It's Easy Being Green

We are now getting ready to wrap up our second month as members of a local meat CSA through Stonewall Farms and it has been an adventure.  We purchased a family share of meat for an entire year.  Under the plan, we end up receiving 20 pounds of meat (beef, chicken, pork or lamb) in a variety of cuts.  The cuts change each month and are all dependent on what animals are ready to send to the butcher during that particular month.

Since we never know what we’re going to get from month to month, we’ve had fun receiving cuts of meat we necessarily wouldn’t buy at the grocery store.  While the meat is not only good for us because it’s grass-fed and all natural, it’s also pushing us outside of our culinary comfort zone.  T & I tend to cook the same 10-15 staples and don’t change up the menu much but that has quickly changed.

Last month’s share included a package of beef kebab, something I normally wouldn’t grill.  I used the below recipe and it turned out amazing.  The beef was so tender, moist and flavorful.  I also cut up chunks of fresh bell pepper from our garden and quartered an onion too and added those to the skewers in between the pineapple and meat.

Teriyaki Beef Kebabs

Ingredients:

-  1 small top round beef steak, about 2lbs., 1-inch thick

-  1/4 packed light brown sugar

-  1/4 cup soy sauce

-  2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

-  1 tablespoon canola oil

-  1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

-  1 tablespoon minced garlic

-  vegetable oil, for the rack and skewers

-  2 & 1/2 cups canned or fresh pineapple chunks

1)  Using a sharp knife, trim all the fat from the meat and cut meat into 1-inch cubes

2)  In a bowl, stir together the sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, canola oil, ginger powder and minced garlic until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the meat, cover tightly and refrigerate for about 8 hours, flipping occasionally.

3)  When ready, arrange the briquettes in the barbecue, clean and lightly oil the grill rack and preheat to high

4)  Thread the meat and pineapple, alternately, onto lightly oiled metal skewers.  Immediately place on the barbecue and cook, turning and basting with marinade for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat is cooked as desired.  Remove from heat and serve.

That was fun, now we’ve got to figure out what to do with beef neck bones.  It was a little bonus item thrown in with our normal take of meats this last month.  I’ll let you know what comes out of it!  Are you a member of a CSA program?  If not, why haven’t you joined one yet?

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