Holiday Turkeys and Turkey Breasts now on pre-sale for delivery November 18!
Turkey quantities are limited - order by Nov 7th for an early bird discount!
Our partners Ranch Foods Direct are not accepting turkey reservations in retail stores until November 1.

Bytable Kitchen Guide to Mastering Meat

master meat bytable marketplace
pull up a chair. take a taste. come join us. if this guide has ended up in your hands, it means you've mad the delicious decision to order from the Bytable Marketplace. Hello, welcome, and thank you! By purchasing your groceries here, you're supporting ethical, sustainable, high-quality food companies and our mission to make honest and safe food accessible to all. We are honored to share with you the joy and happiness this food and the people who make it has brought to our lives. Please keep this guide to get the absolute best results from your purchases (and maybe find some inspiration to try something new!) Thank you, and enjoy! The Bytable Team. Life is so endlessly delicious!
Bringing the heat. The USDA recommends cooking to these minimum internal temperatures. (Our lawyer said we had to put these here.) Beef and lamb 145 degrees fahrenheit. Pork and hamburger 160 degrees fahrenheit. Poultry 165 degrees fahrenheit. Safety basiscs. Not as boring as you'd think. Whether you're new to the world of cooking meat or a "seasoned" professional who wants to spice up their knowledge, here are some suggestions for meat handling and safety basics. Preventing contamination. Step one always wash hands with hot, soapy water. Step 2 keep fresh meat and any juices away from other food to avoid cross-contamination. Step 3 keep cooked meat off any surfaced raw meat is/was on. Fire safety - if you are preparing wagyu please read. Wagyu warning protein with a high fat content releases grease when cooking. Grease can catch fire. Our purebred Wagyu is amazing because of how much fat marbling it has and how easily it melts into the surrounding meat, but it also produces a lot more grease. Read our cooking tips for Wagyu on the next pages. You should always keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, clean up grease spills on burners, and remove pans from heat immediately if grease or oil starts smoking heavily. If a fire occurs step one do not use water to put a grease fire. step two seriously do not use water to put out a grease fire. step three turn off the heat. step four limit oxygen by covering fire with a lid, a pot, or another pan anything nonflammable. step five use baking soda or salt not flour or sugar and dump it on the fire. if that fails, use a fire extinguisher. if the fire continues or is too large for you to handle call 911 or other emergency services. do not attempt to stop a grease fire with water, sugar, or flour and do not attempt to fan the fire, as these methods will only exacerbate the flames.
let's get cooking! Wagyu what's the difference? unlike a typical cut of beef you might pick up at a grocery store, Wagyu beef has a stunning amount of marbling, with a deep and rich flavor to match. when prepared properly, it has a delicacy and tenderness that is incomparable to other cuts of beef. our regular beef is kobe style angus wagyu cross, which takes on wagyu characteristics like more marbling and a more buttery flavor and texture, while maintaining the beefy angus flavor americans are used to. much like the flavor the way wagyu should be prepared is different because of its high fat content. Before cooking salt highly recommended. Use kosher or another large grain salt to coat the outside of the meat 40 minutes and no less up to 3 days before cooking and place back in fridge. Salt tenderizes the meat by pulling our moisture dissolving into it and then diffusing into the meat. this will take more time if the steak is in the fridge or frozen. defrost place frozen cuts into the fridge to defrost fully. this can take up to 48 hours, so plan accordingly. do not defrost wagyu at room temperature or in a microwave. the fat in wagyu has a much lower melting point than other cuts of beef and improper defrosting can compromise the integrity of the cut. rest take out of fridge 20 to 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature for more even cooking. larger cuts like roast or brisket can take longer. the USDA recommends that meat should be at room temperature for 2 hours maximum. The american method a traditional steak. AKA we're american and crafted this method ourselves and have trial and errored it extensively. this method is for cooking an entire untrimmed steak to perfection. it will look and taste like the steak you always dreamed about. we use a cast iron pan and a stovetop oven combiation. this can also be done with a regular skillet that can withstand searing heats and can go into the oven or by using indirect heat with a pan on a grill. we've found a cast iron pan on the stove and finishing in the over to be the most reliable and easy method. Pre heat. on the stove preheat the cast iron or frying pan on high. preheat the oven to 300 degrees fahrenheit. Sprinkle water on the pan. if it boils immediately, it's ready to go. Oil the pan. trim a little fat off the meat and place in the pan, or use beef tallow or an oil with a high smoke point like avocado grapeseed safflower or peanut oil. olive oil works but will smoke. lightly coat the bottom of the pan. we aren't deep frying here! Sear. Get a timer out. Start the timer and drop the steak into the pan, nothing the time you wear the sizzle. sear the first side for 60 to 100 seconds, or until crust is a medium brown and you see caramelization, then flip and repeat. turn steak back over to original side to roast. Roast. move the pan from the stovetop to the oven to roast. about 60 to 70 percent of the way through cooking, flip again for even internal cooking. cook time will vary, see chart on the next page. we recommend using a leave-in thermometer for better doneness accuracy. Rest. resting meat after cooking is essential. it allows the proteins to relax and reabsorb the delicious juices. if cut too soon the moisture will release and create a puddle on your plate. cover cooked steaks with foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Preparing roasts, briskets and other cuts. follow all steps under before cooking on the previous page. Sear: For roasts and other large cuts, we recommend searing all sur aces of the cut in a preheated cast iron or frying pan for 1  - 2 minutes for a browned outer crust that adds fabulous  lavor. On the stove, preheat the cast iron or frying pan on high. Sprinkle water on the pan. If it boils immediately, it’s ready to go. If roasting put in the over at 250 degrees fahrenheit for a low and slow cook or 350 degrees fahrenheit for a faster cook. cook until internal temperature reaches at least 110 degrees fahrenheit for rare, 120 degrees fahrenheit for medium rare, or 130 degree fahrenheit for medium. Let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. If smoking, smoking a wagyu brisket or roast is similar to a regular brisket, but wagyu may cook faster than you're used to. usually between 10 and 12 hours. You can choose to sear or not sear before smoking. We recommend using a leave-in temperature probe when smoking. Season with salt and pepper, then smoke at 250 degrees fahrenheit until it reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees fahrenheit, when a crust or "bark" will form. Once the bark forms, you have a few choices. Option 1 aluminum foil. wrap with foil before putting it back in the smoker to maintain the bark's crispiness without charring further. This method cooks faster. Option 2 butcher paper. Not parchment paper. Wrapping with butcher paper will moisten the bark back up results in less crust and hold moisture for an incredibly tender and juicy results. Cook time will remain approximately the same. Option 3 leave it naked. this will results in a very dark bark and a longer cooking time and possibly less moisture, but the smokiest flavor of the three. Once you've wrapped the brisket (or not) continue smoking until internal temperature reaches the ideal 195 to 200 degrees fahrenheit, though you can stop around 180 degrees fahrenheit. Let rest for at least an hour before serving to allow moisture to relax. you can also keep brisket warm for up to 3 hours without compromising integrity by wrapping in towels and placing in a cooler.
rump roast. top round. top sirloin. porterhouse. tbone. skirt steak. tenderloin. new york strip. new york strip roast. brisket. short ribs. chuck roast. prime rib. ribeye.
pork shoulder roast. pork shoulder steak. pork loin roast. pork sirloin chop. pork country style ribs. pork jowl. bacon. pork belly. ham. baby back ribs. pork spare ribs. pork rib chops. pork loin chops. tenderloin.
chicken wing. chicken thigh. chicken drumstick. chicken feet. chicken neck. chicken breast. chicken tenderloin. chicken tender.
Shop regenerative. What is regenerative agriculture? Regenerative agriculture is a sustainable and environmentally mindful approach to food and farming systems. It's a combination of farming practices that regenerate topsoil and enhances agricultural ecosystems. Regenerative practices rebuild organic matter in soil and restore soil biodiversity - in other words, recycling organic matter and returning carbon back into our soil preserves its integrity for future use. Plus, healthy soil retains water at a much higher rate, meaning regions with healthy soil has less flooding and drought. Why does supporting regenerative agriculture matter? Regenerative agriculture is the single fastest way we can reverse climate change and ensure our planet will still support the next generation. Seriously. If we continue farming the way we have, the Earth's topsoil the stuff food grows in will be gone in 60 years. We are 60 harvest from our soil being unusable. Pretty scary, right? It scares us too. That's why we built Bytable Marketplace - because farmers who farm regeneratively need a way to sell their products, support themselves and their families, and keep working to fix our soil. As consumers, we need to dedicate our money and time to ensure our support is there to make farming regeneratively a smart business decision. If we are able to convert 34.6% of agricultural lands to regenerative practices, we can zero out current carbon emissions. That's why it's so important to know where your food is coming from. The more you can know about the food you buy, the easier it is to support farmers doing the right thing. Shopping with regenerative practices in mind means you're investing in healthier rural communities, responsible farmers and their families, humane animal treatment, more nutritious and delicious food, and a better environment for future generations. What's not to love?
Mike Callicrate, owner of Ranch Foods Direct and Callicrate Cattle Co., has been raising cattle since 1986 at his family's farm in St Francis, KS. Mike’s farm follows a multi-species regenerative agricultural model, using the natural synergies between cattle, hogs and chickens to optimize the health of the livestock and the land. Callicrate's farm is also home to one of the only on-farm meat processing facilities in the U.S. Callicrate Beef is pasture-raised and  inished, and during the roughly 120-day  inishing period the cattle are supplemented with non-GMO grain (usually barley), and silage mixture to keep them happy and healthy. This special mixture of pasture-raising and pasture/grain  inishing results in deliciously marbled products with an incredibly beefy  lavor. Additionally, feed supplementation is necessary for pastured animals to live healthily in the low rainfall and shor  growing season of the High Plains of Kansas. The Callicrates raise a mixture of Black Angus and Wagyu breed cattle, which results in an incredible Kobe-style beef that is both abundantly marbled and wonder ully beefy. They are also one of the only farms in the United States o fering truly purebred Wagyu beef, widely considered a delicacy. Callicrate Pork is ethically and humanely raised before being processed on farm in St. Francis, KS. Throughout their lives, Callicrate pigs have plenty of room to play, wallow in the mud, and simply enjoy life outside in Kansas! There are no crates on the farm. Sows give bir h and raise piglets in a *real* barn, on hay, comfy and warm and with free access to the outdoors when the piglets are old enough. They raise Berkshire and Berkshire-cross Heritage breeds, and produce pork with exquisite marbling and divine  lavor. No white pork here - our pork is a deep red/pink color. When you bite into it, you'll know what real pork tastes like.
White Oak Pastures is a 5-generation family farm in Blu   on, GA run by Will Harris and his daughters Jenni and Jodi. They raise 10 species of animals using a regenerative model, humane animal practices, and on-farm processing resulting in a zero-waste operation. White Oak Pastures is one of the largest regenerative agriculture operations in the United States and gainfully employs 155+ people in their small town of Blu   on. They are  iercely committed to the well-being and satisfaction of their animals, their employees, and their customers. We are intensely proud and grateful to work with them. All products are cer i ied non-GMO, and most are Cer i ied Humane and Cer i ied EOV by the Savory Institute. A Note from White Oak Pastures About Their Animals: "They spend their entire lives roaming our lush pastures and eating sweet grasses, as nature intended. We utilize Regenerative Grazing Practices and Holistic Management to manage the ten species of livestock that roam White Oak Pastures. Nature abhors a monoculture. All of our animals roam freely and breed naturally; they never set foot on concrete until the day of processing. We do not use hormones, steroids or antibiotics. “As much as we are committed to providing our animals with a peaceful, healthy life, we are committed to o fering them a humane and digni ied death. This is why in 2008 we built a USDA-inspected beef abattoir on our proper y, only the second of its kind in the United States. In 2011, we built our USDA-inspected poultry abattoir, the only one in Georgia and the surrounding states available for pastured poultry. Our animals don't travel many miles from pasture to abattoir, unlike conventionally raised cattle that commonly travel many hours in a truck to slaughter without food, water or rest. Our plant, designed by Temple Grandin, is focused on keeping our animals at ease."
Gunthorp Farms is a 4-species, hyper-e  icient 265-acre regenerative farming operation in LaGrange, IN, run by the wonder ul Gunthorp family. We carry a wide assor ment of poultry and pork products from the Gunthorps . Their products are featured in several up-scale restaurants in major Midwest cities, including the legendary Chef Rick Bayless' restaurants Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, and Charlie Trotter's in Chicago. They have one of very few on-farm USDA-inspected slaughter operations for both red meat and poultry, meaning all animals are slaughtered on-farm for minimal stress and an excellent  inal product. All animals from the Gunthorps are pasture-raised and rotated throughout the woods and  ields on their Indiana farm, and are provided shelter from inclement weather at all times. They are also o fered a corn, soybean, and mineral mix. Animals at Gunthorp Farms are never given antibiotics, hormones, or steroids. The Gunthorps are the second-largest employer in their rural county, only behind the college located a mere 2-miles away, and who they supply much of the meat prepared for students attending the college! They proudly employ 30 full-time and 15-par  time employees, including 5 family members. Owner and father Greg Gunthorp has been a vocal spokesman for sustainable and regenerative agriculture since they star ed raising pigs in 1998. Daughter Kara runs marketing and wholesale accounts, and son Evan runs the processing facility. The entire Gunthorp family walks the walk and talks the talk to make a di ference in their rural community and beyond through sustainable, regenerative agriculture.
Parker Pastures is a small family farm located in Gunnison, CO. It was founded in 2006 by Bill and Kelli Parker, and they own and operate Parker Pastures with their three children. They practice regenerative agriculture and holistic management on their farm, and produce grassfed and finished beef and lamb. We are incredibly proud to offer their lamb on the Marketplace. Cloe Parker, the oldest child, raises the lambs herself with the utmost care and compassion. "The main reason I, Cloe Parker, am a shepherdess is for connection. I desire and  ight so that my meat is the center piece of a meal that brings friends and family together. So that joy and laughter is shared over delicious and healthy food.” Parker Pastures The Parker Family “I manage and care for my sheep in a way that provides hope and abundance for the animals, wildlife,  lowing water, the underground herd (soil), plants, and people, so that we can have a connection to the land, soil, birds of the sky, elk of the mountains, beavers and fish of the water for years to come.”
Joe Echo-Hawk was born in Fairbanks, AK and has been  ishing the Bristol Bay with his friends since 2004, when fate called him while he was eating a $5 Hot-N-Ready pizza on a curb in LA and asked if he wanted to come to Alaska and  ish for a month. A  er 5 years working as a crewman with his friends, a one-line Craigslist ad appeared advertising a small  ishing operation for sale. He jumped at the oppor unity, and star ed his own  ishing business in 2009 that would become Kwee-Jack Fish Co (named a  er the Kvichack River near where they  ish). Though Joe no longer eats Hot-N-Readys, he and his wife Angela work together on Kwee-Jack, which has become a community-suppor ed  ishery ( ish's version of a CSA)! They live in Billings, Montana most of the year with their two young boys. Their wild caught sockeye salmon is harvested from  ishing sites located near the mouth of the Kvichack River in Bristol Bay, AK. Bristol Bay is home to one of the largest Sockeye salmon runs in the world, with over 30 million salmon each year. It's closely managed by the Alaska Depar ment of Fish and Game with very strict regulations to ensure sustainability for future generations of salmon (and the humans eating it!) Scienti ic management, along with the incredibly unique environment of the area, make wild Alaskan salmon one of the healthiest and well-managed resources for protein on the planet. The Kwee-Jack  ishing boats are small and nimble, ready to take on the rapid early-summer changes in weather and tides. They use a set-net style of  ishing, where the nets are anchored in the mud, and typically the boat is pulled under the net and the  ish are hand-picked from the net. The Kwee-Jack method of  ishing preserves the quality of the  ish by preventing crushing and strain. Large tender vessels with refrigerated  ish-holds hang out nearby, ready to take the catch into their freezing saltwater brine. They then deliver the  ish to the local  ish processor for the freshest freezing possible.
Mountain Pie Co began in Colorado Springs in 2013 as a way for New Zealand-native, owner, and chef Matt Campbell to cure his homesickess for authentic New Zealand meat pies. Mountain Pie Co's vision is to bring the simple, delicious, wholesome, satisfying goodness that is the savory handheld pie to you in the most convenient way possible! Today, Mountain Pie Co is ful illing that vision, operating out of one of the only USDA-inspected kitchens in Colorado Springs (in the same facility as the Bytable ful illment team!) Sourcing quality ingredients is the  irst step to making pies as amazing as Mountain Pie Co's meat pies. All of the meat is sourced locally from Callicrate Beef and Pork - all regeneratively and humanely raised, antibiotic & hormone free meats! Their  lour is an organic unbleached Colorado-grown  lour, and the crust of every pie is a butter and sour cream crust (no hydrogenated oils!). Even the chilis and beer are local! Authentic Pueblo chilis are sourced carefully from Musso Farms, a three-generation farm in Pueblo, Colorado. The beer used in the Steak and Ale Meat Pies is an award-winning Scottish Ale - Laughing Lab from the amazing Bristol Brewing located in Colorado Springs.
Mountain Meadow Bone Broth was founded in 2018 by Eileen McGur y, who star ed drinking broth with added veggies and a hard-boiled egg in the mornings to curb her desire for a heavy carb breakfast, and as a way to manage her Hashimoto’s disease. She got her star  selling at farmer's markets and before long, and as demand grew for a Montana-made bone broth, they added frozen containers and eventually star ed selling in grocery stores and health food stores across Montana. Their mission is incredibly similar to the Bytable mission: to disrupt the global food industry with regional food production while regenerating the land and building local economies. Mountain Meadow works with extraordinary Montana ranchers who are dedicated to regenerating the land through sustainable grazing of their pasture-raised animals. Their broths are made with 100% pasture-raised chicken and 100% grassfed and  inished beef bones. Their delicious and nutritious broths are brewed in Ronan, MT. The cattle and chicken are never fed or injected with any hormone, steroid, antibiotic, or chemical.
From Bytable, our producers, and our partners, we sincerely thank you for supporting our efforts to create a world where regenerative and sustainable agriculture practices are the standard. Thank you.
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