Good fences--and vacations--make happy farmers

Hello from Maine! I'm up in Acadia National Park with my family. As a farmer it's always a special treat to be able to take a summer vacation and it's been several years since our last one. So, a special thanks to Connor for handling chores this week!

In farm news, fence posts are all set in the big field at Chestnut Hill farm. This stage of fence construction is always interesting. I like to use Google Earth to plan fence systems and figure out gate locations for efficient rotations, cattle handling, and trail access. As much as the system needs to work for grass and livestock management, it also needs to allow the multiple use goals of various human activities: walkers, birders, etc, and at Chestnut Hill Farm, vegetable production with its need for deer exclusion fencing as well.

Then, of course, comes actually putting posts in the ground and the rocky landscape imposes its own constraints. It's a compromise. Next week I'll be stringing wire, which goes fairly quickly, and the cattle should arrive in Southborough soon.

The beef share this week is bone-in sirloin steak. These are nice, big, classic steaks, and a special treat because industrial meat cutting and packing practices have made them less common and more difficult to find. They present nicely on a plate, and are big enough to easily share if you prefer a smaller portion.

Another option is to trim them down. When camping, hauling big steaks around (and keeping them cold until ready to cook) can be a challenge. The following recipe for Korean bulgogi (BBQ beef) is a camp-friendly option that is equally delicious at home. Any flavorful cut of beef will work, steaks or boneless roast, but I prefer sirloin, round, or London broil. It's simplest to start with boneless steaks, but while bone-in steaks or rolled roasts add an extra preparation step, it's well worth it and a great option for a kid-friendly meal that can travel.

Camp-friendly Bulgogi Skewers

Meat:
 2 lbs boneless steak or roast, about 1" to 1-1/4" thick pieces, partially frozen

Marinade:

1/3 cup Sesame oil

1/2 cup Soy sauce

2 Tbs Rice vinegar

1/4 cup chopped scallions

2 Tbs Sugar

1 Tbs Ginger, minced, or 1/2 tsp powdered

1 Tbs Garlic, minced, or 1/2 tsp powdered

Supplies: 
A very sharp knife

Skewers

Ziplock gallon bags, or similar sized Tupperware container

If necessary, start by defrosting and boning out the steak, or removing kitchen string, unrolling the roast and cutting to 1" or 1-1/4" thick and anything over about 2" or 3" long, with the grain running lengthwise. Then, back in the freezer. You want the meat partially frozen so it can be sliced thinly--fully defrosted it will be too squishy to safely cut.

Using a very sharp knife, slice the partially-frozen beef as thin as you can manage--ideally less than 1/8." A deli slicer works great if you have one, but isn't necessary. 

Now you have a decision: do you want to do all the prep at home, and carry Tupperware, or carry a smaller ziplock package which can be frozen but will need more prep in camp. If you are traveling a long ways, the latter is preferable, but if you aren't going far and you want to speed up onsite prep you can carry finished skewers in Tupperware.

Mix up the marinade, mix in the beef, and give it a few hours to overnight. For camping, I mix the marinade and beef in a ziplock bag, press all the air out, double-bag, and refrigerate or freeze it prior to travel--which is nice because it helps keep the cooler cold. At home or at your destination, thread the beef onto the skewers in a zigzag pattern.

Grill over high heat, and enjoy!