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Camp Brisket draws all walks of life to learn finer points of Texas’ most popular cut for barbecue

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By: Blair Fannin

Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, [email protected]

COLLEGE STATION – From doctors and computer information technologists to restaurant owners, 2015 Camp Brisket participants learned the finer points of cooking one of the most popular barbecue cuts found throughout Texas.

Dr. Jeff Savell, distinguished professor in the department of animal science at Texas A&M University, led the camp and was joined by Dr. Davey Griffin, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service meat specialist, and Ray Riley, manager of the E.M. “Manny” Rosenthal Meat Center at Texas A&M.

The camp is a partnership between Foodways Texas and the meat science section in the department of animal science. Event registration sold out in less than five minutes, according to organizers, and various national and state media reported from the event.

According to Savell, “There are three foods in Texas: Texas barbecue, chicken fried steak and Tex-Mex. You don’t see anybody standing in line for chicken fried steak or Tex-Mex, but they are standing in line for the best barbecue.”

More than 100 attendees learned where the brisket and other barbecue cuts come from on a side of beef, proper trimming and preferred seasoning methods, plus the many different types of barbecue pits and wood smoke used during cooking.

“You find a lot of people attending this camp who have achieved success in cooking other cuts, but they keep coming back to brisket,” Savell said.

Trying to cook brisket consistently is one of the most unique challenges among barbecue cooking, Savell said. Griffin provided an overview of the anatomy of a brisket demonstrating the various cuts from a side of beef.

Barbecue restaurant owners and experts were also featured speakers during the two-day event. A pitmaster panel on cooking briskets featured Bryan Bracewell of Southside Market and Barbecue in Elgin, Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, and Russell Roegels of Roegels Barbecue Co. in Houston.

Though beef prices continue to be high due to lack of supply, Savell said, consumers’ hunger for barbecue is greater than ever.

During a three-year period beginning in 2010, drought conditions led to 1 million fewer beef cows in Texas alone. Nationally, cattle inventory levels are the lowest since the 1950s, consequently affecting the price and availability of beef.

“There are fewer briskets today, but stronger demand,” he said.

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Country Lifestyles

From NACs to Climate Smart Easements:Advancing 30X30

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By Martha Crump

In the April issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch, I introduced the discussion of what is considered the Biden 30X30 Land Grab via the quiet attempt to push through the formation of Natural Asset Companies. If you are a landowner and have not heard about this, I encourage you to research it for your own protection.

Natural Asset Companies would have been publicly tradable securities that hold rights to, and manage the productivity and ecological benefits of natural assets such as natural forests, marine areas and farmland. They place a value on natural processes. Thanks to the watchful eye of a few, NACs have been stopped for now, but make no mistake, this battle is far from over. According to the American Stewards of Liberty, the Intrinsic Exchange Group is the company responsible for the failed attempt to monetize natural processes via the development of “Natural Asset Companies.”

The New York Times is already helping IEG to set the stage for a rebranding of the idea with the article they ran entitled “Nature Has Value. Could We Literally Invest In It?” which ran on Feb. 18 of this year. The NYT readily assured their readers that, “Natural asset companies would put a market price on improving ecosystems, rather than on destroying them.” That is a perfect lead-in for IEG as they had already indicated that they would be rebranding the idea in yet another attempt to create the investment vehicle.

To read more, pick up a copy of the May issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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Country Lifestyles

Lacey’s Pantry: Beef Chimichangas

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By Lacey Vilhauer

Ingredients:
1-2 cups vegetable oil
½ cup diced white onion
2 tsp minced garlic
½ TBSP chili powder
¼ tsp oregano
½ tsp ground cumin
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ to a full can of Rotel tomatoes and green chilis
8 (burrito-sized) flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Toppings: salsa, sour cream, guacamole, queso

Directions:
Brown hamburger meat and onions in a large skillet until onions are slightly softened. Add in garlic chili powder, oregano and cumin. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in Rotel. Cook and stir another five minutes. Set aside.
Warm tortillas in the microwave. On each tortilla, place about ½ cup of meat mixture. Do not overfill. Top with shredded cheese. Fold sides over the meat and cheese, then fold bottom over the sides and roll up. Place all folded chimichangas, seam side down, on a large plate and repeat with remaining tortillas.

To read more, pick up a copy of the May issue of NTFR. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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Country Lifestyles

Does John Wayne Have the Answer to Our Discourse?

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By Dal Houston

I am terribly saddened by all the argumentative discourse that seems to be going on in today’s world. It seems as though it is no longer enough just to disagree on certain issues. We are expected to classify someone as an enemy if they do not always agree with us on all issues, lest we be considered weak.

To make things even worse, because those who disagree with you are now considered enemies, the sentiment seems to be that it is only fair and proper to destroy them, because they are the enemy, again with the fear of ridicule for being weak if we do not fight.

With all that said, and seemingly unrelated, I am a big John Wayne fan. From watching him dive into his role as a cowboy, to marveling at his time portraying a soldier or appreciating his acting gig as a sailor, there is seldom a week that goes by without me watching at least one

To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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