring often.

Mix the brown sugar and pepper. Take the ham out of the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove the foil from the ham. Brush with the cider/mustard mixture and press the sugar/pepper mixture onto the ham. Bake for about 20 minutes – until the ham is dark brown and glazed. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.
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Patience of a Sugar Maker

3/29/2022

 
I'll never let a drop of maple syrup go to waste again! We tapped sugar maple trees recently on a whim.

Over the week we collected 25 gallons of sap in buckets, spent 20 hours boiling, and did lots of filtering to produce a little over a gallon of syrup for our household. If the spring-like weather returns, we'll do this a couple more times.  I have a new appreciation for patience of a sugar maker. 

Bacon Pancakes are definitely on menu this week!

I put together a special April Meat Bundle - Bacon, Breakfast Sausage, Chops, Steaks, Sirloin Tip Roast, and a Soup Bone. Plus a Spring Soap Sale - 4 bars for $20. Just in time for our final Winter Farmers Markets.

For our Western Wisconsin followers - Friday Farm pickups are every week.

Wishing you the Patience of a Sugar Maker!

- Farmer Tamara

P.S. Don't forget to reserve your Easter Ham!
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Roasts Sale, March Markets, & Tamara's Pot Roast Recipe

2/28/2022

 
I snuck away from the farm again, but this time it was business related. I had the honor of presenting at the MOSES Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse last weekend. It was two days ripe full of wisdom, inspiration and connection.

That said, I'm happy to be home. I plan to warm the kitchen this month with delicious roasts. You should too, as we are having a Sale on Roasts.

Normally I lean on the experts and provide a link to someone else's recipe in the newsletter. But this month you are getting one from my own kitchen. I threw together a pot roast for dinner and Farmer Chris said it was the best I ever made.

So despite not measuring a thing, I did my best to create a recipe for you below. Pot Roast, I know what your thinking - simple - but I get asked each winter market for a recipe. So here it is! 

Thank your for taking the time to read our farm news. We hope March provides you some celebration and the joyful anticipation of spring.
 
-Tamara & Chris Johnson

P.S. Plan ahead for your St. Patrick's Day Brisket & Easter Ham - Order them today.
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​FARMER TAMARA'S POT ROAST
INGREDIENTS -
  • 2-3 lb Arm Roast, trimmed
  • Kosher Salt & Pepper
  • Central Street Old World Seasoning (I was gifted this for Christmas and it's good!)
  • Flour
  • Butter or Lard
  • Bay Leaf
  • Thyme
  • Onions - all the veggies are roughly chopped
  • Garlic Cloves
  • Broth
  • Carrot
  • Celery
  • Sauerkraut, 1 cup - use red wine if you don't like kraut
DIRECTIONS -
  1. Pre-heat oven to 325 F
  2. Pat roast dry. Rub with flour, salt, pepper and Central Street Old World Seasoning
  3. Brown roast in a Dutch Oven using butter or lard. I actually used booth
  4. Remove roast and sauté onions, garlic, thyme and bay leaf
  5. Add roast and broth to pot. Enough broth the cover 2/3 of roast. Place in pre-heated oven with lid on crock. Braise for 1.5 hours.
  6. Remove pot from oven. Flip roast. Add roughly chopped veggies and kraut. Add more broth, if needed. Braise for another hour, or until meat is fork tender.
  7. Eat and enjoy!

Fair Food Fund Update & Puerto Rican Pork Recipe

2/22/2022

 
I'm fresh off a week in Viejo San Juan where pork dishes are among the must-eat foods. I honestly didn't have very high expectations for what I'd eat in Puerto Rico, and was pleasantly surprised.

One my favorite dinners was at a restaurant whose menu changed by the hour and steady stream of runners where seen bringing plastic bags full of fish, meat, and veggies to kitchen. Talk about fresh!

So if you are looking for a culinary escape for the cold north, check out this Pernil Asado recipe.

Before departing, I delivered a donation of meat on behalf of our Fair Food Fund to Cafe Wren. These ingredients were used in ready-to-heat meals for families in need through a partnership with Cooked2Serve. Check out our recent Facebook post for more info.
 
LAST WEEK FOR 10% OFF GRASSFED BEEF STEAKS. Shop the sale at the Neighborhood Roots Winter Farmers Market this Saturday or by placing an order.

Click here for Pernil Asado recipe

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Steak Sale ❤, Early Deadline for Market Orders, & the Perfect Broiled Steak

1/26/2022

 
February is a month of love and I swoon over a nice sear! Therefore we are having a deliciously good SALE ON STEAKS. Our nicer steaks - Ribeye, Strip, Tenderloin, T-Bone, and Porterhouse and our Prime Ribs - are all 10% OFF. 

These cuts are not just for the grill. Enjoy them in winter by making a Perfect Broiled Steak.

Tamara's flying the coop and taking a vacation, which means we need your orders early for the Feb. 5 Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market. Please get them in by Sunday, January 30th. Farmer Chris will be in the market stand with our helper Em.
 
Wishing you a month of showing love for self, steaks, and one another.

BROIL A PERFECT STEAK

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Our Customers  Say

 I'm so grateful to have access this high quality, sustainable, and ethical meat! Fantastic steaks, bacon, and sausage. Delicious ground beef. I swear it tastes better than even the fanciest stuff from the local co ops. The nutritional value and quality is there and I'm happy to support a local family-owned operation.

Contact Us

872 320th Ave
Frederic, WI 54837

Farm & Livestock - Chris
(920) 960-4475

meat sales - Tamara
​(262) 354-5737

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