THE LEAD - Stories from Snake River Farms

days of Summer

We Americans pride ourselves on doing everything bigger and better. Even summer. While the rest of the world is still waiting for the calendar to ip over to June, we kickstart everyone’s favorite season by ring up our grills, giving the lawn a fresh haircut, and inviting the whole neighborhood over for seared steaks and burgers. The fun keeps on rolling until that last Labor Day bash. But in between?

Folks, nothing but delicious opportunity awaits.

contents table of

Home Free

Meet Kent and Lana Clark, the heartbeat of our Double R Ranch.

Summer Like a Pro

Top tips from SRF experts to elevate your summertime cooking.

24 6.

The Tomahawk of Portable Grills

The NOMAD grill is a cool tool for pitmasters on the move.

The Best Bite in Barbecue

Introducing our smoked plate ribs from Southside Market & Barbeque.

Take It Outside

Recipes and clever ideas to create the perfect portable summer spread.

Summer Grilling for a Group

Three mouthwatering, but easy-to-make, dishes for your backyard crew.

The Ultimate Grilling Guide

Team SRF reveals their favorites for gift giving or stocking the freezer.

Cooking Pork Chops Is Easy (Really!)

Learn how to select and prepare our savory Kurobuta pork chops.

By Popular Demand: Top 10

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©RobertJacobLerma

HOME

By Robert Jacob Lerma

@robertjacoblerma

©RobertJacobLerma

Double R Ranch, the heart of SRF’s operations, is remote, breathtaking, and not for the faint of heart.

But that’s why ranchers Kent and Lana Clark love it.

It’s nearly dusk when I hear Kent Clark tell the crew he’ll be cooking dinner: “Hope you like steak, because that’s what we’re having.”

We all smile. Of course we’re having steak.

“Can you season those strips while I get the grill going?” Kent asks.

When you’re in someone’s home, the answer is always yes. But when that home is located on the vast Double R Ranch in rural Loomis, Washington, the foundation of the Agri Beef and SRF cow/calf and genetics operation, well, you put a little more emphasis on the yes.

Kent’s wife, Lana, is in the kitchen preparing the sides as I season the strips. She’s warm and hospitable, with a noble presence. I can’t help but sample some of Lana’s dishes as she makes them. Comfort food at its finest.

I wander over to the covered patio to talk to Kent as he gets ready. The Argentinian-style grill is set up inside a large stone chimney adjacent to the dining room, and I can already feel its heat. As the grill fires up, the sun sets and cold air starts to settle into the valley, dropping the temperature. After all, we’re in far northern Washington, about a stone’s throw from British Columbia.

Lana Clark on horseback, ready to take on the day’s chores.

Kent cooks over an Argentinian grill

The tranquility. The cattle. The land.

As Kent cooks the steaks, I find a place on the grill for the corn on the cob. Relaxing on nearby couches are Kent’s children and the rest of the crew: world-champion barbecue pitmasters Tuffy Stone, Myron Mixon, and Chet Gentry. They have the night off — it’s Kent and Lana’s show. I just try not to burn the corn.

The Double R Ranch covers roughly 100,000 acres of private and permitted land. The setting is bountiful. Miles and miles of pines and sprawling mountains go on for as far as the eye can see. It’s no surprise that people would want to call this place home, yet few people do. With a population of 159, give or take, the cattle far outnumber the people in this part of the country.

©RobertJacobLerma

Around 1,500 mother cows and their calves are on the ranch at any given time. It takes a lot of commitment and technical expertise to raise calves into the finest beef in the land.

“There’s always something to do around here. Always something to fix, cattle to move,” Kent says.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who could survive without all the conveniences of modern society. Not Kent.

“I grew up in a place smaller than this. I never wanted anything different,” Kent proudly says, which is partly what makes the Clarks a perfect fit for the Double R Ranch. “I’m a fourth-generation cowboy. My greatgrandfather homesteaded our place.”

Some people spend their whole lives seeking purpose, trying to nd that one job that gives them satisfaction while providing nancial resources. Kent didn’t have to look further than his own father and grandfather. To Kent, cowboying isn’t a job; it’s a way of life.

“The cows don’t take weekends off,” Kent says. “Holidays either. They need to eat. You have to want this life.”

After high school, Kent went to Oregon State University to study animal science, thinking brie y about becoming a game warden. That never happened. After graduation, Kent went right into cattle operations in Paisley, Oregon,

where he stayed for 14 years until he applied for the ranch manager position with Agri Beef in 2011.

As fate would have it, he already knew his future supervisor, Wade Small, the Executive Vice President of Business Development for Agri Beef. In fact, Wade went to school at Oregon State with Lana. The stars couldn’t have aligned any better for Kent, Lana, and the road ahead.

These days, cowboying seems to be having another day in the sun with the popularity of shows like “Yellowstone” and “1883.” But unlike television, life on a working cattle ranch is not lled with the drama of TV. There’s no off-season when you’re raising cattle.

LANA AND KENT CLARK MANAGE THE RANCH WITH JUST FOUR FULLTIME EMPLOYEES.

Every season has a specific focus. Calving occurs from February through late April. In May and June, the focus is on artificial insemination along with turning cattle out onto spring pastures. And the cattle don’t move themselves. “We do almost everything on horseback, moving the cattle from pasture to pasture,” Kent says. “Sometimes it takes a week to move a herd. Then, it’s time to move another. And another.”

Summertime is when cattle start to feed on about 2,500 tons of hay, getting ready for winter. By the end of the summer, the cows are about 25 miles from the main ranch house, grazing in each pasture from spring to about the end of October.

It takes a team of dedicated individuals to get an operation of this scale and importance right.

Remarkably, the Double R Ranch has only four full-time employees, plus Lana and Kent, who manage the herd and responsibilities. “It’s getting harder and harder to find people who come to us with experience,” Kent says. “They used to know how to cowboy. Not anymore. We train all the new people now.”

Good cowboys are hard to find. It helps when you have the support of a good organization.

“It’s great to work for a company (Agri Beef) that cares for its people and customers,” Kent says. “The culture is simply different. They form relationships and work with all levels of the business. Although I never met Robert Rebholtz Sr., his son (Robert Rebholtz Jr.) is genuine, and our culture comes from his attitude.”

Kent and Lana Clark survey the grazing cattle.

After seeing the ranch, it’s easy to understand why Kent and Lana love this place so much. After nearly 24 years of marriage, they still wake up every day with smiles on their faces, prepared for anything the ranch throws at them. They’ve created a beautiful life for their four children, Zach (23), Cody (21), Kaylee (18), and Sadie (15), to call home, along with eight dogs. Lana works beside Kent “all day, every day,” as Kent puts it.

“She’s the real boss,” Kent says with a slight chuckle yet with the utmost deference for his wife. This mutual support and respect is key to the work being conducted on the Double R Ranch.

Time will tell how the beef and cattle industry will evolve in the future, but one thing is for certain: Kent will always be ready to saddle up and do what he’s always done.

Kent and Lana, married for nearly 24 years, manage the Double R Ranch.

“As long as there’s demand for a steak, there will always be a place for a cowboy,” Kent says.

God, I hope so. A world without steak doesn’t appeal to me. Which brings me back to those strips Kent cooked for us. They were about as good as any steak at any steakhouse I’d ever been to. And I’ve been to a lot of steakhouses.

But as much as I enjoy the food, what I appreciate most is sitting at Kent and Lana’s table, along with our friends and their family, listening to them share their story. To me, the best meals revolve around good people who endure and who teach you something about life — and about yourself.

That’s the Double R Ranch. That’s Kent & Lana.

Our favorite experts share their never-fail backyard grilling tricks and secrets (even we picked up a few pointers)!

Think Like a Butcher

Don’t automatically reach for lets, strips, and ribeyes. SRF offers some incredible butcher’s cuts that you might not see in your local market. My favorite is the richly marbled Zabuton, or Denver steak. Cook it hot and fast in a cast iron pan to medium rare for a show-stopping main course.

– Mandy Tanner

Cocktail Secret

Elevate your Bloody Mary to another level of avor by adding a touch of SRF BBQ Brisket Rub to your mix. Or change things up with my favorite, the Bloody Caesar.

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces gin

6 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

4 dashes of scotch bonnet pepper sauce (more if you like it spicy)

DIRECTIONS

1 teaspoon SRF BBQ Brisket Rub

6-8 ounces Clamato Ice

Stir the rst four ingredients together in a shaker. Add ice, shake brie y, and pour into a glass. Enjoy!

– Darren Warth

SEE OUR EXPERTS' BIOS PGS. 18-19

Just Ducky

For the perfect pan sear, duck fat will never lead you wrong. It creates a beautiful sear, and its high smoke point means its avor will taste great — even when searing at very high temperatures.

Hot Hands

A cheap pair of cotton gloves covered with another pair of nitrile rubber gloves works better than tongs or bulky specialty BBQ gloves for handling hot items while prepping and grilling.

– Brad Leighninger

Take a Note

New to grilling or smoking? Write down the facts after every cook, including time, grill or smoker temperature, and the internal temperature of the nished product. You’ll zero in on best practices and avoid repeat mistakes.

– Steph Franklin

Turn Up the Heat

brisket, you’ll need to cook it to a hotter temperature than conventional wisdom dictates. To really render that delicious to 205°F or more.

SRF marbling, you’ll have to go

Butter It Up

Compound butters are an easy way to add a little something extra to a high-quality steak. Using a fork, combine herbs or spices with a stick of room-temperature butter. Then roll the butter into a cylinder, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. My favorite combination is thyme and roasted garlic, but you can run wild with any combination of avors.

– Jeremy Brand

Put It in Reverse

A reverse sear creates a perfect medium rare steak that’s pink from end to end with an amazing crust on the outside. Start on the indirect heat side of the grill (250°F) until the internal temp is 115°F. Then sear on the direct side of the grill for 90 seconds a side.

rub combinations. I mix up a shaker

it goes out to my family.

with aluminum

presentation without the burn. This also works great for tomahawk

– Chris Sussman

Go Big

Enjoy steaks just the way you want — and save money — by purchasing a large cut like an SRF striploin or prime rib roast. Slice to your choice of thickness, and then vacuum seal, freeze, and cook at a later date.

– Sylvie Curry

The Kindest Cut

Slicing a tri-tip against the grain is the difference between a tender or chewy bite. Properly slicing a tri-tip is a bit of an art form. Study the grain while your tri-tip is raw; you’ll see the grain changes in the middle. This means you will need to slice it in two different directions to get those perfect bites.

– Chris Schemm

It’s

OK to Be Flaky

Flake salt is worth the price for the avor and aesthetic bene ts. The large crystals look appetizing on your steak, adding a surprising crunch and a burst of avor.

thermometer, and take your steaks off the grill when they reach your

target temperature.

Read about the experts behind our summer tips.

Kelly Cahoon

@CHEFKELLYCAHOON

Kelly went to culinary school while simultaneously studying for her undergrad — luckily for all of us, she chose a career in food rather than public relations. After working in restaurants and for a catering company, she found her niche as a home cook. Now, in between taking care of four young children, she shares her creations on Instagram.

Brad Leighninger

GETTIN ’ BASTED, DOWNING STREET

POUR HOUSE, KNOTTY CATERING CO.

After entering the competitive barbecue world in 2021, Brad has enjoyed a string of successes, including three stints on the Kansas City Barbeque Society’s Team of the Year. His three popular brick-and-mortar restaurants feature BBQ and Ozark-style cooking, a hot-and-fast method for regional dishes like grilled pork butt steaks.

Steph Franklin

SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ

Award-winning chef and caterer Steph Franklin is internationally renowned for his barbecue skills. He’s been inducted into the California BBQ Association’s Hall of Fame, has frequently nished in the top 25 of the Kansas City Barbeque Society Team of the Year race, and created our signature SRF spice rubs.

Chris Sussman

@THE_BBQ_BUDDHA

This food photographer, blogger, and self-taught chef is the son of a restaurateur, so food service run in Chris' blood. Since devoting his time to cooking in 2009, he has competed in the Dizzy Pig competition BBQ team, won the 2017 EGGtoberfest People’s Choice Award, and traveled the country cooking for Big Green Egg as a demo chef and recipe creator.

Jeff Vanderlinde

NORTHERN FIRE

BBQ SUPPLY

Jeff is the head pitmaster of the world champion barbecue team Shiggin’ & Grinnin’. He competes throughout the United States and Puerto Rico and has won over 50 grand and reserve grand championships and has appeared on Destination America and the Discovery Channel. He’s also co-owner of Northern Fire BBQ Supply, a barbecue and grilling supply store in Minnesota.

Darren Warth

SMOKEY D ’ S BBQ

Darren is the head pitmaster of Smokey D’s BBQ in Des Moines, Iowa, which has been featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” He and his wife, Sherry, form one of the most successful teams in competition barbecue, with 15 world championships under their belts (so far).

Jeremy Brand

@BBQANDBACKSQUATS

Jeremy started grilling on Weber and Traeger grills in his early 20s, but he never thought his passion for cooking would turn him into a social media in uencer. Now he inspires Instagram fans and loves perfecting his cooking and photography skills.

Mandy Tanner

@CHEFMANDYTANNER

This classically trained chef and pastry chef studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and worked in restaurants in California and Tennessee. After marrying, settling in Nashville, and giving birth to a daughter, Audrey, she decided to leave the long hours behind and focus on sharing her passions via social media.

Sylvie Curry

THE LADY OF Q

After catching the competitive barbecue bug in the 2000s, Sylvie went solo in 2012. She now competes as the Lady of Q and has won awards across the country. She’s a member of the Kansas City Barbeque Society’s 700+ Club; appeared on “BBQ Pitmasters,” “BBQ Crawl,” and “The American Barbecue Showdown”; and was inducted into the California BBQ Association’s Hall of Fame in 2020.

Luke Darnell

OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE

Luke started Old Virginia Smoke in 2013 and has been racking up awards ever since: 13 grand championships, 23 reserve grand championships, the 2016 World BBQ Championship title at the World Food Championships, and more. You might recognize Luke from the Food Network “BBQ USA” episode where he won with a Snake River Farms brisket.

Chris Schemm

@TITLETOWNGRILLER

Chris has a busy life as a father of three and as an orthopedic trauma nurse. He turned to grilling to relieve stress and hone his skills. After posting his food on Instagram, he developed an online following and quickly became a local TV favorite. He now cooks with team members from the Green Bay Packers and teaches grilling classes.

THE TOMAHAWK OF PORTABLE GRILLS

HOW NOMAD GRILLS IS CHANGING THE GRILL GAME

NOMAD’s story began with a simple need for a portable grill that wouldn’t rust out or fall apart mid-adventure. Tired of the quasi-disposable, stamped steel, and barely bolted contraptions that ood the market,

NOMAD set out to build a better grill — one it could take places, one that could keep up, and one they’d be proud to show up with and cook on.

Last November, NOMAD Grills showed up with Snake River Farms to showcase its portable grills to the good people of Lockhart, Texas, at the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest 2022. Over two days, 45 barbecue joints and over 10,000 attendees came together to shop, dance, taste, and explore the big, wide world of Texas barbecue. NOMAD participated in the Live Fire Lane showcasing its premium grill's performance while reverse searing SRF tomahawk steaks. During live- re demos, crowds gathered to see NOMAD grill in action and sample delicious SRF steak bites hot off the grill.

A revolt against cut-rate kettles and powdercoated camp cookers, the NOMAD Grill & Smoker is adventure-grade grilling made for the pitmaster on the move. NOMAD was developed with a single purpose: to build a grill that matches strength and sturdiness with endless applications, perfect portability, and performance that rivals any other grill or smoker.

The result is a timeless design with modern modi cations like diecast aluminum, anodized nishes, magnetic catch points, food-grade silicone, and mil-spec hardware — the best selects for an incredible build quality that balances performance and durability.

Part grill, part smoker, with all-purpose performance for grilling on the go, the NOMAD Grill & Smoker leads an arsenal of premium provisions for the barbecue enthusiast. NOMAD also offers outdoor cooking gear, including a BBQ tool set, a chef knife, premium charcoal, re starters, and more — all overengineered to outlast and outperform the competition at home or on the roam.

Learn more about NOMAD Grills at NomadGrills.com or by following @nomadgrills

THE BEST BITE IN BARBECUE

Bryan Bracewell, the owner of the oldest barbecue joint in Texas, knew he didn’t need to tell Snake River Farms how to sell a great piece of beef. “Snake River Farms products are top-notch,” he says. “They’re the best. Or even better.”

But the proprietor of Southside Market & Barbeque in Elgin, Texas, did think SRF could add some smoky, Central Texas avor to their offerings — so he made a pitch. Send us your products, he said, and we’ll prep and smoke them just like we do at our restaurants. All your customers will need to do is reheat them at home.

Who could pass up an offer like that? Not SRF customers, that’s for sure. Our initial launch of SRF x Southside products — brisket, pork steak, beef sausage, and jalapeno cheddar pork and beef sausage — has spread the smoky, rich avor of this regional barbecue style throughout the United States. The latest item in our Southside line are decadent beef short ribs.

We’ll get to those knockout short ribs in a moment.

Our newest collaboration with Southside Market & Barbeque has a reputation (and size) as big as Texas.

Rachel and Bryan Bracewell, the third-generation proprietors of Southside Market & Barbeque.

A LITTLE HISTORY.

SALT, PEPPER, SMOKE

Just like Snake River Farms, Southside is a family operation: Bryan’s family has owned it since 1968. But the business was already a well-established and well-loved favorite by the time the Bracewells took it over.

Back in the 1880s, William Moon, a rancher who processed and sold his own beef, got tired of his beef spoiling before he could sell it (this was before refrigeration). So he began smoking it. The Southside formula has remained simple for more than 140 years: The meat is seasoned with salt and pepper and smoked over post oak from Bastrop County, Texas.

“Our supplier mainly looks for old trees that have died or for someone who is clearing out some land,” Bryan says. "They'll harvest a tree, cut it, split it, and then we let it dry for six to nine months before it's used to smoke."

That curing time is essential. Too little and the smoke will make the meat bitter; too much and it will burn too hot for Southside’s signature low-and-slow method. Most of the Southside Barbeque you order from Snake River Farms was cooked for 8 to 10 hours to render the marbling and create the addictive “bark” that covers the outside.

“WITH THE QUALITY OF THE SNAKE RIVER FARMS PRODUCTS, MY JOB IS JUST TO NOT MESS IT UP,” BRYAN LAUGHS.

SMOKED BEEF RIB: THE BEST BITE IN BARBECUE.

‘DOWN HERE, WE CALL THEM DINOSAURS’

After the initial Snake River Farms x Southside product launch took off like a rocket, Bryan set his sights on the next offering. Beef short ribs (also known as plate ribs) are a Central Texas barbecue tradition, so it seemed like a natural t.

“Here in Texas, what we like to do is salt and pepper them and smoke the whole rack of ribs. Then, sell the barbecue by the rib — one rib is really too big for one person to eat; they’re such high quality and so rich,” Bryan says. “Down here we call them ‘dinosaurs.’

So it’s kind of a share-style experience. There’s a lot of people in the barbecue world who believe that smoked beef rib is the best bite in barbecue.”

APPROXIMATE REHEATING TIMES FOR SRF SMOKED:

BRISKET:

2 HRS 2 HRS

RIBS:

©RobertJacobLerma

HOW TO PREPARE SRF x SOUTHSIDE SMOKED SHORT RIBS & BRISKET

All SRF x Southside products are fully cooked. All you need to do is heat them to serving temperature. Here are some tips to make your smoked beef ribs and brisket perfectly delicious:

Thaw completely before cooking. Wrap product in aluminum foil. Choose your favorite tool — either an indoor oven or outside grill. Cooking times may vary based on your climate and equipment. For barbecue pits and grills, use indirect heat (target a temp of 300°F). Heat until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. For conventional ovens, heat at 350°F for the speci ed time or until the meat’s internal temperature reaches 165°F. Don’t rely entirely on time. Use a thermometer for best results! The target internal temp for all products is 165°F. Remove from heat. Slice and serve.

Enjoying that luscious, tender best bite is incredibly easy. “All the magic was created in the barbecue pit here in Texas,” Bryan says. “And so when we’re heating it up at home, I like to say we’re just bringing it back to life.”

"The meat is already fully cooked, so at home you'll simply need to bring it up to 165°F," Bryan says.

“I’m excited to hear what people think about the beef ribs,” he says. “They’re a really easy product to enjoy. All of the complication that it takes to cook them and smoke them, that’s already been taken care of. It’s pretty, pretty simple.”

©Robert Jacob Lerma

@CHEFKELLYCAH

Kelly Cahoon — Instagram star, trained chef, and busy mom — knows that more is more. Even when it comes to events as basic as a summer picnic.

“When it comes to food, I can be very extra,” she laughs. “But extra is so fun! And it makes for such a fun event. So I’m sorry but I’m not sorry, and I don’t think anyone who eats the food is sorry either.”

When Kelly treated her friends and family to a gorgeous seaside meal on the beach in San Diego, they were wowed by her thoughtful touches,

luxe ingredients, and easy-touse tips. Even more incredible? Kelly pulled everything together in just a few hours. And you can do the same.

HERE’S HER GAME PLAN FOR CREATING LOVELY AL FRESCO DINING EXPERIENCES

ALL SEASON LONG.

PLAN TO MOVE

“The biggest thing when you’re planning a menu is to do something that is easily transportable and easy to put together once you’re at your destination,” Kelly says. “Think about menu items you won’t need serving utensils, or even a knife, to enjoy.”

For her meal, Kelly created dishes that could be held instead of cut. That opens up plenty of location options too. “You don’t want to make food that you need to eat while sitting at a table,” she says. “Make handheld items that will be easy to eat outside.”

Grab-and-go individual portions also eliminate lines at the serving table and reduce the chances of spilling or tipping plates that have to be balanced on the lap.

And, as mom-of-four Kelly points out, kids can grab what they need so parents don’t have to be on platemaking duty.

CALIFORNIA TRI-TIP SANDWICHES

With Avocado and Chimichurri

Tender, grilled American Wagyu tri-tip on a bed of avocados and arugula, smothered in grainy mustard and red pepper jelly and hugged between soft and chewy at bread. The sandwich you didn’t know you were missing is about to be your new favorite.

INGREDIENTS

1 SRF American Wagyu tri-tip

1 full loaf of atbread

3 ripe avocados, sliced

6 tablespoons chimichurri

3 tablespoons red pepper jelly

3 tablespoons grainy mustard

1 cup arugula

Flake salt and pepper

1 tablespoon duck fat

TRI-TIP MARINADE

1 cup avocado oil

¼ cup coconut aminos

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

4 garlic cloves, smashed

3 tablespoons dark maple syrup

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

CHIMICHURR I

1 shallot, minced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cilantro, nely chopped

1/2 cup parsley, nely chopped

3/4 cup avocado oil

PROCESS

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in an extra-large plastic bag or bowl. Add the tri-tip and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Remove the tri-tip from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Set smoker to 225°F.

Smoke the tri-tip for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is 120°F for medium rare. Remove the steak from the grill and let rest. Heat a cast iron pan on high. Place the duck fat in the bottom of the cast iron, and sear the tri-tip for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until internal temperature is 130-135°F and a good crust has formed. Let rest, tented in foil, for at least 10 minutes before slicing very thin against the grain. Set aside.

Using a serrated knife, slice the atbread in half lengthwise (if you can’t nd atbread, ciabatta is the next best option). Cover the base of the bread in grainy mustard and the top side in pepper jelly, spreading all the way to the edges. Place the freshly sliced avocado slices in a layer, covering the base of the bread, and sprinkle with ake salt and pepper.

Cover the avocado with a handful of arugula, and top the arugula with a thick, double layer of the thinly sliced tri-tip. Place the tri-tip layers in opposite directions to make them easier to bite into and to give your sandwich girth and height.

Spoon a liberal amount of chimichurri over the steak and cover with the top half of the atbread.

Slice and serve.

COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS AND REFRIGERATE UNTIL READY TO USE.

OPEN-FACED LOBSTER ROLL

With Orange-Chive Crème Fraîche and Caviar

A thick, grilled Texas toast slice with a tangy and fresh base of orange-chive crème fraîche, covered with a blanket of micro greens, piled high with fresh lobster, and nished with a touch of caviar. You’re about to be the most popular person at the potluck.

INGREDIENTS

2 6-7 oz. Maine lobster tails, thawed

4 slices Texas toast

1/2 cup crème fraîche

1 orange, zested and juiced

1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped

Flake salt and pepper

1/2 cup microgreens

1 tablespoon caviar

PROCESS

To prep the lobsters, cut straight down the middle of the shell all the way to the n. Open the shell to reveal the meat. Set aside.

Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil.

Reduce heat slightly, keeping the water at a gentle boil. Add the lobster tails, and boil until they are bright red and their meat turns white and tender. Each tail should take about 6-8 minutes. Do not overcook.

Remove the tails and place them in ice water. Remove the shell completely, dry, and chop the meat into bite-sized chunks.

In a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, orange zest (save some for garnish), orange juice, minced chives, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss the chopped lobster meat with a tablespoon or two of the orange-chive crème fraîche until well coated but not wet.

Heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat. Place 2 slices of Texas toast on the cast iron, and grill about 5 minutes.

Flip the toast and grill for an additional 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Repeat with the last 2 slices.

To assemble, place a slice of Texas toast on a plate. Spoon a generous amount of the orange-chive crème fraîche onto the base of the bread. Cover with a handful of microgreens, and top with a heaping spoonful of the lobster mixture on each slice. Spoon a bit more orange-chive crème fraiche over the lobster, and spoon small servings of caviar over the top. Sprinkle with more orange zest and a pinch of ake salt.

SERVE IMMEDIATELY AND ENJOY!

Menu planning is also your chance to take advantage of the most bountiful part of the year. Think in terms of color, texture, and taste.

“Using seasonal fruits and veggies is key when you’re deciding how to create your menu,” Kelly says. “With every menu, I try to do at least one fruit dish, one veggie, a few entrées, and then two desserts. Have enough variety so there are dishes everyone will like, plus a few kid-friendly options.”

TAP YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT

There’s no reason you have to come up with every dish yourself. “Don’t be afraid to grab your favorite dish from a restaurant,” she says. “I knew I wanted to serve pavlovas, but they take a minute to cook, and I didn’t want to deal with that. So I just ordered 10 pavlova shells from this really cute bakery down the road.”

She also tapped a local bakery for the bread and sourced her favorite strawberry-champagne vinaigrette from a restaurant. Buying ahead sparked her creativity too.

“I wanted to do a fun take on s’mores,” she says. “I got the idea to buy waf e cones that had already been dipped in chocolate. I bought softball-sized marshmallows on Amazon, let the kids toast the marshmallows on the re, and stuck them into the cones. It’s handheld and way less messy than traditional s’mores. I’m calling them s’mones. It was a really easy dessert that I didn’t actually have to make a single thing for.”

PRO-TIP: BUY PRE-DIPPED CHOCOLATE WAFFLE CONES FOR AN EASY, LESS MESSY S'MORE.

PEACH CAPRESE SLIDERS

With Fresh Basil and Fig Balsamic Sauce

Toasted brioche rolls hug juicy American Wagyu patties, melty buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves, and a sweet and tangy g balsamic sauce — a bite–sized classic, elevated.

INGREDIENTS

8 SRF American Wagyu sliders

Avocado oil for pan

8 brioche rolls, sliced in half

8 mozzarella slices, thick-cut

2 peaches cut into 8 rounds

16+ large basil leaves

1/2 cup g balsamic dressing or balsamic reduction

Flake salt and pepper

PROCESS

Heat grill or cast iron pan on high heat. Slice the brioche rolls in half, and grill or toast the underside until golden and toasty. Flip to the outside of the rolls, and grill until just toasted. Set aside.

Season the meat patties with salt and pepper, and grill on an oiled cast iron pan for 5 minutes. Flip the patties over, and top with the mozzarella slices.

Cook an additional 5 minutes, covering the slices for the last 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Add the sliced peaches to the grill, and cook for 5 minutes until tender.

Stack the grilled peaches, 2-3 whole basil leaves, slider patties, and cheese on the base of the toasted brioche roll.

Drizzle with g balsamic dressing (if you can’t nd g balsamic dressing, combine equal parts g jam with balsamic reduction), and nish with the other side of the toasted bun. Serve hot.

KEEP IT CONTAINED

One disadvantage of bursting-with-goodness summer fruits and vegetables is they can fall apart easily if not handled properly. Kelly combats this by storing items, like the peaches she used for her pavlova, in separate containers. A salad, which might have wilted in a large bowl, was packed into individual lidded cups with the dressing on the bottom and a fork inserted into the lid — all it took was a few shakes to mix the ingredients with the dressing right before serving.

Speaking of those lidded cups: Kelly bought hers on Amazon as she was planning the menu. She also bought an array of containers in neutral colors, including wax-paper containers and gold foiled pans.

“Instead of bringing all your Tupperware with lids that don’t t, you can bring pretty, recyclable containers in natural colors,” she says. “They’re great for transportingfood, for serving, and for packaging up leftovers. It makes for a really pretty spread without having to haul your dishes, and it keeps everything organized and beautiful.”

MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF

Prepping might sound like a lot of work, but it will all pay off when you’re able to actually enjoy your gathering rather than rushing around at the last minute. For this moveable feast, Kelly cut and skewered fruit and then packed it away in the fridge until it was ready to transport. She sliced bread for the sandwiches lengthwise so she could add llings the day of the event. Sides were dealt with ahead of time and so were all the toppings for the burgers.

This is especially important when making individual portions, Kelly says. Instead of bringing a bunch of basil and a ball of mozzarella to the beach, Kelly sliced the cheese and cut the leaves off the basil beforehand so the burgers would be a snap to assemble.

Then she whipped out her permanent marker. “Sharpies are your best friend when you’re taking food on site,” she says. “I label every component and mark down which dish it goes in. Then I put it all in a labeled grocery bag before adding it to the ice chest. It makes it easy to build each dish and transport it. Plus, if you have leftovers, you know exactly where to put the food back.”

PRO-TIP: PREPARE "GRAB AND GO" FOODS THAT ARE EASY TO EAT OUTSIDE

PEACHES & CREAM PAVLOVA

With Lemony Mascarpone and Pistachio

A sweet and crunchy mini pavlova lled with tart and smooth lemon mascarpone lling and a mountain of vanilla bean cream, topped with marinated fresh peaches, and nished with crushed pistachios. This dessert is as beautiful as it is tasty. It is an instant crowd favorite.

INGREDIENTS

10 pavlova shells (or ingredients below)

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste, separated

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

6 ounces lemon curd

4 ripe peaches, sliced thin with skin on

1 teaspoon fresh ginger zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup crushed pistachios

PAVLOVAS

4 large egg whites

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PROCESS

Preheat your oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Gradually add in the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while still beating the mixture. Beat until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue is thick and glossy.

Add in the vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Beat again for a few seconds until everything is evenly mixed.

Spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, making small circles (about 2-3 inches each) with a hollow center.

Bake for about 1 hour or until just rm and crisp on the outside. Turn off the oven, but leave them in for another 30 minutes to cool completely before removing them from the oven. Store in an airtight container.

For the marinated peaches, combine the peaches, lemon zest and juice, fresh ginger, honey, and 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Add the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, and sugar to a mixing bowl then whip with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form in the whipped cream. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, combine the lemon curd and mascarpone until well blended and uffy.

To assemble the pavlovas, spoon the lemon mascarpone mix into the hollow center of the pavlovas. Then top with a heaping serving of vanilla bean whipped cream, making sure to keep a well in the base (think mashed potatoes getting ready for gravy). Spoon the marinated peaches into the well, and dust with the crushed pistachios.

BE FOOD SAFE

On-site dining often involves limited access to sinks, soap, and other meal prep and cleanup necessities. Plus, it can be hot! You’ll want to have a few things on hand to ensure your food is kept cool and you don’t have much to clean up.

Pack hand sanitizer for your guests, and place it within reach. Kelly is also a big fan of disposable gloves. “You don’t know if you’re going to be able to wash your hands after every dish,” she says. “You don’t want any crosscontamination. But it also makes it really easy to serve. Just take your gloves off and put on a new pair when you need to assemble another dish.”

Ice chests and insulated bags — such as the reusable bags that come with every Snake River Farms order — should be stocked with ice packs or even plastic bottles that have been lled with water and frozen until solid. Insulated bags are also great for keeping food warm, Kelly says.

“Insulated bags will save your life, hot or cold,” Kelly says.

Putting together a meal this size, from start to nish, isn’t a massive commitment, Kelly says. “The goal is to have really good food that’s easy to eat and that is not too much work to take to your destination and back,” she says. “Ina Garten says it best: ‘If the host is stressed, everybody’s stressed.’ Make it easy on yourself. You want to enjoy being out there.”

SUMMER GRILLING FOR A GROUP

FROM TEAM SRF

EVERY YEAR, WE GATHER TEAM SRF —

our talented group of in uencers, pit masters, and chefs — to meet up in Boise, celebrate our successes, and cook some Snake River Farms beef and pork. Last year, we paired up team members into dynamic duos to create a feast for our entire crew.

Here’s a rundown of the grilling twosomes and their fantastic dishes. These are all set up for a larger crowd and are the ideal solutions for your next grilling get-together.

Gerard and Chris created a dish with the bold avors they both favor with their personal cooking styles. The tandoori spices were chosen to honor Gerard’s Pakistani heritage. They started with a traditional tandoori blend of salt, celery seed, and cumin and put a personal spin with the addition of chipotle and garlic to add a smoky kick and a greater depth of avor.

American Wagyu ank steak is rich and pairs well with the full-bodied avor of the tandoori rub. Chris and Gerard suggest serving with two other grilled dishes: blistered cherry tomatoes and charred corn for tart and sweet balance.

From Left to Right: Kaitlyn Rebholtz, Gerard Masih, Chris Schemm, McKenzie Ford, Mandy Tanner, Rosalie Pereja, Chris Sussman, Adam McKenzie

Chris Schemm

CHRIS SCHEMM & GERARD MASIH

Tandoori Spice Flank Steak Recipe

TANDOORI SPICE FLANK STEAK

INGREDIENTS

2 SRF American Wagyu

flank steaks

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon celery salt

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chipotle

chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Microgreens

INSTRUCTIONS

Make the tandoori spice blend. Mix all dry ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Trim flank steaks of excess fat. Season them liberally with the tandoori spice blend and let them rest for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Set your grill up for indirect grilling at 250-300°F.

Grill the flank steaks indirectly until they reach an internal temp of 115°F. Pull them from the grill a little earlier than other cuts to allow more time to sear the steaks and form a nice crust.

Set your grill up for direct grilling, and get the temperature as high as it will go — 600-700°F is a good target temperature. Grill the flank steaks over the direct heat, flipping to a develop crust on each side of the steak, and pull once the temp hits 127-130°F for medium rare.

Let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice AGAINST the grain to shorten the muscle fibers of the steak and give you the most tender bites.

Gerard Masih

ROSALIE PAREJA

Mandy created a recipe for the SRF Kurobuta rack of pork and worked with Rosalie to prepare the dish for our event. Savory Kurobuta pork is encrusted in a flavorful blend of fresh herbs and can be served over creamy polenta, root vegetable puree, or risotto for a grilled dish with culinary flair.

HERB-CRUSTED KUROBUTA RACK OF PORK

INGREDIENTS

1 SRF Kurobuta rack of pork

Kosher salt, as needed

Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, stems removed

1 sprig fresh rosemary, stems removed, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the grill or oven to 375°F.

Remove the rack of pork from the packaging and pat dry. Place the rack fat side up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, gently score the fat in ¼-inch increments, making sure to not cut into the meat. Repeat in the other direction to create an X design.

Season the rack of pork on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper, as needed. Coat the rack of pork in a thin layer of Dijon mustard, avoiding the exposed part of the bones.

Combine the chopped herbs, and starting with the bottom or bone side of the pork, sprinkle the herbs in an even layer. Flip the pork over and cover the rest of the pork in an even layer of herbs.

If using, insert a probe thermometer into the center of the rack of pork, avoiding any bones, if possible.

Place the pork directly on the grill grates or on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Close the lid and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145°F and the roast is golden brown, 60-90 minutes.

Remove the rack of pork from the grill or oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing between the bones and serving. Enjoy!

Adam and Chris don’t believe in messing around when it come to grilling American Wagyu beef. Why serve a platter of steaks when you can really impress the crowd with an entire grilled prime rib? It’s easy to make this regardless of the grill in your backyard. Chris favors a Big Green Egg, while Adam is partial to a pellet grill.

With beef this delicious, you just need salt and pepper. If you want to mix it up, try the SRF Santa Maria Style Seasoning or Adam’s own Garlic Junkie Rub, a collaboration with Spiceology.

Serve the finished prime rib with grilled seasonal vegetables (corn on the cob, zucchini, and heirloom tomatoes are great choices) for a well-rounded meal.

CHRIS SUSSMAN & ADAM MCKENZIE

GRILLED PRIME RIB WITH CHARRED SCALLION SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1 SRF American Wagyu prime rib (either bone-in or boneless)

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

SRF Santa Maria Style Seasoning or your favorite rub

INSTRUCTIONS

Thaw the prime rib completely. This can take 2 to 3 days, so plan ahead.

Season the roast all all sides with SRF Santa Maria Seasoning, your favorite rub, or salt and pepper. If you have time, do this the night before the cook and leave it uncovered in your fridge overnight. This will dry out the surface for a better sear. If you don’t have time, season an hour before it hits the grill.

Set your charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking at 275°F. For pellet grills, set the temperature to 275°F.

Place the seasoned prime rib in the grill with the fat cap facing up. Cook for roughly 15-20 minutes per pound. Remove when the internal temperature reaches 110°F for rare, 120°F for medium rare, or 130°F for medium.

Let the roast rest for 20 minutes. While the prime rib rests, set your grill for direct cooking at 500°F. (If using a Big Green Egg, remove the convEGGtor.)

Sear the roast over direct heat for about 2 minutes or until a crust forms on the outside of the roast.

While the prime rib is cooking, make the Charred Scallion Sauce. Remove from heat, slice against the grain of the meat, and finish with Charred Scallion Sauce. Serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS

2 bunches green onions

1 Fresno chili

1 habanero chili

3 large garlic cloves

2 tablespoons white sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Place green onions, chilis, and garlic in a bowl. Coat with oil and season with kosher salt.

Set all on a perforated pan or vegetable grilling tray. Place over a hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes to char all the vegetables. Remove from heat.

Remove seeds from Fresno and habanero chilis and chop until fine.

Cut charred green onions into small, bite-size pieces.

Crush sugar and charred garlic using a mortar and pestle until a smooth paste forms. Add fish sauce and lime juice and stir to mix completely.

Move the mixture into a bowl, add chilis, and stir to combine. Add chopped onions and cilantro and gently mix.

Weddings, birthdays, hostess gifts — summer offers endless opportunities for gift-giving besides Father’s Day. Luckily, we have all the ingredients for delicious gifts … and our in uencer friends have ideas about how to make the most of them.

I'm leaving on a three-week vacation with my wife. My sister is house sitting for us while we’re gone. I’m stocking the freezer with these goodies to keep her supplied — and sweeten her up so I can ask her to be on house duty again next year!

I felt uninspired when looking to buy a wedding gift for good friends. Plates and napkins are nice, but to me, an experience creates better memories. I'm sending this over-the-top package of steaks after they get back from the honeymoon – along with a note saying I'll come over to cook a feast for them!

My father-in-law is old school. When he wants something fancy, he heads to the steakhouse for the surf-and-turf platter and an old fashioned. This Father’s Day, I’ll be shipping his favorite right to his door (afraid he'll have to pour his own old fashioned).

My dad endured a really bad series of Father’s Day gifts when I was a kid. (Yes, even the dreaded tie.) When I got older, there were years when I spaced the holiday completely. But I’m older and wiser and have an actual bank account and automated calendar reminders now. He won’t be expecting these behemoth tomahawks, and I know he’s not going to believe the size of them either!

My best buddy moved out of the Barbecue Belt and has been craving brisket ever since. I can’t wait for this to arrive at his door for his birthday. I mean, seriously. A whole Southside brisket with two types of smoked sausages? I’m going to win Friend of the Year.

Every year, our good friends invite us to their beach house. And every year, I’m stumped about how to thank them. Sometimes a bottle of wine doesn’t cut it, right? This time around, I’m bringing the Summer Sizzler. It’s everything they need for a great cookout for the family.

Cooking Pork Chops Is Easy (Really!)

Think all pork chops are thin and dry? Snake River Farms Kurobuta pork chops will change your mind forever. Here’s how to make the most of them.

It's summertime and you want the living, and cooking, easy. Kurobuta pork chops are a delicious change of pace for your summer grilling schedule. Thick cut, nely marbled, and incredibly juicy, they’re a far cry from the bargain store-bought pork chops of the good ol’ days.

How to Choose a Kurobuta Pork Chop

THICK CUT

Always choose a thick-cut pork chop. Thin chops dry out easily. All SRF chops are cut 1-inch thick or thicker. For the ultimate pork chop experience, choose the double bone pork chop — it is the width of two bones.

Bone-In or Boneless? Here’s where you have options:

BONELESS pork chops are convenient to make but tend to be a bit leaner. They make dining straightforward — just slice and pork out! (Pun intended.)

To Brine or Not to Brine?

2 to 4 Kurobuta pork chops

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar

Remove chops from the package and pat dry with paper towels. Mix salt and sugar, and apply liberally to all sides of the chops.

Place on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place, uncovered, in the fridge. Let rest for a minimum of 8 hours and maximum of 24 hours before cooking.

BONE-IN pork chops are preferred by pork a cionados for their appealing appearance. The bone also insulates the meat from heat and creates a juicier chop.

Kurobuta pork chops are naturally rich and avorful, so if you’re in a hurry, season generously with salt and pepper or your favorite pork rub and hit the grill.

If you do have time, brining helps the chop retain moisture and adds avor. The traditional method is to dissolve equal parts salt and sugar in water, drop in the chops, and let them rest for 4 hours or more.

A better way is to use a dry brine, much like many folks do with turkeys at Thanksgiving. The optimal technique requires about 12 to 24 hours. If you have the ambition and the time, it’s an excellent way to prepare the ultimate pork chop.

How to Cook Perfect Kurobuta Pork Chops

Grilling is the quintessential summer cooking method. Regardless of the type of grill you use — charcoal, gas, or pellet — you can keep the heat outside and enjoy the added avor that comes from grilled meat.

Grilling

Thick-cut pork chops come out great when they are grilled using the two-zone method: a hot side and a cool side of the grill. For gas grills, turn one burner on medium high and leave the other burner off. For charcoal grills, align hot coals on one side, leaving the other side empty.

Place chops on the cool side of the grill. You’re targeting a grill temperature of 250°F. If the heat is too high, turn down your gas grill on the hot side. For charcoal grills, adjust the number of coals or push the coals farther away from the cool side.

Place the chops on the cool side and close the lid. Then begin monitoring the temperature closely.

If things are heating up too fast, open the lid. There’s no shame in ipping the chop as you get it up to temperature.

When the internal temperature reaches 125°F to 130°F, remove the chop from the grill and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

In the meantime, stoke up the grill. Turn the gas burners all the way up, or open up the vents on your charcoal grill and stoke the coals.

Finish the chops on the hot grill — about 90 seconds per side. The goal is to add a beautiful brown outer crust.

Remove and serve!

When Is the Kurobuta Pork Chop Cooked?

Kurobuta chops are a dark-pink color, not pale white like grocery store chops. This is an indicator of higher moisture and pH. The best way to know your chop is done is to use an accurate meat thermometer.

Our suggested internal temperature for cooked pork chops is 130°F for medium rare with a pink center. Pull from the heat and let the chops rest for 10 minutes. The temperature will rise about 5° and nish about 135°F.*

In the 1960s and '70s, rare pork was associated with trichinosis. This fear continues to cause contemporary home cooks to overcook their chops, but today’s production methods are improved and very food safe. For the best results, pork chops should be served closer to medium to maintain a high level of juicy avor.

HAPPY COOKING!

BY POPULAR DEMAND

For thousands of backyard grillers, these bestselling Snake River Farms products elevate summer from ordinary to extraordinary.

GOLD RIBEYE 1.5” 15 OZ.

GOLD NEW YORK STRIP 12 OZ.

BLACK FILET MIGNON 4, 6, 8, 10 OZ.

FRENCHED KUROBUTA PORK CHOP 4.5 OZ.

AMERICAN WAGYU HOT DOGS 1 LB.

BLACK TOMAHAWK 2.5 LBS.

AMERICAN WAGYU GROUND BEEF 1 LB.

GOLD RIBEYE FILET 6, 8, 10 OZ.

GOLD TOP SIRLOIN 6, 8, 10 OZ.

KUROBUTA BACON 1.5 LBS.

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