7 Fragen an Fleischproduzent Dan Morgan

Dan Morgan ist Rancher auf der Morgan Ranch in Nebraska, USA. In Deutschland findet man inzwischen auch im Einzelhandel neben seinem hervorragendem US Beef auch das wohl beste Wagyu-Fleisch außerhalb Japans.

Dan Morgan – The Ghandi of American Wagyu Beef

Frage 1:
Dan, you got into cattle business at the age of 10 and you still love your job. What is the most passionate point about the jobs at the ranch?

• There are three most important jobs in the cattle business that a person needs to be passionate about.
  # A. Getting and keeping a live calf! Therefore must check the cows many times per day during the calving season. Looking for any malpresentations or other potential problems.
  # B. Getting the cow bred back to have another calf the following year.  If doing artificial insemination / intelligence must spend lots of time observing the cows , changing behaviors , indicators of estrus then using time and sensitive fingers to get the product in the proper location for conception!
  If doing natural service well… again spend observing time making certain the bull is getting the job done ! Important Voyerism at its finest !
  # C. Lets try to make the best product but more importantly protect the natural resources and environment.

Frage 2:
We talked about “Suzy” and “Bitch” before, can you please explain these names to the audience?

• After spending much time and many generations with the main cowherd, each cow has a different personality. Therefore affectionate names are applied to many of the cows and also bulls! Suzy, bitch, Elmo, Henry, Igor, etc.

Frage 3:
What’s your favorite piece of meat, and how would you recommend to prepare it?

• My favorite cut of the carcass depends on the event we are hosting! Small / intimate friends well then use the popular cuts of ribeye, strip and filet mignon.
  Larger group – good friends and fun but… not that good! Coulette is my favorite. BBQ and slice on the serving plate. Shows the sweetness and texture of the meat. Plus is economical!
  During the winter – comfort food – Braised short ribs, carving roast, prime rib roast, kobe stew with the sirloin tips!
  BBQ’ing / Grilling is my favorite method of cooking the meat. Several cuts are great for the „smoker “ guys.
  The fun thing with Wagyu is that all of the items can be used in many other cooking methods as compared to commodity beef.

Frage 4:
When a calve is born “giving an helping hand” can result with your whole arm stuck in a cows ass. How often did this happen, and have you imagined to breed chicken in these moments?

• I can determine, assist and solve many birthing presentation problems with cows. We get more intimate and personal with a few of the honeys. It is hard to build a personal relationship with a group of chickens and scrambled eggs! Don’t ask about relationships and experiences collecting semen from the bulls!

Frage 5:
What about soy and tofu: Could you be a vegetarian?

• A little soy and tofu will go a long way!

Frage 6:
If there’s a cow, there’s also probably fresh milk – Do you buy milk at the store, or do you process the byproduct for your family?

• All of our cattle meaning Wagyu, Hereford and Angus are all cattle for meat production. They are not for milk production. In the US we have two different herds / types of cattle. Those for milk production raised and produced in dairies. Then beef cows raised on the ranches.  So …. yes we purchase milk at the grocery store! I will never again milk a group of cows!

Frage 7:
Can you find words to describe the perfect burger?

• Perfect burger!  The best burger is soft , juiciness, lots of flavor can be eaten without ketchup and mustard!  Texture is important: NOT toooo soft, BUT not tooo hard!

Thanks a lot for the interview, amigo! ;-)

Besten Dank auch an Jenny Willms von OTTO GOURMET für das Bereitstellen der Bilder.