Morris Grassfed Beef – Seductive Date

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by Carrie Oliver on November 27, 2010

Carrie Oliver Rating: Seductive Date Beef™

Since reading about friends, Katie and Jeff Hagan, celebrating the annual arrival of their share of Morris Grassfed Beef, I have been (not so) patiently waiting for the opportunity to try it myself. I was finally able to share two spectacular steaks and ground beef with 8 Toronto food aficionados and envy anyone able to buy this beef.

The beautifully marbled grass-fed steaks were voluptuous and the burgers even a bit more daring. If you like assertive, layered, but balanced flavors in your beef, this one’s for you.

Tasting Notes

The grass-fed steak had a some chew Texture, a straightforward to adventurous Personality, and left a long-lasting Impression. It had a sweet brightness to it followed by deeper green and iron flavors, a silken texture, and balanced aftertaste. The burger was a flavor powerhouse that opened up as you ate it offering an intriguing mix of caramel and feral notes and a sweet, tangy finish.

Favorite Quote

“I don’t like hamburgers but I love this. I can actually taste the meat, not just the condiments.” Katrina, Toronto, ON.

Wine Pairing

Zoltan Szabo, Sommelier, wine consultant, and educator: This well-marbled, dark ruby-red coloured steak had aromas of smoke, butter, sweet lard and game, a fairly firm texture with a good amount of fat content, and a smooth finish. I would pair it with the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Exclamation Cellar Series, Pillitteri, Niagara On The Lake.

Meet The Ranchers

Joe and Julie Morris moved to Joe’s family ranch in San Juan Bautista, CA, in 1991 eager to employ holistic land management practices to regenerate the land. Grazing cattle was core to their efforts to create a carbon sink, and the Morris’s soon found themselves in the grass-fed beef business selling to a handful of friends and family. Today, they direct market grass-fed beef to several hundred lucky customers.

By carefully choosing cattle that thrive on the local range lands and nearby summer mountain pastures, and taking them to slaughter only when they’re ready, not when it’s convenient, the Morris’s offer a model that I hope others will follow.

Where to Buy It:

You can buy Morris Grassfed Beef in split-halves and wholes directly from the ranch. The team also offers a CSA program that will deliver your split-half in four smaller portions over the year.

Tasting Overview:

Taster: Carrie Oliver, Zoltan Szabo
Date Tasted: November 2010
Cut Tasted: Rib-Eye Steak, Ground Beef
Diet/Feed: Grass Fed and Finished
Cooking Method: Gas Grill
How Served: Rare
Seasoning: Kosher Salt
Other Cuts Tasted: n/a
Other Date Tasted: n/a
Other Tasters: 8 guests at my home in Toronto

Detailed Husbandry Practices:

Breed: Angus – Hereford Cross
Growing Region: Central California
Farm/Ranch: T.O. Cattle Co., LLC – Morris Grassfed Beef
Farmers/Ranchers:lllllllll Joe and Julie Morris, Everett and Liz Sparling
Diet/Feed: Grass-Fed and Finished
Raising Protocols: Rangeland grasses, mineral supplement
Finishing Protocols: Rangeland grasses, mineral supplement
% Time on Pasture: 100%
Age at Slaughter: 24-36 months
Slaughterhouse: Johansen’s Quality Meats, Orland, CA
Butcher: Johansen’s Quality Meats, Orland, CA
Aging Technique: Dry-aged
Aging Time: 10 – 21 days
Packaging: Vacuum sealed
Never Use Antibiotics Ever: -
Use Vet Approved Spot Treatment Antibiotics: Our humane protocols call for use of therapeutic antibiotics only. Animals over a year of age requiring therapeutic antibiotics are removed from our direct-marketed herd.
Never Use Sub-therapeutic or Feed Antibiotics
Never Use Added Growth Hormones or Beta-Agonists:
Never Use Ionophores:
No Animal, Fish, Fowl By-Products in Feed ✓ (they are not found in rangeland grasses)
100% Vegetarian Feed
Practice Rotational Grazing
Practice Managed Intensive Rotational Grazing ✓ (Holistic Planned Grazing – See www.savoryinstitute.com)
USDA Natural
USDA Naturally Raised New Voluntary Certification
Third Party Certified Organic -
Third Party Certified Humane Pending
Other Third Party Certification Pending grass-fed certification
Other -

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Carolyn Jung December 6, 2010 at 10:27 pm

Any beef that tastes seductive has got to be good! ;)
I think you have us all wanting to order an entire side of cow now.

Carrie Oliver December 14, 2010 at 10:53 am

Carolyn, your Meat Boy might enjoy this one, indeed :)

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