Title: General Manager, Prather Ranch Meat Co.
Hometown: Norwell, Massachusetts, here since 1994
Where does Prather Ranch meat come from?
Prather Ranch is Northeast of Mount Shasta. We have our own USDA inspected slaughterhouse, packaging facility, everything. We only process Prather Ranch cattle, which is certified humane. It's a small facility. The beef is dry aged then cut and packaged and sent to the market. The lamb is raised for us in the Willamette valley, certified humane, 100% grass fed and finished. The buffalo, technically American bison comes from central Oregon, 100% grass fed and finished. Pork is raised in the Capay valley, we raise heritage breeds.
What is certified humane all about?
Certified humane means that animals are raised like people would want them to be raised, that they've had an idyllic farm life.
A non-profit third party called Humane Farm Animal care, has put together stringent standards based on work that they've done with the ASPCA and Phd's in animal science to make sure the animals have had enough room to live in, have eaten a natural diet, and had stress levels that are controlled. From birth to end of life the animals life is looked at to make sure it's been treated humanely. It's the product that is certified humane.
What's meant by terms like dry-aged and grass-fed?
Dry aging is a process where a piece of meat is aged for a minimum of two weeks to develop the flavor and tenderness. Beef is hung in a cold humidity controlled meat locker at around 34 degrees so you lose about 10% water weight. Like a grape turns to a raisin, you're left with a more intensely flavored product.