Meet the Team: Elizabeth

Easy Oven-Baked Brisket

For many, St. Patrick’s Day means corned brisket. But for us pasture-raised farmers and eaters who believe food is medicine, corned brisket means some not so healthy things (like nitrates). But not to worry! You can enjoy this classic without compromising health, and still get a brisket that is tasty and moist and delectable. I brined my brisket in this recipe. The extra moisture will affect the ability to get a good bark on your brisket, but hey, our goal is taste and health, so I’m not too worried about getting a perfect bark (although I want to try dry brining a brisket next time to see how that works!). Another option of curing your brisket without nitrates is by using whey, so if you’re curious about a more traditional way of curing your brisket look that up! Because I was short on time and in a busy season of life, I chose to do a salt brine. The key to getting a moist brisket is by cooking it at a low temp. It has to cook low and slowly enough to give time for all the connective tissues to break down and render. If you cook it at too high of a temp, it will cook too fast and those connective tissues will remain intact, leaving you with a tough brisket. This recipe is easy and doesn’t require much effort - it just takes time to cook it appropriately! So here’s how to make a brisket that will make your mouth water and have the family running to the table! Brine: 1 gallon water ½ cup kosher salt ½ cup coconut sugar 1 Tbsp. mustard seeds 1 Tbsp. whole peppercorn Bring water to a boil and add in salt and sugar to dissolve. Add in the rest of the ingredients and let the brine cool. Place your brisket in a pot or brining bag and pour the cooled brine over it. Let brine in the fridge overnight, or for about 12 hours. Brisket Rub: 2 Tbsp. salt 2 Tbsp. pepper 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika 1 Tbsp. onion powder 1 Tbsp. garlic powder Instructions: 1. Take your brined brisket and pat dry with paper towels, and let sit out to dry for a half hour. 2. Preheat your oven to 250. 3. While the oven is preheating and the brisket is drying, mix together all the ingredients for the rub. After the brisket has dried, spread a little oil on the outside of the brisket. Not too much, just enough to give the rub something to bind to. Then sprinkle the rub all over, making sure to rub it over the entire brisket. 4. Take a baking sheet (large enough to keep your brisket from dripping into your oven) and place a wire rack on it. This will lift the brisket off the rack to create more airflow, which will help achieve the ‘bark’ on your brisket. Place your brisket on the rack, and then put in the oven on the middle shelf. 5. Let it cook for about three hours, then remove from the oven and wrap in foil or butchers paper. Return to oven, and let it cook until it reaches 200 degrees, about another 4-5 hours (see note at the end about the ‘stall’ that can happen while cooking). Also, an oven thermometer that you can keep inserted without opening the door is handy, as constantly opening the oven to check the temp lengthens the time it will take to cook). 6.Take it out of the oven and let it rest for an hour. This step is very important! As the brisket cooks, all the moisture is pushed out toward the edges of the meat, so if you cut into it right away you’ll spill all the moisture out. If you let it sit, the moisture will redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a delectably moist brisket. *It’s safe to let it sit on the counter for about an hour, but if you have more time than that before serving, you can wrap the brisket in foil (if you didn’t wrap it after the stall), wrap in a couple towels for insulation, and place in a small cooler until you’re ready to serve. 7. Enjoy! *A note about the ‘stall’ when cooking a brisket: You may find your brisket stalls while cooking. This is caused by moisture evaporating off the surface of the brisket, causing a cooling effect. Lots of factors contribute to this, including how cloudy it is or how humid it is outside. That’s why we wrapped the brisket in this recipe, to help you get past that stall a little more quickly then if you just let it go. Some people prefer to not wrap it so they get a better ‘bark’ on their brisket, but if you’re like me and didn’t have time to sit around waiting for the brisket to get past the stall (it can take hours!), wrapping is the way to go. So for a recap on how this went for me… The brisket turned out moist and tender, which was my goal. It had a decent bark on it, although next time I want to try a dry brine and see how that goes as I try to perfect my brisket skills (and break out the grill too? Anyone here like grilling as much as me?). What didn’t quite work out for me was that it was too salty, so I adjusted the salt amounts in this recipe to account for that. And my brisket went through a major stall which meant I served dinner way later than I expected (or anyone wanted), so I would start it earlier and then plan on keeping it warm until dinnertime. And the last thing I want to add is to encourage you to get creative with your seasonings! The dry rub can be a concoction of whatever your favorite spices or herbs are, so have fun with it! Cheers!

Meet the Team: Melanie

Melanie has been working with Whiffletree since she was a teenager. She started out on our processing crew, and now she works as our bookkeeper. It is such a blessing to have her at the farm. She has so much passion and enthusiasm and love for life that is contagious for everyone around her. The most exciting development recently is that she and her husband just welcomed their first baby girl into their family! Where did you grow up? I grew up here, in Fauquier County! I have 11 siblings, of which I am the third eldest. What did you do before you came to farming/Whiffletree? After going to college and trying to determine just what I would do next, I ultimately found myself in nursing school. While the information was fascinating and experiences were valuable, I ultimately discerned out of that and found myself back at Whiffletree. What inspired you to become a farmer? As long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in farming. As a young child, books like Little House on the Prairie and similar stories gave me insight to a way of life that once was more common. A life full of hard work, being in tune with and working with nature, self-sustainability, and ultimately just being intentional with my decisions. I would check out books from the library on raising animals and gardening. I quickly made farming a part of my personality and identity. What are some things you didn’t expect to learn that farming has taught you? To be mentally tough. Like a lot. Sometimes you really do just have to do something even if you don’t want to. For example, I’ve had early mornings hand shoveling a walkway in feet of snow to check and tend to lambs. Also, in the middle of the night in windy March to check on trays of little plants just to make sure they weren’t frozen. Then quickly having to come up with a plan to save them! The list goes on. But I have learned that the weather and time of day does not discriminate against having to work. How has farming benefited you? Farming has benefited me in many ways. It’s built resiliency, analytical thinking, and acceptance, just to name a few things. Working with your hands and mind to produce fruit (literally and figuratively) is quite rewarding. What do you hope to accomplish through farming? I hope to continue to build a life where each day is rewarding. It’s important to remember that raising a small garden to feed your family can be just as fulfilling as raising thousands of chickens to sell to hundreds of people. How has your role at Whiffletree evolved in your time here? In high school I started out working on the poultry processing crew. Since then I have: worked general farm chores, farm store, inventory management, bookkeeping, poultry processing crew management, and various other tasks. Most memorable Whiffletree experience? 13 hour turkey processing day. In November. Brrrrr! What’s your favorite animal on the farm? And why? My favorite animal is hands down the cattle. They mosey through the pasture intentionally grazing their days away. They aren’t concerned with what has been or what will be. When I sit and watch them, I often feel silly, wondering just why do we rush through our days like aimless busy bees, when the cattle are just as or even more content taking each day as it comes? I 100% recommend visiting the cattle when you visit the farm store. Bring your lunch, just sit and watch silently. Favorite hobby? Or favorite things you like to do when not working? I love to garden, hike, learn anything, and bake. Favorite food? Meat. Probably beef. Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item? I love to make one pan pasta dish in a cast iron. I cook mild Italian sausage and vegetables in the pan , then add uncooked pasta, broth, heavy cream, pasta sauce and cheese. Let it all cook together. Yummy and easy!

Meet the Team: Ben

Back to our ‘Meet the Team’ series, we have Ben Dillon, who hails from Louisiana. He came to Whiffletree as an intern in the winter of 2021, then became a full time employee in the fall of 2023. He’s a great teacher and always ready with a word of encouragement, and loves to help others on the farm pursue their interests. And he does a great job taking care of our pigs and cattle! Where did you grow up? I grew up in southeast Louisiana. What did you do before you came to farming/Whiffletree? I served 10 years in the Navy and then produced, managed, and directed off-road triathlons and trail runs. What inspired you to become a farmer? Inspiration came from a growing biblical worldview and the connection of so many physical, emotional, and psychological ailments that plague society. Other inspiration came from authors such as Wendell Berry and Joel Salatin. What are some things you didn’t expect to learn that farming has taught you? That farming is like many other disciplines: get started and then learn through experience of what works and what doesn’t, then adjust and execute. Develop and nurture relationships. Continue in humility as knowledge and experience develops. God created us to participate and though nature is complex, there are techniques, practices, and procedures that are tried and true for managing in a way that benefits the entire ecosystem, in which we are connected. How has farming benefited you? I have benefited, just as I have served in the Navy and then as a race director, to be surrounded by amazing men and women who strive for excellence in all that they do. As well, farming reminds me that at the end of the day humans need clothing, shelter, and food…and that those animals need to be managed in a way that honors the animals’ nature and benefits the land, and that we farmers are dependent on our customers to value our good work, and that we farmers are here to serve our customers, animals, and land. So that in the end, each day is a day to be committed in service of others. What do you hope to accomplish through farming? To continue surrounding myself around others who value the need for managing animals in an ethical way that results in healthy, vibrant ecology and nourishing food. How has your role at Whiffletree evolved in your time here? I have gone from Intern (then serving at another farm for the summer and then spending a brief time back home) to current feeder to finish hog manager and secondarily maintaining, repairing, or coordinating repairs on our various vehicles and equipment. This coming year I will take more of a lead on our beef production. Most memorable Whiffletree experience? My most memorable Whiffletree experience would be sharing our winter internship experience with Robby and Josiah. The work was great but our time spent gathered together during meals and other non-farm related activities was most memorable. What’s your favorite animal on the farm? And why? Pigs: start to finish they are aesthetically pleasing to look at and come with bunches of personality. Favorite hobby? Or favorite things you like to do when not working? I like to backpack, read, and visit friends. Favorite food? I like to cook and eat various soups and stews. Favorite dish you like to make with a Whiffletree item? Within those soups and stews, I like to put various types of beef ranging from ground beef, beef brats, and steak.

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