Picking tips!

With our "Summertime Bounty" dinner on the way we thought we'd give you a few "picking" tips!  Visit us online at http://www.bonessteak.com to make your reservations for Saturday, September 8th!

ASPARAGUS	Asparagus can be harvested the third year after planting crowns, but do not harvest for more than one month the first time. In the following years, the spears may be harvested in May and June. Harvest spears 5 to 8 inches tall by cutting them or snapping them off. Cutting may damage some spear tips that have not yet emerged from the ground. To snap a spear, bend it from the top toward the ground. Asparagus deteriorates rapidly after harvest. If it is not eaten immediately, it should be processed or refrigerated.
LIMA BEANS	Pick lima beans when the pods are well-filled but before they turn yellow. The end of the pod should feel spongy.
SNAP BEANS	Snap beans are best when the pods are firm and snap readily, but before the seeds within the pod develop. The tips should be pliable.
BEETS	Harvest beets when they are 1-1/4 to 2 inches in diameter. The beet tops can also be eaten as greens. The leaves should be 4 to 6 inches long.
BROCCOLI	Cut broccoli when the buds are compact but before they turn yellow or open into flowers. Leave 5 to 6 inches of stem attached. Side shoots that develop in the axils of the leaves can also be used.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS	The small sprouts may be picked or cut when they are firm and about 1 inch in diameter. Pick the lower sprouts as soon as they are large enough for use. Lower leaves may be removed to allow more room for sprouts to develop.
CABBAGE	Cut the heads when they are solid, but before they crack or split. In addition to harvesting the mature heads, you can harvest a later crop of small heads or sprouts that develop on the stumps of the cut stems. The sprouts will be 2 to 4 inches in diameter and should be picked when they are firm.
CARROTS	Carrots are ready for use when they are young, crisp, and 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. The sugar content is higher in mature carrots, but the younger ones are more tender. Carrots planted in the summer may be left in the ground until a killing frost. A straw mulch can be placed over the row so that the carrots can be harvested until the ground freezes solid.
CAULIFLOWER	Harvest before the heads become overmature and "ricey." The heads should be compact, firm, and white. To keep the head white, tie the outer leaves together over the center of the plant when the head begins to form. Cauliflower will grow 6 to 8 inches in diameter and is ready for harvest 7 to 12 days after blanching.
CHARD	Use the leaves as they become 8 to 10 inches long while they are still young and tender. New leaves will continue to grow from the center of the plant.
CHINESE CABBAGE	Cut the entire plant at the ground line when the heads are compact and firm. Harvest before the seedstalks form in the early summer, and before freezing temperatures in the fall.
CORN	Pick corn when the silk turns dark and starts to shrivel. The kernels should be bright, plump, and milky. This stage occurs about 20 days after the appearance of the first silk strands. To harvest, snap off the ears by hand with a quick, firm, downward push; then twist and pull. Corn is at its prime eating quality for only 72 hours before becoming overmature.

We are having a Summer Bounty Dinner and our first ingredient is Kangaroo!  Read about this delicious meat below!

Kangaroo's amazing nutrition facts 

Reference http://www.macromeats-gourmetgame.com.au/Nutrition/AmazingNutritionFacts.aspx#.UDaWFqOAOfc 

If you’re looking for a family-friendly meat that packs a nutritious punch, then look no further than kangaroo meat. It gets the thumbs up on a wide variety of nutrition fronts, with the key highlights for kangaroo meat being:

• It has an energy (kilojoule) content that stacks up well against other lean red meats
• It is a terrific source of high-quality protein
• It is low in fat, with less than 2% fat
• It contains low levels of ‘undesirable’ saturated fats
• It is a source of heart-friendly omega-3’s
• It contains CLA, which has antioxidant properties and may help reduce body fat in humans
• It is a particularly rich source of the minerals iron and zinc
• It is an important source of several B-group vitamins, namely riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12
• It has the Heart Foundation Tick of Approval*

Let’s take a look in a little more detail at what this versatile, tasty and nutritious game meat has to offer.

Energy content

As they say, the Aussie kangaroo is a lean, mean, fighting machine. These animals are super active and graze on natural foliage which produces a lean, high quality game meat.

A 150g serve of kangaroo fillet or steak typically provides 643 kilojoules (that’s 153 calories). Let’s put this into perspective. For an average adult needing 8700 kilojoules a day, a 150g serve of kangaroo fillet or rump provides just over 7% of daily energy needs. That leaves 93% of kilojoules to come from other nutritious foods.

The energy content of kangaroo meat stacks up well against other trimmed and lean red meats – take a look:

Energy (kilojoules) per 100g of raw meat
Kangaroo fillet 1	Lean beef fillet 2	Trim lamb steak2
429 kilojoules	608 kilojoules	582 kilojoules

Protein

When it comes to high-quality protein, kangaroo meat goes to top of the list. A 150g serve of kangaroo fillet provides an average adult with 66% of their daily protein needs³. The best part is that the high-quality protein found in kangaroo meat comes with lots of taste and enjoyment.

Fat

It’s a fact – with less than 2% fat, kangaroo meat is a champion lean meat. Even when stacked up against lean beef, trim lamb and lean, skinless chicken breast, kangaroo meat comes out trumps (see the table below).

	Fat content per 100g of raw meat
	Kangaroo fillet or steak 1	Lean beef fillet 2	Lean beef rump 2	Trim lamb steak 2	Lean, chicken breast2
Total fat (g)	1.3	6.3	4.6	5.8	1.6
Saturated fats (g)	0.3	2.4	1.7	2.0	0.5
Trans fats (g)	0.1	0.3	0.2	0.3	n/a
Polyunsaturated fats (g)	0.4	0.6	0.4	0.6	0.3
Monounsaturated fats (g)	0.5	2.5	1.9	2.3	0.7

n/a = not available

To visualise the total amount of fat in a 100g portion of kangaroo meat, picture a metric teaspoon. Now fill one quarter of that teaspoon with margarine. That’s how little fat there typically is in a portion of kangaroo meat – next to nix!

The good news doesn’t stop with the amount of fat in kangaroo, but also the type of fat. Kangaroo meat contains low levels of ‘undesirable’ saturated fats and proportionally higher amounts of ‘desirable’ unsaturated fats, namely monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats help to maintain heart health, so eating kangaroo meat is a welcome addition to the family dinner table.

The low total fat and saturated fat content of kangaroo meat should be good news to the ears of all Australians, including health-conscious consumers and those striving to look after their heart health.

Omega-3’s

Most people associate omega-3 fats with fish. It may come as a surprise that kangaroo meat is also a source of these heart-friendly, polyunsaturated fats.

A lab analysis¹ carried out on Macro Meats kangaroo meat products confirmed our meats contain omega-3's, specifically ‘long-chain omega-3 fatty acids’ which help support heart health and wellbeing. Kangaroo fillet and steak, for example, contains 74mg of long-chain omega-3’s per 100g of raw meat. Women typically need around 90mg of long-chain omega-3 fats per day and men 160mg per day⁴. So kangaroo meat is certainly a worthy contributor to omega-3 intakes.

For more detailed information on omega-3 content of our kangaroo meat products, go to the ‘Product Nutrition Information’ section of this website and refer to ‘Table 3’.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

CLA is a ‘desirable’ fat found in kangaroo meat which deserves a special mention. Research shows CLA has antioxidant properties and may help reduce body fat in humans⁵, which is good news to those watching their waistline.

The CLA content of kangaroo was first brought to light in 2004, when a PhD student sponsored by the University of Western Australia and CSIRO found that the meat of kangaroo has valuable amounts of CLA when compared to that of other commonly eaten meats⁶. More recently, 80 samples of four different kangaroo meat cuts were analysed from animals taken at two geographical locations. The average CLA content for all samples was 11.7mg CLA/100g meat⁷.

The CLA present in other red meats (e.g. beef, veal, lamb and mutton), is mostly present in the fat component, but it is also present in the muscle meat: between 10mg and 46mg CLA/100g of raw meat⁸. Regularly eating lean meat, including kangaroo meat, as part of a healthy, balanced diet is a sure fire way to boost CLA levels in the diet.

Iron

The creators of ‘Popeye the Sailor’ should have made Popeye tuck into a meal of kangaroo meat to boost iron and energy reserves before helping to save the day. Iron is essential for energy production and it helps transport oxygen around the body. This ‘must-have’ mineral also plays a key role in brain development⁹.

Kangaroo meat is a particularly rich source of iron. In fact, a 150g serve of kangaroo steak or fillet¹ provides 55% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for iron. In other words, more than half of an average adult’s daily iron needs will be met when they enjoy a 150g serve of kangaroo meat.

So household food preparers take heed - when it comes to iron, adding kangaroo meat to your weekly shopping list and menu is one way to help keep your family on top of the iron stakes. Soon the whole household will be jumping out of their skin and hopping mad for more!

Zinc

When you think zinc, you probably think of the iconic Australian white stuff that is applied to your nose to keep the powerful sunrays at bay. The type of zinc being referred to here is dietary zinc – a mineral that’s essential for growth, wound healing and a strong immune system.

The good news is kangaroo meat is a good source of this important mineral. Indeed, a 150g serve of kangaroo meat² provides over a quarter (28%) of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for zinc. The other good news is that zinc found in animal foods, like red meat and seafood, is better absorbed than the iron from plant foods¹⁰. So when it comes to adding some ‘zing’ in your immune system and healing ability, a meal of kangaroo meat should be top of mind.

B-Group vitamins

Kangaroo meat is an important source of several B-group vitamins, namely riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. For example, a 150g serve of kangaroo loin fillet2 typically provides:

• 36% of the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for riboflavin. Riboflavin is primarily involved in energy production and supports vision and skin¹¹.
• 63% of the RDI for niacin. Niacin helps to release energy from carbohydrates and fat and also supports the digestive and nervous systems¹¹.
• 80% of the RDI for Vitamin B6. This vitamin is needed for protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It also helps to manufacture red blood cells and regulate certain hormones¹¹.
• Over 100% of the RDI for Vitamin B12. It helps to break down fats and proteins to produce energy. Vitamin B12 also plays a role to produce red blood cells and helps to maintain normal nervous system functions¹¹.

If you need more convincing on the nutrition credentials of kangaroo meat, then wait, there’s more!

National Heart Foundation Tick of Approval

It’s heartening to know that the Heart Foundation’s Tick of Approval* has been granted to a variety of Macro Meats kangaroo products, including our:

• Kangaroo Steak
• Kangaroo Fillets
• Kanga Bangas (sausages)
• Kangaroo Mince
• Diced Kangaroo Meat

Our kangaroo meats pass the strict nutritional criteria set by the Heart Foundation and we are pleased to display the nutritional stamp of approval on-pack. Next time you go shopping, look out for our meats displaying the red and white Tick.


Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist

Bone's Steakhouse
http://www.bonessteak.com
Visit out Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/bonessteak

7 ways to cook leeks!

Leeks can be cooked in all sorts of different and delicious ways. Try these:

Pan fried

Heat a small amount of olive oil and butter in a frying pan, add some sliced leeks and gently cook for about 5-10 minutes until tender.

Sauteed

For super-healthy leeks, saute with fennel and garnish with fresh lemon juice and thyme.

Leeks are a truly versatile vegetable. They have a milder, sweeter flavour than onions and a smooth texture similar to asparagus.

Stir-fried

Heat a little oil over a high heat in a frying pan or wok, add some prepared leeks and stir-fry for a few minutes.

Baked

Place some sliced leeks in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle with cheese or cover with white sauce and bake for 30-40 minutes at 190C.

Roasted

Pour some olive oil into a roasting tray and add leeks, making sure they are coated all over. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and roast in the oven (210C) for 30 minutes.

Braised

Pour a small amount of chicken or vegetable stock into a frying pan, add some prepared, sliced leeks, cover and gently cook for 10-15 minutes. Braised leeks dusted with fennel or mustard seeds are a delicious accompaniment to fish, poultry or steak.

Raw

Spice up a salad by adding finely chopped leeks and dress generously with vinaigrette.
Leeks make an effortlessly easy side dish. Equally, they work wonderfully in a wide variety of recipes such as casseroles, omelettes and frittatas, risottos, quiches, pasta sauces and soups.

Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist

Bone's Steakhouse
http://www.bonessteak.com
Visit out Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/bonessteak