Sheridan Scoop

Vol. 3 Issue 5 may 13, 2021

Get Your Grill On, It’s National Barbecue Month!

It is a little known fact that May is officially National Barbecue Month. The Barbecue Council founded National Barbecue Month in 1963 to encourage outdoor cooking after the cold, harsh months of winter. So brush off your grill or smoker, head on down to Sheridan to stock up on grilling essentials and get cooking.

Naturally, this month’s issue focuses on grilling or barbecue. First up is an extremely hard-to-find yet impressive cut of beef known as the tomahawk chop. The sight of this ginormous piece of meat will get any carnivore’s stomach juices flowing. How about some ketchup or BBQ sauce to go with that steak? There’s a company that’s been making some vegan, organic and gluten free condiments right here in Portland. Need some fiber to go with all that meat? Asparagus goes great with steak, especially when it’s grown locally. Read on to find out more.

The King of
Meat Lollipops

This is one tomahawk that won’t chop you but you can most definitely take a bite out of this thick chop. Essentially a ribeye beef chop specifically cut with at least five inches of rib bone left intact, the extra-long, French trimmed bone utilizes the same culinary technique that shapes a rack of lamb. “Frenching” means trimming the bone of meat and fat to the point where it looks like a handle. This gives the chop its signature flavor and unique look, which resembles a Native American tomahawk axe (hence the name). It can also be referred to as a “tomahawk steak,” “bone-in ribeye,” and “cote du boeuf.”

A highly marbled, exquisitely tender and flavorful steak, the tomahawk is primarily taken from the loin of the steer. Since these particular muscles aren’t utilized as much as others, they are particularly tender and soft. When cooked, this abundance of intramuscular fat combines with the elements released from the large bone to give its sweet, rich flavor and buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

While technically the same steak cut, there are a few key differences between a tomahawk and a traditional ribeye. The most obvious is the extended bone, which gives the tomahawk its impressive, instantly recognizable, eye-opening presentation. The other main distinction is size. The tomahawk is cut according to the thickness of the rib bone, which is generally about 2 inches thick. This results in a hefty piece of meat and tomahawks typically weigh between 30 and 45 ounces.

Sheridan is one of a few places in Portland where you can score yourself a slab of this impressive meat. We source our tomahawk chops from Chairman’s Reserve Meats where all their beef is 100% Angus and is graded USDA Choice.

Due to the large size, slowly cooking the steak on a grill and then searing it over high heat after resting is widely considered to be the best method. Before starting, allow the steak to come up to room temperature as this ensures even cooking. Generously season the steak with kosher or sea salt and fresh ground pepper just before you place the meat on the grill. Place an internal thermometer into the center of the chop through the side. Position your chop away from direct heat, turning it over every 15 minutes to ensure even cooking. Once the thermometer reads 95-100 degrees (the searing process will increase the finished product’s temperature to 130-135 degrees for medium-rare), remove the chop and cover it with foil for 15 minutes.

After the initial rest, you are now ready to sear the chop. If you are using a charcoal grill, stoke the fire with fresh charcoal. If you are using a gas grill, turn the heat up to high. Remove the thermometer and the foil from the tomahawk chop and place directly over the heat source. Sear the chop on each side for about a minute each, including the sides. You can sear the meat for another 30 seconds if the char is not dark enough for your liking but be careful to not burn the meat.

A second rest is not necessary after the hard sear. Slice the meat against the grain and serve with large flaked finishing salt, compound butter or your favorite condiments such as Portlandia Foods ketchup or BBQ sauce.

Vegan, Organic, Non GMO and Gluten-Free…
It’s So PORTLAND!

A truly successful cookout requires high quality condiments to go with the main dishes. However, it is hard to find any made without the less than healthful ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, coloring or preservatives. It was on this premise that two Portland entrepreneurs— Jeff Bergadine and Michael Deal—decided to disrupt conventional thinking in the condiment market and started a little company called Portlandia Foods.

Their main goal was to deliver healthier, more sustainable condiments while remaining affordable and accessible to all. So they developed a recipe for an organic ketchup with less sugar and salt, yet a bold, savory flavor palatable to a wide range of taste buds. The organic ketchup was an overnight sensation and because it was vegan, organic, non GMO and gluten-free, it was aptly named Portland Organic Ketchup after the food conscious city it was born in. Two years later its soulmate, Portland Organic Mustard, was created.

With this dynamic duo in their arsenal, Portlandia Foods soon became a player in the US condiment market. Its mission is to nourish the world with delicious foods at affordable prices without compromise. They partner with local distributors, who in turn partner with organic and sustainable farmers. All their products are Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) and USDA Certified Organic, GMO free, contain less salt and sugar than the standards, and never contain high fructose corn syrup.

Since its founding in 2010, the product line has now expanded to include BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauces, spicy ketchup and cocktail sauce. Sheridan currently carries the original Portland Organic Ketchup, Portland Organic Mustard, Portland Organic BBQ Sauce, and Portland Organic Worcestershire Sauce. All of these products are GMO free, vegan, and gluten-free.

All Portlandia Foods products are on sale* at Sheridan through May 28, 2021. Come on in and get some!

*Sale price applies in the retail department only and are not applicable on Instacart delivery orders. Sale price is available for curbside pickup and home delivery offered by Sheridan Fruit. Please see store for complete details.

no aspersions
against asparagus

Here in the great NW, we are gifted with readily accessible farm fresh produce. Fresh asparagus is already a delicious springtime treat but you haven’t tasted asparagus until you’ve tried locally grown asparagus, picked fresh daily and harvested minutes away from the store.

Asparagus is a spring vegetable that's packed with nutrition. The most common variety of asparagus is green but purple and white varieties are also available. Of the three, white asparagus are the most tender because the stalks are never exposed to the sun. These are harder to grow and come by.

It is best to eat asparagus on the same day you purchase it. One cup of cooked asparagus has only 40 calories, four grams of protein, four grams of fiber and 404 milligrams of potassium. Potassium is good for blood pressure and asparagus also contains a compound called asparaptine, which helps improve blood flow and in turn helps lower blood pressure. Apart from the already mentioned nutrients, asparagus also contains folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.

Asparagus is one of the top ranked fruits and vegetables for its ability to neutralize cell-damaging free radicals. This may help slow the aging process and reduce inflammation. All asparagus contain high levels of antioxidants, a compound which help decrease the amount of free radicals in our body and boost our immune system. Purple asparagus contains powerful pigments called anthocyanins, which give the vegetable its vibrant color and have antioxidant effects in the body.

The folate in asparagus is truly brain food. Folate works together with vitamin B 12 to help fight cognitive impairment. With high levels of the amino acid asparagine, a natural diuretic, eating asparagus can help you release excess fluids and help rid the body of excess salts. This is especially beneficial for people who suffer from edema and those who have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases.

It is best to cook asparagus quickly using as little water or liquid as possible so you retain all of the nutrients in the vegetable. Wash and dry the asparagus and lay them on a sheet pan. Drizzle on olive oil and kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Place the stalks on the grill over medium high heat and cook till desired tenderness. Once off the grill, toss the asparagus with some fresh squeezed lemon juice. Shredded parmesan adds a nice touch but is optional. Buon appetito!