Field trip: beef carcass butchery class and dinner with Mark DeNittis

Here's a good reason to leave the city in the dust: Next month, on Saturday, February 1, beginning at 10:30 a.m., chef and master butcher Mark DeNittis, the brainchild behind the Rocky Mountain Institute of Meat at Cook Street School of Culinary Arts, is giving food-conscious curiosity seekers and students...

By Lori Midson

January 7, 2014

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Here's a good reason to leave the city in the dust: Next month, on Saturday, February 1, beginning at 10:30 a.m., chef and master butcher Mark DeNittis, the brainchild behind the Rocky Mountain Institute of Meat at Cook Street School of Culinary Arts, is giving food-conscious curiosity seekers and students the opportunity to take a field trip to the farm, specifically Sunrise Ranch, a 350-acre, holistic prairie land burrowing in the hills of Loveland. "This is the first of many unique cooperative opportunities to come from the professional teams of the Rocky Mountain Institute of Meat," says DeNittis, adding that the all-day excursion, complete with lunch and dinner, is "geared toward home cooks, enthusiasts and professional alike."

Those who make the trek will get a tour of the farm and ranch, which utilizes organic farming methods and is home to permaculture vegetable gardens, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, goats, cows and pigs. Following the tour, DeNittis, who's always theatrical in his chain apron, will teach a hands-on course in whole cow butchery; lunch and dinner, courtesy of the chefs at Sunrise Ranch, will also be provided. "Truly, this is a unique opportunity for food lovers, regardless of their experience, to better understand how meat is raised, processed and prepared. This is all about demonstrating the path from pasture to plate" stresses DeNittis.

The $135 tuition includes the class, the tour and both meals, and if you go, DeNittis asks that you bring your own apron; if you want to bunk overnight, lodging is available for an additional fee. To register, call 970-679-4244.

Follow @CafeWestword

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.