Week 8: cranking along in the deep summer...

Hey folks-- Sorry I missed the blog post last week, but the big news is that the wayward steers are back with the herd! What a relief! Our plan to tempt them into one of the pastures near the rest of the cattle finally paid off, and Connor and Kate were able to quietly shut the gate behind them one evening. We brought the rest of the cattle to them and they are slowly settling down.

I've been cranking along putting fenceposts in at Chestnut Hill ahead of the cattle. The regular rainfall has kept the grass growing well--so much so that it is well ahead of us. This has meant a change in plans; we are cutting hay at Powisset Farm rather than grazing the first growth and will bring the steers to graze in the early fall, after grazing at Chestnut Hill Farm in late August. Every year is a little different!

We're offering chuck roasts this week with a recipe for pulled BBQ beef. The nice thing about this is while it needs a long cooking, you can quickly throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning and then only have a few minutes of prep time in the evening! Just the thing after a long day...

Cheers,

Jesse

Pulled BBQ Beef Sandwiches

2 to 2-1/2 lbs bone-in chuck roast
1/2 cup ketchup
2-4 Tbs brown sugar, if desired
1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 garlic cloves, minced, or 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper--black or cayenne as you prefer
6-8 sandwich buns

Optional toppings: cheddar or monterey jack cheese, onions and peppers (cooked or not as you prefer), pickles, etc

Yield: 6-8 sandwiches

Place roast in slow cooker. Combine additional ingredients and pour over meat. Cover and cook 8-10 hours on low heat or until tender. Remove meat, allow to cool slightly and, using two forks, shred meat and remove bone(s). Skim fat from cooking liquid, return meat to cooker and cook an additional 15 minutes. Serve using slotted spoon to ladle shredded beef onto buns. Top as you prefer and enjoy!