And when they were doing their cattle call for Le Grand, the Stetson-topped ranchers of CBB gave both the front and back of the house an extensive meat-tasting seminar, answering questions about their beef and educating the staff, making sure that "they could put a face to the product," Elliott says.
Chefs can often tell the quality of a restaurant through its burger, and Le Grand's Colorado's Best Beef burger puts lesser-pedigreed versions to shame. This meat tastes just like the word "Charolais" sounds in your mouth: sweet, rich, almost European in its flamboyant flavors. The fresh aioli, the Gruyère, the caramelized onions all melting into each other would threaten to overload the already sweet beef — it if weren't strong enough to hold up. The burger is juicy without being messy, delicate without the fat making it seem too savory. In short, it's just about perfect.
Kirsten Bose
The contented cows of Colorado's Best Beef.
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Colorado's Best Beef has raised the bar for Colorado beef. But it's not easy being Best. The beef industry has suffered from stories about so-called pink slime, and this summer's drought has hurt the two families hard, with water scarce and hay and feed prices skyrocketing. But ranchers are used to rolling with the punches. Just as Charolais seem to have deliciousness in their genes, Ferris believes he's got ranching in his bloodstream. "I was born into it, exposed to it from a very young age, couldn't shake it," he says.
"It's just a good way of life," adds Elliott.
And it helps when that life is dedicated to very good beef.
