It was my intention for this week’s blog to write about ground beef and its many virtues for economy and nutrition; but something else more important has come up. For decades I have struggled to obtain a consistent supply of Ontario lamb, game meats and grass fed beef. It has always been a bit hit and misses; but, voila, I think I have a solution.

          During my tenure I have had two good Ont. lamb suppliers; they were able to supply fresh lamb when and what I wanted. They both went out of business and I turned to New Zealand and Australian lamb which have a constant supply (frozen). I have recently thought about it and concluded that Ontario lamb is a seasonal product. In the older system of sheep farming the ewes would come into estrus in late Sept. The farmer would release the ram into the flock and the sheep would be bred. The ewes carry the lambs for about 4 ½ months, give birth and three to five months later you have spring lambs with an ideal eight of about 95 lbs live weight. The lambs are raised on mother’s milk and nutritious spring grass to yield tender delicious lamb. Modern farms are trying to artificially start estrus by using lighting and temperature controlled barns to yield 3 crops every two years. But without the spring grass the flavour is not as sweet. Once lambs reach about 90 lbs they start to produce more fat than meat, so, the market price drops off per lb.

Conclusion: Fresh Ontario lamb is seasonal.

          Bison and Elk are raised on ranges that try to simulate the wild and rely on natural breeding cycles; hence we have dips and valleys in supply.

          When dealing with grass fed beef, you must ensure the beef is both grass fed and grass finished. Most cattle are on grass most of their life and then finished on grain, which leads to greater weight gain and more marbling. Some big box suppliers and online merchants are using the term grass fed to include grass-fed-grain finished. We use the term grass fed for grass fed grass finished. There are a number of local farms selling true grass fed beef; but they want you to buy a side, a quarter or a predetermed box of cuts costing several hundreds of dollars. We have always wanted to supply what you need for a meal when you want it.

          Don’s solution:

          Starting in June of this year we are going to designate one weekend per month to fresh game meat, fresh grass fed beef and fresh Ont. Lamb in season.  The balance of the month we will keep those products on hand frozen. We will also offer specials on those items on the monthly dates. The catch is we have to order a week in advance for the following Friday delivery. So, if you want something other than what I order you will need to order 10 days in advance. I will keep you reminded of order dates by blogs and emails.

          In order to get this program started we are going  to try to clear out our existing supply of Game meats at 20% off for the month of May.

I will advise you of what is coming in June for our first Game and Lamb weekend.

 

          Note for Mother’s day we will set up a lobster tail/steak special

 

        We eat and feed our families the same meat we sell to you!

 

Regards

Don & staff

 

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is Fresh Fish time again and spring is a hard time to buy/sell and catch fish.  As well as the weather being challenging for the fishers, many species of fish are off limits because it is their spawning time. Last fortnight, Arctic Char were unavailable as they migrate to spawning areas where they can’t be caught commercially. So, it is uncertain if we will have a catch this week. Haddock has now started their spawn, so there will be no haddock this week and perhaps none until the end of May. 
    Fortunately B.C. Halibut has finished its spawn and we will have fresh B.C. halibut this week. We will also have fresh Atlantic salmon, wild Ontario pickerel, and rainbow trout. We expect the trout filets to be smaller this week as it is a new season for market size trout. Most of our frozen fish selection is well stocked including the wild caught argentine shrimp.
    Last fortnight I detailed Atlantic Halibut and that information is available on our website under the Blog tab. This week I will outline a bit of the history of Rainbow trout. The rainbow trout we know now has descended from Steelhead salmon that were introduced into Lake Ontario in 1876-8. So rainbow is actually a salmon. So, like their ancestors they migrate from the larger body of water (Lakes) to their birth stream to spawn. We are fortunate to live near the Ganaraska river and can watch the annual Spring ritual as they swim upstream and try to breach Corbett’s Dam. There is a fish ladder there to assist their upstream journey. The Ontario Govt became active in stocking the lake from 1922 onwards for sport fishing. One of the first rainbow hatcheries was in Newcastle Ontario. Rainbows have been introduced to 99 countries and all continents except Antarctica. In some areas they are considered invasive as they can out compete native fish. In Canada grayling and brown trout have been negatively affected.
    In 1962 The Ontario Govt relinquished their monopoly on hatching rainbow and they fell into the private domain, which has resulted in many trout farms and commercial availability. So, while you can catch wild rainbow locally, the most is farm raised. 
While there is lots of controversy regarding farmed fish vs, wild caught fish, farmed fish have the advantage of consistent supply and freedom from mercury contamination.
    
    Both wild caught and farmed are highly nutritious and a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids; they have pink flesh, a small flake and a mild flavour. Just as in beef, chicken and pork, the quality of the farm, its feeding program and animal husbandry is the key to quality meat. It is our job to ensure we purchase from quality farms to provide you with quality meat. We have been at it for over 25 years and we eat and feed our families the same meat we sell to you!

Regards
Don & staff

THAWING VAC-PACKED FROZEN FISH

 

          A  few weeks ago I read  an article re thawing fish that has been vacpacked and frozen; it was contrary to what I have been doing for decades. So, I called the local Health unit for their advice. Their advice is to remove the fish from the vacuum sealed packaging and thaw it  loosely covered in your refrigerator. Apparently there is a risk of botulism lurking in the package. I have done some further reading and testing and found that thawing the fish outside the packaging delivers a fresher smelling piece of fish. My conclusion re freshness is that as the fish thaws it exudes moisture, that liquid in the bag gives turns odourous  quicker than  the fish itself.  If you rinse the fish in cold water the odour is greatly diminished.

          There are some fish products that are cooked from frozen and they do not do well with thawing. The frozen fish we carry that should be cooked from frozen are: Krunchy Haddock, Herb Crusted Cod and Potato and Cheese Crusted Cod. As a “rule of thumb” breaded fish products should be cooked from frozen.

          This week from Thursday 9th at noon until Sunday the 12th at three we will have te following fish fresh: Atlantic salmon, wild Arctic Char, Rainbow trout, wild Ontario pickerel, wild Atlantic Cod, & wild B.C. Halibut. We are also restocking our frozen selection, but Krunchy Haddock is out of stock at the fishmongers.

          Most of our fish comes in portion size filets, except Atlantic Salmon . Salmon filets run 3-3.5 lbs. so, we have those cut into smaller portion size pieces. If you want a whole side or special cuts of salmon set aside for you, you can preorder Wed. morning or sooner and we will accommodate your request.

          If you have been wondering about Duncan, the dog or my red-necked son-ion-lam, they both looked out the window this morning at dawn, saw the 4’  of fresh snow and put their hears back under the covers without comment.

          I have heard that Spring is just around the corner; but, no-one has told me which corner.

 

Regards

Don & staff.

P.S. There is no recipe his week as I spent Monday preparing my 2025 Income tax filing. An odourous task that had to be done to the detriment of other worthy pursuits!

 

It is time for my fortnightly update on fish; so, we will have fresh fish this week from Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th. We are expecting Atlantic Salmon, wild Arctic Char, Rainbow trout, wild Icelandic Cod, wild N.B. bay Scallops, wild pickerel & wild B.C. Halibut. We are also restocking our frozen selection with the exception of Krunchy Haddock which is out of stock at our fishmongers.

          Each fish week I plan to feature a fish and give you some background and  recipe. This week wild B.C. halibut is our feature. But, first some words from the redneck.

Words of Redneck Wisdom

My dietician says my enemy is deep fried food

Jesus says “ love thy enemy”

I guess my fate is to gain weight

 

          Halibut is considered by many to be the ultimate fish for flavour and texture. It is not as popular as salmon, as it is at least twice as expensive. It is the best fish for deep fried “fish and chips”. The flesh is white and nutritious, the texture is more “meat-like” than other fish. It is the largest of the flat fish group. Both Pacific and Atlantic Halibut can grow to 500 lbs, but that is unusual. The majority of fish caught by anglers and commercial fisheries range from 50-75 lbs.  There was a recent landing in Saguenay Fjord in Québec that weighed 244 lbs. When the fish hatch they swim upright near the surface and feed on plankton. As they mature the eyes migrate to top of the flat fish and it swims with skeleton horizontal. Mature fish rest on the bottom and are carnivorous feeders. They camouflage themselves on the bottom by having a dark skin on the back that resembles the ocean floor. The belly skin is white. The fish will swim at mid-levels to hunt prey.  Halibut are sectioned into 4 fletches rather than 2 filets as in most fish. There are 2 back fletches and 2 belly fletches. The bottom and  top fetches are the same after the skin is removed. I have not noticed a difference in taste between Atlantic and Pacific Halibut; but I have a customer whose father was an Atlantic fisher and she can tell the difference.

          Halibut are caught using hook and line methods A large hook is regulated to minimize catching smaller halibut and other fishes. The industry in the Pacific is well regulated and the species is not endangered, The Atlantic fishery is not as well regulated and the population is in decline. The Canadian govt. is trying to protect and rebuild the Atlantic fishery in the Saguenay Fjord.

          We purchase mostly Pacific halibut in 4-5 lb fletches, the fletches are then skinned and re-cut to consumer size pieces.

          Halibut can be grilled, fried, baked, poached, stewed,  or battered and deep fried I have developed a beer batter mix that I use for deep frying Halibut. It is included in the recipe below.

 

 

BATTERED HALIBUT

Or other white fish

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup                     HOUSTONS Crispy Beer Batter mix

2 x 6 oz. filets        Fresh Halibut

                               Sea salt to taste

                               White Pepper to taste

1 Egg                     For egg wash

1 Can                     Beer or carbonated soft drink like soda water

 

Directions

Add  dry ingredients to a bowl, then slowly add beer mixing as you go. You need a consistency like pancake batter.

 

Battering fish  4-6  oz pieces work best

Set up an egg wash bowl

Set up a plate with flour for dusting—can be seasoned

Lightly season fish with salt, pepper, then dip in egg wash, allow excess to drip off; then dust in flour and finally submerge in batter. Have oil at 375 F and lower fish into hot oil Rollover after 5 minutes. Fish should be golden colour

BEER BATTER does about 2 lbs

1.5                          Cups  Flour

1/ 2 Cup                 Corn Starch

1 Tbsp                    Baking powder

1 Tbsp                    Celery salt

1 Tsp                      Sea salt to taste

1 Tsp.                     White Pepper to taste

1 Can                     Beer or carbonated soft drink like soda water

 

Directions

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, then slowly add beer mixing as you go. You need a consistency like pancake batter.

 

          If you want whole filets of salmon or cuts of salmon or other fish, phone in your order and we set it aside for you—905-342-2499

Well that is blog #10

Best regards

Don & staff

 

 

 

          This week I need to tell what’s up for Easter, ordering dates etc. So, first up is ham; ham seems to be the most popular Easter meat for Northern European cultures. Probably because in the olden days a lot of meat was “put down” for the winter and Easter being a harbinger of spring, it became a custom to use up what was left in the smokehouse.

           We offer three types of ham. The most popular is the old-style skin-on, bone-in smoked ham. They come in ¼ , ½ and whole hams. They need to be cooked. Quarters are about 6 lbs, halves run 10-12 lbs and a whole ham is 20-24 lbs. Our cut off date for ordering these is March 29th for pick up on Aril 02.

          Next is a close cousin, it is a fully cooked boneless, skinless Country ham. They weigh about 4 lbs and halves are available. We will stock this item; but ordering ahead is a good idea.

Last but not least is Black Forest Ham; this ham, when whole,  resembles a football and is fully cooked. These hams are tumbled during the brining process which gives the meat a denser texture than traditional hams. The cut-off order date is March 29th. A full ham weighs 8-10 bs and they are available in whole, halves and quarters.

          A more modern tradition is a heavy roasting hen. These birds weigh about 7 lbs and will serve 6-8 for a delicious dinner like grandma use to make. I have preordered these to arrive fresh for Easter. It is wise to have us set one aside for you now!

          Lamb is a popular Easter meat in many cultures. We have legs, shoulders, shanks and stew meat available. The cut off date for orders is March 29th for April 02 pick up.

The Red-neck wants to know where to find a lamb with no legs.

I Told him “exactly where you left it”

          Easter always brings up the question of hours; Good Friday is the Stat, but many have the following Monday off. So, we will open:

Good Friday 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Easter Saturday 9:00to 5:00

Easter Sunday Closed

Easter Monday Closed

 

I have included my recipe for Old-Fashioned Hams. The glaze can be used on any type of ham.

 

                                         HAM, bone-in, skin-on

 

Ingredients

1. 10 lb bone-in, skin-on ham

GLAZE

½ Cup               Maple Syrup

½ Cup `             Brown Sugar

½ Cup               Ginger Ale

1 Tsp.                Dijon Mustard

1 Tsp.                Lemon Juice

 

Method

Ham: Score the skin of the ham into 1” squares; put some onion slices in the bottom of a roaster; place the ham skin side up on a rack in the pan. Cover and roast for 1 hour 45 minutes at 375F. Uncover and bake another 35-45 minutes basting every 10 to 15 minutes and ham has reached an internal temperature of 170 F. Remove from roaster to a platter or cutting board and loosely tent with foil for 30 minutes before carving.

Glaze: Mix all  ingredients and bring to simmer, glaze ham according to directions above.

 

Well that wraps up this week’s blog

Regards       

Don & staff

 

 

 

   Well. I am back to writing and reminding you that we will have fresh fish this week Thursday Mar 12th to Sunday March 15th. Note we are modifying the home page of our website so that there will be a permanent list of dates that we expect fresh fish. This week we have ordered the following in fresh: Atlantic salmon, wild Arctic Char, Rainbow trout, wild Icelandic Cod, & wild Ont. Pickerel. We are restocking our frozen selection with a heavy emphasis on Krunchy haddock which has become a hot seller.

          Our most popular fresh fish is Atlantic salmon; it is also the most popular fish to eat worldwide. While we try to provide mostly wild caught fish; Atlantic salmon is now only available as a farmed fish. The key here is the same as other meats like chicken and beef, you have to buy from good farms! Since you can’t visit the many fish farms, you have to trust your fishmonger.  We do our research and have a list of criteria we like to see. Most farmed salmon are raised in huge steel wire enclosures in the ocean. So, an important criteria is cold water, adequate space for the fish and a flushing system to eliminate the waste. The Bay of Fundy and fiords’ in Norway and Chile provide either a current or high tides that change the water in the enclosures as well as cold water. Another important factor is the quality of the feed and the non-use of antibiotics in the feed.  The source of our salmon is a reputable Canadian farm in the Bay of Fundy. Note that Canadian farms have much stricter laws regarding fish husbandry than other jurisdictions. Farmed salmon have a few pros compared to wild; they have more Omega3 fatty acids and are free of Mercury contamination. The ultimate test is simple; try a filet of our Atlantic salmon.

          Most of our fish comes in filets we vacuum pack on arrival.  The salmon filets are about 3-3.5 lbs, so we mostly cut those into smaller pieces. If you want a whole side or special cuts just let me know Wed morning. As far as cooking salmon, there are many recipes and methods from quick and simple to gourmet productions. I have attached a recipe for a fast and simple method I use often.

 

SALMON, pan fried

 

Ingredients

2 –6-8 oz.  filets skin –on Atlantic salmon filets

2 Oz. McCormicks red pepper and Garlic seasoning or rub of your choice

2 Tbsp        Butter

Instructions

Melt butter in medium size cast iron or non-stick skillet;  Pat salmon dry then apply dry rub seasoning to flesh side. Place in fry pan on medium-low heat flesh side down; cook 5 minutes until a nice crust has formed; flip to skin side down, baste with hot butter and continue frying for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Serve with rice and sautéed spinach.

 

Well that wraps up this week’s blog

Regards       

Don & staff

 

RECALL: We have had an issue with bone fragments in ground chicken  and ground turkey. If you have any on hand with February 2026 best before, please return it for a refund. If you have experienced problems with these products in the last fortnight, advise and we will correct the issue.THANKS

 

          So, for this week I want to follow up on our chicken story from 2 weeks ago. Then, I told you where our chicken comes from and why it is better. (low stress) So, today I will list all the chicken products we carry and how we handle them. We receive fresh and frozen chicken products every Wed. Most of it comes in vac-pack fresh. We label and price it with a maximum best before of five days.

Small whole roasters (3-4 lbs) arrive every Wed fresh and are vac-sealed—5 day B.B.

Large roasters (7 lbs. approx.) are special order on festive occasions.

Boneless, skinless breasts arrive fresh, individually packed and vac-sealed every Wed.—5 day B.B. We also have a bulk pre-order of 10 lbs frozen with bulk pricing. The breasts are individually vacpacked.

Bone-in, skin-on breasts are individually packed and vacsealed; they come in fresh with a five day B.B. It is a single breast. Bulk pricing is  available.

Chicken supremes: Chicken supreme is both a cut and a recipe. Today we are discussing the cut; a supreme is a skin-on breast with only the small inner wing bone attached. They weigh approx 8 ounces. They arrive every Wed fresh  and vacsealed with a five day B.B. We also have a bulk pre-order of 10 lbs frozen with bulk pricing. The supreme’s are individually vacpacked.

Boneless, skinless thighs arrive fresh every Wed.; they are vacpacked 6-8 per bag and are frozen right after packing and labeling as we have found they have a short shelf life fresh.  We also have a bulk pre-order of 10 lbs frozen with bulk pricing.

Bone-in, skin-on thighs arrive fresh every Wed; they are vacpacked 8 pcs per bag and are frozen right after packing and labeling as we have found they have a short shelf life fresh.  We also have a bulk pre-order of 10 lbs frozen with bulk pricing.

Drumsticks: Drums arrive most Wednesdays frozen, vacpacked 6-8 per bag.

That pretty much sums up our chicken parts; but, we have some unusual parts for soup stock pet food etc.

Carcasses (bones). These are used mostly for soup and soup stock. They come in 2 lb bags frozen and are usually in stock.

Hearts; Packed frozen in one lb bags, usually in stock.

Liver: Packed in one lb. bags frozen, usually in stock.

Skin: Packed in1 lb bags frozen; used in stocks and baked for dippers or snacks, usually in stock

Feet: Packed in 2 lb. bags, mostly used for adding to stock; they provide a really smooth texture to soups and stock, usually in stock.

Giblets and Gizzards are a special order.

We also sell ducks, game birds and turkeys; but I will leave that for another day.

There are two types of chickens we do not sell: Capons and Cornish Game hens. Capons are neutered roosters and the process of neutering is quite inhumane and banned in many jurisdictions. We sell Hen heavy roasters instead. Cornish Game Hens is a misnomer; they are selling baby chickens. At one time there were Cornish Game hens on the market; but they tended to tough and gamey; so to suit a more gentle palette the producers switched to baby chickens. If you want game hens we can get both partridge and pheasant.

The Redneck says:

You may not want to meet

The food you eat

 

                    I have attached a recipe below for a chicken dinner; it was inspired by an old movie :”TOM JONES.”

 

 

 

 

FAMILY STYLE ROAST CHICKEN

 

YIELD      4   servings                                                         

INGREDIENTS

1. Fresh chicken 3-4 lbs (Houston’s Free-Run)

Pepper, salt & garlic powder (thyme or other spices as desired)

2-3 Tbsp.     Butter

1 Med.         Onion, sliced

8 oz.             Mushrooms, sliced

SIDES

Garlic mashed potatoes

Candied Yams

Asparagus with cheese sauce

 

 

METHOD

Choose a shallow open baking dish a little bigger than the bird. Add the butter, onion, & sliced mushrooms to bottom of pan. Rinse the bird and pat dry. Rub with salt, pepper & garlic. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place the bird on

the nest of onions & mushrooms and roast uncovered for 60-70 minutes. The bird should be golden brown and have an internal temperature of 175 F.

Remove the bird from the roasting pan and set it on a rack over a drip pan; tent the bird and let it rest 20-30 minutes.

PLATING

On a medium sized platter, make a nest of the mashed potatoes that will hold the bird. Lift the onions and mushrooms into the centre of the nest. Reserve the liquid for sauce. Carrve the bird into the classic KFC 9 piece portions, (2 drums, 2 wings, 2 thighs, breast into 5pcs) Place the carved bird on top of the onions and mushrooms inside the mashed potato ring. Add the yams and asparagus to the outer edge of the platter. Add any reserved drippings from under the bird to the sauce and hold warm in a dipping bowl.

The bird is meant to be eaten in a rustic manner.  Place the prepared platter between yourselves; fingers are allowed and, of course lots of wine or ale is appropriate for adults, ginger beer for kids.

,

Well that wraps up this week’s blog

Regards       

Don & staff

 

 

 

Well. It is time to remind you we will have fresh and frozen fish arriving on Feb 26th. We keep the fresh product fresh until Sunday March 01.We are expecting the following in fresh fish: Atlantic salmon, wild arctic Char, Rainbow trout, wild Atlantic halibut. We are restocking our many frozen species, especially the Krunchy Haddock that has been selling like hot cakes during a cold winter. Lake Erie is still frozen so we will not have fresh pickerel; but we have a good supply of frozen from December.  B.C. halibut is still spawning, so, we will sub Atlantic Halibut. Char and trout come in reasonable sized filets that we sell as is, in filets. Atlantic salmon filets are quite large (3-3.5 lbs). With notice we will set aside whole filets for you or we can have the filets cut to your specs. (6 oz, 8 oz, etc) We normally have the large filets cut to consumer friendly sizes. If you want whole filets or special cuts advise us on Wednesday.

          A  seafood product we started selling this year is a Japanese product called  Kanikama or Kamaboko It is a fish product made from white fleshed fish (mostly Alaskan Pollack); the product is a fish paste called Sarimi and has been used in Japanese cooking culture since 1135 A.D.  The sarimi has been enhanced with starch, egg whites and crab flavourings to yield a tasty a (and cost effective)  alternative to real crab meat. The fish used to create sarimi is meticously cleaned, pasteurized fat reduced and cooked; then formed into flakes or batons and garnished with red dye so that it has the appearance of real crab.

          I have attached a recipe below for a salad; the recipe could also be used as a sandwich filling.

                                       CRAB SALAD

Ingredients

10. oz. surimi flakes (imitation crab)

         1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup celery minced

3 tablespoons red onion minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

Instructions

 Break imitation crab meat into bite-sized pieces and add to a bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and gently stir to combine. The salad can be served immediately, however, the flavor will improve if it melds in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.

 

         Next week I will finish my discourse on the chicken parts we have available and if time and space allows I will give you tips on creating a 4 week menu.

 

Well that wraps up this week’s blog

Regards       

Don & staff

 Writing a blog is getting easier and a bit more fun; I have had several positive compliments and I have seen a direct link to whatwasI promoted and what was sold (lobster tails sold out).

          This week chicken gets a turn; we sell a lot of chicken; but, first a thumbnail history lesson. Chickens were domesticated about 3500 years ago in Asia. There is hearsay evidence that domestication occurred 6-8 thousand years ago and that Indigenous Americans domesticated chickens as well. Those claims cannot be documented by archaeological proof; but, there is no doubt, the Aztecs domesticated turkeys and they subsequently were exported to Europe and then back to North America. There is a common myth that chickens are cowardly, hence the expressions we use for cowardice like “chicken” and “chicken-hearted; the latest euphemism is TACO trump. TACO stands for trump always chickens out. Despite the use of chicken for cowardice in the vernacular, chickens, especially roosters, are brave and will attack much larger predators and fight to the death to defend their flock!

          Many customers have told us our chicken tastes better than the supermarket variety and have asked why.  There are a number of factors involved: genetics, feed, husbandry and processing.

Genetics: most meat birds are known as a Cornish cross; this is a cross between a Cornish white and a Plymouth Rock white. There blood lines have been selectively bred to yield birds that gain weight rapidly, convert food efficiently, develop large breasts and yield juicy tasty meat. Individual breeders can line breed to produce other characteristics; but basically most chickens start out on an even footing in terms of genetics. At this point there is no genetic modification, gene editing or cloning involved.

Feed: Most meat birds are fed a similar diet of grains, minerals, etc. There is however an opportunity to improve the rations to yield better flavour. Some farms feed anti-biotics as a prophylactic for disease control. There was a feed study done years ago that proved feeding anti-biotics increased the meat yield and it became common practice to feed anti-biotics. Later studies revealed the harm of consistently feeding anti-biotics. Our chickens are not fed antibiotics.

Husbandry: Husbandry is the art and science of taking good care of animals on the farm. Obviously smaller scale farms have more and better contact with the birds than huge corporate factory farms. The key desired outcome is happy chickens in a low stress environment. Stress is the major contributor to poor quality meat. Many farms are still caging chickens; some are free range and many are using a free run system.  The disadvantage of free range rearing is that wild birds are carriers of avian flu and free range birds are more susceptible to catching and passing the virus. Britain has banned free range rearing in commercial flocks and has gone to free run facilities.

Processing  Processing has two parts: one is getting the birds to the abattoir in a low stress method and second is how the carcass is treated after it is killed. Most free –run farms hire people on a quota system to catch and crate the birds prior to shipping to the abattoir. This is obviously stressful to the chickens. Then they are packed into crates that are too small and shipped great distances to large abattoirs—just a little stressful. If you see an open sided truck speeding down 401 in stormy weather, they are not chickens we sell.

          After the birds are killed it is important to chill the carcasses as quickly as possible to retard bacterial growth. Most abattoirs dip the chickens in an ice water bath laced with chlorine. The abattoir we use air chills the birds by hanging them in a large room and blowing cold air over them. The skin tends to be a little ivory coloured instead of bleached white.

          So, our Mennonite Co-op abattoir and  Mennonite farmers near the abattoir check all the boxes to give us quality tasty chicken.

In my next chicken blog I will explain the cuts we carry and the ones we don’t

 

 

            Well that wraps up this week’s blog

         

          I have attached a recipe below for Chicken Supremes

 

 

CHICKEN SUPREMES a La RUSSE

This recipe originated with Jacque Pepin’s recipe for Cornish game hens a La Russe. I have modified it for Chicken Supremes. A Chicken Supreme is a restaurant cut of chicken; it is a skin on breast with the drummette bone of the wing left in place. They weigh about 8 oz. which makes a nice individual serving. Our chicken Supremes are rather special as they come from a Mennonite Co-Op poultry abattoir that chills their birds using an air chill method rather than the common practice of immersing the birds in a tank of Chlorine laced ice water. The birds are raised without the use of drugs and hormones in their feed and in close proximity to the abattoir, so the stress of shipping is minimized.  An unstressed bird is a tasty bird; the skin on these birds will be more golden than white as the chlorine bleaches the skin.

YIELD- 2 portions

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp. each of oil and butter

2       Chicken Supremes

2 Tbsp.      Dry rub for chicken*

Use a prepared rub such as CLUB HOUSE Roasted Garlic and Peppers or Montreal Chicken Spice

METHOD

Ensure you have a non-stick skillet or a cast iron skillet that will hold 2 chicken supremes and another skillet or heavy pot that can be placed on top of the chicken to weigh it down. (I use a non-stick skillet for the chicken, then a circle of parchment paper and a cast iron pot with a heavy rock in it to weigh the chicken down) The chicken has to be pressed down.

Heat the skillet on medium-low heat with the oil & butter. Rub the skin side of the chicken with the rub and place skin side down in the skillet. Brown the chicken until it has a nice dark crust—about 8 minutes. Flip chicken over and put a lid on the skillet and brown for an additional 7 minutes. (no weights) The chicken should have an internal temperature   of 170 degrees F. Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

In closing note: we are trying to give you the best bang for your buck and we have introduced several new items that are “good value-good price” and we will be searching for and adding more through out the year. We have a list of bulk specials that save money and our reward system is equal to a 5% rebate.

Regards       

Don & staff

 

 

 

          As you are aware I am an amateur blogger; but I read a professional blogger’s blog and his tip was to talk about your dog as people are always interested in dogs. So, my dog is a west Highland terror; most Westies are friendly but my “Duncan” thinks he is a guard/attack dog with strangers. I have recently changed his diet to raw dog food, which brings up the point that we now sell raw dog food. We carry two types: one is a mix of chicken, turkey and beef in1 lb tubes and sells for $35.00 for 10 lbs. The other is beef, beef organs and some bone meal. It comes in 2.5 lb blocks at 10 lbs for $45.00. Naturally Duncan likes the $45.00 one.

          Next week or so will be Valentines and we have a lobster tail special and other fresh fish from Feb 12 to 15th.

          Last week I mentioned, some ways to reduce food costs.  These include: reducing waste, choose value over price, and menu planning. I discussed reducing food waste as it is probably the most effective. It is estimated that 40% of food is wasted between the farm gate and the table.

          Choosing value over price is also an important tool to save on food. I have tried to create an arithmetic formula for value; but failed miserably.  Basically value means getting the best bang for your buck and that often is reflected in buying good quality at a good price. There is no sense buying cheap hamburger if in the end you have a pan full of water and fat with no flavour in the meat. To quote my red-neck son-in-law

“cheap meat ain’t good”

And good Meat ain’t cheap”

We have a number of bulk specials listed in our website to assist with menu planning and budgeting.  

          I have attached a recipe below that originated from a customer who had purchased a Wagyu steak and found it delicious; but rich. He thought it would be better to serve it as an appetizer to share with friends .

 

STEAK APPETIZER

Yield 12

INGREDIENTS

1 lb              Wagyu steak cut ½” thick (or other tender steak)

                     Salt & pepper to season

1                   French baguette

3 oz.             Garlic butter -- homemade or as purchased

3 oz.             Herbed cream cheese –homemade or as purchased

2 Tbsp                    Ground ginger –freshly ground or as purchased or horseradish

 

METHOD

Gather all your ingredients (mis en place)

If your steak is thicker than required you can slice it thinner or use a meat hammer to flatten it out.

Make or purchase your garlic butter and herbed cream cheese.

Cut 2” medallions from baguette; butter both sides with garlic butter, brown under broiler or toast in a cast iron pan. Hold tented under foil in a 200 degree oven.

Pepper and salt steak, quick fry in hot cast iron pan, set aside in warm oven.

Spread cream cheese on baguette slices, cut steak into 2” x 1” diamonds (to fit on baguette), Place on top of baguette slices, top with 1/2 tsp of minced ginger in a circle the size of a dime.

Serve warm.

         

In closing note: we are trying to give you the best bang for your buck and we have introduced several new items that are “good value-good price” and we will be searching for and adding more through out the year. We have a list of bulk specials that save money and our reward system is equal to a 5% rebate.

Regards       

Don & staff