Exploring the World of Craft Meat
Iwate Wagyu: Japan’s Most Sustainable Wagyu
September 22nd, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 11,250 times • less than one min read
With one of the lowest population densities of any prefecture in Japan, Iwate is known for pristine wilderness, and rugged landscapes featuring majestic cliffs that jut up meters from the ocean shores. Its well-nurtured organic soils produce some of the country’s best rice, apples and of course Wagyu. There are several notable aspects to Iwate’s unique approach to premium Wagyu which has helped it win the National Wagyu Championship 11...
Iwate Wagyu: Japan’s Most Award-Winning Wagyu
September 20th, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 20,443 times • 1 min read
Crowd Cow is proud to bring you Japan's most award-winning Wagyu to America for the first time for sale online: Iwate Wagyu. In Japan, there are hundreds of locally-produced varietals of Japanese Wagyu. And like wine regions in Europe, each have their own unique characteristics, histories and flavor profiles influenced by how the animals are raised, what they eat and the terroir. Don’t believe me? Consider only that the humble cow is much...
Introducing Crowd Cow Local
June 20th, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 10,786 times • 1 min read
At Crowd Cow, our mission is to bring you the best, highest quality meats, directly from the independent farmers -- because it turns out, what tastes better is also better for your health, the environment, the animals and the farmers raising them. Our mission has taken us to farms all over the United States and all over the world, discovering the best farms and foods to bring to you, our customers. Our mission has enabled us to bring you...
A Little Crowd Cow for Your Pocket
May 14th, 2019 by Ryan Binkley • Read 9,037 times • 2 min read
With summer quickly approaching, our time outside starts to increase just like the temperatures. When I'm on the trail, I love a great trail mix. I’m a sucker for sweet-n-salty mixes, but when I need a lightweight protein punch, I always grab a bag of beef jerky to carry with me. I recently started exploring making beef jerky at home when we got a new stove with a dehydrate feature. If you don't have this feature, you can set your oven to...
Ambassadors (Melissa, Chad, Matthew and Todd) on Knowing Where Your Food Comes From
March 26th, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 6,777 times • 1 min read
Meet some of the people who inspire us. Chefs, athletes and musicians whose life journeys are driven by adventure, curiosity and authentic connection. They are Modern Carnivores from all walks of life united in the belief that food is one of the great pleasures in life ― and by seeking out the very best and by being closer to the source of their food, they make the world a better place. Melissa Reome (Grilling Influencer) Q: Why is it...
A4 Olive Wagyu Is a Singularly Amazing Meal
March 20th, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 7,420 times • 1 min read
A lot of people ask me, "Joe, what's your favorite steak?" I'll actually never be able to answer that question as I'm still, and will always be, in search of the perfect steak, but I will say this: If there were no constraints around availability or price, my go-to steak would be an A3 or A4 Olive Wagyu striploin (New York Steak). That would be my default pick. Why? Simply put, since A4 is slightly less fatty than A5, I can eat more of...
The grocery store can’t even tell you what *country* their beef & pork is from
March 8th, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 18,274 times • 1 min read
In 2016, industrial beef companies — who control over 80% of the beef market in the United States — successfully lobbied to remove the Country of Origin Labeling requirements from packaging. In plain English, this means that beef and pork sellers in the United States aren’t even required to tell you what country the beef and pork you buy came from. Here's the problem. Everyone selling meat uses stock art photos of small farms and says...
Q & A with Pete Taylor, Chef and Co-Founder of Spiceology
February 27th, 2019 by Shelby Mang • Read 526 times • 2 min read
We take our craft meat, and whatever goes on it, very seriously. Spiceology is changing the spice game with their innovative, freshly-ground spices — and we’re thrilled to partner with them and offer three of their most popular blends in our new bundles. Get to know Pete Taylor, chef and co-founder of Spiceology. Why did you start Spiceology? I grew up in Boston, where I went to culinary school and became a chef. Over the years I watched...
Why is it important to know where your food comes from?
February 21st, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 14,618 times • 1 min read
Ask anyone “if” it’s important to know where the food you eat comes from, and nearly everyone will say yes. Ask them “why, exactly?” and even the most discerning eaters will struggle to give precise answers. I think it’s important to start a dialogue about this topic, so it’s a question I’ll be asking everyone we interview on our forthcoming podcast, “Let's Meat Up.” As the Co-founder and CEO of Crowd Cow, I’m uncovering answers to the...
Recent beef recalls reinforce the importance of food transparency & traceability
February 19th, 2019 by Joe Heitzeberg • Read 4,941 times • 1 min read
Imagine that last summer, one of the popular soft drink makers encountered a production issue that caused people all over the country who consumed their products to become sick. You wouldn't expect Consumer Reports to say something like, 'based on our investigation, we recommend that you throw away any soft drinks of any brand that you may have purchased last summer.' But that's almost exactly what happened last December, when Consumer...