{"id":4844,"date":"2021-10-13T10:38:11","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T02:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/?p=4844"},"modified":"2021-10-13T10:38:49","modified_gmt":"2021-10-13T02:38:49","slug":"the-montana-diaries-part-3-pleased-to-meat-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/p\/4844.html","title":{"rendered":"The Montana Diaries Part 3: Pleased to Meat You"},"content":{"rendered":"

October, 2021.<\/strong><\/p>\n

EPISODE 3: \u201cPleased to Meat You\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Montana boasts a population of more cattle than people. It\u2019s big business. You cannot take a scenic drive without passing a ranch full of black angus cattle dotting the yellow ochre landscape. \u00a0Two recent soapy television shows that inspire romantic notions of the west are set in Montana and feature plotlines revolving around cattle ranching, \u201cYellowstone\u201d and \u201cBig Sky.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to cattle ranches, recovering and restoring bison in Montana has been a top priority.\u00a0 Bison, sometimes called buffalo, were diminished to a population of less than 1000 just a few decades ago.\u00a0 Today there are more than 400,000 animals.\u00a0 Raising bison is more environmentally friendly.\u00a0 In 2016, the Bison was named the first-ever National Mammal of the United States by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Inter-Tribal Buffalo Council.\u00a0 Bison is naturally high in lean protein and vitamins and tastes delicious.<\/p>\n

As we prepared for our trip, Mom had been dreaming about a \u2018big Montana steak\u2019 and I was dreaming about a bison patty melt I remembered eating a few years back in Bozeman.\u00a0 Naturally, I shipped in some of my favorite wines to pair with the upcoming meat-a-thon.<\/p>\n

We pulled into Bozeman, freshened up and headed to Montana Ale Works<\/strong> (611 E Main St., Bozeman, MT) Montana Ale Works opened in 2013 with a mission of partnering with local farms, ranches, breweries and purveyors bringing a farm to table ethos to their restaurant.\u00a0 My mouth was watering remembering the savory bison patty melt of my dreams. It did not disappoint.<\/p>\n

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The patty melt features toasted rye bread, swiss cheese, 1000 island dressing and caramelized onions all playing supporting cast to the perfectly grilled ground bison.\u00a0 Bison is not gamey at all.\u00a0 It tastes like beef but a bit lighter and sweeter and with a touch of minerality.\u00a0 I paired the burger with one of my favorite Washington Syrah\u2019s, Gramercy Cellars Syrah Red Willow Vineyards 2016<\/strong>.\u00a0 The blue-black berry fruit and the slight pepperiness of the wine provided a deep backdrop for the lightness of the burger.\u00a0 I know that sounds backwards but that really is how it worked.<\/p>\n

We left Bozeman and headed to the Labor Day Rodeo in White Sulphur Springs.\u00a0 It was my one \u201cask\u201d for the trip.\u00a0 The day started with a parade through town and we lined up with the rest of the spectators.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m sure we didn\u2019t stand out or anything in our faux-cowgirl outfits.\u00a0 After the parade, we headed to a real local spot for what we were sure would be a hearty meal, Branding Iron Caf\u00e9<\/strong> (307 3rd<\/sup> Ave, SW White Sulphur Springs, MT)<\/p>\n

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With the excitement of the rodeo in town, the joint was jumping.\u00a0 Everyone seemed to know everyone, and they made us feel right at home.\u00a0 Platters of BIG FOOD flew out of the kitchen and the very friendly staff barely kept up.\u00a0 It was here that I was first introduced to the \u201cPork Chop John Sandwich.\u201d<\/p>\n

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OMG.\u00a0 Pork Chop John, where have you been all my life????\u00a0\u00a0 Try to imagine this:\u00a0\u00a0 A pork chop is pounded thin, breaded and fried.\u00a0 Then while it\u2019s still piping hot it\u2019s surrounded by mayo, mustard, pickles, tomato and lettuce nestled between two soft squishy buns.\u00a0 It\u2019s perfection.<\/p>\n

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The rodeo was awesome.\u00a0 Here\u2019s some pics\u2026<\/p>\n

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We had a blast. I loved every minute of seeing the courageous cowboys and cowgirls compete in highly skilled competition.\u00a0 The whole time however, I kept thinking about Pork Chop John.\u00a0 Who was he?\u00a0 Where was he? \u00a0Why were we never acquainted earlier???\u00a0 Leaving White Sulphur Springs and heading to Butte, MT, I must have really been distracted. The next thing you know, lights are flashing, and I\u2019m being pulled over by the sheriff.\u00a0 Ginger and Sara were NOT amused. \u00a0The sheriff was a prince and even posed for this selfie\u2026. Sans Citation.\u00a0 Thank you, officer!<\/p>\n

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We rolled into Butte at dusk and checked into the historic Hotel Finlen<\/strong> (100 E Broadway, Butte, MT).\u00a0 Rumored to be haunted, we never did see a ghost, but I knew it was just up the hill from the original Porkchop John\u2019s.<\/p>\n

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Pork Chop John\u2019s<\/strong> has two locations in Butte.\u00a0 Pictured is the original location in Uptown<\/strong> (8 W Mercury St., Butte, MT). The sandwich was invented by John Burkland in 1924.\u00a0 He originally sold these culinary wonders out of the back of a wagon on the corner of Mercury and Main Street.\u00a0 If you remember from the Huckleberry Hound Episodes of the Montana Diaries, back then Butte was the thriving and colorful metropolis of the west due to the mineral mines and the spurious industries supporting the miners.\u00a0 He moved his fledgling business into this location on Mercury St in 1932.\u00a0 In 1969 the Orizotti Family purchased the business and has owned and operated it ever since.\u00a0 There are only ten counter stools available for indoor dining.\u00a0 Most people walk up to the outdoor window and grab their sammies to go. I think what makes this sandwich so incredible is the secret recipe for the breading.\u00a0 It\u2019s a closely guarded secret coveted like the cuvee for Pol Roger\u2019s Sir Winston Churchill.<\/p>\n

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Domaine Marcoux Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2018<\/strong> was the perfect accompaniment.\u00a0 Owned and bio-dynamically farmed by sisters, Sophie & Catherine Armenier the wine is a classic blend of grenache, syrah, mouvedre and cinsault. Old vines produce a rich, juicy, spicy wine with layers of baking spices that cut through the savory sandwich.<\/p>\n

Our next meat-venture took place in Missoula.\u00a0 The Montana Club<\/strong> is a steak and chophouse with 5 locations in the state.\u00a0 I ordered the bison ribeye and it was grilled to a perfect medium-rare.<\/p>\n

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In general, my steak cut of choice is always ribeye.\u00a0 I think it has more flavor.\u00a0 The steak was huge.\u00a0 I was really hungry and I still couldn\u2019t finish it.<\/p>\n

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I went with a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon as the wine pair.\u00a0 Big Steak, Big Wine, Big Sky.\u00a0 Snowden Vineyards is one of the most interesting stories in Napa Valley.\u00a0 The grape growing history dates to 1878 and the original homestead site.\u00a0 The Snowden family acquired the ranch in 1955 and sold the grapes to various well-known Napa producers including Stag\u2019s Leap Wine Cellars, Caymus, Silver Oak and Viader.\u00a0 The very first vintage produced under the Snowden label was 1993.\u00a0 I loved this bison steak and wine pairing with the Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley The Ranch 2017 <\/strong>because the Snowden wines are both powerful and elegant, but really allowing the subtlety and minerality of the bison to come through.<\/p>\n

After so many meat-errific meals, we really needed to lighten things up with a serious vegetable centric meal and some white wine so we headed to Plonk Wine Bar Missoula<\/strong> (322 N Higgins Ave., Missoula, MT). \u00a0Plonk has gastronomic chops and a very significant wine program.\u00a0 The wine list is awesome, but the reserve list is a treasure.\u00a0 We splurged on the Domaine Roulot Bourgone Blanc 2016<\/strong>.\u00a0 There is nothing like white burgundy.\u00a0 The Roulot was just starting to show its true pedigree with hints of golden delicious apple, white button mushrooms, flinty minerality layered on top of a background of subtle baking spice and earth.\u00a0 Ginger was in heaven.<\/p>\n

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Refreshed and ready for more, our next memorable meal stop was Hop\u2019s Downtown Grill<\/strong> (121 S Main St, Kalispell, MT) where I really experienced some out of the box vittles.\u00a0 The Slider Sampler at Hop\u2019s features three burgers:\u00a0 Bison, Elk and Yak.\u00a0 I\u2019ve eaten elk previously, but yak was virgin territory. \u00a0There are a few elk farms in MT and you can pretty much find at least one restaurant in every town that serves it.\u00a0 There happens to be a yak ranch in Kalispell so we checked the box on local and sustainable procurement.<\/p>\n

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And the winner??? YAK!! With bison a close 2nd<\/sup> and elk a more distant 3rd<\/sup>.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure you\u2019re asking what elk and yak taste like?\u00a0 Yak tastes like venison and beef got together and had a very juicy baby.\u00a0 Elk has an iron taste and lacks richness.\u00a0 Both meats are lauded for their leanness and health benefits.<\/p>\n

Our wine pair is Raul Perez Ultreia St-Jacques<\/strong> from Bierzo, Spain.\u00a0 Mencia is the primary grape and Raul Perez has quickly become an international wine star for his deft handling of the grape and commitment to a region that was lost to quality winemaking.\u00a0 Ripe red cherries, earth, complexity and depth enhanced the meat flavors and added a refreshing zip to the finish.<\/p>\n

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The final meat indulgence occurred on our way to Glacier National Park in Columbia Falls.\u00a0 Thanks friends on Instagram for the tip!\u00a0\u00a0 Three Forks Grill<\/strong> (729 Nucleus Ave., Columbia Falls, MT) is an Italian restaurant.\u00a0 We stopped for brunch.\u00a0 Lo and behold, there on the menu was a bison patty entr\u00e9e served on grilled sourdough bread with melted cheddar and arugula.<\/p>\n

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What did I pair this culinary delight with you ask?\u00a0 A local huckleberry cream soda<\/strong> of course from Red Jammer<\/strong>\u2026..once a huckleberry hound, always a huckleberry hound.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Montana adventure carries on with exciting Rodeo activities and encountering with the sheriff. And of course these will always be companied by great food and drinks.
\nby Laura DePasquale MS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":4860,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[122],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-restaurant-and-wine","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4844"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4865,"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4844\/revisions\/4865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/terroirsense.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}