Beef Stroganoff

A.J. and her husband have a beef finishing operation in central Minnesota. They bring in groups of cattle around 600 pounds and feed them until they reach a finishing weight of 1400-1600 pounds. They get their cattle from the “sale barn”. These are communal places farmers sell their livestock, so the source of the animals will vary from batch to batch, but is often from farmers who focus on breeding and calving (versus finishing, which is A.J.’s focus).

To keep these cattle safe and healthy, they live in a nice barn. The smaller animals are on a bed pack- layers of bedding material (they use cornstalks!). The larger animals are on slats that allow manure and other waste to drain into a holding tank. A.J. handles most of the day-to-day operations, including feeding and walking pens. Every day, she physically gets into the pens with the cattle to check on them and make sure everyone is staying happy and healthy.

A unique feature of A.J.’s operation is that they utilize refusal feed from a neighboring dairy. Dairy cows have more refined palates and there is always leftover feed. A.J.’s cattle are less discerning and are happy to eat their leftovers. This reduces waste- a win-win for both operations and the end consumer!
When these cattle are finishing weight, they are “shipped.” This means they head to the processor to become food for you. Beef you purchase from a grocery store could very well be from an animal A.J. raised- or one of the many other family farmers who also market their beef in this way.

Speaking of refined palates, you’re probably wondering about this stroganoff recipe. This beef stroganoff recipe is a time-honored traditional recipe utilizing stew meat. Stew meat is sometimes one of the less popular parts of the animal. Simmering the stroganoff in the oven for 5 hours allows the flavors to really meld. Definitely save this recipe for a day when you are in need of something with minimal preparation and maximum comfort! It’s hearty, filling, and will warm the house up a bit. A.J. likes to make this on winter days when they need to work cattle. It is something that can be mixed up early and be piping hot after being out in the freezing cold all day. And what a full circle moment- to be able to consume the literal fruits of your labor, farm to fork style.