For immediate release:

August 26, 2010, Hamilton, Texas:
Pederson’s Natural Farms, selects the team for the First Annual Waygu Cook-off to be held in conjunction with the Hamilton Dove Festival on September 4, 2010.

Pederson’s team will be one of over 25 teams competing for bragging rights as the champion of the Waygu Cook-off.   Pederson’s will be preparing in two categories: best rib eye and best brisket.  Four of Pederson’s top employees were selected to participate, based on their expertise in the kitchen and creative cooking ideas.

This unique event has peaked tremendous interest from the media.  Nationally syndicated television shows, will be present to film this exciting competition for upcoming segments.  The esteemed judges’ panel includes members of the press, faculty of prestigious Texas colleges and a celebrity chef.

Cody Lane, President of Pederson’s Natural Farms, comments,  “I am extremely excited about the opportunity to participate in this cook-off.   With a little luck, and Pederson’s specially developed secret recipe, I’m confident my hand-selected  team will be able to grill up some great tasting Waygu.”

Pederson’s Natural Farms, located in Hamilton, Texas, produces the highest quality bacon, bison and sausage.   All products are considered Never Ever – no antibiotics or growth stimulants ever.  You will discover the all natural, delicious taste in every bite.  Visit www.pedersonsfarms.com for more information.

We promise, it’s not a made-up holiday.  International Bacon Day is a world-renowned day of celebration!

In our opinion, bacon does deserve its own day on the calendar.  What would the world eat for breakfast with their eggs -who wants a plain cheeseburger, when a bacon-cheeseburger is SO much tastier – how would Grandma season her green beans, without a slice of bacon – a BLT without bacon is a yucky lettuce and tomato sandwich.  Bacon rules!

For those of you who love trivia (and that’s us here at Pederson’s Natural Farms), International Bacon Day is traditionally observed the Saturday before Labor Day.  Bacon Day was created in 2005 by a guy named Seth, who apparently, had little to do in life except create crazy holidays and eat bacon.  We thank you Seth, it’s a great food to celebrate!

Many parties will take place during this festive bacon-season.   If you are invited to one of these parties, plan to take a unique bacon dish.  You cannot arrive with a pre-cooked, wilted, skillet of plain bacon, it’s simply not done.  If you want to be the life of the party, we suggest you bring bacon-wrapped shrimp, bacon martinis, bacon cookies or the most sought after delicacy, chocolate-covered bacon.

No matter what your plans this year to celebrate International Bacon Day, Pederson’s is here to help.  We make the absolute, best bacon on the planet.  That’s a big claim for our small company; however, we are real people, producing real, natural bacon.   And that’s a great reason to celebrate!

“There are many solutions to production that the beef industry has tried and selected animals that respond over hundereds of years. We, buffalo-nuts, stay away from most all of it because it is the animal, as is, that carries the cool-factor and industry with it, forward. A.I., embryo transfer, cloning, growth promotants  and all things un-natural will be rejected even if possible. The philosophy of bison husbandry and industry inclusion requires of us that even when we find something that is done simply because it could, we always ask the question of ourselves, if we should. What you find over the years is that bison are the great adaptors and can/will get along with just about anything for the purpose of survival. Just consider their resisted to extinction thus far. They are a lesson for us as stewards and remain, in my opinion, for that purpose.”

The question always remains shall we change nature or leave it alone? I am with Tim let’s leave it alone!

As always EAT (expect quality, anticipate flavor, and think natural) Pederson’s Natural Farms for dinner!

Till next time, Cooking Cowboy

 I started with the Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon. The customers started circling as soon as that awesome smell filled the air! I could not cook the bacon fast enough and the packages started flying off the shelves. I think they liked it  

Next I cooked of a variety of Pederson’s Chicken Sausages. I had the Garlic Basil and Tomato, Country Breakfast Maple, Feta Spinach and the Green Chile Habanero hot and ready for all to try. The feedback was great. Everyone loved them. I had a little boy, who was about 9 years old, tell me that the Green Chile Habanero Chicken Sausage was perfectly spicy and then he took his mom by the hand to show her where they were on the shelf. They bought every flavor. This kid was quite the sales man…. I should have offered him a job!

All and all, it was a busy day at Sprouts Pasadena and I had a great time talking to the customers!

What do Mr. & Mrs. BBQ Snob do for their anniversary? We organize an all out Big D bacon tasting. The rules were simple. It has to be available in DFW, and we had to test your standard grocery store varieties against the artisinal bacons around town. Of course the taste was of utmost importance, but value also had to be considered. Value becomes very important to someone with over $50 of bacon in the fridge.

Each bacon is compared below based on the cost per bacon strip as well as the cooked weight percentage of the raw weight. This not only shows the value based on cost, but also based on the amount of fat you have to pour into the old grease bucket.

Jimmy’s $0.21/strip 44%

Rudolph’s $0.48/strip 33%

Ham I Am $0.53/strip 27%

Nueske’s $0.64/strip 33%

Hormel Black Label $0.29/strip 29%

Oscar Mayer $0.18/strip 24%

Pederson’s $0.54/strip 33%

Central Market $0.37/strip 25%

Boar’s Head $0.35/strip 33%

Applegate Farms $0.45/strip 25%

The most beautiful piece of food documentation I’ve ever done.

I know you’re salivating, so enough with the formalities. How did they taste? Here they are from left to right on the board.

Jimmy’s – This bacon is from Columbia Packers in Dallas, which is also the bacon carried by Kuby’s. It was by far the worst sample of the tasting, but I can’t blame that on Columbia Packers since the meat was simply spoiled. Jimmy’s kept these strips in their case far too long, and the result was rancid tasting bacon that I instinctually spit out before it could contaminate my palette further.

Rudolph’s – This bacon is cured and smoked in house, and only huge slabs of bacon were displayed in the case. This allows the customer to determine the thickness they prefer when ordering, and I asked them to slice some thicker strips. I may have gone a bit too thick since these strips had a hard time crisping up. It had a strong meaty flavor which was not overpowered by excessive salt. There was a light smoky flavor and the strip was chewy, mainly due to my request for thicker strips. Altogether a fine bacon.

Ham I Am – Imported from Arkansas, this Ozark Trails brand bacon has been called the best bacon in America by some. It’s hard to argue given it’s strong showing in this tasting. While they had one of the lowest weight retention percentages, the meat that was left was a beautiful specimen of meat. These thin slices melted on the tongue spreading the smoky and salty goodness. This bacon can be ordered by mail or purchased at the companies small unofficial storefront in Plano. Call ahead.

Nueske’s – Based on a Cook’s Illustrated tasting, this one was not recommended because it simply tasted too smoky. I knew I’d like it. There is definitely a punch of smoke in these thick slices. They held their shape well and had a good chew with moderate saltiness. While the flavor was pleasing, it did not taste like traditional bacon, but more like a smoked pork chop. It’s available at Central Market.

Hormel Black Label – This is my standard grocery store bacon, so I was anxious to see how it stacked up to the expensive stuff. It ended up being a decent value with high fat content, and decent bacon flavor. It began a long line of generic tasting bacons whose flavors varied only based on saltiness and texture. This one had a nice chew, and will remain my standard choice for inexpensive bacon.

Oscar Mayer – This bacon was so thin that it couldn’t help but melt in the mouth. Extreme saltiness was overpowering in these brittle strips and it lacked any sort of smokiness.

Pederson’s – The first of the uncured bacons received high marks. It had a good texture with just enough chew. A nice level of smoke and moderate saltiness didn’t make me miss the nitrites at all. Nitrites and nitrates are added to most bacon varieties during curing to act as a preservative. They also lend a familiar bacony flavor and help the strips retain their reddish hue. There are a few smokehouses out there that tout there nitrate-free bacon because of the negative health effects of adding these preservatives.

Central Market Brand – Given its relative cost to other grocery store brands, I was expecting a lot out of this one, but it ended up being a generic tasting bacon. The brittle strips had little smoke and moderate to high saltiness. Simply a one note strip of pork.

Boar’s Head – I enjoy their deli meats, so I assumed the bacon would be good too. Well, other than the pleasing texture, it was nearly identical to the Central Market bacon.

Applegate Farms – Another uncured variety available at Central Market and Newflower Market. I tried the “Sunday Bacon” which was thin with a nice meltiness. It was full of flavors, but they competed for attention. Between the high salty notes, bold smokiness and sweet flavor, my tongue wasn’t sure which one to enjoy. Even given that, it was a quality bacon.

So how would I rate them?
1. Pederson’s
2. Ham I Am
3. Rudolph’s
4. Nueske’s
5. Applegate Farms
6. Boar’s Head
7. Hormel Black Label
8. Central Market
9. Oscar Mayer
10. Jimmy’s

Before I knew it, I had eaten all ten slices of bacon, but there was more to cook, lots more.

The grease jar was empty when I started.

In addition to retail bacon, Smoke in Dallas cures and smokes their own bacon, but I don’t know of any other area restaurants who do the same. I hope this list will help guide you on your next shopping expedition for some quality bacon. I’m also eager to hear if any of you have a favorite out there that didn’t make the list. Happy frying.

Other great bacon resources:

Ministry of Bacon

Grateful Palate

Zingerman’s

- BBQ Snob

Read Daniel’s blogs at http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/2010/02/bacon-tasting.html

Of course, using Pederson’s Natural Farms, uncured, certified humane, no preservatives added, gluten free bacon make this cookie guiltless, right?  I think so!

While we are on the topic of bacon, I found a great article on AOL Health that could be of interest.  Bagels or Bacon: High-Fat Breakfast May Be Best.

Does the smell of sizzling bacon make your stomach rumble? Is your Sunday brunch filled with eggs, sausage and buttered toast?

You’re not alone. And a high-fat breakfast may be the best way to start your day, according to a University of Alabama at Birmingham study.

The study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, found that mice fed a high-fat meal after waking had normal metabolisms and experienced no weight gain. Those fed a carbohydrate-rich diet in the morning and a high-fat meal at the end of the day gained weight.

But before swearing off fiber-packed cereals and skim milk, dietitians offer their warnings.

The study, for example, has not been translated to humans and the exact makeup of the mice’s food is unknown. Many high-fat foods are also high in protein, which helps to build lean muscle.

“The study is really saying that if you feel more satisfied in the morning that that will set the tone for the rest of the day,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D., the author of “Read it Before You Eat It.” “Eating a little fat in a meal will satisfy you so that you’re not as ravenous and likely to overeat at the next meal.”

Though doctors have long realized that disrupted sleep can cause weight gain, study author Molly Bray, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology in the UAB School of Public Health, said this is one of the first studies that shows when you eat may also affect weight.

The best way to modify your diet is to focus on eating a variety of foods at each meal throughout the day. Ideally, people should consume a large breakfast that has offerings from several food groups, including healthy fats like those found in seeds, nuts and various vegetable oils, nutritionists say. Adding proteins will also help your brain focus, says Marilyn Tanner-Blasiar, R.D., a pediatric dietitian at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Eating a big breakfast with increased caloric and fat content will keep people satisfied longer and help their blood sugar levels remain stable, which will stave off overeating later in the day, she said. Lunch, which should include elements of each food group, should be smaller. A balanced dinner should be the lowest-calorie meal of the day. Minimal snacking should follow.

“It’s a calorie-in, calorie-out equation, so late-night eating shouldn’t be a problem,” Tanner-Blasiar said. “But there’s a psychological component, and the kind of foods that you eat late at night are usually high in calories and low in nutrients. When you eat those, people become overfed and undernourished.”

If you’re not sure how to make over your breakfast bagel, try swapping it for a bowl of oatmeal with slivered almonds coupled with a glass of protein-rich skim milk, she said. Healthy cereals, those with five grams of sugar or less and more than five grams of fiber, should be eaten with milk and topped with nuts. Adding almond butter to a piece of toast or eating toast and a hard-boiled egg are healthy options too.

“People like to demonize one food group or another,” Taub-Dix said. “And we’re seeing a new fondness for fat, but that isn’t all fat, only healthy fats. The bottom line is that healthy fat is a part of a balanced diet, as long as you don’t overdo it.

Check back often for updates from Britt via her blog and vodcast.   She covers everything from new recipes, cooking tips, photography and surfing.

Interest Include:

Cooking for friends and family, surfing, photography and playing bass.  Yes, you guessed it, Brittany Bouck plays bass in an alt rock band in Southern California.

Favorite Foods:  Sushi and Italian

Favorite Dish:  Italian Sausage

Currently, she is testing Pederson’s Natural Farms garlic basil with sundried tomatoes chicken sausage for a favorite recipe of hers.  She has promised to share it on the site as soon as she has it perfected.

Certified Humane – puts certain standards in place for animal welfare.

Pederson’s Natural Farms – makes great bacon and other meat products while doing something good for the food system and sustainability.  Yes, Pederson’s Natural Farms are proud supporters of the Certified Humane program.

The Certified Humane Raised and Handled® program is a certification and labeling program that is the only animal welfare label requiring the humane treatment of farm animals from birth through slaughter. The goal of the program is to improve the lives of farm animals by driving consumer demand for kinder and more responsible farm animal practices. When you see the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label on a product you can be assured that the food products have come from facilities that meet precise, objective standards for farm animal treatment.

The Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label assures consumers:

• That the producer meets our standards and applies them to animals from birth through slaughter.
• Animals have ample space, shelter and gentle handling to limit stress.
• Ample fresh water and a healthy diet of quality feed, without added antibiotics or hormones.
• Cages, crates and tie stalls are among the forbidden practices, and animals must be free to do what comes naturally. For example, chickens are able to flap their wings and dust bathe, and pigs have the space to move around and root.

Producers must comply with food safety and environmental regulations. Processors must comply with the American Meat Institute Standards (AMI), a higher standard for slaughtering farm animals than the federal Humane Slaughter Act.

information from www.certifiedhumane.com.  take a look at their website.

If you try it, let us know what you think by leaving a comment.

Thanks!

your west coast correspondent

Find the recipe here.

On June 1 of 2008, Ty Wolosin, finished graduate school at The University of Montana and came back to Texas to take over the farm. Expanding on a pre-existing but underused 5,000+ sq/ft garden, the produce side of Windy Hill began. Although they are not “certified” organic, they feel that the produce they grow goes well beyond the requirements of organic certification.

Every Saturday you can find Ty at the White Rock Local Market and guess what? he has kindly agreed to take Pederson’s Natural Farms product with him. Here is a link to that market http://www.whiterocklocalmarket.com/ – Stop by and pick up some of his great produce and your favorite Pederson’s product!

You can also visit his website at http://windyhillorganics.com/index.php?id=3

If you don’t know Ty, you need to. His passion and determination to provide the best in organic produce is a rare find.