TASTEMAKERS WAS FUNDED IN PART BY...
*
ANNOUNCER 2: IT ALL COMES DOWN
TO CREATING SOMETHING UNIQUE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE PRIDE IN
ONE'S WORK AND SHARE EXPERTISE.
*
ANNOUNCER 2: EDWARD JONES
IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE
CRAFTSPEOPLE WHO
DEFINE THE MAKER MOVEMENT.
*
ANNOUNCER 1: ...AND BY
FLEISCHMANN'S YEAST
AND AB MAURI.
*
CAT: TODAY PEOPLE ARE SEEKING
OUT MEAT THAT'S HUMANELY RAISED,
AND IN TEXAS THERE IS
A RANCH THAT BRINGS YOU MEAT
THAT IS TRULY WILD.
TODAY ON "TASTEMAKERS",
I'M TAKING YOU TO INGRAM,
TEXAS, TO MEET THE FOLKS
BEHIND "BROKEN ARROW RANCH."
GET READY.
WE'RE GOING ON THE HUNT.
*
CAT: I'M CAT NEVILLE AND I'VE
BEEN TELLING THE STORY OF LOCAL
FOOD FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS.
IN THAT TIME I'VE SEEN THE
AMERICAN FOOD MOVEMENT EXPLODE
IN TINY TOWNS AND BIG
CITIES FROM COAST TO COAST.
IN "TASTEMAKERS", I EXPLORE
THE MAKER MOVEMENT AND TAKE YOU
ALONG FOR THE JOURNEY TO MEET
THE MAKERS WHO DEFINE THE FLAVOR
OF AMERICAN CUISINE.
*
CAT: HUNTING IS AN
AMERICAN TRADITION,
AND IN A TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE
LOOKING FOR HUMANELY RAISED
MEAT, WILD GAME
SHOULD BE ON THE MENU.
SO HERE IN INGRAM, TEXAS, CHRIS
HUGHES AT "BROKEN ARROW RANCH"
FIELD-HARVESTS HIS ANIMALS AND
THEN PROCESSES THEM ON-SITE,
SENDING THEM TO CHEFS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
*
CHRIS: INGRAM IS LOCATED IN THE
HEART OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY.
WE'RE ABOUT 60 MILES
NORTHWEST OF SAN ANTONIO.
OUT HERE AT
"BROKEN ARROW RANCH",
WE HAVE 800 ACRES, AND IT'S
REALLY CENTERED ON A RIVER THAT
FLOWS THROUGH THE MIDDLE.
AND THEN AS YOU GET
FURTHER AWAY FROM THE WATER,
YOU GET HIGHER IN ELEVATION, YOU
GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF
THE ROLLING PLAINS THAT
ARE PRESENT HERE IN THE
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY.
MOST OF MY FORMATIVE
YEARS WERE HERE ON THE RANCH.
LIKE A LOT OF KIDS, YOU
COULDN'T WAIT TO GET
OUT OF SMALL-TOWN TEXAS.
I WENT OUT INTO THE WORLD FOR
ABOUT TEN YEARS AND GAINED SOME
EXPERIENCE IN A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT AREAS AND EVENTUALLY
DECIDED THAT THIS PLACE WASN'T
SO BAD AFTER ALL AND THAT I
REALLY WANTED AN
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK FOR MYSELF.
I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO RAISE MY
KIDS IN THIS SAME ENVIRONMENT.
AND I LOVE FOOD, I LOVE
HUNTING, I LOVE THE OUTDOORS,
AND THIS BUSINESS
MATCHES ALL OF THOSE.
*
CHRIS: MY DAD'S AN INCREDIBLE
PERSON -- WAS A GREAT ROLE MODEL
GROWING UP -- A
SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR.
YOU KNOW, HE HAD AN INCREDIBLE
CAREER THAT HELPED GET US OUT
HERE TO THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
IN A COMMERCIAL-DIVING BUSINESS
AND THEN FOUNDED
"BROKEN ARROW RANCH",
HAD THE VISION TO SEE
THAT BUSINESS COME ABOUT.
MIKE: WHEN WE HAD
PURCHASED THE RANCH,
I HAD BECOME AWARE OF THIS
POPULATION OF NON-NATIVE SPECIES
OF DEER AND ANTELOPE.
AND I'D ALSO BECOME AWARE THAT
THEY WERE BECOMING THOUGHT OF
AS POTENTIAL PESTS
OVERPOPULATING AREAS.
AND I THOUGHT, WELL,
THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY.
IT WAS A PROBLEM, BUT
IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY.
*
MIKE: WHEN CHRIS MADE US AWARE
THAT HE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN
BUYING AND TAKING OVER THE
WILD-GAME MEAT BUSINESS,
WE WERE OVERJOYED BECAUSE HE'S
AN ABSOLUTE NATURAL AND I'M SURE
DOES A MUCH BETTER
JOB THAN I WAS DOING.
*
CHRIS: "BROKEN ARROW RANCH" IS
BOTH A PLACE AND A BUSINESS,
AND WE HARVEST ON OUR PROPERTY
AS WELL AS OTHER PROPERTIES
AROUND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE'RE PARTNERING WITH RANCHERS
THAT HAVE AN OVERPOPULATION OF
DEER AND ANTELOPE.
WE TAKE A SHOOTER, A SKINNER AND
A GOVERNMENT MEAT INSPECTOR AND
A MOBILE PROCESSING
UNIT OUT TO THE RANCH.
WE RIDE AROUND THE
RANCH WITH THE RANCHER,
SELECTING ANIMALS TO HARVEST,
SHOOTING THEM AT A DISTANCE FROM
50 TO 200 YARDS AWAY SO IT'S A
VERY HUMANE SLAUGHTER IN THE
WILD, BRING THE ANIMALS BACK TO
OUR MOBILE PROCESSING UNIT SET
UP ON THE RANCH, DO THE
INITIAL PROCESSING THERE,
THEN BRING IT ALL BACK TO OUR
BRICK-AND-MORTAR FACILITY IN
INGRAM, TEXAS, WHERE
WE DO THE BUTCHERING,
THE SHIPPING AND ALL THE REST.
*
CHRIS: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
ARE REALLY LOOKING TO CONNECT
BACK WITH NATURE TO GET
CLOSER TO THEIR FOOD.
THERE'S BEEN A
MOVEMENT TOWARDS ORGANIC,
AND NOW IT MOVED BEYOND ORGANIC
TO REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHERE
YOUR FOOD CAME FROM, TO ACTUALLY
STARTING TO GO OUT AND SOURCE
YOUR PROTEINS YOURSELF.
AND NOT EVERYBODY CAN DO THAT.
WE'RE ABOUT AS CLOSE AS YOU
CAN GET TO SOURCING THAT
MEAT YOURSELF.
WE'RE GOING OUT,
WE'RE DOING THE HUNTING,
WE'RE DOING THE HARVESTING, AND
WE'RE PACKAGING THAT MEAT AND
GETTING IT OUT TO THE
RESTAURANTS AND TO
THE INDIVIDUALS.
*
CAT: I MEAN, YOU SELL TO
CHEFS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
CHRIS: RIGHT, SO WE SELL TO
CHEFS IN ALL 50 STATES -- MAINE
TO HAWAII AND
EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN.
ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES THAT WE
HAVE IS THAT IT IS A UNIQUE
PRODUCT IN A COUPLE
OF WAYS, YOU KNOW.
FIRST, IT'S UNIQUE IN BEING
VENISON AND WILD BOAR AND QUAIL
AND OTHER GAME MEATS.
SO IT'S A MEAT THAT THEY DON'T
NECESSARILY HAVE AVAILABLE
TO THEM...
CAT: RIGHT.
CHRIS: ...FROM A
MORE LOCAL PRODUCER.
SO THEY'RE SEEKING
OUT THIS PROTEIN.
THE OTHER PART IS JUST THROUGH
THE FIELD-HARVESTING THAT WE DO
AND OUR OWN PROCESSES
DIFFERENTIATES US EVEN FURTHER
FROM THE FARM VENISON
THAT IS AVAILABLE OUT THERE.
CAT: MM-HMM.
CHRIS: YOU KNOW, FINDING THOSE
CHEFS THAT CARE ABOUT QUALITY,
YOU KNOW, THAT CARE ABOUT THE
HUMANE ASPECT OF THE ANIMALS,
AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR
SOMETHING UNIQUE AND A UNIQUE
EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR DINERS, SO
IT'S REALLY HOW WE'RE ABLE TO
CONNECT WITH THOSE GUYS.
*
*
CAT: RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY SOURCE GAME FROM "BROKEN
ARROW RANCH", INCLUDING A
NUMBER OF PLACES HERE IN DALLAS,
AND CHEF DEAN FEARING, WHO IS
WIDELY CONSIDERED THE "FATHER OF
SOUTHWEST CUISINE", FOCUSES
IN ON A CLASSIC ANTELOPE DISH.
LET'S GO INSIDE.
*
MIKE: ONE OF THE WONDERFUL
THINGS ABOUT BEING IN THIS
BUSINESS IS THE GREAT CHEFS
THAT WE'VE COME TO KNOW AND HAVE
BECOME REALLY GOOD FRIENDS WITH.
DEAN FEARING'S
ENTHUSIASM IS REALLY INFECTIOUS,
AND HE CAME TO A NUMBER
OF HUNTS AT THE RANCH.
*
DEAN: MIKE AND I
GO BACK 35 YEARS.
[LAUGHS]
EVEN AT MY FIRST RESTAURANT,
I STARTED BUYING FROM MIKE.
WE DID A LOT OF HUNTING DOWN
ON HIS RANCH IN THE EARLY DAYS,
AND HE TAUGHT ME
ABOUT TEXAS WILD GAME.
I ALWAYS HAVE WILD GAME ON
THE MENU AT "FEARING'S."
WE'RE KINDA KNOWN AS A
"WILD GAME RESTAURANT."
*
ERIC: CURRENTLY WE'RE USING
THE NILGAI ANTELOPE FROM
"BROKEN ARROW RANCH."
OVER THE YEARS WE'VE USED
A LOT OF DIFFERENT GAME
PRODUCTS FROM THEM.
IT'S ALWAYS NEAT TO SEE WHAT
THEY HAVE AND TO FEED OFF WHAT
THE RANCHERS ARE HARVESTING.
*
DEAN: WHAT WE DID
TODAY WAS NILGAI ANTELOPE.
NILGAI ANTELOPE
TASTES LIKE A GREAT STEAK.
THERE'S NO GAME FLAVOR TO IT,
BUT IT'S BETTER BECAUSE IT'S
FROM THE WILD, SO
IT'S RAISED BY FORAGE,
AND IT IS AS TENDER AS CAN BE.
I MEAN, YOU DON'T EVEN
NEED A KNIFE TO CUT IT.
ERIC: THE ANTELOPE DISH WITH
THE MESQUITE GRILL -- COOKING IT
OVER THIS WOOD REALLY
IMPARTS A UNIQUE FLAVOR AS WELL.
I'M SERVING IT WITH GRITS, A
TANGLE OF GREENS WITH A LITTLE
BACON AND A SMOKY CHILI AIOLI.
TAKE A LITTLE PICO.
THAT'S FULL FLAVOR.
*
*
CHRIS: WE HARVEST
SEVERAL SPECIES OF DEER.
WE HARVEST AXIS DEER,
SIKA DEER, FALLOW DEER.
WE HARVEST SOME ELK
AND SOME RED DEER,
AND WE ALSO HARVEST
BLACKBUCK ANTELOPE,
NILGAI ANTELOPE -- WHICH WOULD
MARKET AS "TEXAS ANTELOPE" -
AND WE ALSO DO WILD BOAR
AND QUAIL FROM OUR FARM.
CAT: WHAT CONSUMERS ARE REALLY
GRAVITATING TOWARD ARE HUMANELY
RAISED AND SLAUGHTERED MEATS,
AND YOU REALLY CAN'T GET ANY
MORE HUMANE THAN LETTING AN
ANIMAL LIVE ITS ENTIRE LIFE IN
THE WILD...
CHRIS: ABSOLUTELY.
CAT: ...AND HARVESTING THE
ANIMAL WITHOUT ROUNDING THEM UP.
BY HARVESTING THEM IN THE WILD,
IT REDUCES THE STRESS ON THE
ANIMAL SO YOU END UP WITH
A BETTER-QUALITY PRODUCT,
BUT IT'S ALSO JUST A BETTER
KILL FOR THE ANIMAL ITSELF.
CHRIS: ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S THE WHOLE
REASON THAT WE'RE OUT HERE.
THE TRADITIONAL MODEL IS TO
ROUND UP THESE ANIMALS AND TAKE
THEM TO A FIXED, YOU KNOW,
BRICK-AND-MORTAR SLAUGHTER
FACILITY 'CAUSE
THAT'S WHAT'S REQUIRED.
THE ANIMAL HAS TO
BE INSPECTED...
CAT: MM-HMM.
CHRIS: ...IN ORDER FOR IT
TO BE SOLD TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THE INSPECTOR
LIVES AT THE PLANT.
WHAT WE'VE DONE -- AND THAT
NOT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO -- IS INSTEAD
OF TAKING THE ANIMALS TO THE
PLANT, WE TAKE THE
PLANT OUT TO THE ANIMALS.
WE BRING THAT MOBILE PROCESSING
TRAILER OUT TO THE RANCH ALONG
WITH THE INSPECTOR.
SO WE CAN COME OUT
HERE TO THE FIELD,
HARVEST THESE ANIMALS, YOU KNOW,
IN THEIR NATIVE ENVIRONMENT WITH
NO STRESS AND THEN DO THE
INITIAL PROCESSING AND THE,
YOU KNOW, INITIAL
INSPECTION HERE ON-SITE,
AND THAT'S THE REASON
THAT WE DO THIS HARVEST.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S EASY...
[BOTH LAUGH]
CHRIS: ...BECAUSE THERE'S MUCH
MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO DO THIS
PROCESS, BUT
THERE'S NOT A BETTER,
MORE HUMANE WAY TO
DO THIS PROCESS.
*
[RATTLING]
CHRIS: OUR FIELD-HARVESTING
AND HUNTING IN GENERAL IS A VERY
INTIMATE PROCESS.
UNLIKE A FACTORY WHERE ANIMALS
ARE BEING HERDED IN AND THEY'RE
KIND OF PANICKED AND YOU'RE
JUST MOVING THROUGH TENS,
DOZENS, YOU KNOW,
HUNDREDS AT A TIME,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING OUT THERE
AND WE'RE HARVESTING ANIMALS ONE
BY ONE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS YOU SET UP,
YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE SPECIFIC
ANIMAL THROUGH YOUR RIFLE SCOPE,
AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE
LOOKING AT YOU 'CAUSE
THEY KNOW THAT YOU'RE THERE.
THEY'RE NOT PANICKED, BUT
THEY'RE OUT THERE LOOKING
AND CURIOUS.
AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE
DECISION TO TAKE THAT
ANIMAL'S LIFE.
AND WHILE THAT
PROCESS CAN BE COMMONPLACE,
CERTAINLY FOR SOMEBODY IN
MY INDUSTRY OR SOMEBODY IN A
FOOD-CHAIN PROCESS, IT'S NOT
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE
TAKEN LIGHTLY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE
DONE WITH AS MUCH RESPECT AND
AS HUMANELY AS POSSIBLE.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[GUNSHOT]
[CLICKING]
*
[INDISTINCT]
*
CHRIS: THE PROCESS OF
FIELD-HARVESTING INVOLVES US
SHOOTING THESE ANIMALS AT A
DISTANCE OF 50 TO 200 YARDS IN
THE HEAD.
AND WHILE IT MIGHT BE
A LITTLE BIT GRAPHIC,
IT'S THE WAY THAT WE CAN
PROVIDE AN INSTANTANEOUS
KILL ON THAT ANIMAL.
ONE MOMENT THEY'RE GRAZING
PEACEFULLY IN THE FIELD,
AND THE NEXT MINUTE IT'S LIGHTS
OUT AND THERE'S NO STRESS ON
THAT ANIMAL COMPARED TO TRAPPING
AND TRAILERING AND MOVING IT
THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME
KIND OF CHUTE SYSTEM,
YOU KNOW, AND
HAVING A REALLY, REALLY,
REALLY BAD DAY.
A LOT OF THESE PROCESSES
THAT RAISE ANIMALS HUMANELY,
WE SAY THEY HAVE ONE BAD DAY.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT OUR
ANIMAL REALLY DOESN'T
EVEN HAVE A BAD DAY.
THEY DON'T EVEN
KNOW THAT IT HAPPENED.
*
CAT: SO ONCE THE
ANIMAL'S DOWN...
CHRIS: MM-HMM.
CAT: ...YOU OBVIOUSLY --
YOU HAVE TO BLEED THE ANIMAL,
BUT THEN YOU
ELECTROSTIMULATE IT.
WHY DO YOU DO THAT?
CHRIS: RIGHT.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DEVICE THAT MY
BROTHER-IN-LAW MAKES CALLED A
"TENDERBUCK", AND WHAT IT DOES
IS IT RUNS AN ELECTRIC CURRENT
THROUGH THE ANIMALS AND IT
CAUSES THE MUSCLES TO CONTRACT,
AND AS THEY CONTRACT IT
SQUEEZES THE BLOOD...
CAT: GOT IT.
CHRIS: ...OUT OF THE MUSCLES AND
IMPROVES THE FLAVOR OF THE MEAT.
YOU THINK ABOUT A GAMEY FLAVOR
THAT YOU MIGHT FIND IN VENISON
-- A LOT OF THAT IS THAT
KIND OF IRONY BLOOD TASTE,
AND SO THIS MAKES SURE
THAT YOU GET A VERY,
YOU KNOW, THOROUGH BLEED AND
A MUCH CLEANER-TASTING MEAT.
IT ALSO HELPS TO TENDERIZE
THE MEAT THROUGH THAT PROCESS,
AND IT ALSO HELPS
IMPROVE THE SHELF LIFE
OF THE PRODUCT AS WELL.
*
THE RULES ARE
PRETTY COMPLICATED,
SO I WON'T GO INTO
ALL THE DETAILS,
BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT ALL
MEAT HAS TO BE INSPECTED BEFORE
IT'S COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE, SO
A STATE-LICENSED INSPECTOR GOES
ON EVERY SINGLE "BROKEN
ARROW RANCH" HARVEST.
CHRIS: ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT
OUR OPERATION IS THAT WE'RE
TAKING A GOVERNMENT MEAT
INSPECTOR OUT INTO THE FIELD
WITH US.
WHEN THE MEAT
INSPECTOR'S OUT THERE WITH US,
THEY'LL RIDE
AROUND ON THE HARVEST,
THEY'LL INSPECT THE ANIMALS
-- THE HERD IN GENERAL -- WHEN
THEY'RE ALIVE, LOOKING FOR JUST
OVERALL HEALTH OF THE ANIMALS.
THAT'S PART OF THE REQUIREMENT.
AND THEN AFTER THE
ANIMAL'S BEEN HARVESTED,
THEY'RE INSPECTING
THE MEAT CARCASS,
YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR GOOD
MUSCLE STRUCTURE AND GOOD
OVERALL HEALTH OF THE ANIMAL.
SO THIS IS NOT ONE
OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE NOT PAYING
THIS INSPECTOR.
THEY'RE PAID FOR
WITH TAX DOLLARS.
IT'S A
THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION,
YOU KNOW.
IT'S A
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE.
SO THIS IS THE SAME
PROCESS THAT TAKES PLACE IN A
BRICK-AND-MORTAR FACILITY.
WE'RE JUST HAPPENING TO DO IT
OUT WITH OUR MOBILE FACILITY
IN THE FIELD.
*
CHRIS: THE MOBILE
PROCESSING UNIT WAS
A REALLY INNOVATIVE CONCEPT.
BEFORE, THE ANIMALS WOULD HAVE
TO BE ROUNDED UP AND TAKEN TO A
FIXED SLAUGHTER FACILITY.
AND WHEN DAD STARTED
HARVESTING WILD GAME,
HE KNEW THAT THE STRESS OF
TRYING TO ROUND UP WILD ANIMALS
-- THAT WAS GONNA RUIN
THE QUALITY OF THE MEAT.
SO HE WANTED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY
INSTEAD OF TAKING THE ANIMALS TO
THE PLANT, TAKE THE
PLANT OUT TO THE ANIMALS.
AND THERE IS A LOT OF
REGULATIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU
NEEDED ON A
PROCESSING UNIT IN GENERAL.
HE FOLLOWED ALL
THOSE REGULATIONS,
PUT IT ON A TRAILER,
AND THE GOVERNMENT SAID,
"WE'VE GOT TO APPROVE THIS."
*
MIKE: THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
THAT WE HAD TO MEET WERE YOU
NEED TO HAVE
180-DEGREE HOT WATER.
YOU HAD TO HAVE A
SANITARY ENVIRONMENT,
WHICH MEANS WASHABLE,
NONABSORBENT WALL MATERIALS AND
FLOOR MATERIALS,
CEILING MATERIALS.
WE HAD TO HAVE CHILL STORAGE IN
ORDER TO TRANSPORT THE CARCASSES
BACK, AND THERE HAD TO BE AN
INSPECTION STATION FOR THE MEAT
INSPECTOR AND SO FORTH.
SO I DESIGNED ALL
THOSE INTO THE TRAILERS,
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY
REASON NOT TO APPROVE IT.
IT ACTUALLY USED A LOT
OF MY BACKGROUND AS A
DEEP-SEA-DIVING-EQUIPMENT
DESIGNER.
SO IT WAS AN EASY THING TO DO
RELATIVE TO DESIGNING A COMPLEX
PIECE OF DIVING GEAR.
CHRIS: THE MOBILE UNIT IS KIND
OF A MULTIROOM PROCESS IN THAT
YOU'VE GOT A PROCESSING FLOOR
WHERE THE SKINNING TAKES PLACE,
AND YOU'VE GOT A REFRIGERATED
COOLER SECTION FOR TRANSPORTING
THE ANIMAL BACK TO
OUR FIXED PLANT,
AND THEN KIND OF A LIFE-SUPPORT
SYSTEM UP FRONT WITH A WATER
HEATER, GENERATOR, WATER TANKS
AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO HELP KEEP
THE OPERATION MOVING.
*
CHRIS: ANOTHER PART OF OUR
BUSINESS -- IT'S ACTUALLY
SEPARATE FROM "BROKEN ARROW
RANCH" - IS OUR QUAIL FARM IN
BANDERA CALLED
"DIAMOND H RANCH",
AND THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT WE STARTED IN 2010,
AND IT'S A KIND OF AN
ADD-ON ENDEAVOR FOR US.
WE FOUND THAT A LOT OF OUR
RESTAURANT CUSTOMERS WERE USING
THE WILD-GAME MEATS AND THE
VENISON AND THE WILD BOAR,
AND ON THE MIXED GRILL THERE
WOULD ALWAYS BE A QUAIL ON THERE
AS WELL, SO WE HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE THIS
QUAIL FARM IN BANDERA, AND
WE'VE GOT IT UP AND RUNNING,
AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT
ADVENTURE EVER SINCE.
*
[CHIRPING]
CAT: HEY, BABY.
HI.
OH.
*
DO YOU GET THE SAME KIND
OF SATISFACTION OUT OF RAISING
THESE ANIMALS AS YOU DO
WORKING WITH THE WILD ANIMALS?
CHRIS: OH, ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU CAN RAISE
AN ANIMAL HUMANELY AND THEN
HARVEST THAT ANIMAL
AND UTILIZE THAT ANIMAL,
YOU KNOW, FOR ITS
INTENDED PURPOSE FOR FOOD,
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A
VERY SATISFYING THING.
OUR HATCHERY IS...
CAT: RIGHT THERE.
CHRIS: ...YOU KNOW, RIGHT
THERE 100 FEET THAT WAY.
AND THEY'RE ALL
PROCESSED ON-SITE.
IT'S A SINGLE-SITE OPERATION
WHERE EVERYTHING HAPPENS HERE.
WE CAN WATCH OVER
THE ENTIRE OPERATION,
CONTROL THE QUALITY
THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH.
*
CHRIS: SO THESE LADIES
ARE MAKING QUAIL POPPERS.
SO THOSE ARE QUAIL
BREAST, JALAPE—O,
WRAPPED IN BACON.
CAT: THAT'S FANTASTIC.
CHRIS: AND THEN THESE LADIES ARE
DOING OUR SEMI-BONELESS BIRDS.
CAT: THEY'RE DEDICATED.
CHRIS: THEY'RE VERY
GOOD PEOPLE -- VERY,
VERY HARD WORKERS
AND DO A GREAT JOB.
*
CHRIS: OUR MODEL, I
LIKE TO DESCRIBE,
IS A WIN-WIN-WIN SITUATION.
THE ANIMALS GET TO LIVE A WILD,
NATURAL LIFE OUT IN NATURE
AS INTENDED.
THE HARVEST THAT WE DO REDUCES
THAT POPULATION DOWN TO A
NATURALLY SUSTAINABLE LEVEL.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS
THAT WE DO IS IF THERE'S AN
OVERPOPULATION, DISEASE
AND STARVATION CAN OCCUR,
AND SO THAT'S WHY A RANCHER
WOULD REALLY WANT US COMING OUT
TO THEIR PROPERTY AS PART OF
THEIR LAND-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE PAY THE RANCHER
FOR THE ANIMALS THAT WE HARVEST
'CAUSE THE ANIMALS HAVE VALUE,
SO THEY'RE GETTING RESIDUAL
INCOME AS WELL AS KEEPING
THEIR LAND AND THEIR POPULATIONS
PROPERLY MANAGED.
*
CHRIS: ONE OF OUR GREAT RANCH
PARTNERS IN SOUTH TEXAS WHERE WE
HARVEST THE NILGAI ANTELOPE --
THE SOUTH TEXAS ANTELOPE -- IS
THE "EAST WILDLIFE FOUNDATION",
AND THEY HAVE US COME OUT THERE
TO HELP KEEP THAT NILGAI
POPULATION UNDER CONTROL 'CAUSE
OTHERWISE IT WOULD START
TO UPSET THE ECOSYSTEM.
*
NEAL: THE "EAST
FOUNDATION'S" A NONPROFIT.
WE'RE A LARGE
LANDOWNING NONPROFIT.
WE HAVE A LITTLE OVER 200,000
ACRES OF SOUTH TEXAS RANCHLAND
THAT WE MANAGE AS A
LABORATORY FOR RESEARCH,
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH,
ALL IN SUPPORT OF
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION.
THE VALUE BEHIND KEEPING RURAL
LAND AS RURAL LAND OVERALL IS
PRETTY IMPORTANT.
IF YOU LOOK AT A STATE LIKE
TEXAS WHERE WE HAVE 172 MILLION
ACRES TOTAL ACROSS THE STATE,
142 MILLION ACRES OF THAT IS
PRIVATE FARMS,
RANCHES OR FORESTLAND.
SO ALL OF OUR WATER,
ALL OF OUR WILDLIFE,
ALL OF OUR FIBER, ALL OF OUR
FOOD COMES FROM THAT
142 MILLION ACRES.
HOW WE MANAGE THAT AND HOW WE
CONSERVE THAT -- OUR FUTURE
DEPENDS ON IT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT.
"BROKEN ARROW RANCH" IS OUR
PARTNER IN HARVESTING NILGAI
ANTELOPE OFF OF TWO
OF OUR PROPERTIES.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE
NATIVE PREDATORS FOR NILGAI,
SO IN ORDER FOR US TO
CONTROL THAT POPULATION,
WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT
KNOW HOW TO DO IT HUMANELY,
EFFICIENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY, AND THEN,
MOST IMPORTANTLY,
PUT THAT MEAT TO USE.
AND SO WE PARTNER WITH
"BROKEN ARROW RANCH."
*
"BROKEN ARROW RANCH"
PARTNERS WITH A NUMBER OF
RANCHES ACROSS THE STATE OF
TEXAS WITHIN A 300-MILE
RADIUS OF INGRAM.
SO TODAY WE ARE AT "WHITE CROSS
RANCH" TO MEET UP WITH BRUCE.
*
[ENGINE RUNNING]
*
CAT: RICK -- WHO'S THE FOREMAN
-- JUST TOOK US AROUND THIS
AMAZING 3,000-ACRE
PROPERTY, AND NOW I'M
STANDING HERE WITH BRUCE.
AND BRUCE, HOW MANY ANIMALS
DO YOU HAVE HERE ON THE RANCH?
BRUCE: WELL, IT'S HARD TO GET AN
EXACT NUMBER 'CAUSE THEY DON'T
STAND AROUND AND
YOU CAN'T COUNT 'EM, BUT...
CAT: THEY DEFINITELY
DON'T STAND AROUND.
BRUCE: ...WE
HAVE UPWARDS OF
1,000 ANIMALS ON THE RANCH.
*
CAT: SO, EXPLAIN TO ME THE
RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU HAVE WITH
"BROKEN ARROW
RANCH" AND THE SERVICES,
ESSENTIALLY, THAT THEY PROVIDE.
BRUCE: PART OF OWNING A RANCH
LIKE THIS IS TO MANAGE THE GAME
ON IT, 'CAUSE IF THERE'S TOO
MANY ANIMALS THEN THERE'S NOT
ENOUGH FOOD, AND SO THE NUMBERS
GET PRETTY BIG PRETTY QUICK.
SO AS PART OF A GAME MANAGEMENT,
"BROKEN ARROW" PROVIDES A
SERVICE TO HELP US DO THAT.
AND WE GET PAID...
CAT: RIGHT.
BRUCE: ...FOR IT, SO
IT'S A WIN-WIN DEAL.
WE CONTROL OUR
POPULATION THAT WAY,
AND HE DOES A GREAT JOB AND THEN
TAKES IT AS A GREAT FOOD SOURCE
ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
*
*
*
CAT: SO YOU GREW UP
DOING THIS WITH YOUR DAD.
CHRIS: YES, MA'AM.
CAT: AND, I MEAN, WHAT MADE
YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS,
BESIDES HOW GORGEOUS IT IS?
CHRIS: SURE.
YOU KNOW, PART OF
IT WAS, YOU KNOW,
A DESIRE TO WORK FOR MYSELF.
PART OF IT WAS
JUST THIS ACTIVITY,
THIS LIFESTYLE.
I LOVE OUTDOORS.
I LOVE HUNTING.
I LOVE FOOD.
I LOVE COOKING.
AND THIS IS A PERFECT
BUSINESS THAT BLENDS BOTH
OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
YOU KNOW, ON THE ONE SIDE, YOUR
JOB IS TO GO OUT AND GO HUNTING.
CAT: MM-HMM.
CHRIS: [LAUGHS] YOU
KNOW, ON THE OTHER SIDE,
YOU'RE GETTING TO
INTERACT WITH CHEFS
AND WORK WITH CHEFS
AND LEARN A LOT FROM THEM,
AND THAT SIDE OF
IT'S FUN AS WELL.
SO JUST BEING ABLE TO
BLEND THOSE TWO PASSIONS...
CAT: YEAH.
CHRIS: THAT IS PERFECT.
*
*
TO WRAP UP THIS EPISODE,
WE ARE GOING TO HEAD OVER TO THE
SPRING-FED SWIMMING HOLE THAT'S
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE "BROKEN
ARROW RANCH" PROPERTY.
COME WITH ME, AND WE'RE
GOING TO COOK UP A MIXED GRILL.
*
CHRIS: TONIGHT WE
HAVE A FEAST IN STORE.
WE'RE GONNA COOK A LITTLE
WILD-BOAR SMOKED SAUSAGE,
SOME QUAIL MARINATED IN
A GARAM MASALA SAUCE.
WE'RE GOING TO COOK SOME
ANTELOPE AND SOME AXIS.
WE'RE GONNA DO SOME ZUCCHINI
FROM OUR GARDEN AS WELL AS KIND
OF A TOMATO SALAD AND HERBS THAT
ARE ALSO FROM OUR GARDEN HERE
ON THE RANCH.
*
*
CAT: THANK YOU FOR
JOINING ME IN TEXAS,
AND I WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
AND THANK YOU FOR HOSTING US.
CHRIS: WELL, YOU'RE
MORE THAN WELCOME.
CAT: AW.
CHRIS: ENJOY!
CAT: I CAN'T WAIT TO DIG IN.
*
CAT: THERE'S MORE INFORMATION
ON THE MAKERS FEATURED IN THIS
SERIES ALONG WITH
RECIPES AND EXTRA VIDEOS AT
WEARETASTEMAKERS.COM.
*
*
*
*
ANNOUNCER 1: "TASTEMAKERS"
WAS FUNDED IN PART BY...
*
ANNOUNCER 2: IT ALL COMES DOWN
TO CREATING SOMETHING UNIQUE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE PRIDE IN
ONE'S WORK AND SHARE EXPERTISE.
*
ANNOUNCER 2: EDWARD JONES
IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE
CRAFTSPEOPLE WHO
DEFINE THE MAKER MOVEMENT.
*
ANNOUNCER 1: ...AND BY
FLEISCHMANN'S YEAST
AND AB MAURI.