There seems to be a smear campaign going on against America’s beef industry that has been stealing the spotlight over the last few months. There was the release of that study categorizing processed meats causes cancer then there was the news that the consumption of chicken in America is on the rise. It can, at times, feel like the world is gearing up for the knockout punch, but we all know that the beef industry is a lot stronger than that and it’s showing, especially this time of the year.
Over the last few blog posts, we have focused on the cattle industry, detailing some trends, some forecasts, and most important of all, gauging the overall strength of it as we head into 2016. What we haven’t gotten much into is the general playfulness of the holiday season, the traditions that we adhere to like a religion, and meat, particularly beef, play a very important role in that, with some families worshipping at the altar of beef around Christmastime. There is also many newer traditions that are becoming popular and, yet again, beef is playing a huge role in that as well. This is nicely covered in this article by the Winston-Salem Journal.
They report, “These days, we have developed such sophisticated tastes that we crave variety. So more often than not, Christmas is its own meal, with nary a dish repeated from Thanksgiving.”
That, of course, means no turkey, but no one seems to be complaining. It seems that everyone this holiday season is going crazy for beef, a rib-eye steak roast to be specific, and at Flying H Genetics, we wholeheartedly endorse that decision. “The rib offers probably the best combination of flavor and juiciness of all beef cuts. Great marbling – bits of fat evenly dispersed throughout the muscle – makes for a succulent piece of beef.”
The writing alone makes us hungry for rib-eye steak roast! The article does a nice job of selling beef as the prominent Christmas food, the centerpiece of our family dinners, and we recommend reading the article in full. After all, “Give it [rib-eye steak roast] the attention it deserves, and it will reward you with a Christmas to remember. You may never go back to turkey.”
Beef should be synonymous with Christmastime and family gatherings. In other words, it should be a big a part of Christmas the same way candy canes or stocking stuffers are. Case in point: Beef roast.
According to this article from the Arizona Daily Star, beef is destined to be a star this holiday season. The thing is that no one realizes it. J.M. Hirsch writes, “At Thanksgiving, it’s about the turkey. Valentine’s Day demands chocolate. Easter? Ham or lamb. And Fourth of July is all burgers and dogs all the time. But Christmas doesn’t enjoy a similar food association that presents the menu as happens with so many other holidays.”
Hirsch has a point.
There is not a “main dish” associated with Christmas and that is a mistake. Every other holiday has its star player. Christmas is playing from behind and this has always bothered Hirsch so he went on a little journey so to speak to find that “main dish.”
He writes, “It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I finally settled on something that not only was easy, but also felt celebratory. A massive beef roast. Not earth shattering, of course. But for some reason it took nearly 40 years for me to reach this point. Tender and juicy, a roast feels indulgent. And when treated right, it can pack tons of flavor. But it also is utterly simple to prepare.”
There you have it: A ringing endorsement for beef this holiday season and at Flying H Genetics, we couldn’t be more thrilled. Make this season the season of beef and let’s start a new holiday tradition. It will help out America’s beef industry.
