Favorite Recipes at the Dale Farms
-o-    Straight from the Farmer     -o-
From Our Family's Farm to Your Family's Fridge
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Just where is Protection, Kansas?
OKLAHOMA
Hwy 183
Protection, KS
Hwy 54
Hwy 34
Hwy 160
Coldwater
Greensburg
To Pratt
Dodge City
Hwy 1
Hwy 400
KANSAS
Kurt's Burgers and Steaks
At the Dale house, grilling season starts around January 1st and runs until about December 31st.  So, with a narrow grilling window like that, you want to make every opportunity to cook over an open fire count.  One of our favorites is really pretty simple:

Hamburgers
  • Lowry's Seasoned Salt
  • Steak Seasoning - I use McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning, if we have it.  However, the cheap stuff works just as good.  Sure, there are recipes in countless books for seasoning but let's be real, who has time to mix 45 ingredients for a few burgers.
  • Liquid Smoke (optional) - A dash of this can be pretty tasty.  However, lately I have started tossing some pieces of wood onto the coals and that works just fine too, and it is cheaper.

Toss the thawed hamburger into a bowl - Don't thaw in a microwave if you are making burgers.  It just doesn't make patties right.

Sprinkle a generous amount of Lowry's and Steak Seasoning in good with a fork.  This is also when you would add the Liquid Smoke - about a capful to the pound.  When stirred in good, make your patties, toss on the grill and enjoy.
 
Steaks
  • Coat the steaks with olive oil.
  • Sprinkle with Lowry's and Steak Seasoning on both sides
  • Grill to your tastes

Grilling Tips:
  • When I grill over open fire on my trusty old Weber, I like to have the coals mostly in the center.  Don't put the meat on until the coals are hot!!  Start the meat right over the hot spot, then turn it shortly and finish over the "cool" spot along the outside of the grill.  Honestly though, it just takes practice and doing it to get it right.
  • Don't stick the meat with a fork - you lose too many juices.
  • Low and slow on the heat and the cooking - a slightly leaner grassfed steak will dry out if you put it over a blow torch setting on your gas grill.
  • Use tongs - don't press your hamburgers with a spatula.  You lose too many juices.

Dale Family Farms
526 Avenue K
Protection, KS  67127
620.622.4473
email:  thedales@unitedwireless.com
website: www.DaleFamilyFarms.com
Where Family Comes First
Shannon's Favorite Herb-Roasted Chicken
Great recipe for kids and those on a budget.
Serves 4

  • 2 tablespoons Chicken Herb Rub
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 whole chicken, approximately 4 pounds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place Chicken Herb Rub in a food processor with garlic and olive oil, and puree into a smooth paste.  (I just put them in a small bowl and mix well).

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry.  Rub the herb paste all over the chicken, being sure to get underneath as well as on top of the skin.  Allow to sit for 2 hours in the refrigerator or roast immediately, roughly 1.5 hours, until the legs are loose, or until the internal temperature of the breast reads 160 degrees Fahrenheit and the internal temperature of the thigh reads 165 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit.  Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Chicken Herb Rub
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 2 tablespoon dried oregano

Suggestion:  Make a larger batch and store in the cupboard.

Reprinted with permission from The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook, by Shannon Hayes (Eating Fresh Publications 2004). For more information see www.eatingfresh.com.

Suggestion:  Use the carcass and leftover meat to make chicken broth or chicken and noodles, a favorite at our house.
 
Garlic-Herb Steaks in a Bourbon Pan Sauce
Great if you're in a hurry, requires minimum preparation.
Serves 2

  • 2 steaks, 1 inch thick (T-bone, porterhouse, top blade, filet mignon, New York strip or rib-eye steaks will all work well)
  • 3 tablespoons Garlic Herb Rub
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup bourbon

Generously coat each of the steaks with the Garlic-Herb Rub;.  Set them aside, and bring the meat to room temperature, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat the skillet over a medium-high flame.  Add the olive oil and butter.  Once the butter has melted and begins to spatter lightly, add the steaks.  Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until they achieve the desired level of doneness ( the internal temperature should be between 120 and 130 degrees F).

Remove the steaks from the pan and tent with foil.

Turn the heat to low, add the bourbon, and simmer 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly and scraping up and browned bits.  Set the steaks on warmed plates, top with the bourbon pan sauce, and serve.

Garlic-Herb Rub
Works well with pork, lamb, veal, venison, goat, or beef.

  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground fennel
   (I didn't have this one on hand and it still worked well)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground  black pepper
Reprinted with permission from The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook, by Shannon Hayes (Eating Fresh Publications 2004). For more information see www.eatingfresh.com.

Roast Beef ala Dale
  • 1 roast - thawed
  • Garlic
  • Salt (Kurt prefers sea salt or something coarser)
  • Peppercorns
  • About 1 quart Chicken broth
         (made from Dale chickens, of course)
Place roast in the crock pot.  Pour the chicken broth over the roast.  Sprinkle about a tablespoon each of garlic, salt, and  peppercorns over the roast.  Turn the crockpot on low for 8-10 hours.
I know chicken broth seems like a strange addition to the beef but it really brings out the beef flavor and  makes it really tender.  Some crock pot recipes, you can turn the  heat up to high and cut the cooking time in half - DON'T.  The grass- finished beef really needs to be cooked low and slow.

How To Cut Up a Chicken
Only recently, did I (Andi) learn how to cut up a chicken -chicken pieces come from the store, right?  My mother-in-law was a patient teacher last summer showing me step-by-step what to do.  We realized that this may be helpful information to you, as well.  Since I'm still perfecting the art, I've included a couple of links, I think you'll find useful.

Cooking for Engineers - Step-by-step site with pictures and I liked the title of the site.

How to Cut Up a Chicken - A great video of exactly what to do and makes it look as easy as it can be.  The only thing I wouldn't do is remove the skin carte blanche but that's a personal preference.


Hwy 160