You may or may not know that the month of May is recognized as national Beef month. Now that the rain has finally let up (at least in some parts of the country) what better time to get outdoors and grill up some all-beef hot dogs, burgers, or a delicious ribeye? That’s a rhetorical question, but I’m sure you already know the answer.
Of course, if the weather doesn’t want to cooperate, you can always celebrate with a grilled cheese sandwich and a glass of milk. Be sure to butter your bread so it doesn’t stick to the pan! It may seem like a childish menu to some, but toddlers always like it and they seem to be pretty happy in general. For extra kid points you can even make your milk chocolate.
When most shoppers see these items in the store they take for granted how that gallon of milk or cut of steak physically arrived on the shelves. In many cases the logistics involved in keeping those products safe and fresh may boggle the mind. First from being cut and inspected to chilled or frozen, rapidly shipped to a store, and finally placed on the shelves by the local grocer. But if we go a step further, one can consider the nearly 50% of a cow that is considered inedible in the United States. Rather than go to waste, this often goes to the local renderer.
Instead of sending all that material to the landfill or compost, renderers recycle the bones, fat, meat, etc., into usable products. Once rendered, these products can then be used in animal feed, pet food, and industrial applications.
So, get out there (or warm up the frying pan). Cook up that hot dog and throw on some mustard, sauerkraut, relish, and maybe even a little ketchup, if that’s your thing. It’s national beef month, time to celebrate!
