​I may be wrong but I am fairly certain that Eric married me because I know how to cook steak. If you are looking to win the love of your life over with a yummy meal this Valentine’s Day EC Williams Livestock has got you!
First, you are going to want to start with the best of the best, Tenderloin Steak, also known as Filet Mignon. EC Williams Livestock Tenderloin Steaks are from cows that have been raised using regenerative agriculture practices and are grass fed and finished. So, it has a beefy, natural flavour. It comes from a muscle that runs along the back of the cow and gets little exercise – the reason it is so tender. The lack of fat in the tenderloin steaks means a lack of flavour, but the lack of flavour is made up by the buttery tenderness. And a great recipe!
 
TENDERLOIN STEAKS IN GARLIC BUTTER
Ensure that your steak is defrosted and has been brought to room temperature. Set it on the counter 30-60 minutes before cooking.  
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Season each side of the steaks with salt and pepper.
Combine 1 tsp each of garlic, rosemary, and thyme with 3 tbsp of butter. Heat garlic butter in a cast iron or another oven safe frying pan. Careful not to burn your butter! Once it has melted add your steaks to the pan. The butter should be hot enough that the steaks sizzle when they hit the pan. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes while spooning the melted butter over the top of the steaks. Then place the whole pan into your hot oven. Cook for 10 minutes. Then let the steaks rest in the pan for 5 minutes before slicing.
 
To go alongside your steaks I recommend some yummy sides – perhaps a stuffed potato and a vegetable. To save time I use Jenny’s Delectables Gourmet Stuffed Potatoes and I like to grab a bag of fresh veggies from Shirley’s Greenhouse. Of course, a delicious meal could not be complete without dessert. When I don’t have time to bake, I stop at Traditional Sweet Shop in Carstairs for a treat.
To make this romantic Valentine’s Day even easier we partnered with Jenny’s Delectables, The Traditional Sweet Shop, and Sweet Williams Co. to create the Falling For You Bundle.  This Bundle includes 2 EC Williams Livestock Tenderloin Steaks, 2 Traditional Gourmet Stuffed Potatoes from Jenny’s Delectables, 2 of Traditional Sweet Shop’s Mini Chocolate Heart Cakes, and a small rose bouquet from the lovely Sweet Williams Co. Pre-order online for delivery to Crossfield, Airdrie, and Calgary on February 13th and Carstairs, Didsbury, and Olds on February 14th, 2022 then create a romantic at-home date night for you and your love on Valentine’s Day! 

You can find a condensed version of our story here, but this month I am using this space to share a bit more about our agriculture passions and values. By doing this I hope that you feel confident in choosing EC Williams Livestock beef to nourish your family.
EC Williams Livestock is owned and operated by Eric and Courtney Williams. We bought the farm from his parents in 2014 and are the third generation to farm and raise our family on this land. As we grew our herd we began to learn about regenerative agriculture practices and introduce them into our farm.
These practices include rotational grazing. Rotational grazing controls the grazing and regrowth of forage grasses allowing the plants’ root systems to establish themselves.  This promotes micronutrients and carbon sequestration and reduces soil erosion and water run-off. It provides cattle with a wide variety of nutrient dense feed. The benefits to the soil negate the need for pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. So while we are not certified organic, we are proud to say that the pastures that our cattle graze are chemical-free. We have also seen a decrease in health issues as the quality of the feed increases. If for some reason an animal falls ill it is removed from our butcher program, given antibiotics if needed, and kept as breeding stock, or sold at an auction. None of the animals used to produce beef for EC Williams Livestock are given antibiotics.
God’s timing is always perfect. For while we introduced these practices we had a few people approach us to ask if we would sell grass-finished beef. In 2018, we started with a handful of quarters and halves and the next year we did another round of quarters and halves and began to sell individual cuts and bundles. We will soon have cuts in 5 local artisan markets in Olds, Didsbury, Carstairs, and Calgary. 2021 was our first Farmer’s Market season and we will be back at Homestead Market, just outside of Airdrie for the spring and summer of 2022.
Eric often says that he raises the beef while Courtney sells it. Through God’s guidance we have learned what sustainability looks like for our farm, our business, and our family. We are so thankful to be in a place of steady growth. EC Williams Livestock has allowed us to pursue both of our dreams of farming, running a business, and pursuing careers. 

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