Why Zaycon Foods?

I have been a loyal customer of Zaycon Foods chicken breasts for a few years now. It was quite popular in the Seattle area where I have lived before moving to Atlanta. I was a bit discouraged when we moved to Atlanta because I could no longer get Zaycon, well so I thought. I was super excited to find out that Zaycon does in-fact have many local areas they deliver, Atlanta being one of them. While in Seattle, I would usually purchase an entire cow that was grazed and non-corn feed. Being from Seattle we have stereotype of being “all-natural”, and of coarse that’s true :-), so I would usually turn up my “natural-hippy” nose to “beef in a tube”. However, what I found moving here Atlanta is that the cattle that is raised here (or at least the cow I purchased) wasn’t that good. Since I was so happy with Zaycon chicken I decided to try their ground beef. I am so glad I did!

Who is Zaycon Foods?

Here is a product info from the Zaycon website.

• No pink slime.
• The beef cattle have a grass diet which is supplemented by grain after they reach approximately 700 pounds.
• 100% grown in the USA.
• There are no chemicals, additives or water added to meat during processing.
• Processed at a USDA-inspected, state-of-the-art plant employing strict operating protocols (including HACCP) and the highest in food-safety standards
• Prior to processing, inspectors from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service randomly sample cattle under a monitoring plan and perform testing for antibiotic residues.
• USDA nutrition labeling standards defines “extra lean” and “lean” ground beef based on the lean/fat ratio. While not part of these guidelines, the term “super lean” is often used in the grocery sector to describe ground beef at the upper end of the “lean” category (i.e., “Zaycon Foods 93/7 Super Lean Ground Beef”). This ground beef product is 93% lean and 7% fat
• Comes in a 40-lb case with four 10-lb chubs per case (approximate weight–see note below)
  

[NOTE:  This product is an approximate weight. Some cases will weigh slightly less than 40 lbs. Customers receiving cases less than 40 lbs will receive an exact credit representing this difference in their ZF account.]

So that’s great! Not totally grass-fed but for the price I received an excellent product. One thing about grass fed ground beef is there isn’t much “shrinkage” (no Seinfeld reference here). I had the same results with Zaycon beef, also after browning the beef there was hardly any fat in the pan. Not to mention that flavor was amazing also!

A little bit of info about Zaycon Foods. First you register with your email on their website, find a town/city near you and order your product. You will be charged in advance for your order, and you pick it up (for me in a local church parking lot) from the Zaycon truck. Seems a little strange at first, but whats great is by doing this Zaycon cuts out the middle man, so you get a fantastic price. The current price is $4.49 a pound for 93/7 which is a great price!

Another thing to keep in mind is you now have 40 pounds of ground beef! What the heck are you going to do with that much meat? For starters have a plan! I took one tube and cut in up into two pound sections and froze it. The next tube, half I browned, and half I made into taco meat, and froze it for later use (see below for a pic of the most awesome tools for browning ground beef, you can buy it here). I made a few of my favorite taco soups, hamburger patties (awesome tool here), meatballs, along with my friends famous “tator-tot-casserole” which I will post at the end of this post. I know as runners getting enough protein is always a struggle so you could make patties, ground beef, etc.in single serving bags and throw them in the freezer. BAM! Just pull it out from your freezer and heat it up, and you have ready to go protein!

In conclusion, I must say Zaycon won me over with their ground beef. They are doing deliveries in my area again in December and I can’t wait! Since my family loved the beef so much we have ran out of it, and having to purchase beef from a grocery store isn’t the same as Zaycon – I am spoiled now!

Pro’s

• Price
• Quality

Con’s

•  Quantity, some people may be overwhelmed by the amount.

Keri’s Tator Tot Casserole Recipe:

1.5lb ground beef, brown with a small chopped onion. In a bowl mix 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 8oz or more sour cream, and about a cup of shredded cheese or more. Stir in hot browned meat and onion mixture with the drippings (don’t drain). Stir and pour over 32oz bag of tots in 13×9 pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350 and serve with peas.

*disclaimer Zaycon did provide me this beef at no cost for my opinion, but I will purchase this product in December and beyond at my own cost! 

You may ask how does Zaycon get the food to your local area? See below to find out how.