Cow School Day 2

The next morning we boarded a tour bus and headed for Beller Feedlot to meet the cows http://www.bellerfeedlot.com/ . Operated by Mike and Terry Beller, this feedlot specializes in feeding high-quality Angus cattle that fit premium based specs. The company maintains a nearly 21% Certified Angus Beef ® brand acceptance rate from thousands of head of cattle. Beller Feedlot had received numerous awards for quality assurance. The Angus you see in the photo are about 1 year of age and weigh about 1000 pounds.



















The feedlots main goal is to safely grow the cattle from 6 months of age to harvest, which in most cases is around 18 months for Certified Angus Beef ®. Over that time, the cows are eating up to 50 pounds of food daily in order to pack on 5-6 pounds a day. You may think that bigger is better but truly if the cows are grown too big, the meat quality will suffer. The cattle eat twice a day, and depending on their age, will consume a daily ration consisting of dry corn, corn silage http://bit.ly/BvjKn , and “scratch” which is hay. The feed is prepared to a specific recipe using feed trucks specially designed to weigh the ingredients as they are loaded in to the bed of the vehicle. This feed provides the animals with the appropriate nutrients to allow steady, healthy growth.

That afternoon we boarded the bus and headed to downtown Lindsay, Nebraska for an old fashioned country BBQ courtesy of the Beller family. The meal was fantastic, including Rib Eye and New York Steaks, grilled over charcoal and served with an array of salads and fresh baked bread from Grandma Beller. I’m pretty sure Chef Cain and grandma Beller traded some recipes.

After lunch, and after nearly 30 oz. of beef in 24 hours, we departed for Willow Creek Cattle Company in Plainview, Nebraska run by John Anderson. This Cow-Calf producer watches superior Angus genetics travel from pasture to feedlot and on to the processing plant. John has a keen eye for what traits will dominate the future, and knows the importance of efficiency, gain and carcass quality. John began his own herd with 25 cows and a couple of bulls. Today, his cow-calf herd has grown to over 700 head. Listening to John talk about the operation was fascinating.











Important to understand is that there are three segments to the beef production industry. The first is the cow-calf producer. Next is the feedlot, and last of course is the packing plant. To make this process efficient as possible, science has played a major role in ensuring the process. To ensure this efficiency, cow are artificially inseminated (AI) on the same day so that the calves are born within a few days of each other. This way as they head to the next step in the process they do so by the herd and all at or about the same maturity.
During our visit to Willow Creek Cattle Company they were preparing to AI 200 head the next morning. The AI process will generally impregnate 65% of the cows, so to ensure better results, they send out the “finishing bulls”. On this video, John talks about his two finishing bulls, and what he looks for when procuring studs to produce Certified Angus Beef (c).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o04VRXD9Zsc




Now these guys have the most fun because they actually get to “actively participate”. Actually, most cows and bulls are virgins as STD’s can be prevalent in cattle. That is why you never just loan a bull out for studding. Semen is collected from the bulls and then frozen, or bought from the Beef Sire Directory http://www.selectsires.com/ to be utilized in the AI process.



That evening we commuted to Souix City, Iowa where the next morning we'd cross the Missouri River into South Dakota, and tour the Tyson Packing Plant, which is the largest beef packing plant in the country and perhaps the world.

Day 1 of Cow School

We flew into Omaha, Nebraska, and as a long time lover of baseball the first stop we made was Rosenblatt Stadium, Home of the College World Series. http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/parks/rosenblatt/rosenblatt.htm

The people there were extremely gracious giving us a full tour of the stadium even though they were prepping for the local rivalry game between Creighton and Nebraska. Special thanks to Bob and Jessica for their hospitality.

That evening after checking in to our hotel in the Old Market District, we had a chance to mingle with the other invitees getting to know them during a beautiful reception and dinner prepared for us by the Culinary Team at the Embassy Suites led by Chef Mark Trimble. Can you guess what we had for dinner? Certified Angus Beef ® Tenderloin with a Peppercorn Mushroom glaze. Without a doubt the most interesting character was Charleston Restauranteur Brett McKee, chef-owner of The Oak Steakhouse and CAB® Prime partner. He is one of a kind and we certainly enjoyed his company. http://www.oaksteakhouserestaurant.com/

Now most people who eat beef know about Angus beef but may not really know what it is. The Angus Breed was brought over from Scotland as it was known for its superior marbling. Marbling, or fat content within the muscle, is what gives beef flavor and added tenderness. The Angus breed is arguable the best breed for beef producers for that specific reason. Believe it or not, there are over 800 breeds of cattle. Some are simply beasts of burden, others are best for dairy production and others best for beef. Angus has proven, through science and palatability, to be the most preferred breed in beef production across the country and beyond. Not all Angus are the same: Certified Angus Beef ® must pass 10 stringent quality specifications to earn the brand’s premium mark, ensuring you always enjoy flavorful, tender, juicy cuts of beef.

Prior to the reception, Dr. Stika presented a brief outline for what we would experience the next few days along with a small dissertation about the CAB® Brand and its history. The Certified Angus Beef Program was formed in 1978 to provide assurances of beef quality and flavor to consumers, who during the 1970s were largely dissatisfied with beef quality. It was a venture that strengthened relationships between the American Angus Association, the world's largest beef cattle registry, and beef producers, packers and distributors. Today, Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) functions as a not-for-profit division of the American Angus Association. The Association is comprised of more than 33,000 Angus breeders who are dedicated to producing high quality beef, superior in taste and tenderness. The CAB brand is the industry's oldest and most successful brand.

After dinner we all retired for the evening as we prepared to depart for he town of Lindsay and Beller Feedlot at 6am the next morning.

Just back from Cow Country!

Recently, Chef Steve Cain and I had the incredible opportunity to visit America’s Heartland to observe the different segments of the beef industry. We were hosted by the team from Certified Angus Beef ® http://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/ led by Dr. John Stika who is a PhD in meat science from the University of Kentucky, following bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal and meat science from Kansas State University. We were joined by several restaurant professionals and beef suppliers from across the country. Over the next few days, I will write about the experience as it truly gave me a whole new appreciation for beef and cattle farming. Particularly the dedication, passion, and care that go into putting high quality beef in the market place. Hopefully by the end of the story, you will find the same appreciation and understand why we honor this product from conception to plate.

Very select steaks treated to 28-days of dry aging

At El Gaucho, we proudly serve custom 28-day dry-aged Certified Angus Beef® Prime steaks as personally selected by John Tarpoff.

Less than 8% of beef meets the highest standards to become the Certified Angus Beef ® brand. And an even smaller percentage of all beef qualifies for the Certified Angus Beef ® Prime brand. If fact, these Prime cuts served by El Gaucho must pass 9 more quality standards than USDA Prime. Once selected, we then treat these highly selected Prime cuts to the additional flavor-building 28 days of dry aging.

You don't have to wait 28 days to eat your steak. El Gaucho does the waiting for you, and then prepares the steaks so you can fully appreciate the enhanced flavors that come from the 28 days of dry aging. We've patiently waited for that peak flavor point. Come in to taste the difference that selection and aging can make to a great cut of meat.

Shameless plug for two great guys

My first historic post

This is my first posting – this is going to be GRAND!

About

David Scherling

General Manager

El Gaucho - Bellevue

Email

It all began for me at an early age in a place called Goodfellow’s Restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. I was a serving assistant at a very well acclaimed restaurant – the place kept me in awe of what “style” was all about. From the continental cuisine and the first rate wine list (I didn’t know good wine then but I knew how to read prices) the menu ignited a passion that never left me.

I’m not entirely sure where it actually started, but I think my passion for the restaurant industry may have been kindled early on by my father. He was a dental surgeon by trade and was very well known for his festive celebrations and over the top hospitality with his friends. He was also a very good cook and took a lot of pride and pleasure in creating wonderful meals for family and friends. For as long as I can remember, my family honored food and the process of putting it on the table – as well as the joy of providing and serving others.

When I went on to study at the University of Minnesota, I paid my way through school by waiting tables and bartending in a variety of establishments in and around the Minneapolis area. After graduating I began my trek to the Rocky Mountains but soon ended up back in the Minnesota area working for Restaurants Unlimited at Palomino Euro Bistro, as it was then called. I did a variety of things for them for 8 wonderful years and had the fortunate opportunity to hold positions in Minneapolis, Palm Desert, Honolulu, Dallas, Seattle, and the Bay Area, as well as contributing to various new restaurant openings.

I then wanted to expand my horizons and see what it would be like to work in other areas of hospitality so I joined Oki Developments in 2000 to become the General Manager for their Echo Falls Country Club property. What a different world – and very educational for me. Our team broke all the sales records and we became very profitable as well. This started to prepare me to lead other venues and I became the General Manager for their sister clubs at The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie and The Plateau Club – both high end and wonderful establishments.

So what was missing in rounding me out in the hospitality industry you might ask? If you said hotels, you would be correct. In 2004 I accepted the challenge to branch into this segment and my next exciting challenge was to become the Director of Food and Beverage at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront Hotel. This led me to become the General Manager at Elliott’s Oyster House where again my wonderful team produced record revenues and profits. I have always connected to places where excellent food and service are a must – this is the common thread that runs through my veins – give the customer a great experience and they will keep coming back.

So the way this story ends is where you are reading about me now – El Gaucho Bellevue. This is the pinnacle in my career. El Gaucho not only brings me back to the beginning of my career with their white table cloths, superior wine list and a service expectation that no one can touch, it is simply the crème de la crème in the restaurant biz. I couldn’t be happier and I look forward to seeing a lot of old friends stopping by and meeting a bunch of new ones as well.