We're each sharing our kitchen treats with you this week, that special thing that makes our food or time in the kitchen more delicious. My choice might be a little controversial because it's a big no-no for some people, but for others, it's as ordinary and basic as any staple. For me, it's something I only buy once in a while, and when I do, it's a very special treat. Yes, my friends, when I treat myself in the kitchen, I do it with meat.
Most people think of meat as only coming from mammals, but for me it means all flesh. So even though it's unconventional, I'm referring to fish and poultry here as well. The reason why meat is a treat for me boils down to one word: sustainability. Knowing what I know about conventional feedlots and mass-produced meat operations, I am doing my best to avoid factory-raised meat. I simply can no longer knowingly purchase and consume meat that has been raised on CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) and IFOs (intensive livestock operations.)
What this means is that the meat I do bring into my kitchen is from smaller, usually more local, operations that are committed to producing meat in a more sustainable, humane way. Because the scale is smaller, the costs of raising animals in this way is higher and the meat is therefore more expensive. So from a purely economical point of view, I can't afford to buy a lot of it and this alone has lowered my consumption considerably.
But sustainability also extends to my notions about my ecological footprint. The business of raising animals for meat, especially the large CAFO, IFO, and other factory farm models, is contributing to a lot to the ecological unbalance of our planet. Between toxic manure waste, greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, hormone use, and rainforest deforestation, meat eating has a significant environmental impact.
And there's my own personal sustainability as well: a diet with less hamburgers and more veg is simply a better way to take care of myself. I have tried to live on a purely plant-based diet and it doesn't work for me, so the middle way is to source my meat well and use it sparingly.
Like many people around the world, I now see meat as a treat and not the center of my plate day in and day out. I am happy to buy a smaller cut and stretch it over many meals, or to seek out handmade sausages and other high-flavored meat products that have a big flavor impact in small quantities. Am I perfect in my attempts to source and purchase sustainable meat? Probably not. But I do my best, and the more involved I get in this search, the more I discover that there are actually many people like me out there.
Oh and one last, important thing. To my palate, sustainably raised meat tastes better. It has more flavor and better texture than factory raised meat. So even if that's your primary criteria for what to bring into your kitchen, sustainably raised meat is again a winner.
Related: Quick Meal Tip: Keep Sausages on Hand for a Quick Flavor Boost
(Image: Emma Christensen)
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Here here! We try to do this as well. Makes it special and more of a treat when we do indulge.
After reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, we have pretty much only bought meat from local sources. We joined a CSA where we buy 25 lbs of meat every 3 months & it's $200, so I think it's pretty affordable. We get a mix of beef, pork, chicken & sometimes lamb. They do additional purchases for turkey at Thanksgiving ($85 for a 20+ lb bird) and sometimes have additional bacon or sausages to buy at pickup time. I've found that it's the perfect size of a meat share for our family of 4 (2 elementary aged kids). When they start eating lots more, I may need to buy more meat, but we eat lots of beans, veggies, etc each week, too.
We don't get to choose our cuts, so I'm forced to be creative in cooking. I also don't mind substituting cuts & I've learned a lot in the last 2 or so years of cooking this way.
As my grandfather (a farmer) used to say, you can spend your money on good food or on medicines & doctors.
^funny my dad grew up on a farm (a rice farm...but still) and said the same thing "you can't eat money"- which he meant as buy the best possible food you can afford.
This post is spot on...I understand people's reasoning for going meatless, or vegan...but it's a very personal choice. I know friends who would scoff at the idea of how much I spend on organic antibiotic free meat..."why just not stop eating me?"- cause I love it! that's why.
*er, "meat" even.
this definitely is how i try to eat! i'm not great about staying on top of that when eating out, but when purchasing groceries i try to be vigilant. it helps that the coop where i mostly shop has a very small meat selection that is all sustainably raised ... the prices are slightly lower than similar products at the farmer's market or other stores, but it's not exclusively local.
I need to be more diligent with this. I do not eat meat at every meal or even everyday but I do buy meat every week. Does anyone know of some helpful resources or soltuions for bying sustainable local raised meat in Southern California? I am honestly quite overwhlemed by the amount of labels and conflicting information when it comes to buying meat.
If you're in pickup distance of ranches, buying sides of meat directly from the rancher is an alternative. There are enough in my area that are an hour away or less that I could shop around by price, and got a little over 100 lbs for a little over $4/lb, after factoring in the abattoir & butcher fees (probably better than that as I accepted optional organ meats that we were not charged for).
We've had such a positive experience that we plan to buy a half or whole lamb, and my in-laws want to buy a quarter for themselves.
@JazzyCat, there's a butcher shop in Los Feliz that only purchases high quality, sustainable meat. It's McCall's Meat and Fish.
I think this is great. I haven't eaten meat in over 10 years and at this point I don't think I could so I'm happily veg for life. But if I were starting my healthy and sustainable eating journey all over again I would probably do something like this. I feel like cutting meat out altogether may not be the ideal diet for many people, although it would obviously be a vast improvement for most.
Good for you! Living in a rural area, I find this to be one of the perks...we get our meat from a local, organic farmer and he even delivers to us once a month. We have visited his farm several times and it is so enjoyable to see the way animals are supposed to be raised. We do, however, still run into people who think we are snobby/stupid for not just purchasing at the local IGA like most do.
I've been (fairly successfully) trying to eat less meat recently, but had a sudden craving today. I made some organic Aberdeen Angus ribeye steaks, just oiled and seared in a dry pan for a minute or so each side. It felt like a real treat.