Q: What is your background in?

A: One of my first jobs was in the meat department at a family run grocery store in Woodstock, Ontario. As each year passed,I gained a few more knife skills and learned another cut of beef, eventually becoming the assistant meat department manager. Working for a family run store in the community allowed me to build a lot of great relationships with our customer base. I felt pride recommending the perfect cut ofbeef for their special occasion or the perfect quantity for their number of guests.After some time I decided to return to school and pursue a double major in history and family studies. With my university education I qualified to become a Professional Home Economist and combined that with my cooking background, now teach adult cooking classes. Two of my favourites are BBQing 101 and BBQ Spices, Marinadesand Rubs.

Q: Do you have any recommendations for people looking to try new recipes and cooking methods?

My biggest recommendation for people looking to try a new recipe or cooking method is to not hesitate to attempt it. With all the resources available like the RoundUp App or the internet, you can find step-by-step instructions on how best to cook your beef. If you are attempting a new cooking method start with inexpensive ingredients or a smaller cut in case you make a mistake. If you are planning on serving a new recipe or trying a new cooking method for a special occasion or a large crowd consider trying a test run on the recipe or process before the event. Consider taking a cooking class if one is available covering the recipe or cooking method you wish to explore.

Q: Is there a difference between smoking and barbequing?

This is a bit of a tough question to answer. Barbequing is an interchangeable term often equated with grilling which is cooking meat over high heat quickly (usually 400f + temperatures). Both barbequing and grilling involve cooking meat over direct heat. True barbequing involves cooking meat at low temperatures (usually 200f-300f) for long periods of time. The saying “low and slow” best describes barbeque. Barbequing requires the lid to be opened to add more coals or wood to keep the fire going and the temperature regulated. This can sometimes dry out the meat. Smoking involves cooking meat over indirect heat and imparts the flavour of wood smoke (ie, cherry, apple, maple, mesquite) into the meat. A smoker usually has a separate chamber to house the heat (fire) and does not expose the meat to the air when refueling the fire.Smoking meatwill create a more juicy and moist end product.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your family’s history with smoking meat.

My grandfather was a butcher in England and Canada before becoming a provincial meat inspector. I still remember him coming home from work with clothed wrapped smoked summer sausage and slicing me off a piece. You could tell the days when he worked at a facility with a smoke house by the smell when he walked in the house. My uncle also started his work life as a butcher and even after he left, he still smokes meat at home using the skills he learned in his younger years. I, myself, spent a few years working for a small family run poultry harvesting facility and learnt how to operate a commercial smoker. It was the size of a single car garage and had racks you could roll in. We smoked kielbasa, pepperettes, turkey and quail.

Q: When you were a retail meat cutter, what were some of the most common questions you were asked when it came to buying & cooking with beef?

How much do I need to feed this many people? The usual rule of thumb is a half-pound per person. People would want to know what kind of roast I would recommend. I would ask them how they wanted to cook the roast. If they wanted to throw it in the crockpot, I would suggest a cheaper cut of beef.

Q: What is your favourite way to cook beef and some of the go-to beef recipes that you like to use?

I like to barbecue. And I’m a big fan of steaks, with my favourite cut of beef being a ribeye steak. It just has the right amount of marbling and that quality really gives them some flavour. The filet mignon is also a big hit when I’m serving food to people. Lastly, the prime rib is nice because it’s really easy to roast and then slice it into steaks and serve it

Q: Why do you love Canadian beef, and what is a cut that you think is overlooked?

Out of all the meats, beef is so versatile. I find if you put beef on someone’s plate,they’re probably going to be extremely happy with it.

Beef shank is one of my favourite underrated cuts of beef. It takes longer to prepare because you have to cook it low and slow but, in my opinion, it’s just as good as filet mignon if prepared right. It’s so tender and it falls apart all while having a bit more of a bold flavour than some of the other cuts.

Q: How have you become involved with Canada Beef?

A: In 2015 I won the Canadian Beef Blogger Ambassador contest and I got to go on a trip to Mexico and experience Canadian beef down there with a Canadian chef, the Canadian Beef representative for the Americas and a representative from the Kendall-Jackson Wines. They did a wine pairing experience at the Karisma Resorts with the Canadian beef experience. I spent five days learning about how beef can be exported to different parts of the world and how their Karisma hotels see value in Canadian beef.

I also got to test drive the RoundUp App, an amazing app that helps you know how to buy the right cut and cook it with confidence. I was able to pick one of the recipes from the RoundUp App and utilize it to make that recipe while doing a brief review about how helpful the app was and how tasty the recipe was.