It’s National Beef Month. Take the 30-Day Protein Challenge and make beef a part of a health lifestyle!

Hey! Did you know that May is “National Beef Month?” Yes, that’s right…a whole month dedicated to beef! We don’t know about you, but our mouths are watering just thinking about it.

It probably doesn’t come as much surprise that the ladies of the Idaho CattleWomen are pretty excited about beef month in general, not to mention what’s in store for our blog! We’ve got lots of fun things planned for the rest of the month, including a few more posts than normal, and possibly even a giveaway, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

Make sure to join us next Monday, as we’ll show you the first of a two-part series filled with tips and tricks for both buying and cooking beef!

Happy Beef Month!

~ Idaho’s cattle ranching women and families

The other night I tried a new cut of beef for dinner. I had heard about it, but never seen or cooked one before. Even though I’ve been cooking with beef a long time, there are several new cuts that I don’t have a lot of experience with. And I love trying something new.

They tout it as the mock tender or filet, saying it’s just as juicy and tender. But like half the price. Well, this little cut of beef did not disappoint!

I knew it needed to be marinated so I put it in a Ziploc baggie with soy sauce, olive oil, rice wine vinegar and garlic. I let it hang out in the fridge overnight. I decided to try grilling it. Tip: let it sit out of fridge about 30 minutes to come to room temperature before throwing on a 400 degree grill. I grilled it to medium rare, 145 degrees, about 14-19 minutes. Then I let it rest before slicing thinly to serve.

I also made Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan and Garlic. I took fresh broccoli and cut in it into pieces (you could also use frozen broccoli) then I put it on a sheet of heavy duty foil. I drizzled it with a little olive oil, and sprinkled it with shredded Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. I wrapped up the edges and put it on the grill also. I cooked it until vegetables were tender, about 8 minutes.

Here are a couple other links about this cut of beef. It’s really easy to cook and makes a great presentation. I hope you try it out. If so please leave us some comments or if you have any questions about cooking with beef, feel free to ask. Beef is part of my family’s healthy diet and I hope you make it part of yours too!

Petite Tender Roast

Chef’s Secret

The pictured shows the entire petite shoulder tender steak with a few slices. Those slices equal around 3 oz., which supplies you with 22 grams of protein plus 10 essential nutrients and only 150 calories.

Nutrition information per 3-ounce cooked serving: 150 calories; 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat); 22 g protein; 0.5 mg vitamin B₆; 4.4 mcg vitamin B₁₂; 2.2 mg iron; 4.5 mg zinc.

~ M

Mattson taking his cousin for a ride.

The first ride on the colt he is breaking.

Three of my favorite people.

The other day I was driving the truck while Matt was feeding the cows. The sun shining on my face, deer running up the mountain beside us, Dawson playing on the seat next to me, and it occurred to me how truly blessed we are to get to live the life we do. The opportunity to see a baby calf just be born and the mother lick him off and have that bond. The horses running across the top of the hill, their beautiful colors and long manes flowing making it a portrait worth painting. The breeze blowing enough to whistle through the trees playing a tune, the sound of the tractor purring, waiting to load the next bale, and the feeder calves thundering to the gate to let us know they are tired of waiting. Each day is a gift and a promise that God loves us and has blessed us with this life.

Our nieces came to visit one evening last week. They live in town, and don’t get to have interaction with the ranch life that often. Mattson has been riding a colt he started, so his good ol’ trusty horse has not been ridden for a while. Not that he needs to, but Mattson just doesn’t want him to think he likes the colts better than him. They have quite the bond those two. Mattson saddled up the good ol’ boy and climbed on. Just as he started to ride away from the barn, the girls, (the nieces) came driving up. They got out of the car, put their coats on and by the look in their eyes and big smiles on their sweet rosey cheeks, they wanted a ride! Mattson rode over to them, no questions asked, with a smile and a nod, loaded up one girl on the saddle with him, and away they went. They rode out in the field, her blond hair blowing in the breeze, and from the sound of the conversation, she had a lot to say! Mattson just nodded and smiled and let her have her moment of riding. Next it was the other girl’s turn. She loaded up and away they went. She didn’t have as much to say, but from her grin from ear to ear, she was so happy! She got to hold the reins and in her mind, that horse was doing whatever she told him to! It was priceless!

Just as they were riding back from the field, I heard Matt and Dawson coming back from checking cows. Dawson loves to check the momma cows to see if they have a new baby on the ground, and to see if it has “yicked” as he calls it, which he means to say “lick.” He says, “Yep, that baby is byack (black) again Dad.” (yes, our calves are black). A smile on his face, red nose, jeans tucked into his little cowboy boots, his rope in his hand, he started telling me all about their half hour long adventure that was as simple as anything, but was big as life to him!

Once again, in that moment, I thought about the little things that mean so much and are such a blessing! Mattson having the desire to start colts, to be kind to his cousins to take them for a ride. For a good broke horse that is so loved and part of our family. An opportunity to see the smiles on the girls’ faces. The time Matt gets to spend with Dawson doing chores and see new life be born, just to name a few.

Life is about change. In the next couple of months, we will have lots of change. Spring is here, changing the weather, the trees, the grass, and the ranching chores. Fences will need fixed, and the calves branded. Our oldest son, Jackson, will graduate high school, and get ready to attend college on a full ride football and track scholarship. Changes are a blessing, family is a blessing, and we all need to take a little more time and cherish the little things that are just simply so big!

Happy Spring Y’all!

Jayme

Jayme Thompson lives in Shelley, Idaho, with her husband Matt, and their three sons, Jackson, Mattson and Dawson. She was daddy’s little cowgirl being raised horseback on the family cattle ranch in Mackay, Idaho. Matt and Jayme have known each other since their early junior rodeo days. They are both 4th generation ranchers and have a cow-calf and horse operation. Jayme drives school bus, and helps Matt on the ranch in addition to chauffeuring kids. Matt is a custom saddle maker and a video representative for Western Video Market on the side.

Jayme also blogs at Cavvy Savvy, where this post first appeared.

An old tractor sits on our family’s property.

I’m sure I’m no different than most women involved in the ranching business, but last summer I realized how versatile we women are. We wear many hats—or sit in many seats to help get the job done.

One day during the summer we were haying and finished baling in one field, then moved the equipment to another field. I had been baling, then when we moved fields, I drove the baler, the pickup, a hay-hauling truck I call Mary Kay—because its kind of a pink color—and the Telehandler.

Enjoying some time in the seat of a saddle during a trail ride.

I came home and took the grandkids on a four wheeler ride, mowed part of the yard, fixed dinner and collapsed into the recliner. Hey, it’s a seat too.

I don’t think for a minute that I am any different than any other cattlewoman; I’m just proud of the fact that we are a versatile group.

Whether we are haying, working cows, planting crops, branding or assisting in those activities, or working in town, helping with homework, upgrading the house, cooking for the crew or sneaking away to golf, we are an independent bunch.

The beautiful hay fields of the Lemhi Valley.

I think women in general have to be very versatile just to keep up with busy families and lives, but I’m proud of how we step up to fill in, learn how, take over or step back and watch if that’s what’s needed. Maybe that’s why we’re never bored—because things change daily and seasonally for us.

Now we are starting into calving season and that brings another set of skills including the ability to know how to layer on warm clothes. I prepare taxes also at this time of year, which makes for a packed schedule for 3 months.

What hats do you wear or seats do you sit in everyday that keeps you busy? We’d love to hear!

~ Robin

Robin and her husband raise Angus cattle in the Lemhi Valley. They both grew up in ranching and farming families, and love the lifestyle. They raised three children and are enjoying being grandparents now too. Robin, like many Idaho cattlewomen, helps whenever and wherever needed on the ranch.