This week we seem to have unofficially made the theme about being more active and heart health. To continue in this trend I wanted to share some recipes and meat sources that have been really helpful in my wellness journey. To fully understand the story I am going to tell you briefly about my eating habits. I stopped eating meat around 10 years old due to always getting very sick after eating it. I eventually went vegan by 15 and living foods, which is an (intense) style of eating that has you not cooking your food over 120 degrees F. Sometime around 18 I was unable to keep up with the food prep or budget living foods required and I didn't really see a difference in my health. One day in a starving haze I ate sashimi, figuring technically it is still living foods and to my surprise I did not get sick! From then I started incorporating occasional fish into my diet and eventually fermented dairy and eggs. I have always labeled it as vegetarianism, even though that is not quite the right word, but for lack of a better option.
Lately though, I have been thinking a lot about my protein sources. The over fishing of the oceans and the fish farms in America are very troubling to me. Though my dietary choices were purely for my own well being initially, the environmental responsibility of what we eat also started to make me call into question my choices. I still am unable to digest commercial chicken, beef and I assume pork (I have never eaten it) at least in America. In my travels I have eaten meat by mistake and in efforts not to be rude, finished the bite and have not gotten sick, which would never happen in America. This made me start to question if it was just the commercial processing of meat that I was having an issue with over the actual meat itself.
So I decided to start an experiment. I started trying small amounts of game meat, either hunted venison and rabbit or via a new company called Wild Forks that also offers game meat. I got ostrich, rabbit, elk and venison and to my surprise I was able to eat all of them with no issues. I cannot get into any reasons why beyond personal, non scientific speculation but the ability to access proteins that are being raised in smaller operations is very exciting to me. Not only does it work for me, but it is better for the environment and health because here is the second secret; ostrich and elk have the red meat flavor and appearance without the cholesterol and fat of red meat! They are incredibly lean red meats, one 3.5 oz portion of ostrich has 2-3 grams of fat (only 1 gram of saturated fat) and are 110-125 calories compared to the leanest cut of beef which is at least double the fat and 125-140 calories. While I am not one to be the ultimate judge of red meat tastes, those I have cooked it for agree that the steaks are incredible.
Besides the health impact, most importantly for me is the environmental impact. Cattle raising at the levels we currently are raising them are just terrible for the planet. The amount of land cattle need to graze, the additional land and water and fuel to grow and harvest their food, even the methane they produce from their waste are all detrimental to the planet at the current levels. Ostriches in comparison produce 40 chicks a year which are ready for consumption at about a year old (400 days) while cattle produce one offspring a year that takes 650 days to reach maturation. More of the ostrich is edible as well, 52% compared to 41% of the cow. Most of these proteins all exhibit the same benefits, high protein, low fat and low environmental impact. Even those who are not compelled by environmental concerns to change their diet should consider game meat for the added health and heart benefits.
Are you ready to get started? First thing is you will need to get a cut of meat, this recipe will work for ostrich or elk. Once you have your cuts it is time to marinade. A 2 day marinade is a must for these meats. Being so lean, a short marinade doesn't soften the meat as much as I think it needs. One day is good if you are in a rush, but two to me is the sweet spot.
Marinade for 2 servings
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbs olive oil
4 tbs balsamic vinegar
juice of one lemon
2 tsp steak seasoning or (salt, pepper, smoked paprika, rosemary thyme)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tb Worcestershire sauce
Chop your garlic and place on steak, add dry seasonings and pat into meat and coat with rest of ingredients but baking soda. Once everything is well coated add the baking soda. It will foam up and cover the rest of the meat. On the second day of marinating, flip the meat over. Store covered in the fridge, remove and bring to room temperature before cooking.
Cooking your Steak
I do not have a grill, and cast iron and I have a bad history but luckily these pieces of meat are so small and tender and normal fry pan cooking will do. Get your pan super hot on high heat. Put half a tablespoon of butter into the pan and as soon as it melts, take your room temperature meat and wipe off excess marinade and place it directly on the melted butter. Cook 2 minutes each side. Let your meat rest a few minutes and slice.
Reach out to us at info@bullionite.com with your comments or questions.