Delving Into The Origins of The Keg’s Legendary Steaks

As one of the most popular steakhouse chains in Canada, The Keg has cultivated a reputation for serving up satisfying, high-quality beef. When you bite into one of their perfectly charred steaks, you can taste the care that goes into sourcing and preparing it. But for those wondering exactly where The Keg gets all that delicious beef, read on to get an inside look at their supply chain.

An Overview of The Keg’s Beef Sourcing

The Keg proudly sources almost all of their beef from Canadian farms and ranches. This commitment to local sourcing provides freshness and supports the Canadian beef industry. Specifically, a large proportion of their beef comes from Alberta cattle farms.

While a small percentage may come from farms in the United States and other areas, The Keg emphasizes procuring beef from Canadian suppliers whenever possible This local focus results in steaks that capture the flavors of Alberta and other Canadian locales

Why Canadian Beef Shines

Canada’s beef producers must adhere to extremely rigorous standards enforced by agencies like the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Strict regulations cover animal treatment processing food safety protocols, and more. This ensures Canadian beef offers an outstanding eating experience and helps justify The Keg’s preference for local sourcing.

Canada also enjoys prime grassland geography that helps cattle farmers raise healthy, well-fed livestock. The excellent marbling achieved helps steaks stay juicy and tender when cooked. With its long history of cattle ranching, Canada has perfected processes for delivering beef with exceptional flavor and tenderness.

Selecting the Finest Cuts

The Keg doesn’t simply buy whatever beef cuts are available – they hand select particular cuts to highlight on their menu. Their team looks for attributes like marbling, thickness, and muscle structure to identify steaks that will deliver the ultimate taste and texture.

A perfect example is their sirloin steaks. The Keg specifically chooses sirloins with a larger tender loin muscle to ensure tenderness in every bite. This intentional selection process allows The Keg to showcase Canadian beef at its finest.

Why The Keg Avoids Frozen Beef

Many large restaurant chains rely heavily on frozen beef to keep costs down and improve logistics. However, The Keg purposefully avoids frozen product as much as possible. Instead, they use fresh, never-frozen beef for the majority of their steaks and other menu items.

This commitment to freshness ensures the fullest, most vibrant beef flavor. The exceptional tenderness of The Keg’s steaks simply wouldn’t be possible with frozen beef. Keeping supplies fresh rather than frozen does make inventory management more complicated, but The Keg considers it more than worthwhile.

Building Strong Farmer Relationships

Maintaining close relationships with cattle farmers allows The Keg to implement their exacting standards for beef quality and freshness. They communicate directly with ranchers to ensure proper breed selection, grazing practices, and handling protocols are followed.

This collaboration lets farmers understand The Keg’s expectations and deliver cattle that will in turn produce excellent steaks. Beyond just sourcing beef, these partnerships with local producers also support sustainability, animal welfare, and community development.

Why Local Beef Supports Sustainability

In addition to providing freshness and quality, The Keg’s use of Canadian beef supports environmental and economic sustainability. Local sourcing means less transportation, fuel use, and emissions associated with long-distance shipping. It also keeps more dollars within the Canadian economy, supporting farmers and related businesses.

The Keg further champions sustainability by partnering with the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. This organization promotes practices like water conservation, biodiversity, and waste reduction among cattle producers. As a proud partner, The Keg sources some beef from certified sustainable farms.

Special Care Taken with Each Cut

The journey from pasture to plate doesn’t end once The Keg procures their beef. Their team handles each cut with care as it moves through their supply chain. Unique ageing and cutting processes enhance tenderness and flavor in every steak.

A dry ageing room held at precise conditions slowly tenderizes beef over 30-45 days. Custom cutting maximizes the potential of each primal cut. And every steak is trimmed and portioned by hand for ideal thickness. The Keg even ages their ground beef for enhanced juiciness in burgers.

Bringing Home the Steakhouse Experience

The key to replicating The Keg’s steak excellence at home is starting with the highest quality fresh beef you can find from a trusted butcher. Look for good marbling, adequate thickness, and beautiful red color. Properly seasoning and searing the exterior will really intensify the beefy flavor.

Cook to no more than medium rare so the steak stays tender and juicy. Let it rest for 5+ minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute. Pairing it with mushrooms, roasted potatoes, or other simple sides prevents overshadowing the star of the show – the beef itself.

With incredible care put into every step from pasture to plate, The Keg delivers an unmatched steak experience rooted in Canadian beef heritage. Their commitments to freshness, tenderness, and building local partnerships shine through in every satisfying, mouthwatering bite.