Slagel Family Farm dinners (Fairbury, IL)

There is a thread on the Events Board discussing the Slagel Family Farm dinners. Anyone who eats out in Chicago much will sooner or later run into the name of that farm--they supply a number of top-notch restaurants here with a variety of meats. And for a couple years now, they have hosted day-long outings such as the one we attended on May 3, the first for 2014--all "starring" meals prepared by top-notch chefs. (The remaining programs for the rest of this season include chefs from The Publican/Publican Quality Meats; Nana Organic & Owen and Engine; Found Kitchen & Rootstock; Three Aces, Bedford & Carriage House; and Osteria Via Stato & Endgrain Restaurant. Check out their website, here.)

The day was a present, courtesy of the Lovely Dining Companion, and my lateness in posting, as you will see, has no bearing on what I thought of the day. I am quite pleased to report that the day was a complete success. Although it’s a longish two-hour bus ride to Fairbury, Illinois (south of Kankakee), once we arrived, we were warmly greeted by LouisJohn Slagel (and other members of the Slagel family). We were welcomed into the purpose-built dining room for a series of hors d’oeuvres prepared by Paul Virant (alone, it should be noted; no kitchen assistants). From chicken meatballs to farm-fresh smoked ham, from pork sausage with beer jam (!) to a white bean salad, it was a challenge to try everything only once (or twice) and leave room for what promised to be the stellar dinner to come.

After a chance to sample everything and talk with Chef—who was quite approachable and voluble—LouisJohn (a quite mature and eloquent young man—mid 20s) took us into town for a butchering demonstration. Truth to tell, I was afraid that an hour seemed like a long time to devote to a butchering demonstration but I was very wrong. They had a half a hog waiting for us and the hour flew by. LouisJohn is extremely good at explaining exactly what he is doing each step of the way and, more important, why he is doing it. He provides enough detail to understand the process and why he chooses to do it one way and not another. He explains porcine anatomy in a way that is quite helpful to appreciating both the technique and the process. As it turned out, I must have asked a good half-dozen questions along the way as the hour turned into an absolutely fascinating demonstration.



Butchering demo

After the butchering demo concluded (depending on the month you visit, you may see LouisJohn butcher a hog, or a cow, or even a lamb…luck of the draw, I think), the thirty or so folks in the group were shuttled back to the farm for a tour that also lasted in the vicinity of an hour. They raise animals at the Slagel Family Farm, so we saw everything from the pigs (and piglets) to the chickens, the cattle, and lambs. Judging by overheard comments, it’s an eye-opening experience for those who have never stepped foot on a working farm before and we learned a remarkable amount of information about what it’s like to run the farm. I have no doubt that we barely scratched the surface, but to hear it straight from the mouth of someone whose family has farmed here for five generations is a real privilege. We learned about what it entails to raise these animals, some of how it’s done, why they choose to do it the way they do, and how LouisJohn brought him farm to the attention of chefs in Chicago.


Paul Virant


Dining room

The entire time, the extended family members (LouisJohn himself has twelve siblings, many of whom are married and not all of whom work on a farm), all of whom are warm and outgoing, were more than happy to answer questions. And having a bid family came in handy when it came time to serve dinner, the last event of the day and the highlight of the trip. Paul Virant came out from his tiny (open) kitchen to explain the meal, discuss the provenance of the ingredients, and answer questions. It’s quite a treat not only to have a meal made by Paul Virant, but to have him there to answer all your questions and to be treated to the ultimate in local produce is a rare opportunity.

Dinner began with a sausage duo: lamb merguez served with feta from Prairie Fruits Farm in Champaign, arugula, and lemon plus a goat currywurst with yogurt, smoked tomato, and massaged kale. Yep, you read that right: “massaged.” Both sausages were spicy and the presentations were ideal. Food was served family style (you sit at picnic tables indoors; they offer water or lemonade and you’re welcome to BYOB).


Lamb merguez


Goat currywurst

A neighboring farm provided fresh asparagus—first of the season for a salad that included duck eggs, a preserved tuna mayonnaise, and pickled herbs. Yummy.


Grilled asparagus salad

The main course was superb: beef shank shepherd’s pie (including a top crust featuring two different cheeses from the most distant suppliers, in Wisconsin), fresh peas, and dinner rolls. (By the way, don’t underrate the dinner rolls. Paul Virant made them and there was sour cream in them and they were way above anything we had any right to expect.)


Shepherd’s Pie, as presented


My dinner plate

Dessert was absolutely terrific: rhubarb crisp (rhubarb courtesy of a small plot on the Slagel’s farm) with fresh clotted cream. Sometimes the simplest desserts can just blow you away.


Dessert

The price for the entire day, which includes bus transportation from the city, the butchering demo, and the farm tour—not to mention dinner by Paul Virant—was $125. Frankly, dinner alone would have been worth the price. When you consider all you “get,” these tours are a no-brainer and, indeed, we met others who had been there multiple times before. If you have the least interest in any or all of what the Slagels are offering, we would urge you in the most emphatic terms to sign up. I don't think you'll be in the least surprised to hear that I, for one, am eager to return.

Nice! I'm planning on the June dinner.

I neglected to mention that virtually all of the pig that LouisJohn butchered was for sale and, once we returned to the farm, we were able to buy various other items. We got some ribeyes and filets and also some eggs. They're all gone now: excellent stuff. Maybe the the best ribeye I've ever had but the filets were a real surprise--much larger and far more flavor than I'm accustomed to in that cut. Our only disappointment was that the range of choices didn't approach what's on their website, but one is always free to order that way.

Gypsy Boy wrote:I neglected to mention that virtually all of the pig that LouisJohn butchered was for sale and, once we returned to the farm, we were able to buy various other items. We got some ribeyes and filets and also some eggs. They're all gone now: excellent stuff. Maybe the the best ribeye I've ever had but the filets were a real surprise--much larger and far more flavor than I'm accustomed to in that cut. Our only disappointment was that the range of choices didn't approach what's on their website, but one is always free to order that way.

Gypsy Boy,

Was the meat from the pig and/or the steaks that you bought fresh and not frozen? I assume the pig was fresh, since it was butchered for the event, but what about the steaks?

goat currywurst sounds so good

The ribeyes and filets were both frozen and I would guess (though I didn't ask to be certain) that buying any meat except that which was butchered in the demo, would be frozen as well. Yes, the butchered pork was fresh. In fact, it was a little "aged," as Louis John explained, given the needs and schedule of the store, the rest of the pig had been butchered a few days earlier.

Currywurst was an intriguing dish. The Lovely Dining Companion didn't care fot it because she isn't particularly a fan of goat. Frankly, I thought that the spicing largely diminished the flavor of the goat, but as part of the larger dish (i.e., with the yogurt and kale), it was impressive. And even fairly spicy.

I don't doubt that you are correct about the beef. I keep searching for some fresh (never frozen) farm raised meat, but no one seems to sell it. I was hoping that if I went to the farm I might be able to get some before it is frozen.

stevez wrote:I don't doubt that you are correct about the beef. I keep searching for some fresh (never frozen) farm raised meat, but no one seems to sell it. I was hoping that if I went to the farm I might be able to get some before it is frozen.

So the meat at Butcher and Larder and at PQM is previously frozen?

No. Not previously frozen (as is true at most quality butchers in the area). Those are places I gladly buy beef. I was referring more to the farmers market type vendors who actually raise the animals themselves.

Got it - thanks.

Steve,
For what it's worth, people who attended in the past told us that the usual practice was to open the retail butcher shop to let people buy (fresh) meat there following the butchering demo. For whatever reason (I strongly suspect that it had to do with our group getting a very late start and thereby screwing up the schedule), they didn't do that on our visit. Under the circumstances, I think that explains why our choices were so (relatively) limited. Instead of choosing from what would be on offer at the butcher shop, we were stuck with what was frozen and available at the farm. Given that these dinners are widely spaced in time, it makes no sense for them to stock much, if any, fresh meat at the farm for sale. There simply aren't any visitors except for these dinners. So I guess we got a somewhat shorter end of the stick on our visit since we didn't have the chance to shop for fresh meat (except the one pig). Oh well. Besides, it's a good reason to return.