Eating Food in Season Involves the Full Animal
I’ve been talking about eating food in season, and how good it is for us in terms of getting value for money, and for the environment in terms of following natural cycles, instead of forcing production out of season.
Recently I came across a statement which really got me thinking.
It doesn’t have anything to do – directly – with eating food in season. But indirectly, it has a lot to do with it.
Take beef for example.
Think about the whole animal, not just a couple of steaks.
Less than half the animal is used for ‘good cuts’.
What happens to the rest? It’s used as chuck roast and ground beef (mince).
(And the other parts we don’t like generally end up as pet food).
And here’s the statement which so intrigues me, because I’d never given it any thought.
“Steakhouses only have been possible in our culture since the advent of the hamburger joint”
Makes you think, doesn’t it!
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Clare,
it really makes you think…
We were talking about this the other day, because Costa Ricans use the liver, the tongue and other parts of animals…nothing is wasted! And they were talking about the nutritional value of liver, etc.Think I will go stir my pot of beans right now….
Sonya Lenzo
Very interesting. It was when I worked at a restaurant I learned that every dish was basically the same. Different amounts of the same ingrediants mad it possible to order the fewest items.
Coming from a family where Grandma and Ma went through WW2, we use more of the animal than most. However, as time has gone by, that seems to hold less true. That quote is very thought-provoking …
Stay Amazing and Do Great Things, Neil
I was just having this discussion with someone yesterday. He has friends who hunt every year (granted, not something I would ever consider) and utilize the whole animal over the course of the year.
It was a Native American tradition to use the whole animal, always. I’m sure it was that way with other indigenous populations as well. Makes total sense to me.
Cherie Miranda
Hi Green Goddess,
Now that is an interesting statement. Good thing I like both parts of the cow. Our eating hamburgers and chili con carne makes our getting to eat steak possible, too!
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Hi Clare,
that is really interesting about the steakhouse hamburger joint relationship. My wife’s uncles raise butcher their own meat (pork and beef) and with them, very little goes to waist. They even have a huge cast iron kettle to render some of the parts they don’t consume. I don’t know what they do with the renderings (and I don’t think I want to).
Clare, this topic is making me hungry. I could sure go for a nice Filet with Broccoli and mashed potatoes right now.
Andrew
This has been a great series. I believe we can all do even just a few things with our diets that are eco-friendly and considerably healthier. This series has shown us many of these things.
Thank you.
Dennis
Definitely a thought provoking post, especially the concept of steakhouses not being possible before the advent of the hamburger joint.
Michael