Meat Challenge

As you can imagine, the VG family eats our fair share of VG Meats. We see the care and quality that goes into our products firsthand, and understandably, it’s the only meat we serve to our families. Oftentimes, our clients will tell us about incredible meals they’ve cooked up with our meat, but rarely do we get to dine with them. Luckily, it’s cottage season and we were recently able to share some meals with clients who are also good friends. Here’s one amazing dinner that topped everyone’s list – a Brazilian-style picanha cooked outdoors over a fire.

First, we selected a picanha cut of beef (usually referred to as ‘rump cap’ here in North America) and rubbed it with olive oil, salt and pepper. When the quality of your meat is high – tender, juicy and flavourful – you can keep your prep this simple.

We built a spit from logs and hung the beef over the fire, making sure it wasn’t directly over the open flames. You want to cook over hot coals but have enough fire going to keep them hot – essentially, a good sized section of coals with open flame nearby so you can stir in additional heat as needed.

The meat slow roasted for about 90 minutes. As you can see from the pictures, it came out to perfection – juicy, so tender and full of incredible flavour. We served it alongside twice-baked potatoes and fresh vegetables, and received rave reviews from everyone at the cottage.

Yes, this took some time and effort, but it was also a lot of fun. You don’t have to be a chef to enjoy cooking meat over a fire outdoors – it’s a great activity for anyone who likes to try something new. If you’re heading up to a cottage or can accommodate this sort of setup in your backyard, it’s well worth it for both the experience and the end result. Invite your family and friends, make some delicious sides, grab some cold drinks and enjoy an amazing meal in the great outdoors.

What are you waiting for? Get out to the VG Meats shop to grab some cuts for your outdoor roast – and don’t forget to send us your photos later! We’d love to see what you create and share them with the VG community.