Lean meat is incomplete.

Without fat:

• meat becomes dry
• meals become unsatisfying
• hunger returns too quickly

Fat provides:

• calories
• texture
• flavor
• satiety
• hormone-building cholesterol

This kitchen is built around: 80/20 fat-to-lean as a minimum.

Below that:

• burgers crumble
• meatballs turn dense
• ground beef dries out
• cooking becomes harder

Above that:

• meat self-bastes
• flavor improves
• texture becomes forgiving

Fat is also:

• stable at high heat
• resistant to oxidation
• essential for cooking technique

That is why this book relies primarily on fats from ruminant animals:

• beef tallow
• butter
• ghee

These come from animals that naturally eat grass and forage.

Fat from monogastric animals, such as pork, reflects what the animal eats. A pig fed an unnatural, industrial diet will produce a softer, more unstable fat.

Lard can work, but its quality depends heavily on how the animal was raised and fed. This kitchen favors fats that are naturally stable.

This chapter is a sample section from a book I’m planning to release.