Disclosure: This post and steak salad recipe was created in partnership with Kansas Soybean, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Pork Association as a way to connect farmers to readers to encourage understanding and conversations about farming and our food systems. I was compensated for my time and all opinions are my own.

A Salad that’s a Whole Meal

As a dietitian, I like a good salad. Pretty stereotypical I know, but I also want my salad to be filling and to be a full meal. Enter steak as an ingredient.

This isn’t just any steak either. I had the opportunity to meet Janet Phillips of Show-Me Kansas Farms. Her and her husband, Caleb, raise cattle in Southeast Kansas. In talking to Janet the one thing that stood out to me, besides her being a savvy businesswoman, is that she truly cares about the taste and quality of the beef. Janet and Caleb have set themselves apart from the typical beef you get in the grocery store in several ways.

Steak That is Set Apart

The difference in taste starts with the breed of cattle used. The Phillips family raises a cross of an Angus and Gelbvieh cattle. Both of them have their advantages and together make a cow that grows and tastes excellent. The cattle on the Show-Me Kansas Farm are able to roam free in the pastures and are finished on corn. Feeding their cattle a corn-based grain end up producing meat with a much higher degree of marbling, which delivers cuts of meat that are juicier and more tender. As Janet explained to me this is just one more choice they make to deliver high quality meat that just taste better.

Along with the breed of cattle and how they are raised they are dry aged for 21 days. This process means moisture evaporates from the muscle and concentrates the beef flavor and also enzymes break down the connective tissue in the muscle, which leads to more tender beef.

Janet and Caleb are also conscientious of sustainability. “We want to leave the ground in better condition than before, so our children have the same opportunities as we do to raise crops and animals as well as a family out here on the farm just like we are doing.”

Read more about how dairy farmers are also committed to sustainability here.

steak-salad-recipe — This steak salad also includes sweet potato, avocado, cherry tomatoes making it full of healthy fats, vitamin A, and lycopene.

From the Farm to Your Front Door

Part of what makes this beef unique, apart from the flavor, is the business model of Show-Me Kansas Farms. It is truly farm to doorstep to table. Every Monday Janet ships the beef out and is at her customer’s doorsteps within 3 days. The beef is even available in subscription style boxes that ship the first Monday of the month. Customers have the choice to receive their box monthly, every other month, or every 3 months.

The boxes contain different combinations of cuts such as ground, skirt steak, flat iron, rib-eye, and t-bone steaks. All, of course, raised right on the Show-Me Kansas Farms and dry-aged.

Reconnecting Customers and Farmers

One reason that I love the opportunities I’ve had over the past few years with Kansas Soybean, Kansas Farm Bureau, and Kansas Pork is going on farm tours across the midwest. I’ve been able to learn so much about the food system and how farmers do the amazing work that they do. I’ve also been able to meet a few farmers! Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for most people. We often don’t get to meet the hard working men and women that keep our food system going.

In talking with Janet, one thing she said she loves is using social media to be able to connect with her customers. Through her Instagram page, showmekansasfarms, she allows her followers to have a peek into the day in the life of a farmer. From planting to harvest customers can gain a greater understanding of what goes into raising cattle (and kids!) at the same time.

The Perfect Steak Preparation

For this steak salad recipe I used a ribeye. A few tips when cooking a steak:

Allowing the meat to come to room temperature before cooking allows for a more even cook all the way through. If your meat is cold when it hits the pan, it can cause the muscle fibers to tense up.
Cooking with a cast iron is a great option for cooking steak. The pan is thick and a great conductor for heat.
Always start with high heat whether you are grilling your steaks or searing them in a cast iron skillet. A high heat carmelizes the outside and locks in the juices and flavor.
Allowing the steak to rest before slicing allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and prevents moisture from evaporating.
If you are concerned about overcooking your steaks or want to cook them to the perfect doneness for you use an instant-read thermometer.
- 130 F for rare
- 135 F for medium-rare
- 145 F for medium
- 150 for medium-well
- 160 for well done.

The Butter on Top

The blue cheese butter on top of the steaks makes this steak salad stand out. Sounds fancy right? It’s actually super simple. Just mixing together room temperature butter, blue cheese, and freshly cut herbs and you’ve got a topping that goes wonderfully with your perfectly cooked steak.

Gorgonzola cheese can be used in place of blue cheese. Also trying a mix of fresh herbs to mix it up. I used basil and parsley but herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary, or chives.