Food for Thought: Alternative meats add to dinner table
A couple of weeks ago, Mark
and I had a couple of opportunities
at Garlic's and The London Food
and Wine Show to try some alternative
meat. By "alternative," I
mean not your usual farm animals.
At Garlic's I ordered elk, and at the Food Show we sampled ostrich meat. This got me to thinking about unusual meats like deer, elk, ostrich or bison. What are the benefits of eating these products? What is available in our area and how expensive is it? Naturally, we did a little research.
The biggest health benefit that stood out in my research was the fact that many of these meats are naturally lean and are generally comprised of healthy fats like omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid. Bison meat, for example, has 2.42 grams of fat and 143 calories per 100 grams of cooked lean meat, compared to skinless chicken, which contains 7.41 grams of fat and 190 calories. Elk also has lower fat and higher protein content per 100 grams (159 cals and 3.3g of fat). This pattern continues if you look at the other alternative meats, too.
The next benefit is linked to the way these animals are raised. Elk, bison and ostrich, are raised naturally for the most part. This means they are free-range and grass fed with no artificial hormones or antibiotics. In the case of elk and bison, the animals are generally raised in their natural environment. This is good for both the ecosystem and the animal, as factory farms are extremely damaging to both.
From what we've found, the easiest place to buy alternative meats locally is either at the Covent Garden Market, Trail's End Farmers Market on Dundas Street East or the Gibraltar Weekend Market. Some local farms also sell meat at the various farmers markets around town. Chris' Country Cuts at the Covent Garden Market offers bison for $9/lb (ground). When we popped in to take a look, however, they were all sold out at the moment, but were in the process of ordering more.
Just around Ontario, there are countless elk, ostrich and bison farms and quite a few of them can be found within 100 miles of London. If you look closely, you'll notice unconventional meat within a lot of eateries. Garlic's, for example, offers the brown butter roasted elk loin and Shoeless Joe's offers up bison sliders. Keeping the health benefits in mind, it's hard not to agree to partially integrate these other red meats into your diet. Some may be squeamish about trying elk, moose or ostrich at first, but once you get over the fact that the meat you're eating isn't from a cow, it's actually pretty good.
If you can take a main point from this article, let it be this: it's never a bad idea to try new things. If you think elk and bison are strange, a couple of weeks ago, Mark tried kangaroo jerky! There are endless gastronomic experiences to explore, so don't hesitate! Happy eating!
For more information on farm locations, nutritional information and places to buy meat, check out these websites:
ostrichproducersofontario.com
ontariodeerelkfarmers.com
omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/alternat/bison.htm
Got questions, comments or suggestions? Feel free to e-mail us at foodforthoughtfc@gmail.com
At Garlic's I ordered elk, and at the Food Show we sampled ostrich meat. This got me to thinking about unusual meats like deer, elk, ostrich or bison. What are the benefits of eating these products? What is available in our area and how expensive is it? Naturally, we did a little research.
The biggest health benefit that stood out in my research was the fact that many of these meats are naturally lean and are generally comprised of healthy fats like omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid. Bison meat, for example, has 2.42 grams of fat and 143 calories per 100 grams of cooked lean meat, compared to skinless chicken, which contains 7.41 grams of fat and 190 calories. Elk also has lower fat and higher protein content per 100 grams (159 cals and 3.3g of fat). This pattern continues if you look at the other alternative meats, too.
The next benefit is linked to the way these animals are raised. Elk, bison and ostrich, are raised naturally for the most part. This means they are free-range and grass fed with no artificial hormones or antibiotics. In the case of elk and bison, the animals are generally raised in their natural environment. This is good for both the ecosystem and the animal, as factory farms are extremely damaging to both.
From what we've found, the easiest place to buy alternative meats locally is either at the Covent Garden Market, Trail's End Farmers Market on Dundas Street East or the Gibraltar Weekend Market. Some local farms also sell meat at the various farmers markets around town. Chris' Country Cuts at the Covent Garden Market offers bison for $9/lb (ground). When we popped in to take a look, however, they were all sold out at the moment, but were in the process of ordering more.
Just around Ontario, there are countless elk, ostrich and bison farms and quite a few of them can be found within 100 miles of London. If you look closely, you'll notice unconventional meat within a lot of eateries. Garlic's, for example, offers the brown butter roasted elk loin and Shoeless Joe's offers up bison sliders. Keeping the health benefits in mind, it's hard not to agree to partially integrate these other red meats into your diet. Some may be squeamish about trying elk, moose or ostrich at first, but once you get over the fact that the meat you're eating isn't from a cow, it's actually pretty good.
If you can take a main point from this article, let it be this: it's never a bad idea to try new things. If you think elk and bison are strange, a couple of weeks ago, Mark tried kangaroo jerky! There are endless gastronomic experiences to explore, so don't hesitate! Happy eating!
For more information on farm locations, nutritional information and places to buy meat, check out these websites:
ostrichproducersofontario.com
ontariodeerelkfarmers.com
omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/alternat/bison.htm
Got questions, comments or suggestions? Feel free to e-mail us at foodforthoughtfc@gmail.com
