Our cattle are all processed by our friends at Eagle Bridge Custom Meat near our farm, at their state-of-the art USDA facility.
As they say...
“When you choose Eagle Bridge Custom Meat and Smokehouse to do your work, you have chosen quality and you will receive outstanding customer service. We have built our reputation on quality processing and outstanding customer service. We guarantee the highest quality processing. And we do it the way YOU want it done.
We have a dedicated team of experienced butchers and meat processors who take pride in their work. High quality products, efficient, professional service at a fair price is what we offer. Our attention to detail will provide you with a top shelf presentation guaranteed to increase sales. You work hard to raise your animals and we work hard to ensure top quality finished products.”
beef cuts
SHORT LOIN
This area boasts extremely tender cuts and can be prepared without the aid of moist heat or long cooking times. Cuts from the short loin may be sautéed, pan fried, broiled, pan broiled or grilled.
New York Strip — a particularly tender steak with a fat content somewhere between the tenderloin and ribeye steak.
T-Bone and Porterhouse Steak — both consist of a T-shaped bone with meat on either side. The larger side is the New York Strip, whereas the smaller side contains the tenderloin. Porterhouse steaks are cut from the rear end of the short loin and contain a larger section of the tenderloin. T-bone steaks are cut from further forward in the short loin and contain a comparatively smaller section of the tenderloin. The Porterhouse name originated from the days when it was served in public alehouses that also served a dark beer called porter.
SIRLOIN
This is where the backbone connects to the hipbone. The word sirloin comes from the Middle English and means above the loin. These tender cuts are delicious and juicy and respond well to sautéing, pan-frying, broiling, pan-broiling or grilling.
Tenderloin (Filet Mignon) — often considered the most tender cut of beef; responds well to sauces, meaning the meat does not overpower the flavor of the sauce. It can be cut as the whole strip, or into individual steaks for filet mignon
Sirloin Steaks The steak is cut from the lower portion of the ribs, continuing off the tenderloin, into the bottom sirloin.
Sirloin Tip Steak — The bottom sirloin connects to the sirloin tip. Cuts from the bottom sirloin are versatile and most flavorful. It is excellent when dry roasted or marinated and known for having full flavor and a lower fat content. Our Steaks are at least 1.5 lbs and can be cooked as one piece or sliced.
RIB The Ribeye is a steak cut from the beef rib. The ribeye is one of the most popular and juicy steaks. Meat from the rib section is more tender and marbled than most other cuts of beef. This extra marbling makes ribeye steaks and roasts especially tender and flavorful and well suited to dry heat cookery.
RIB ROAST — is
known as a Standing
Rib Roast (bone-in)
or as Prime Rib Roast(boneless) for convenient slicing. Excellent when dry roasted.
Rib-eye Steak These tender steaks can be purchased bone-in (also known as “cowboy ribeye”) or as boneless rib-eye, known as Delmonico
Short Ribs — tender and meaty, these ribs are excellent both slow cooked (great for making soups) or rapidly seared and grilled.
Spare Ribs — Great slow cooked or barbecued, braised or grilled.
CHUCK
Meat is basically muscle, and the chuck is a heavily exercised area. Luckily, this area contains a great deal of connective tissue, including collagen. Collagen melts during cooking, making the meat intensely flavorful. Cuts from this area benefit from slow, wet cooking methods like stewing, braising or pot-roasting.
Chuck Roast — is usually cooked in a liquid as a pot roast.
Chuck-eye Steak — is the boneless cut from the center of the roll and is delicious.
ROUND
The round consists of lean meat well-suited to long, moist cooking methods. The top round is the most tender part of the round. The London Broil is an American beef cut, unknown in London. Go figure! It is typically made by broiling or grilling marinated top round steak, then cutting it against the grain into thin strips. Tasty and always popular.
The Eye Round Roast is the most tender part of the round. It can be prepared as a roast or sliced into steaks.
Rump Roast — a very popular cut for pot roast, but can also be roasted at low temperatures. It is a lean cut with less marbling, which makes it ideal for slow moist-heat methods such as braising to tenderize the meat and maintain moisture.
Cube Steak — is usually cut from the top round or top sirloin, and is traditionally tenderized with a mallet or a set of sharp pointed rods to pierce the meat in every direction. This is the most common cut of meat used for that famous and delicious Texas dish, chicken fried steak. It is often referred to as minute steak as it is thin and cooks quickly.
GROUND
MEAT
Ground meat is finely chopped by a meat grinder using the chuck and other lean beef cuts. Our ground meat is between 75% and 80% lean, with some marbling left in for flavor and juiciness. We always recommend that all ground beef be cooked well done. Makes delicious hamburgers, meatloaf and meat sauces.
BRISKET/PLATE/FLANK/SHANK
Traditionally used for corned beef, Brisket is a popular and versatile cut of beef from the breast or lower chest, Popular methods of cooking this delicious cut include rubbing with a spice rub or marinating the meat, then cooking slowly over indirect heat from charcoal or wood. In traditional European cooking, brisket is most often braised as a pot roast. In current times, however, brisket is most often associated with barbecue-style cooking. In areas of southern China, especially Hong Kong, it is cooked with spices over low heat until tender and commonly served with noodles in a soup or curry. It is a common cut of meat for use in Vietnamese pho soup. Brisket is also the most popular cut for corned beef.
Skirt Steak — The term skirt steak refers to two cuts, one from the plate and one from the flank. Both are long, flat cuts that are prized for flavor, and are best when cut across the grain. Both flank and skirt steaks are used identically. (See Flank Steak description.)
Beef Shanks are best when cooked for a long time in moist heat. It makes an excellent French “Pot au Feu.”
Flank Steak — is a long and flat beef steak cut from the lower flank. The steak’s best known application is the fajitas, in which either skirt steak or flank steak can be used as filling in flour tortillas. The French are quite partial to this cut, known as “Bavette”. It is quickly seared in a hot pan and eaten rare to maintain its tenderness, served in Parisian bistros with shallots as “Bavette a l’echalotte”. It is best prepared when cut across the grain. It is often used for kabobs.
Stew Meat is great seared and then added to your favorite vegetables for delicious beef stew.
Flap Meat, in spite of its an unflattering name, this cut has become quite popular. It is often paired in French Bistros with French Fries; or prepared as stir fry in Asian markets. We like it for Shish Kebobs and Fajitas. Like Flank and Skirt steaks, it should be cut across the grain. It has a full beef flavor and fine texture when properly prepared.
beef nutrition
WHEN IT COMES TO NUTRITION, BEEF HAS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
Lean beef has only one more gram of saturated fat than a skinless chicken breast.
Not only that, but lean beef has six times more zinc, three times more iron and eight times more vitamin B12 than a skinless chicken breast.*
ZINC may not be a nutrient that you think about a lot, but your body needs it for many essential functions such as growth and development, maintenance of the body's immune system, wound healing and appetite control. Beef is the number one source of zinc in the American diet. A 3-ounce serving of beef provides 39% of the zinc most people need in a day. In addition to containing a high level of absorbable zinc, meat also increases the absorption of zinc from other foods when eaten at the same meal.
IRON is a mineral that plays a vital role in many biological functions. It helps carry oxygen to body cells and tissues, assists in making new red blood cells, aids brain development and supports the immune system --- all to keep you healthy. Research has shown even mild, short-term iron deficiency can impair your ability to function at peak productivity. And yet, iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States.
Beef is the number three source of iron in the American diet following iron-enriched breads and cereals. However, the iron in red meat is more completely absorbed by the body than the iron found in bread, cereal, and other plant products. Two factors can increase the absorption of iron from plant foods --- meat and vitamin C. Meat consumption at a meal has been shown to increase the absorption of plant iron two- to four-fold. This enhancing effect is known as the "meat factor." Eat a variety of foods and pair iron-enhancing foods with iron-rich foods to increase iron absorption. Try sirloin strips with a spinach salad for a delicious high-iron meal.
PROTEIN plays many roles that help keep you energized and support your body functions.
• Proteins are part of all your body's tissues, including muscles, organs and bones.
• Proteins make up the hormones and enzymes that regulate body processes.
• Proteins work with the immune system to protect you from disease.
• Proteins can even serve as an energy source.
You need to eat enough protein daily to support growth and maintenance of tissues, and to replace proteins that are broken down by the body. All foods contain some protein, but the amount and quality of the protein vary greatly. Meat, fish, poultry, legumes, eggs, nuts, soy and dairy products are considered high-protein foods. Proteins from animal sources, such as beef, are high-quality or complete proteins. Vegetables and grains also contain protein, but in lesser amounts. One 3-ounce serving of beef provides 50% of the protein recommended daily. All this high-quality protein comes in the same delicious package with zinc, iron and B-vitamins! That's a great fuel to help power you through the day.
B-VITAMINS work to promote growth and maintain health. You need essential B-vitamins to "unleash" the energy in food. Calorie for calorie, beef is one of the best sources of many essential B-vitamins. A balanced diet that includes beef can help give you the energy you need to tackle your busy days.
A Word About Fat…….FAT is an essential nutrient. It provides for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and the formation of hormones, and it can be used as an energy source. But remember, don't overdo it. To choose a diet moderate in fat, select lean cuts of meat, skinless poultry and low fat dairy products. Balance low fat and high fat options over time. Half of the fatty acids in beef are monounsaturated, the same type of fatty acids found in olive oil and championed for their heart-healthy properties. In addition, approximately one-third of the saturated fat in beef is stearic acid. Studies have shown that stearic acid does not raise blood cholesterol levels like other saturated fatty acids do.
Lean beef fits easily into low fat meal plans designed to decrease blood cholesterol levels. Research shows that Americans can eat six ounces of lean red meat five or more days a week as part of a cholesterol-lowering diet. Further, both red and white meat produce the same favorable changes in blood cholesterol levels. In other words, lean beef is just as effective as skinless chicken when it comes to lowering blood cholesterol levels.
*Based on USDA data using the average of 3 oz. cooked servings of eye round roast, top round steak, top sirloin steak, boneless shoulder pot roast, round tip roast and shoulder steak compared to 3 oz. cooked servings of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Funded by America's beef producers.
