Graze and Gather Meats

11/05/2025

Great to see Steve and Michael chatting about old times on the Enlightened Omnivore podcast. Hear all about what they had to say.

It's finally arrived!! Season Two of the Enlightened Omnivore Podcast. And I started things off right with my good friend, mentor and former business partner, Michael Puglisi!

We cover a lot of ground, from his start in the airline industry to where he learned to cook, opening Electric City Butcher and Graze and Gather Meats, and where he is now at Herd & Grace.

It's a master class in mentorship, and scratches the surface on what we've both learned from food and hospitality.

https://enlightenedomnivore.substack.com/p/podcast-a-master-class-in-mentorship?r=2zvuo3

10/04/2025

Good cheese and good writing. Learn something new about French and US cheese.

And How a Vermont Creamery Is Bringing Out the Wild Side of American Cheese

04/29/2025

This week, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my friend Heather Marold Thomason, food system extraordinaire, and author of the popular HUNGRY HEART on Substack.

Our conversation covered crucial ground regarding the challenges facing sustainable agriculture right now.

We explored the impacts of the recent federal funding freeze on small farmer support, and how some are facing an existential crisis staring down potential closure of their operations.

She also offered a surprising silver lining: while grocery store prices soar, those at farmer's markets have remained relatively stable, potentially making local food more competitive than ever.

Listen to "Breaking Bread, Building Hope: Kitchen Wisdom for Challenging Times" on all podcast platforms: enlightenedomnivore.substack.com/p/breaking-bread-building-hope-kitchen

03/24/2025

Beef cattle have been blamed for the world’s agricultural and healthcare woes for more than half a century.

Ask your circle of friends which food is most responsible for society’s downfall, and they’d probably say Bessie the Cow. My omnivore brothers and sisters will often tell me, “Sure, I eat meat, just not beef.”

But if you really break down the facts, beef—and especially grass-fed, pasture-raised beef— is really getting a bad rap.

What if a new old school of thought was turning everything on its head?

What if beef, and more specifically, 100% grass-finished beef, might not only be pardoned for its apocalyptic potential, but be considered part of the solution to reversing global climate change through sustainable, regenerative agriculture?

Dispelling the Myths About Beef on my Substack: enlightenedomnivore.substack.com/p/dispelling-the-myths-about-beef

02/09/2025

12/18/2024

12/03/2024

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11/27/2024

Let’s get down to business. Roasting a turkey is pretty straight forward, although there are lots of steps.

This may seem like a lot of fuss, but remember, you probably are only cooking this gobbler once or twice a year, so stop complaining and get cooking.

I shared 10 Tips for Cooking the Perfect Bird: https://bit.ly/4ehucjl

Have a great Thanksgiving! 🦃

11/17/2024

It’s hard enough to properly season a dish, but when it comes to whole animal cooking—which is what you’re doing when you roast that broad breasted tom for Thanksgiving—getting salt into all those nooks and crannies isn’t gonna happen by just sprinkling some salt on the surface.

That’s where brining comes in handy.

Placing your bird in a salt water bath before you bake it is one of the best ways to get that salt where it needs to go. Dunking that gobbler in a saline solution (90 minutes per pound for no more than 24 hours) allows the bird to really soak up all that flavor. If you add aromatics like bay, rosemary, garlic, cloves, or juniper berries to your brine, those salt crystals will have the added bonus of carrying holiday aromas deep into the bird.

I shared 10 Tips for Cooking the Perfect Bird on my Substack: https://bit.ly/4ehucjl 🦃

11/08/2024

🦃 Don't let turkey anxiety ruin your Thanksgiving!

Just in time for the holidays, I'm sharing my top 10 butcher's secrets for a foolproof holiday bird.

From the perfect brine (90 mins per pound!) to the Peking Duck hack that'll give you the crispiest skin ever, these pro tips will transform your turkey game.

Plus, don’t forget a little of that "kitchen helper" bourbon to keep a smile on your face. 😉🥃

The most surprising tip? Sugar in your brine actually makes it saltier.

Mind blown? There's plenty more where that came from.

Read "Talking Turkey" to discover all the game-changing hacks that'll make your bird the talk of the table (in a good way): https://bit.ly/4ehucjl

10/05/2024

Newest from Enlightened Omnivore and it's all about BEEF.
That regenerative, grass-finished stuff. James shares some great tips on what to look for and where to find the most delicious, nutritious and environmentally friends beef around.

Episode #005: James Lum

09/19/2024

If you've ever wondered what the heck carbon credits are, check this new out from Steve at Enlightened Omnivore. It's a quick and dirty tutorial.

Episode #004: Nathan Truitt