The cook

And The Cowboy

The cook
And The Cowboy
A cookbook connecting
the pasture to the plate

By Frank Widmer
and Christoph E. Weder
Table of Contents
Dedication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The Cook – Passing on a Family Tradition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Seeds, Roots and the Pursuit of Reality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Hat, Chaps, Boots and a Gun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Food Connects Us with Something Bigger Than Ourselves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Cooking Tips and Tricks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Beef Cuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Common Conversions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

RECIPES
Simmered Brisket and Potatoes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Braised Shank on the Bone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Pan Fry with Cucumber and Sun Dried Tomatoes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Agnolotti with Mixed Mushrooms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Angus Short Ribs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Cowboy Salad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Warm Carpaccio with Summer Greens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Oven Braised Shoulder with Root Vegetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Braised Shoulder with Mashed Potatoes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Ragout in Red Wine with Vegetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Steak Tartar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Stuffed Roulade with Vegetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Grilled Skewers from the Hip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Escalopes with Lemon Sauce and Risotto. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Top Sirloin Cap Roast Beef. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Stir Fried Sirloin Tip with Limes and Maple Syrup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Heritage Goulash Soup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Meat Pies from Kriechenwil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Macaroni with Minced Beef. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Grilled Prairie Sausages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
 The saying is that behind every great man is an even greater woman ­­– and for ranchers it is so true.

Successful farms and ranches don’t just happen by accident. They happen because of strong husband
and wife teams working together as partners, the men supplying the brawn and the women the brain.
When calm heads need to prevail, women’s intuition leads us through. Rancher wives make it possible
for our businesses and families to function successfully. Through thick and thin they help us make it
to the end; they are the glue to bind everything together.
1

One special rancher’s wife to whom I would like to dedicate this book is Irene Rutledge. Irene was one of
my mentors and a person for me to lean on for many years while endeavouring to build Heritage Angus.
A woman with a love for her husband and family and who had an incredible passion for agriculture. A woman
that was always quick to volunteer her time and who was always there willing to lend a helping hand.
Irene, you will be greatly missed, however you will certainly not be forgotten. Thank you for everything
that you endeavoured to fix, mend, help, and grow while you were with us.

– Christoph E. Weder

A man’s good work is effected

by doing what he does;
a woman’s by being what she is.
– Robert Browning
If more of us valued
food and cheer and song
above hoarded gold,
it would be a merrier world.
– J.R.R. Tolkien
 The Cook – Passing on
a family tradition
The idea for this book came from a conversation between two friends around a campfire. As with
most ideas, bringing them to life takes much more work. Who knew that it would take this long
to write the recipes in words that everyone can understand instead of what my wife calls “your Chef’s
language” and then cook them all in our home to make sure they work! And then if the photos
didn’t come out as well as we had hoped, we had to cook the dish all over again.
The ingredients that went into creating this book were all carefully chosen. The way the photos are
presented on the page, how the book feels when you open it, a typeface that is easy to read but
4 elegant – like a good recipe, these are all essential elements to how the book ‘tastes’, if you will.
As a professional chef for over 20 years, I have the distinct privilege of creating something new
every day. My experiences as a professional chef have taken me all around the world – from my
home in Switzerland to California, USA, Doha, Qatar and Kuwait in the Middle East. From there
joining Hyatt in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Hyatt’s in Egypt and the Hyatt Regency Warsaw, Poland
and back to Switzerland to the Park Hyatt Zürich.

Experiencing Nature
I wanted to see how the beef I was serving in my restaurant was raised. So, I got on a plane and
made the trip from Switzerland to Alberta, Canada, to visit the Cowboy’s ranch where it all came
from. I was not disappointed. I saw how sustainable beef can be raised in harmony with nature.
But there was so much more.
While at the ranch not only did I get to see the Cowboy’s Angus cattle grazing on grass as they
were meant to, I also saw wolves, bears and moose co-existing in their natural habitat. On the last
day of my visit I told the Cowboy and his family that I would return with my family so my children
could also experience this wonderful way of life.

The cook, the cowboy & the kids on a ranch safari,

Spirit View Ranch, Rycroft Alberta.
5
6
I stayed true to my vow and I brought my family to the ranch for a visit. I am proud to say that
my children know how to identify those wild animals outside of the confines of a zoo. More
importantly, they know that they can make a difference if they care about nature itself. They
enjoy going to a farm to see what a good life animals can have and how good food tastes when
its grown right there.

Building relationships
Everything comes down to relationships, how we relate to each other. I’ve travelled the world, 7
another benefit of my work. I’ve learned that learning the local language and adapting to the
culture where you’re visiting help build relationships. As a chef, I depend on others to bring me
the ingredients necessary to do my job and satisfy my guests.
While these people were once considered “suppliers,” that is no longer the case, thankfully. They
are now partners, in the truest sense of the word. In my world, a trusted partner is someone who
is proud to be listed on the menu and will do everything possible to deliver ingredients that
match the highest of standards.
That relationship goes both ways because I know that my partners are going the extra mile to
deliver quality and that is worth more to me. As a result, I am happy to be able to pay a premium
for that commitment and quality. My partners will then have the resources to continue to
produce food that is sustainable and provide a good living for their families. And finally, our
guests will enjoy a superior dining experience because of the high quality of the food.
I know this works because I see guests returning to our restaurant to enjoy our food and they
bring their friends, families and business partners along. It’s all about relationships.
 Choosing simple, traditional ingredients
This book is filled with recipes that rely upon what are known as “traditional cuts.” Now, don’t
let that scare you off. When we were growing up, our parents would rarely serve a choice cut
such as a tenderloin. If we were lucky, that would happen maybe twice a year. For most
children, it never happened.
For the rest of the year when beef was served, our parents relied on these traditional cuts. As
children we didn’t know any different. All we knew is that we enjoyed a wonderful meal of
8 boiled brisket or a ragout. As some people refer to it now, this was our comfort food.
Times have changed and now there’s all this talk about choice beef cuts – tenderloin, sirloin or
ribeye. Most people have no idea what a traditional cut is or how to prepare it. It may come as
a surprise to some folks to learn that burgers are made from value cuts and not tenderloin!
There’s something rewarding about making a delicious meal for your family or for a special
occasion using these so-called traditional cuts. You are using cuts that are often times more
economical and easy to use. They hearken back to a more traditional time when things were
simpler and we knew where our food came from.
So with all that, I am proud of what we have accomplished and are honoured that you have chosen
to pick this book up and try out the recipes. I’ve made sure they are easy to prepare in your own
kitchen with ingredients that are easy to find. I know that you, your family and friends will enjoy
the meal you make. I wish you happy reading and happy cooking.
9
The price of greatness is responsibility.
– Sir Winston Churchill
 Seeds, Roots and
the Pursuit of Reality

12
 While I’m not sure how many generations of farmers I come from, I do know that the seeds were
firmly sown when my parents decided to emigrate from my childhood home in Switzerland to a
farm near Camrose, Alberta, when I was just four years old.
My first herd of livestock that I raised was rabbits. My first adventures were exploring the potholes
and wetlands on the family farm. I grew up with a passion for animals, both domestic and wild.
I rode my horse and lived for the adventures and discoveries in the aspen groves and prairie meadows.

Christoph moving black angus bulls with

While my father chose to run a dairy farm, my dream was to ranch. Something in me wanted to 13
be part of agriculture that combines the sun, the plants, the soils and grazing animals into the
his favorite horse, Hawg.
oldest and most sustainable form of agriculture. In other words, agriculture the way Mother Nature
intended – deeply rooted in history and tradition.
Look in my high school yearbook and you’ll see that my ambition was to get “a university degree
in agriculture.” Like so many youthful decisions, I had no idea where this choice would lead me
but at the time it sounded like the right thing to do.
So I left the farm and headed off to university to learn all there was to know about modern
production agriculture. More was better, faster more efficient. And for a time, I started to think
that the old ways of doing things were outdated and whatever was new had to be the right way.
Conventional thinking contends that if agriculture is to become more profitable, livestock must
have grow faster, cheaper and more efficiently and, wouldn’t you know it, animal science has a bag
of tricks to make this reality.
I came to close to thinking this was reality but everything changed when I took a range
management course. Once again or maybe for the first time, I saw the wonders of grasslands
– how grazing livestock can coexist harmoniously alongside hundreds of other plant and animal
species in a system that can last indefinitely.

Beef that is more than just beef

After completing my undergraduate degree, I attended Oregon State University to pursue a Masters
degree in range management and animal nutrition. On one of our range field trips I met Doc and
Connie Hatfield, two inspiring ranchers from Bothers, Oregon who would change the direction
of my life.
I heard them speak passionately about stewardship and about “Oregon Country Beef”, their
branded beef program. Doc described it as “beef that is more than just beef. This is sustainable
agriculture combined in a product that you could trust and savour. This is symbiotic agriculture
operating without detriment to the long-term health of the land, the water and the soils.”
I’ve never forgotten Doc and Connie, their words or their passion. They were my inspiration as
I began my career as a cow/calf specialist for the Alberta government and pursued my dream
to one day own my own ranch.
14

The work of nature’s carpenter, the beaver.

A sunny July day on the banks of the mighty Peace River in Northern Alberta.
As a beef specialist, the only advice I could give ranchers to stay profitable was to grow beef
quicker, faster and to use every tool in the book to achieve the results. Implant this, early wean
that, use feed supplements for this and inject for that. Produce, produce, produce and yet the
more that was produced the more that was spent and the less dollars that remained at the end
of the day. So much like a dog chasing its tail and yet, I didn’t realize it at the time.
I began to travel to make up for all the time I had spent in university. One of those excursions
took me to Belize and Guatemala. It was on Christmas Day in 1999 that I met Erika, who would
become my partner for life. After a two-year long-distance relationship between Canada and 15
Switzerland, we married and settled on a small farm near my parents with a small herd of cattle
and a full time job as a beef specialist.
A severe drought in 2002 forced us to make major decisions on where we ranched. So we decided
that if we were really going to make a go of it in ranching, we would need to sell the farm and
move to Alberta’s Peace country.
However, a delay in taking possession of the new ranch in early 2003 kept us homeless for six
months. We decided to make the most of it and set off for six months to South America and Africa
on our honeymoon. While we accomplished our goal to see nature at its purest, we also saw how
humanity was destroying habitat and species in even the most remote corners of the world.

Do everything in your power

In northern Zambia next to the Congo border at Chimfunshi, there is a rehab center for chimps
orphaned by the bush meat and pet trade. We spent time with the owner Sheila Siddle, who told
us, “you can be shocked and concerned by what you see in Africa but what is more important is
that you think global and act local. Before you point fingers at others in the world, do everything
in your power to sustain habitat and biodiversity in your own backyard.” Those words established
the philosophy – the foundation – of how we would approach ranching and agriculture. Most
important, it gave us the direction we needed on how we would live our lives and what we would
teach our children.
In the spring of 2003, invigorated and inspired, we moved to our new home along the banks of
the Spirit River and started Spirit View Ranch. With a rundown farm we began to build a ranch
that not only nurtured our Angus cattle but that also fostered nature. Our goal was a ranch that
would not only support our family but that would also be a paradise filled with nature’s animals
native to our region.
Today, Spirit View Ranch is a place where our cattle graze alongside swans and cranes during
the spring migration, ducks and song birds during nesting season, deer and elk through the
colourful falls and coyotes and ravens through the long winters. It is an amazing place for our
kids to grow and learn. Checking the cattle, spotting wildlife and admiring the land are always
highlights to the day.
16

the road less travelled

Just a year after our move to the ranch, Erika and I met up with Doc and Connie again. Once again,
they provided some much needed inspiration. We could approach our business one of two ways:
stay the course on how we sold our cattle and continue working for the government or take a leap
of faith and create a branded beef product that took our values beyond our ranch gate. Thankfully,
we chose the latter.
We started small, supplying our beef to a retail chain in Canada called Thrifty Foods. Together
with a band of forward-minded ranchers we formed the beginnings of Heritage Angus Beef.
This is beef that is produced with pride by ranchers working together who foster environmental
stewardship by using sustainable grazing and land management practices. We raise beef without
the use of antibiotics and growth stimulants. But then we took it one step further – our
sustainability mandate would also include looking after the people who cared for the land. We
want our ranchers to receive a fair return on their products.
For so long now, agriculture has become more consolidated, moving to larger scales in order to 17
compensate for the continual erosion of margins and profit as farmers and ranchers desperately
try to make it in the commodity business.
Agriculture in the 21st century is solely focused on production. Forests are cleared, wetlands drained
and habitat disappears. To put a halt to this, food must cease to be a commodity. Farms and
ranchers must be able to make a fair return on their products and labour. By creating fair returns,
producers foster stewardship, sustain habitat, and allow nature to return to its rightful place.
Livestock grazing has been around for thousands of years and, when done right, remains one of
the most sustainable and bio-diverse forms of agriculture. It’s all about choices, the decisions we
make and the way we choose to live our lives. We call this being “eco-committed” – committed
to ecological and economically viable agriculture so there can be a next generation of ranchers.

places where agriculture and nature can coexist

To spread this message and create the demand for our beef, our ranches needed the right partners
that shared our vision for sustainability. Since many of our ranchers are in Canada’s outback,
connecting our pastures to plates was a challenge. Nevertheless, we persevered and eventually
found the right retailers, restaurants and chefs that also shared our vision of eco-commitment.
Ours is a story of where customers become friends and those friends become champions for
Heritage Angus Beef.
One of those special people is also a very close friend and champion for Heritage Angus, Executive
Chef Frank Widmer. Frank, aka The Cook, is a visionary, a chef who not only celebrates food but the
people who make it possible. He knows what it means to be eco-committed. A father of two,
Frank says “I want my kids to see places like Spirit View Ranch where agriculture and nature can
coexist.” Frank also knows that raising good beef takes time and patience so that when the product
is ready to be enjoyed, it is a time of celebration.
One late summer night around a fire sat a cook and a cowboy, enjoying a beer and good
conversation. An idea – a seed – and like all healthy seeds, took root and you are holding the
result in your hands. This is our story – one that celebrates nature, food and, most of all,
sustainable ranching. We invite you to be part of something good.
There are only two
ways to live your life:
one is as though
nothing is a miracle;
the other is as though
everything is a miracle.
– Albert Einstein
 Hat, Chaps, Boots
and a Gun
Our heritage
20 Ranching in Canada began in the late 1850s when cowboys moved cattle up from Montana into
the interior of British Columbia, which was part of the North West Territories. Looking for more
grazing land, the cattlemen moved eastward and found the foothills of southern Alberta ideal for
raising cattle. Native grasses grew in sheltered valleys with plenty of water, Chinook winds melted
winter snow on the hills making this still one of the best areas to raise cattle in North America.
In 1873, Methodist missionary Reverend John McDougall and his brother David were building a
mission to serve First Nations people at Morleyville, located on the Bow River in the foothills of
the Rocky Mountains. In order to finance their work, they decided to build a ranching business
with 11 cows and one bull.
The following year, the North West Mounted Police – today the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
also known as the Mounties – brought 235 head of cattle west from Manitoba. The Mounted Police
Glenbow Archives NA-474-4

would play an important role in Canada’s ranching history. Upon completion of three years of
service policing the Prairie frontier, many Mounties bought cattle and began ranching.
As the potential for profit became more apparent, investors from Eastern Canada and Britain
started paying more attention to what was happening out west. With the building of the Canadian
Pacific Railroad across the prairies, travel was easier than ever. American merchandising companies
began bringing capital, stock, and expertise into the area.
Because building materials such as wood and stone were In 1881, the Government of Canada allowed leasing of large tracts of land for the purpose of
scarce, early homesteaders built their first houses using ranching. Any individual or any ranch company could lease up to 100,000 acres for the cost of
sod cut from thickly-rooted prairie grass. These houses one cent per acre, per year. In exchange, they would have three years to stock their ranch with a
minimum of one head of cattle for every ten acres of land. The leases, which would be sold to the
were often temporary as permanent houses made of brick
highest bidder at auction, would last for 21 years.
or wood were being built.
By 1882, 9,000 head of cattle grazed on the land of the North West Territories, and the applications
for leases covered four million acres between the Bow River and the national boundary alone.
This 1907 sod house belonged to J. Willias near Coronation,
By 1900, there were 115,000 head of cattle grazed the native grasses of the Prairies.
Alberta.
 Glenbow Archives NA-3697-1
21

Ranches would not have enjoyed success without the working cowboys or riders, as they preferred to be called.
Most of them were young men who came from either the United States or from the British upper-middle classes.
They needed to be able to perform a variety of duties around the ranch such as riding, roping and rounding up
cattle for as little as a dollar a day.

Cattle round-up, Mosquito Creek, Alberta. 1890.

22

Established in 1881, the North West Cattle Company was

the forerunner of the Bar U Ranch, one of the most
successful ranches in Alberta’s history. At its peak, the
ranch had 30,000 head of cattle feeding on 160,000 acres
The wild, sophisticated West
of grassland along with 1,000 purebred Percheron horses.
Most of the ranch owners and managers in Alberta in the 1880s and 1890s had come from a life
of relative ease and privilege. Compared to the homesteaders – the sodbusters – who arrived in
North West Cattle Company Ranch, Pekisko, Alberta. Alberta from Europe to escape economic hardship, the aspiring rancher in western Canada was
wealthier, higher educated and had professional skills. Many were wealthy British gentlemen who
were young, adventurous, and with the financial means to get started but were inexperienced
when it came to the rough and tumble world of ranching. Nevertheless, the young British rancher
brought an air of genteel sophistication to the frontier, a welcome change from the violence and
chaos south of the border in the mythical Wild West of the United States.
By 1885, four cattle companies controlled almost half of the leased acreage land in southern
Alberta, and cattle exports from Alberta were totaling over 11 million dollars a year. Ranchers
themselves were entrepreneurial, always looking for new enterprises and actively involved in the
social and political happenings of the day.
While it was the owners and managers of big ranches that brought much-needed capital, stability,
and education to the area, it was the experienced cowboys or stock-hands that knew the land best
and provided the indomitable spirit that continues to drive Canada’s ranching industry to this day.
 Glenbow Archives NA-2084-4
23

Branding, which typically takes place at the

spring roundup, is one method ranchers use
to identify their cattle. It is also acts as a legal
proof of ownership, which is used to deter
rustlers or thieves from stealing cattle.

Branding on the Prairies near Medicine Hat,

Alberta.
Glenbow Archives NA-631-2
 With the customs and techniques originating in Mexico, the spring and fall round-ups are pivotal events
on ranches. The largest roundup is generally in springtime where the cattle are gathered and cowboys
sort them for branding, ear tags and vaccinations. They are then turned out to pasture for the summer.
Round-ups are held in fall to collect calves for weaning and to bring the cattle in for the winter.

Sorting cattle in a corral in southern Alberta. Circa late 1890s.

Glenbow Archives NA-2977-52

24
 Theirs was a tough life
Cowboys often came up from the United States, hoping to earn enough money to own their own
ranches. This would prove to be a challenge with the average cowboy earning 40 dollars per week.
That’s two thirds less than the ranch foreman and even less than the ranch bookkeeper or cook.
Theirs was a tough life. Work was seasonal. When not working on a cattle drive or round-up,
cowboys fulfilled different duties related to the ranch and cattle. In winter, the cowboy would
chop holes in the ice of watering holes or provide hay for the animals when snow made grazing
impossible. If the winter was particularly brutal as they often are on the prairies, cattle would 25
move with the wind, piling up against fences. Many a rider would risk not only frostbite but his
life performing missions of search and rescue. In spring, cowboys would help with calving,
earmarking the newborns for easy identification.
Along with sturdy clothing to suit the weather – hat, chaps, jacket, boots and a gun – what was
most essential to the working cowboy was his horse. It was on horseback that he did most of his
daily chores and was able to control stampeding cattle or manage cattle frightened by predatory
wildlife. Because the work was so demanding and the horses weren’t bred for endurance, a cowboy
would need two or three horses to complete a day’s work. To help supply fresh horses, bronco-
busters were cowboys who specialized in breaking wild horses for the range, a tradition that
continues to this day in summer rodeos across the Prairies.
While today’s ranchers benefit from changes in technology, innovations and transportation, there
are some things that haven’t changed in over 100 years. There is still a drive and determination to
overcome whatever obstacles get in the way in order to succeed. And there is a solid foundation
of traditional family values – honesty, commitment and hard work – that define ranchers and
their families. It’s just who we are.
Glenbow Archives NA-335-37

Horses were an essential part of the cowboy’s life. In order to maintain a supply of horses, bronco
busters were called on to tame or break the wild horses that roamed the prairies. What started out
as a daily chore soon became an exhibition sport where cowboys competed at rodeos such as the
Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.

Saddle bronc riding at Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, Alberta. 1912.

I think having land
and not ruining it
is the most beautiful art
that anybody could ever
want to own.
– Andy Warhol
 Food connects us
with something bigger
than ourselves
28 Beef brings us into contact with the world at large and makes us aware that we are not alone.
How we treat food is a reflection of how we treat others. Is it a commodity that is mass-produced
without thought for tomorrow or is it carefully cultivated, with a focus on the generations to come?
Says American farmer and poet Wendell Berry: “I dislike the thought that some animal has been made
miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it to be from an animal that has lived a pleasant,
uncrowded life outdoors, on bountiful pasture, with good water nearby and trees for shade.”
To make this a reality, we need to know where our food comes from, who produces it and how
it is raised. As we become more connected through technology, we are able to directly connect
with producers and their families easier than ever before.
Connecting with food demands that we become involved in the decision making process. It is our
obligation to be informed about the lifecycle of the food we eat. We need to think more consciously
about how we choose our foods…be it meat and grains, fruit and vegetables. We need to ask the
questions has it been raised and harvested sensitively, sustainably and ethically?

Sustainable ranching leaves space for creatures of all sizes.

An August day on Moose Lake, near Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

30
31
32
 Compared to other meats, beef takes significant time and land resources to produce. The ruminant
animal is a marvel of nature that can convert low quality non edible plant materials produced by
solar energy and rain into products like milk, leather and high quality protein. It is indeed the
oldest food production system in the world. Rather than being intrusive, the rancher’s livestock
coexist with the wildlife and waterfowl in a mutually beneficial system that promotes healthy
food and a healthy ecosystem. Ranching is more than just producing beef it is a way to produce
food that conserves open spaces, native landscapes and allows wildlife to flourish.
Making a choice to select beef produced under a sustainable mandate like the beef produced by the 33
ranchers from Heritage Angus beef is one small way to influence how food is cultivated and produced.
Everyone has a role to play in this. So when you visit your butcher or local market to choose
ingredients to prepare a recipe found in this book, ask where the food was grown. Develop a
relationship – indeed, a friendship – with the people who provide you with the necessities of life.
By supporting food producers in your community, you are strengthening the work being done to
create a better food system in your community as well encouraging the next generation who are
dedicated to carrying on the tradition.
There is something inherently joyful about sharing a meal with family and friends. Even more so
if you can fully appreciate where the food comes from – whether from your own garden, a local
farmers’ market or purchased from a community supported network of farmers and ranchers.
Let’s all slow down, take a breath and use all of our senses to enjoy quality food. We need to learn
to choose good food that is produced in harmony with our environment and local communities.
Now is the time for all of us to be part of something good.

We believe the way plants, animals and people relate in

a healthy, sustainable environment is crucial to the health
and wellness of the world we all share.
adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
 Cooking Tips
and Tricks
This is a cookbook to be used for cooking at home. The recipes The recipes are meant to be guidelines so adjust as necessary. For example, if the recipe calls for
are designed so that anyone can follow them and successfully 100 grams of carrots and you have another 50 grams in the fridge, add them to the dish. It’s not
prepare the dishes, even if you are a beginner. The following tips going to make the dish inedible. I haven’t included recipes for side dishes in this book. I believe
that everyone should eat what they prefer with these beef dishes.
and tricks will help you master the basic principles of preparing
traditional cuts of beef for many of the recipes presented. Also, don’t bother searching for recipes with prime cuts like beef tenderloin, ribeye or striploin.
This book is filled with recipes using great beef cuts – also known as value or traditional cuts –
which our parents and grandparents used to cook. Not only are these cuts affordable, they are
36 very tasty and can be prepared at the last minute or even the day before.
There’s another reason why we’re focusing on traditional cuts in this cookbook. Prime cuts make
up just 3% of the entire animal. The rest are considered value cuts and the farmer needs to be
able to sell these as well at a fair price. With a little encouragement and investment in time,
anyone can learn how to make a tasty meal using these cuts of beef.
 My rule of thumb
for braising
Braising is the term for cooking pieces of meat 4. Add 100ml cold water, stirring occasionally. 37
which have a lot of tissue. To braise is to cook Wait until the liquid has dissolved and
in little liquid in a covered heavy pan. The liquid, the paste is caramelizing. Be careful that
or the humidity, together with the heat turns it doesn’t burn.
the tough tissue into eatable gelatin, making
braising the perfect cooking method for less 5. Repeat that step 4-5 times until the tomato
tender beef cuts. paste smells like a brown sauce.

While not difficult, braising is relatively time 6. Add the red wine and the rest of the water.
consuming. However, once the meat is in the Bring to a boil and add all the herbs
oven there is plenty of time to do other things. and spices.
Depending on which cut is braised, it can be 7. If needed skim off the foam, add the meat,
also prepared a day in advance. cover with a heavy lid and place the pan
Ingredients per kilogram
1. Sear the meat, previously seasoned with in the oven.
of meat
salt and pepper, in the oil, in a heavy pan 8. Braise until the meat is soft. Check once
½ litre red cooking wine
until the meat is nice and brown on all sides. in a while if there is still enough liquid in
Take the meat of the pan. the pan.
1 litre water
2. In the same oil slowly roast the vegetables 9. When the meat is soft, take it out of the
60 grams carrots, peeled (cut into 2x2cm cubes) and the bacon until sauce and keep warm. Skim off the grease
golden brown. that will be floating on top of the sauce
60 grams celery root, peeled
3. Add the tomato paste and roast it with and let the sauce reduce until it has the
80 grams onion, peeled right consistency.
the vegetables, slowly until the paste starts
10 grams garlic, peeled caramelizing and slowly browning. 10. Taste for seasoning.
50 grams bacon, smoked

1 bay leaf

1 clove

1 tsp black peppercorns

10 grams oil

50 grams tomato paste

salt and pepper

 My rule of thumb
for boiling
38 Boiling is another term for cooking pieces 5. Bring to a boil and let the uncovered meat
of meat which have a lot of tissue. To boil is boil below the boiling point, nice and slow.
to cook in a lot of liquid that covers the meat,
but is not covered with a lid. The meat is boiled 6. Boil until the meat is soft. If the meat
slightly under the boiling point in a broth. becomes uncovered during boiling, add
The effect is the same as braising; the liquid just enough water to cover the meat.
or the humidity together with the heat turns 7. When the meat is soft, take it out of the
the tough tissue into eatable gelatin which broth and keep warm. Skim off the grease
makes it a perfect cooking method for less that will be floating on top of the sauce
tender beef cuts. and check the seasoning. If the broth is not
As a cooking method, boiling is not that strong enough in taste, let it reduce a bit.
difficult but relatively time consuming. Once The result will be the tastiest beef broth
Ingredients per kilogram the meat is gently boiling, there is plenty of you’ve ever tried.
of meat time for doing other things.
8. To give the broth the nice color we are
2 litres water
1. In a big pan place the washed piece familiar with:
of beef and add the water completely
80 grams carrots, peeled covering the meat. • Cut a big onion in half and place in a
heavy iron pan on the stove, cut-side face
60 grams celery root, peeled 2. Add a bit of salt and bring to the boil. down, burn until the cut face side is black.
80 grams onion, peeled 3. Skim off the foam which will build on top • Boil the onion together with the meat and
of the water. the rest of the vegetables in the broth.
60 grams leek
4. Cut all the vegetables into 2x2cm cubes
2 bay leaves
and add them together with the spices
2 cloves to the meat.
1 tsp white or black
peppercorns
salt
 My rule of thumb
for brown sauce
Whenever you work with traditional cuts, 7. Repeat this step 5-6 times until the 39
there will be off-cuts which are the pieces that tomato paste is nice and brown and smells
will have to be trimmed off. Here’s how to use like a brown sauce.
those cuts so you will always have some
home-made brown sauce in your freezer 8. Fill the pan with water. Bring to a boil.
and you will not have to go and buy the Add the herbs and spices. If needed skim
conventional paste or powder. The easiest way off the foam.
to freeze this sauce is in an ice cube container 9. Let the sauce boil, below the boiling point,
so you can take as much as you need at a time. until there is only half of the liquid left in
The following is a basic recipe that works with the pan.
more or less of the ingredients listed. It also 10. Place a kitchen cloth in a sieve. Scoop the
works if you use bones only. sauce through it in another pan. You will
Ingredients per kilogram
1. In a heavy pan heat 50ml oil. end up with a clear sauce.
of meat

2. At medium heat, fry the meat or bones 11. Reduce the rest of the sauce that has been
1 kilogram beef off-cuts until they are brown on all sides. sieved to one-third or until it has a nice
or small cut bones consistency.
3. Wash and cut the vegetables in big cubes,
50 millilitres oil add them to the pan. 12. Slightly season with salt.
100 millilitres water
4. Roast the vegetables for at least 10 minutes 13. Let the sauce cool down. Place in the fridge
until they are also brown and have a overnight which will allow the fat to rise
100 grams onion
roasted aroma. to the top and harden, making it easier to
100 grams carrots scoop off.
5. Add the tomato paste and slowly roast it
100 grams celery root* with the vegetables and the meat/bones 14. Let the sauce come to room temperature
together, slowly until the paste starts so it liquefies enough to be placed into the
3 bay leaves ice cube container.
caramelizing or getting slowly brown.
3 cloves 15. Freeze. Use how much you need when
6. Add 100ml cold water, stirring occasionally.
10 peppercorns Wait until the liquid has dissolved and the you need it.
paste is caramelizing. Be careful that it
100 grams tomato paste
doesn’t burn.
*You can also use only the
skin and make a salad from
the rest.
 Chuck
Rib
Short Loin
Sirloin
Round

Foreshank Brisket Flank

Plate

Beef cuts
40 Brisket Usually used for barbeque, corned beef or pastrami. Slow dry heat cooking methods are best
suited for the brisket.
Chuck The chuck comes from the front quarter of the beef carcass. Cuts from this area are quite
flavourful but not as tender as the loin and rib cuts. Chuck cuts like chuck steaks and roasts are
best suited to slow cooking methods using moist heat such as braising. Beef from this area is also
made into source grind and used for burgers and in other recipes requiring ground beef.
Foreshank This cut from the front leg of the beef is typically used for stews and soups. Because of the
muscles purpose to propelling the animal it is one of the least tender cuts. However, by using
techniques like braising and stewing you can create unbelievable beef dishes.
Rib This part is naturally tender and is sold as rib eye steaks, prime rib and standing rib roasts.
Rib cuts work well for grilling and or roasting.
Plate Plate cuts include the short ribs, stew meat, and ground beef. Plate cuts are best prepared using
moist heat and long slow cooking methods.
Short Loin This region is the source of the most tender steaks including the porterhouse, T-bone, striploin
and tenderloin. These cuts are well suited for grilling
Flank The flank is best known for recipes like London broil and for fajitas. Many recipes for flank steak use
marinades or moist cooking methods, such as braising, to improve the tenderness and flavour.
Sirloin Almost as tender as the short loin cuts, sirloin cuts another great cut for grilling and many
consider them more flavorful. Cuts from this area are sold as top sirloin, bottom sirloin, cube
steak and tri-tip.
Round Round beef cuts contains lean and lower fat cuts. These cuts require moist cooking or lesser
degrees of doneness to get the best results. Some representative cuts are round steak, eye of
round, top round and bottom round steaks and roasts.
Common Conversions
Grams to Ounces Temperature Conversions 41

30 grams is approximately 1 ounce. To convert To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit multiply the

grams to ounces multiply number of grams Celsius temperature by 9, divide the result by 5,
by .0353. then add 32.
30 grams = 1 ounce -23˚C = -10˚F or freezer storage
115 grams = 4 ounces 0˚C = 32˚F or freezing point for water
225 grams = 8 ounces 20˚C = 68˚F or room temperature
340 grams = 12 ounces 100˚C = 212˚F or boiling point for water
177˚C = 350˚F = 4 (British Gas Mark)
Grams to Pounds or baking temperature
To convert grams to pounds multiply the
204˚C = 400˚F = 6 (British Gas Mark)
number of grams by x 0.0022.
or hot oven temperature
225 grams = ½ pound
260˚C = 500˚F = 9 (British Gas Mark)
450 grams = 1 pound or broiling temperature

675 grams = 1½ pounds

Volume/Weight Equivalents
900 grams = 2 pounds ½ ounce = 1 tbsp = 3 tsp
1 kilogram = 2.21 pounds 2 ounces = ¼ cup = 4 tbsp
4 ounces = ½ cup = 8 tbsp
Converting Litres to Quarts
To convert litres to quarts it is almost the same 8 ounces = 1 cup = ½ pound
measurement, common ones are listed below.
16 ounces = 2 cups = 1 pint = 1 pound
.95 litre = 1 quart
1.4 litres = 1½ quarts
1.9 litres = 2 quarts
2.85 litres = 3 quarts
We share the
earth not only
with our fellow
human beings,
but with all the
other creatures.
– The Dalai Lama
 Simmered Brisket
and potatoes

44
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. In a big pot, place the washed brisket and 8. In the meantime peel the potatoes.
cover with cold water, add a little salt. Make sure that the potatoes are about all
the same size. Cut lengthwise in half and
2. Bring to a boil so all the “dirt” is in the foam. cook them in salt water until they are soft.
800 grams brisket flat
3. Take out the meat and wash it thoroughly Be careful that you don’t cook them so
with cold water, clean the pot and repeat they are too soft.
the first step. If there is a remaining amount 9. The brisket is cooked when you can stick a
of foam, skim it off. long meat fork into the meat and pull it out 45
1 onion
4. Cut the onion in half and place the cut side easily. Remove from brisket from the broth
2 carrots and slice it in 2cm thick slices. Remove and
face down in a heavy iron pan and let the
1 leek cut side burn. Yes, it should get completely discard the onion.
black to give the broth its brownish color. 10. Dress the slices into a soup plate, taste the
½ celery root
5. Clean and wash the carrots, leek and celery broth and, if needed, add some seasoning.
parsley and cut into 2x2cm cubes or as you like – Pour some of the broth over the meat.
8 potatoes, medium size it is important that all are uniform size. 11. Garnish your dish with the vegetables,
6. Pluck the parsley leaves, but don’t throw potatoes and some chopped parsley.
salt and pepper
away the stem as it will give the broth 12. Serve with mustard and fresh horseradish.
2 bay leaves added flavour.
2 cloves
Once the meat is eaten, you can serve
7. Now add the onion, carrot, celery and the everyone a cup of broth, use it the next
mustard or fresh leek together with the stems of the parsley day or let it cool down and freeze it.
horseradish, or both and the spices to the broth and let it gently Just don’t throw it away!
boil for 1½-2 hours.
 Braised shank
on the bone

46
Ingredients for 4 portions

Pre-order a whole foreshank at your butcher. 6. In the meantime, peel the carrots and cut
There are two things you should keep in mind them into 5x1cm sticks.
to avoid making two trips to the butcher like
I had to: 7. Wash the potatoes thoroughly and cut
1 whole shank with bone
them in quarters.
• The shank should not be bigger/longer
then 25cm. Otherwise it will not fit into 8. In a frying pan with a little oil, fry the
a regular baking oven. carrots and the potatoes on high heat
until they are a nice brown colour. 47
1½ litres brown sauce
• Ask your butcher to cut both ends especially
the thicker end as straight as possible, so you 9. After 2½ hours, add the vegetables to the
100 millilitres oil
can braise the shank upright in the oven. shank in the sauce and cover everything
2 bay leaves again with the aluminum foil and braise
1. Heat the oil in a pot at medium heat. it for another half an hour.
2 cloves
2. Rub the shank with salt and pepper and 10. Stick a long meat fork or a thin knife into
4 carrots, medium size
sear it in the oil on all sides, together with the meat of the shank. If you can pull it out
8 young potatoes the onion and garlic clove. easily then the meat is ready.

1 onion, peeled and 3. Take everything out of the pot. Remove the 11. Clean off the border of the pot with a damp
cut into quarters oil and pour the brown sauce into the pot. cloth so it doesn’t look messy. Sprinkle the
Bring to a boil. chopped parsley over it.
2 garlic cloves, peeled
4. Place the shank, standing the thick side down 12. Serve the shank in the pot on the table
parsley in the pot, add the onion and the garlic back and slice the meat in front of your guests.
salt and pepper in and cover everything tight with aluminum
foil so the heat stays in the pot. This is a beautiful, impressive dish for a Sunday
dinner or a special occasion.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 200˚ Celsius. Place the
shank in the oven and braise it for 2½ hours.
Check occasionally to make sure there is
enough sauce/liquid in the pan so that the
meat doesn’t burn.
 pan fry with cucumber
and sun dried tomatoes

48
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. In a heavy pan, heat the oil so that it is 7. Sprinkle the paprika powder, stir well and
very hot to sear the meat. add the brown sauce.
2. Peel and wash the onion, cut in quarters 8. Bring to a boil and let the sauce reduce
720 grams pectoral,
and slice into thin stripes. to a nice consistency.
cut in thin strips
3. Cut the cucumbers length-wise in half 9. In another pan, melt the rest of the butter
and cut them into thin strips. and fry the spätzle until they are golden
brown. Season with salt and pepper. 49
1 onion 4. Sear the meat in the hot pan. This will have
to be done in about 4 steps so the oil doesn’t 10. Bring the sauce to a boil and add the meat.
8 pickled cucumbers (salty)
cool down too quick. If the meat starts
“boiling” it will get tough. Take the meat 11. Stir well, check seasoning and add the
4 tomatoes dried, in oil
out of the pan and let the oil drain off. sour cream.
50 grams sour cream
5. Once all the meat is seared, remove the 12. On the plates, dress half with the spätzle and
240 grams spätzle
remaining oil. on the other half, the meat with the sauce.
parsley 6. With a little butter in the pan, gently fry 13. Garnish with parsley, dried tomatoes and
the onion and the pickled cucumber strips. some of the pickled cucumbers.
salt and pepper
20 grams paprika powder

100 millilitres oil

0.4 litre brown sauce

200 grams butter

 Agnolotti with
mixed mushrooms

50
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Put the flour in a bowl and make a hole 14. Now brush water onto the two corners
in the middle. Fill the hole with the whole and stick them well together (so they overlap
egg, the yolk and the olive oil. Work together about 1cm).
300 grams meat from well enough to make a smooth dough.
15. Push the round ends down a little so it
the braised shank
2. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it resembles a big tortellini.
(you can also use another
piece of braised beef) rest in the fridge for at least one hour.
16. Place the tortellini on tray sprinkled with
3. Peel, wash and finely chop the onion and flour and let them cool in the fridge. (At this 51
2 onions
garlic clove. stage you can put your pasta in the freezer
½ garlic clove and once they are frozen you can pack them
4. Tear the braised meat in bite-size pieces. in bags and keep them in the freezer for
100 millilitres about a month).
5. Cut half of the mushrooms in small
red cooking wine
5x5mm cubes. 17. Fill a large pot with water. Add salt and
200 grams brown sauce
6. Chop the parsley. a small amount of oil. Bring to a boil.
150 grams champignons
7. In a pan heat the butter and gently fry half 18. In a heavy pan, heat some oil. Fry the
150 grams of the onion and garlic. Add the mushroom remaining mushrooms on high heat and
boletus mushrooms* cubes and slowly fry until soft. then add the rest of the onion and garlic.

150 grams 8. Add about two spoons of red wine to the 19. Add the brown sauce and let it gently
oyster mushrooms* mixture and 50 grams of the brown sauce. cook until you have a nice consistency
Gently let boil until the liquid has nearly for the sauce.
40 grams parsley, chopped
dissolved. If needed, season with salt and 2 0. When the water boils, add the pasta and
salt and pepper pepper and add half of the chopped parsley. let boil for approximately 8 minutes, so the
Add the meat to mixture. Let the mixture dough is not too soft. For frozen pasta,
30 grams butter
cool in the fridge. always put them frozen into the boiling water.
250 grams white flour Cooking time will be approximately 2 minutes
9. Clean and cut the rest of the mushrooms.
1 egg, whole more. Don’t defrost them because they
10. With a rolling pin, roll out the pasta dough will get soggy.
1 egg yolk (1-2mm thick) on a little flour so it doesn’t
stick. Cut into 9cm diameter circles. 2 1. Take the pasta out of the water and quickly
20 grams olive oil let the water dissolve. Place 3-4 pieces of
11. In the middle of each circle, place one the pasta in a deep/soup plate.
*You can use any spoon of the chilled filling.
kind of mushrooms, 2 2. Add the rest of the chopped parsley to the
depending on the season 12. With a brush or a paper, brush the borders mushrooms in the pan, bring to boil and
and your preference. of the circle with water which will make the scoop the mushrooms with the sauce over
dough stick together. your pasta.
13. Fold the circles once, so it resembles a half
moon. Press the borders together so the
dough sticks.
 ANGUS Short ribs

52
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Wash and dry the ribs. 10. Put the ribs back into the pan, cover with a
lid and slowly cook them for 4 hours. Check
2. Wash, peel and cut the vegetables occasionally to make sure there is enough
in big cubes. liquid left. Add a bit of water if needed.
4 pieces short ribs
3. Heat the oil in a heavy ovenproof pan. 11. The meat is ready when it starts falling off
4. On high heat quickly brown the ribs. the bone. Take out the ribs.
Remove from pan. 12. Strain the sauce into another pan. Slowly
200 grams BBQ sauce 53
5. Drain half of the fat from the pan. strain or degrease the sauce which may
75 grams carrots Use the remaining fat to slowly brown take some time. Let the sauce reduce to
the vegetables on medium heat. a nice consistency.
75 grams celery root
6. Once the vegetables are nicely brown, 13. Once the ribs are cooled down, brush them
100 grams onion with BBQ sauce and finish them slowly in
add the tomato paste and keep on frying
75 grams leek it slowly until it starts getting brown. the oven or on the grill: set at 200˚ Celsius
for 15-20 minutes, depending on the
100 grams tomato paste 7. Add 1tbsp of water and let it reduce until thickness of the meat. Brush them three
the the tomato paste gets more colour or four times to really give them a strong
salt and pepper
and taste. Repeat this step about 4 times taste of BBQ.
100 millilitres oil or until the paste is nice and brown.
14. Serve with fried potatoes or a garnish
8. Add 2 litres of water and bring to the boil. of your preference.
9. Preheat the oven to 150˚ Celsius.
 Cowboy salad

54
Ingredients for 4 portions

Whenever you simmer a brisket, such as the 4. For the sauce, use French dressing or any
recipe on page 45, you will often have leftovers other dressing you prefer. I like simple
which will make a nice salad for summer nights. vinaigrette made with vinegar, oil, salt
600 grams boiled brisket and pepper.
1. Cut the cooled brisket into cubes.
Make sure you don’t have pieces that 5. Thoroughly toss all the ingredients
consist only of fat. including the herbs together.
2. Slice the cheese and the pickled cucumbers. 6. Serve with some nice bread. 55
150 grams pickled cucumber
3. Wash the butterhead lettuce.
200 grams gruyere cheese

150 grams peeled, seeded

tomatoes
1 head butterhead lettuce

chopped parsley
chopped chives
vinaigrette
The progress of rivers to the ocean
is not so rapid as that of man to error.
– Voltaire
 warm Carpaccio
with summer greens

58
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Trim the meat of any tendons or fat. 6. Fry the meat on all sides at high temperature.
Remove from pan and let rest for 5 minutes
2. Rub meat with the spicy mustard and (if you rest the meat, the meat will stay
800 grams ground salt and pepper. Cover with juicier). Turn once in a while.
cross rib shoulder plastic wrap and marinate until it reaches
room temperature. 7. Mix the grain mustard and mayonnaise.
Spread with a spoon onto the plates.
3. Clean and wash the salad, the red radishes
and the sprouts. Drain excess water well. 8. With a sharp knife, cut the meat as thin 59
100 millilitres oil
as possible and arrange the slices onto
4. Mix salt and pepper with your favourite the prepared plates.
2 bunches
vinegar or a bit of lemon juice. Stir well
rocket salad leaves*
until the salt and pepper dissolves. While 9. Mix the salad and the sprouts with the
1 handful lamb lettuce* slowly and constantly stirring add the oil. dressing and garnish your plates with it.
Always add oil at the end as the seasoning Use the red radishes for decoration.
1 bunch red radish
will not dissolve in oil.
A very simple and quick summer recipe,
50 grams mixed sprouts*
5. Heat oil in a frying pan. perfect to enjoy with a glass of white wine
spicy mustard on the terrace.

salt and pepper, ground

2 tbsp grain or pommery
mustard
2 tbsp mayonnaise

vinegar, salad oil,

salt and pepper
*The choice of salad in
this recipe is not a must.
Use the type of salad you
like most. The same applies
to the salad dressing.
 Oven braised shoulder
with root vegetables

60
Ingredients for 8 portions

1. With the butcher string, tie the shoulder 11. Let the meat braise for 3-3½ hours.
together well so that the meat doesn’t Check to ensure that there is still enough
come off the bone once it’s cooked. liquid in the pan so the meat does not burn.
1 piece chuck shoulder Or ask your butcher to tie the meat for you. While checking the liquid, take a spoon
with bone That’s something he is used to doing. and scoop some sauce over the meat
to intensify the taste.
2. Rub the meat thoroughly with salt
and pepper. 12. In the meantime, wash the potatoes
100 millilitres oil thoroughly, leaving the skin on. Cut them, 61
3. Wash and peel the vegetables. Cut them into big cubes. Mix the potatoes with oil,
4 tbsp tomato paste into 3x3cm cubes. salt, pepper and rosemary and place on
3 carrots 4. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan. a baking tray.

½ celery root 5. Sear the shoulder on all sides. Remove and 13. After about 2 hours and 15 minutes of the
keep in a warm place. cooking time for the meat, place the potatoes
3 onions in the oven and roast until golden brown.
6. Set the temperature of the stove to
2 parsnips 14. Once the meat is ready – you’ll know it is
medium high, add vegetables to the pan
(in the same oil) and slowly roast. ready if when you can pull a long meat fork
2 parsley root
out easily – take the meat and the vegetables
3 bay leaves 7. Add 100ml water and stir while roasting. out of the pan and keep in a warm place.
Repeat 3-4 times until the vegetable/
3 cloves tomato paste mix is golden brown and has 15. Strain the sauce into another pot, skim off
a nice roasted taste. the fat and reduce the sauce until it has
salt and pepper
a nice consistency. Taste for seasoning.
1200 grams potatoes 8. Fill the pan half with water. Bring to boil,
skim off the foam and add the spices. 16. Present the whole shoulder on the table
3 sprigs fresh rosemary and cut the shoulder right there which is a
9. Preheat oven to 200˚ Celsius. nice change, especially for special events!
butcher string
(ask your butcher for it) 10. Place the shoulder into the pan, cover 17. Serve the sauce, the vegetables and the
with a heavy lid. If the shoulder is too big potatoes on the side so everybody can
and the lid doesn’t fit, cover tightly with help themselves.
aluminum foil. Place in oven.
A strong-bodied red wine will fit well with
the dish.
 braised shoulder
with mashed potatoes

62
Ingredients for 4 portions

Note: Before cooking this recipe, the meat 9. Bring the marinade to a boil. Don’t forget
should marinate for a week. While that may to stir otherwise the flour will burn.
sound complicated, it is worth the time invested. Skim off the foam that will build up on top.
1 kilogram shoulder clod Place the meat in the sauce.
1. Ask your butcher for a nice piece of the
shoulder clod for roasting. 10. Cover with a lid and let gently boil for
1½-2 hours. Occasionally check the sauce.
2. Wash and peel the vegetables and cut You may need to add a bit of water so it
everything into 2x2cm cubes. doesn’t burn. 63
¾ litre red cooking wine
3. Mix the cooking wine, the vinegar and 11. The roast is ready when you stick a long
1 dash regular vinegar
the spices with the vegetables. meat fork into the meat and you can pull
2 bay leaves the fork out easily.
4. Place the meat into a container with an
2 cloves air-tight lid. Cover the meat with the 12. Take the meat out of the sauce. Skim
marinade mix. Be sure the container is off any fat on top of the sauce and check
4 juniper berries
closed well. Otherwise your fridge will seasoning. Strain through a pre-prepared
1 carrot smell like the marinade. strainer into another pan. If needed,
5. After a week (plus-minus a day or two reduce the sauce a bit more achieve
½ leek
is no problem) take the meat out of the the right consistency.
¼ celery root marinade and let it drain well. 13. On a plate, dress the mashed potatoes.
1 onion 6. Heat the oil in a heavy pan. 14. Slice the meat and place beside the
1 garlic clove 7. Quickly sear the meat on all sides on potatoes. Cover with sauce and decorate
high heat. Take the meat out of the pan. with the rosemary branches.
100 millilitres oil

50 grams white flour 8. Stir the flour into the oil. When mixed well,
pour the marinade on top.
4 portions mashed potatoes

4 rosemary branches

salt and pepper

 Ragout in red wine
with vegetables

64
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Peel and cut the onion in 2x2cm cubes. 10. In a small pan, heat a small amount of
oil and fry the carrots gently. After about
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pan. 1 hour of cooking the meat, add the carrots
800 grams top blade mock 3. Season the meat with salt and pepper. to the meat so they can cook in the sauce.
tender in cubes (3x3cm) Little by little, sear the meat so the oil 11. Cook for 1½-2 hours until the meat is soft
doesn’t cool down too much and the meat and tender. Take one cube out of the sauce
starts losing liquid. Take the meat out and and taste if it’s ready.
let the oil drain off. 65
2 onions
12. Once the meat is ready, check the
4. Once the meat is seared, slowly fry the consistency and the taste of the sauce
3 carrots
onion cubes in oil until they appear glassy. (if needed, let the sauce reduce a bit more).
150 grams mushrooms
5. Add the tomato paste and roast it until it 13. Clean the mushrooms. If small, leave them
2 litres red cooking wine gets brown. Add some red wine, roast and whole and if they are big cut them
reduce. Repeat 4-5 times until it has a nice in quarters.
5 sprigs rosemary
brown color.
240 grams noodles, cooked 14. In a small pan heat oil and fry the
6. Sprinkle a bit of flour into the pan, stir well. mushrooms. When they are soft,
salt and pepper Add the meat and fill up with the rest of season the mushrooms slightly with
the red wine. Add a rosemary sprig. salt and pepper.
100 millilitres oil
7. Bring to a boil. Be sure to stir to prevent 15. On the plates, arrange the noodles in a
50 grams tomato paste the flour burning on the bottom of the pan. circle and place the meat with the sauce
white flour Skim off the foam that will build on top, and the carrots in the middle. Garnish with
then let the meat gently cook. the mushrooms on top and a rosemary
8. While cooking, always check that there is branch on each plate.
enough liquid in the pan. Instead of the red Leftover meat can be easily reheated the
wine you can also replace the evaporated next day.
liquid with bouillon.
9. Peel and wash the carrots and cut them
into 1cm thick slices. For large carrots,
cut them in half before slicing.
If you tell the truth
you don’t have to remember
anything.
– Mark Twain
 Steak Tartar

68
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. *Ask your butcher to mince the meat for 4. Mix the meat with the chopped cucumber,
you (3mm). If that is not possible cut/chop capers, parsley and onion. Add the mustard
the meat at home into 3x3mm cubes. and the egg yolks. Season with salt, pepper
700 grams inside round* and paprika powder. If you like your tartar
2. Chop the cucumber, capers and the onion spicy, add tabasco.
into about the same size as the meat or
even a bit smaller. 5. Put the tartar in a bowl in the middle of
the table. Serve with the toasted dark bread
3. Slice the dark bread and toast the slices and butter on the side. 69
1 loaf/500 grams
with butter in a frying pan.
dark bread
A quick, inexpensive summer dish to enjoy in
1 tbsp parsley, chopped the garden.

3 egg yolks

100 grams
pickled cucumbers
(salted not sweet)
40 grams capers

40 grams onion

10 grams spicy mustard

salt, pepper,
paprika powder
butter
 Stuffed roulade
with vegetables

70
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Ask your butcher for 24 pieces of thinly 7. Sear the roulades on all sides in the oil.
tapped beef schnitzel taken from the Drain the oil and cover the roulades with
outside round (2mm thick, 10cm diameter) ¾ of the hot brown sauce.
720 grams outside round for roulades.
8. Cover the pan. Let the roulades simmer for
2. Cut the pickled cucumbers and dried 45-60 minutes on medium heat. Check the
tomatoes lengthwise in quarters. sauce occasionally; you may need to add
a little water.
3. Arrange the schnitzel beside each other 71
100 millilitres oil
and season with salt, paprika and pepper 9. Stick a meat fork into a roulade. If you can
24 pickled cucumbers on a cutting board or platter. pull the fork out easily, the meat is ready.
(salted)
4. Place a quarter of cucumber and tomato 10. Prepare the vegetables of your choice and
24 tomatoes, dried in oil (4 quarters of each per schnitzel) on the noodles and dress them onto a big platter.
each schnitzel.
24 toothpicks 11. Take the roulades out of the sauce (don’t
5. Fold the sides of each piece before rolling forget to remove the toothpicks) and place
½ litre brown sauce/
it to a small roulade. Fix each roulade with onto the platter with the vegetables and the
demi glace
a toothpick so they don’t open while cooking. noodles. Add the cream to the sauce and
0.1 litre cream bring it to the boil. Check the sauce for
6. Heat the brown sauce in a pan. In another taste and pour the sauce over the roulades.
4 vegetables of your choice pan heat the oil.

4 portions noodles

salt and pepper

paprika powder
 Grilled skewers
from the hip

72
Ingredients for 4 portions

Note: Before cooking this recipe, the meat 10. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut into thin
should marinate for 3-7 days. While that may strips the size of matches. Let them rest in
sound complicated, it is worth the time invested. cold water so the starch can come out of
800 grams boneless hip the potatoes.
Lay the skewers for a couple of hours into cold
water which will prevent the skewers from 11. Skewer the meat onto the skewers,
burning too quick on the grill. so that each skewer has the same amount
of meat on it.
1. Ensure that the meat is free of tendons, 73
2 onions
bone and skin. 12. Heat up the grill. Any kind of grill –
2 garlic cloves gas, charcoal, or wood – will do. If it rains,
2. Cut the meat in cubes of 30 grams each. you can fry the skewers in a pan as well.
4 tomatoes
3. Peel and wash the onion, garlic and tomatoes. 13. Cut the rest of the tomatoes into quarters.
parsley, chopped
4. Cut the onion and the garlic in half and 14. In a frying pan with high sides heat the oil.
coriander, chopped into thin strips. You will need quite a bit.
salt, pepper and 5. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes. 15. Deep fry the well drained, dried potato
paprika powder
6. Season the meat cubes with salt, pepper matches until they are golden brown.
100 millilitres oil and paprika. Do not season too heavy as Drain the oil and season them with salt.
the meat will marinate for a while. 16. Just before you finish grilling the skewers
4 potatoes, large
7. Thoroughly mix the seasoned meat, the put the tomato quarters on the grill and
4 tomatoes grill them on the skin side. The meat does
onion, garlic and tomatoes with the parsley
8 wood/bamboo skewers and the coriander. not need to be well done; it can be slightly
(30cm long) red inside.
8. Place the meat in a container that can be
sealed (otherwise your fridge will smell of 17. On a platter place the potatoes in the middle,
onion and garlic). The tomatoes will act as the skewers on top and decorate with the
a natural tenderizer. tomatoes and a bit of the chopped parsley.

9. The meat should marinate at least for

three days, but can be marinated for up
to seven days in the fridge.
 escalopes with
lemon sauce and risotto

74
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Ensure that the escalopes are thin and 8. In a frying pan heat the oil and sear the
uniform in size. escalopes on high heat. Take them out of
the pan, degrease them on kitchen paper
2. Peel and wash the onion. Finely chop it. and remove the oil from the pan.
720 grams eye of round –
(12 escalopes at 3. Cut the lemon in half, rub a bit of the peel 9. Add a little butter to the pan and gently
60 grams each) off and squeeze the juice out of the lemon. fry the rest of the chopped onion.
Set aside.
10. Add the white wine, lemon peel, lemon 75
2 onions 4. In a pan heat some of the butter and gently juice and the cream. Let it cook until it has
fry the onion. a nice consistency. Check the seasoning.
1 lemon
5. Add the rice to the pan and gently glaze 11. Once the sauce boils, add the escalopes and
white cooking wine
it with the onions. cook shortly. (The sauce needs to be boiling
100 grams cream or otherwise the meat could get tough.)
6. Cover the rice with hot bouillon and let it
240 grams arborio or gently boil for 15-17 minutes. You will have 12. To finish the risotto, stir in pieces of butter
other round-grain rice to add bouillon occasionally so the rice and the grated parmesan. Arrange it on
doesn’t burn. plates, add the escalopes and finish it off
parsley
7. Season the meat with salt, pepper and with the sauce. Garnish with a little parsley.
salt, pepper and
paprika powder.
parika powder
100 millilitres oil

1 litre bouillon

200 grams butter

75 grams parmesan, grated

Tell me what you eat,
and I will tell you what you are.
– Anthelme Brillat-Savarin
 Top Sirloin Cap
Roast beef

78
Ingredients for 6 portions

Sirloin caps are typically uniform size and will 7. Place the meat on an oven rack with a tray
be enough to serve six adults. in the preheated oven.
1. Mix the mustard, salt, pepper, paprika, 8. For medium doneness, slowly roast for
1 piece sirloin cap
garlic and the chopped parsley well. 2-2½ hours. Slow roasting will help the meat
get tender. If you prefer the meat to be more
2. In a heavy pan heat the oil. done, increase the time. You can also check
3. On high heat quickly sear the sirloin cap with a thermometer 56˚ Celsius = medium.
200 grams mustard on all sides. 79
9. Once the meat has reached desired
20 grams chopped parsley 4. Remove from pan and let cool down. temperature, take it out of the oven and
let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Turn the
salt, pepper and paprika 5. Thoroughly rub the mustard marinade all meat once or twice which keeps the juice
around the meat. If you do this a day in from dripping out when cutting.
1 garlic clove, chopped
advance the taste will be even more intense.
chopped parsley 10. Slice the meat in thin slices. Serve with
6. Preheat the oven to 120˚ Celsius. potato gratin, salad or vegetables or
100 millilitres oil whatever you prefer.
 Stir fried sirloin tip
with limes and maple syrup

80
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Squeeze the juice from two limes. 7. When the meat is seared, season with a bit
Cut the third lime in quarters. of sea salt and ground pepper.
2. Peel and wash the onion, cut in quarters 8. Add the lime juice, onion and maple syrup.
720 grams sirloin tip eye,
and slice into thin strips. Let the meat simmer for a short time. If the
cut into thin strips
sauce is too sour, add maple syrup; if too
3. Boil the rice. sweet, add lime juice.
4. In a heavy pan heat a spoonful of the oil 9. Coarsely chop the coriander and mix with
2 onions and fry the onion carefully. It should be 81
the meat and the sauce.
brown and not black.
3 limes
10. Arrange the rice on the plate and put
5. Take the onion out of the pan and drain the meat in the middle. Garnish with
80 grams maple syrup
the oil off. lime wedges.
ground black pepper
6. Add two spoons of the oil into the pan and
sea salt sear the meat on high heat. If the pan is not
big enough, sear the meat in multiple steps
300 grams regular or
so the oil doesn’t cool down too fast.
basmati rice, cooked
coriander, fresh
100 millilitres oil
 Heritage
Goulash soup

82
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Cut the meat and the washed and peeled 6. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam
vegetables into 1x1cm cubes. and fat on top.
2. In a pot, heat the oil and pan fry the beef 7. Let the soup gently boil for 45-60 minutes.
600 grams inside skirt
cubes on high heat until they are coloured Check if the meat cubes are soft.
on all sides.
8. Taste for seasoning.
3. Add the vegetables and fry them with the
meat. Ensure that you maintain high heat. 9. Add chopped parsley shortly before serving
100 millilitres oil the soup with bread. 83
4. Add the tomato paste and roast it with the
1 onion, large The goulash soup can be also used the next
meat and vegetables until it starts getting
brown. Add 100ml water and let it roast one day or it can be frozen.
3 garlic cloves
more time until the paste gets even browner.
2 carrots
5. Sprinkle with the paprika powder,
1 leek
season with salt and pepper and fill up
1 red bell pepper with 2½ litres of water.

1 yellow bell pepper

parsley
2 potatoes, medium sized

salt and pepper

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp paprika powder

 Meat Pies
from Kriechenwil

84
Ingredients for 4 portions

First of all, Kriechenwil is a small village 6. Cool the meat in the fridge.
in Switzerland and the hometown of
Erika Weder. 7. Spread a bit of flour on the table and
roll the dough with a rolling pin to about
600 grams minced beef
1. Mix the flour with the salt. Soak the yeast 5mm thickness.
in the lukewarm water until it is dissolved,
add the olive oil. Add the water and oil 8. Cut into 10cm diameter circles.
mixture to the flour and work it to a smooth Brush the borders with water.
100 millilitres oil dough, cool and let it rest. 9. On each circle place a spoon full of minced 85

2. Peel and wash the onion and chop it finely. meat, fold the circles into half and press the
2 onions
Do the same with the garlic. ends well together, press the ends with a fork
2 garlic cloves so they will not open in the oven, brush them
3. Heat a little oil in a frying pan. with egg yolk.
400 grams brown sauce
4. On high heat fry the minced meat until 10. Bake the halfmoons in the preheated oven
4 portions minced leaf salad
it’s nice and brown. Add the onion and the at 180˚ Celsius for about 15 minutes until
100 grams dressing of your garlic and fry with the meat until glassy they are golden brown.
choice in appearance.
11. Mix the washed salad leaves with the
1 egg yolk 5. Add the brown sauce and simmer the meat dressing of your choice.
for about 30-45 minutes or until the meat
250 grams white flour is soft. Do not season the meat as the sauce 12. Place the Kriechenwiler Fleischchüechli
has a lot of taste and the goal is, that when on plates and garnish with the leaf salad.
½ tsp salt
the meat is soft there is only little “thickened”
10 grams fresh yeast sauce left. Then you can check the seasoning
(approx. 3 grams dried yeast) and if needed, add a little salt and pepper.
0.15 litre lukewarm water

2 tbsp olive oil

 Macaroni with
Minced Beef

86
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Peel, wash and finely chop the onion 5. In another pan, bring to boil enough water
and garlic. to cook pasta. Cook pasta along with salt
and a little oil for eight minutes.
2. Heat a little oil in a frying pan.
600 grams minced beef
6. Strain the pasta into a colander and let the
3. On high heat fry the minced meat until water drain off thoroughly.
brown. Add the onion and garlic and fry
until glassy. 7. Add the macaroni into the pan with the meat.
Mix well, bring to boil and check seasoning. 87
100 millilitres oil 4. Add the brown sauce and simmer the meat
for about 30-45 minutes or until the mince 8. Mix in chopped parsley and grated cheese.
2 onions
beef is soft. Check that you always have Stir once more and serve with apple compote.
2 garlic cloves enough liquid because you will need it later
for the pasta. Strongly season with salt and
400 grams brown sauce pepper because once the pasta is mixed
300 grams macaroni pasta into the meat it will lose taste.

chopped parsley
150 grams grated parmesan
or any hard cheese
 Grilled Prairie
Sausages

88
Ingredients for 4 portions

1. Ask your butcher to prepare for you a mix 6. On each skewer form three sausages,
of 80% meat and 20% fat. Let him grind then let refrigerate slightly, so the meat
the meat for you twice through the will better hold together on the grill.
720 grams minced beef 3mm disc.
7. Heat the grill to medium to high heat and
2. Peel and wash the onion and chop it finely, grill the skewers on both sides for about
do the same with the garlic. 1-2 minutes, then let them rest for another
5 minutes at medium heat or until they
3. Wash, pat-dry the parsley, mint and the are done. 89
2 large onions
coriander and chop the mixture very fine.
1 garlic clove 8. You can serve these with salad, bread,
4. Mix everything together, knead the potatoes, or whatever you desire. I have
50 grams parsley mixture well and season with salt, decided since I am grilling any ways to
pepper and paprika. serve grilled corn on the cob with these
30 grams coriander
5. Moisten your hands with water and scoop Prairie Sausages.
10 grams mint
1 tablespoon of the mixture into your hand,
salt, pepper and paprika roll a sausage shape and “stick” the meat
onto the skewer (it can be done also
without skewer but it will be handier on
the grill with the skewers).
90
With Thanks
Honesty, basics, nature

From the Cook:

There are many to thank who helped bring this project from just an idea into reality. At the top
of this list are my parents who supported me in pursuing my life’s calling to become a chef.
Thanks to my wife, Aizhan, and daughters, Carolina and Angelina, for their love, patience and
encouragement when I am working long hours or when I am away uncovering new products for
91
my kitchen. A special thanks to Hyatt International , an innovative company that supports chefs
who try to purchase environmentally conscious and sustainably produced foods. It is companies
like this that lead the way for others to follow.
From the Cowboy:
Ranchers’ wives are known to be multi-talented – my wife Erika is no exception. I would like to
thank her for all the landscape photography, editing and ideas that she brought to this project
while looking after four children, a house and a ranch. Thanks to Sharon Huffman for her
photography and great landscape images from the heart of British Columbia’s ranching region.
A lot of hard work was spent by the team from AdFarm and a special thanks to goes Amanda
Howard, Ron Wall and Audra Fimmers for their patience in working with the Cook and Cowboy,
both alpha personality types. We would also like to thank the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency
and Canada Beef Inc. for their financial support in telling the story of the hard work that goes into
growing great beef and the people that are behind the products many of us take for granted.
Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank the ranchers from Heritage Angus Beef; your
steadfast commitment to producing beef with the eco-commitment values for ecological and
economical viable agriculture is what I am most proud of and I hope a legacy that we can pass
on to our children.
To learn more about us, visit heritageangus.ca.
Always take a good look
at what you’re about to eat.
It’s not so important to know
what it is, but it’s sure crucial
to know what it was.