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William Randolph Hearst, the American newspaper magnate whose life inspired the Orson Welles movie, Citizen Kane, inherited the land now known as the Hearst Ranch in 1891. Located between Los Angeles and San Francisco near the small town of San Simeon, the ranch was originally part of the Hearst estate, site of William Randolf’s extravagant 90,000-square-foot home, Hearst Castle. After William Randolf’s death, the property was donated to the state of California in 1957. As a State Historic Monument and National Historic Landmark, Hearst Castle remains a popular tourist attraction, with over a million visitors each year. The Hearst Ranch includes much of the land that surrounds Hearst Castle. For many years, the Hearst Corporation sought to discover a way to preserve the working nature of the cattle ranch that William Randolph’s father purchased in 1865. Stephan Hearst, William Randolf’s great-grandson, suggested that marketing the ranch’s grass-fed beef as gourmet food might make the ranch self-sustaining economically, while preserving the land for posterity. In 2005, the corporation reached an agreement with the state that ensures that the 82,000-acre ranch will be preserved. The Hearst Ranch brand also includes Jack Ranch, a 73,000-acre spread in Cholame, California. Both ranches consist of rolling hills covered in grasses native to the areas, including rye, clovers, needle grass and trefoil. Stephen Hearst currently operates Hearst Ranch. Hearst Ranch cattle include Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn breeds, all living a completely natural existence, foraging and grazing. Calves are raised each year in order to sustain the herd. Cattle are harvested when they reach a finishing weight of 1,000 to 1,100 pounds. Members of the ranch team escort the cattle to harvest to ensure that they are handled in a low-stress environment. The team sees to it that the quality of the product is in accordance with established standards. As a gourmet food, grass-fed beef provides a variety of health benefits over corn-fed beef. The beef contains 10 times more beta-carotene than beef not raised on grass, which helps to strengthen the immune system and maintain healthy bones. Grass-fed beef contains 3 times more vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, which helps to prevent cardiovascular disease. In addition, grass-fed beef contains 3 times the amount of conjugated linoleic acid, one of the “good” fats that has been shown to help reduce the “bad” cholesterol, LDL. The taste of grass-fed beef reflects the flavor components of natural forage. A characteristic of grass-fed beef that makes it a gourmet food is the taste variations that can occur from month to month, depending on the forage components. Grass-fed beef has a taste of herbs and spices. Hearst Ranch has no minimum order requirement. All their meat is shipped frozen by overnight delivery. Since grass-fed beef is rich in healthy fats, which cook more quickly at lower temperatures than “bad” fats, grass-fed beef requires lower temperatures and cooks faster than conventional beef. Hearst Ranch recommends brushing the meat with olive oil, then grilling or pan frying the meat over medium-high heat. Hearst Ranch offers other gourmet food as well, including as Illiamna Alaskan Wild Red Salmon, caught off the shores of Western Alaska. Also known as Sockeye, the wild salmon features firm flesh, brilliant color and a sweet, mineral aroma. Their Heritage American Bronze Turkey gourmet food is from a breed that dates back to the 1800s. Other Hearst Ranch gourmet food includes hamburgers, hot dogs, pork, bacon, and ham. They also sell grass-fed beef jerky and lamb. Hearst Ranch offers gourmet food sauces and oils under their own brand as well, including olive oil, ketchup and barbeque sauce. For Hearst brand fans, clothing is available, too, featuring hoodies, long T-shirts, fleeces and hats. The gourmet food offered by Hearst Ranch can turn any foodie into a fan. For more information regarding gourmet food, please visit MyReviewsNow.net Shop At Home.
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