Meat of the operation

Makaweli Meat Company, which opened last December, raises, harvests and processes grass-fed beef on Kauai’s Westside. Upcountry, six full-time paniolo (cowboys) manage 6,000 head of cattle, which are rotated on 30,000 acres of land that the Robinson family bought in 1864.

When general manager Jehu Fuller came on board, the Robinsons had been ranching on Kauai for six generations and cattle were sent to the Mainland and finished on corn.

“Now we are finding that corn is not good for cattle,” says Fuller. “I didn’t know. I didn’t ever question where my food came from, but when I found out how corn-fed cattle are raised, I thought, ‘I’m not feeding this to my kids!’”

Cattle are ruminants, which means they have four stomachs that were designed to process grass. Because cattle get sick from eating corn, they have to be pumped full of antibiotics, which also makes them grow faster, reaching market size quicker. Overuse of antibiotics creates “superbugs,” a strain of bacteria that are resistant to medical treatment in humans.

A Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, or CAFO, is a production process that concentrates large numbers of animals in relatively small and confined places, and replaces land and labor with structures and equipment.

“These cattle stand in their manure all day long for 18 months,” says Fuller of the cattle that are harvested at 2 years of age, “so they get a lot of foot and mouth diseases, which is another reason why they need so many antibiotics. Plus, corn-fed cattle carry more E. coli than grass-fed cattle.”

Makaweli beef is antibiotic, hormone and steroid free. When designing the corral, Fuller worked directly with Temple Grandin, an internationally acclaimed autistic doctor of animal science who is known for revolutionizing the beef industry with her visionary work as a humane livestock facility designer.

“Humane handling is important for the animal’s health,” explains Fuller. “It also keeps their stress level down so they don’t release as much adrenaline going into the abattoir, making the meat more tender.”

Another tenderizing factor is that Makaweli dry-ages entire carcasses for a minimum of two weeks. This technique allows meat to rest in very carefully controlled conditions for up to 60 days. Natural enzymes tenderize the meat and add complexity of flavor — savoriness, sweetness, some bitterness — that no cooking method can duplicate.

There are six employees at Makaweli Meat Company who harvest and process each head of cattle by hand. After the carcasses are hung and dry-aged, they are hand-cut by skilled butchers into custom cuts for restaurants.

“We have a whole-carcass program,” explains Fuller. “Creative chefs are excited to use the entire animal, which to me is a sustainable use.”

On the day I visit, 19 pieces are being cut for Guy Higa, executive chef of the Kauai Marriott Resort. The beef is highlighted on Kukui’s new dinner menu under the “Cut of the Night” section as well as the Makaweli Burger.

“We use it wherever we can, such as the breakfast buffet and banquets,” says Higa, who also serves it on my food tours. “Since we buy the whole carcass, we have to be creative to utilize everything. I do it because it helps make Kauai sustainable.”

Makaweli Meat Company beef can also be found at Josselin’s Tapas Bar & Grill, Plantation Gardens, Verde, Oasis on the Beach, MCS Grill, Poipu Tropical Burger, JJ’s Broiler, Chicken in a Barrel, The Wine Shop, Papaya’s Natural Foods & Cafe and all Big Save/Times markets. For more information, call 855-5241or visit MakaweliMeatCompany.com.

• Marta Lane has been a food writer on Kauai since 2010. Her farm to fork food tours showcases what’s in season. She is the author of Tasting Kauai: Restaurants – From Food Trucks to Fine Dining, A Guide to Eating Well on the Garden Island. For more information, visit TastingKauai.com.