Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Spiced Chevon Burger


This might not be a very "foodie" picture... in fact, it barely shows the meal.  But this spontaneous shot, taken this evening during our dinner outside, captures the reason for my posting:  my son loved it.  He's not usually a "hamburger" kid.  He'll dutifully make an attempt at them, but rarely finishes.  Tonight's burger was a fantastic exception.

The burgers were adapted from Parents magazine, August 2012.  I'll share the recipe as I made it, but note that Garam Masala can be a blend of several things-  mine is cumin, cinnamon, coriander. 

1 lb. ground chevon (or lamb)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. garlic (I used powder- fresh would be better)
dash of sea salt
black pepper

Mix well and form 4 patties.  Grill!

We topped these off with lettuce, ketchup with the same seasonings added in for extra kick, and put it all on toasted rolls. 

A chat about chevon- because lots of people may say, "what's that?"  or, alternately, "ewwww..."  Chevon is goat meat.  My family raises grass-fed meat goats.  I was a vegetarian for several years, so the meat I feel "best" about eating is meat from animals that I know were raised humanely and are valued far beyond the styrofoam-wrapped mystery in the grocery store.   I know that they are fed abundantly good food... they eat better quality food, ounce for ounce, than I ever will.  The kid group is currently grazing on a specialty blend of forage called "summer feast," known for it's high nutrient density.  While they are gorging themselves on leafy greens, I am struggling to get a single thing out of our hail-destroyed garden.  But eventually, for the kids who will go on to be processed for meat, this better nutrition will result in a better quality meat.  And these burgers were good...  my 6-year-old food critic says so. 

I will never be 100% ok with eating meat, probably, but when I do eat meat from our own animals, I can trust the process and the product, and that feels right- especially when I am feeding my growing sons.