Friday is one of the days the UC Davis Meat Science Laboratory (or Meat Lab) is open, so today we paid a visit. We didn't need much but wanted to look into ordering half a pig, to freeze for winter and fall. If you butcher the pig yourself, it's only $1 a pound, but we decided the let them do the butchering, which adds .40. In addition, we asked them to smoke a ham and some bacon, an additional .60 per pound of meat smoked. We'll get our pig in about two weeks--hope it fits in our freezer. In the meantime, we bought a couple of steaks and some beef ribs that look like big spareribs. I will report later on how they turn out--a new one to me. 
The Meat Lab offers a meat shopping option in Davis that encourages people to think about where their meat comes from. The Meat Lab sells beef and pork (and lamb in the spring) that has been raised by UC Davis student and set out for sale. House-made sausage and eggs are always available, along with fresh eggs. Caleb Sehnert (above, left), Meat Lab manager and instructor of Animal Science 49G offered us a tour several weeks ago, and I was so impressed by the facility, I decided to take the plunge and go whole (well, half) hog.
You can find information about the Davis Meat Lab at this link: http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/facilities/meat.htm
Thanks so much for info on the meat lab. Neither you nor their Web site say anything about how the meat is reared/raised. Is it organic? Probably not, I'm thinking. Is it free range? Is it humanely slaughtered? I've gotten to the point I can never eat meat without wondering what it's life was before it became food for me.
ReplyDeleteIt is free-range, but they don't say it's organic. It's very humanely slaughtered--we've had a tour of the facility, and so pristine you could eat off the floor! I wish all my meat could come from there. Pigs are raised on campus, but the cows have pasture in the foothills, not far from here.
ReplyDelete