Taco from Chef Danny Calleros of Ardovino’s Desert Crossing. Courtesy photo
Christopher and Chef Noah Scanland of Noah’s table. Courtesy photo
By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
NM Foodies
For the Los Alamos Daily Post
If you want honest food criticism, bring a teenager. But not just any teenager.
My 13-year-old son is the kind of kid who experiments with sauces at home, studies restaurant menus for fun, and debates steak doneness like a seasoned cook. So, when we headed to the annual Grassfed Smackdown in Santa Fe, he arrived ready to evaluate.
Hosted by Edible New Mexico and the Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance, the event pairs New Mexico ranchers with chefs who create small plates featuring locally raised grassfed beef and lamb. Guests wander from booth to booth in the Santa Fe Brewing Company’s scenic courtyard tasting dishes while meeting the chefs and ranchers behind the dishes.
For NM Junior Foodies, that combination is perfect. Great food is exciting. Knowing where it came from makes it memorable.
Honestly, there were so many good dishes here we found it really hard to pick a favorite! James Beard nominated Chef Danny Calleros of Ardovino’s Desert Crossing served a pecan-smoked lamb leg from Laughing Goat Gardens wrapped in a warm borderland tortilla and topped with sundried tomato mole.
One of the most creative dishes came from Chef Ray Naranjo, who turned a tamale batter into a waffle. The “Cloud Tamale Waffle” was griddled with cheese and topped with smoked brisket from Sol Ranch and finished with red chile barbecue sauce. We’ve seen Chef Ray up here at Bathtub Brewery (usually they’re here Thursdays) with Manko Food Truck for years, so we’ve been fans of his for a while!
Chef Ray Naranjo’s cloud tamale waffles with brisket and red chile. Courtesy photo
Chef Kyle Key of NM ChileJang (a fusion mashup of traditional gojuchang and NM red chile) brought Korean flavors to the event with a shio koji lamb riblet ssam using lamb from the New Mexico Hair Sheep Producers, paired with chilejang ssamjang and pickles. We took home a nice shoulder roast from NM Hair Sheep Producers and a jar of NM Chilejang for him to cook up later!
Lamb riblet from Chef Kyle Key of NM ChileJang. Courtesy photo
Chef Noah Scanland combined surf and turf with smoked tri-tip from Dry Creek Meats served over a spicy Cajun crawfish spread on toasted crostini.
We got a chance to talk to the chef about his dish, which we found unique and delicious. He runs Noah’s Table out of Bosque Farms, a mobile catering and personal chef service, which gets rave reviews.
Tri-tip toasts with crawfish sauce from Chef Noah Scanland. Courtesy photo
Chef Nathan Mayes of Manana Taco cooked up smoked lamb barbacoa tacos with KAE Ranch lamb taco “con todo” with a handmade flour tortilla. The handmade tortilla was outstanding, and the lamb was flavorful and perfectly tender.
Barbacoa tacos from Chef Nathan Mayes. Courtesy photo
Chef Dale Kester, formerly of SantaCafe and now with the storied Santa Fe restaurant The Compound, kept things classic with a from-scratch smashburger made with beef from Sweet Grass Cooperative, topped with smoked American cheese, grilled onion, pickles, and special sauce.
Confession- my son stole the pickles off my slider. They were that good!
Judge’s choice winner- from scratch smashburger from Chef Dale Kester. Courtesy photo
And Chef Yolanda Torres of VM Coffee served a dish called the “Straight Baller,” featuring ancestral-blend meatballs from Sile Pastures with piñon basil pesto, spicy garlic marinara, smoked mozzarella, and pecorino on toasted baguette.
People’s choice winner straight baller meatball subs from Chef Yolanda Torres. Courtesy photo
The judge’s choice for this year’s winner was Chef Dale, and his from scratch smashburger, the people’s choice winner was Chef Yolanda’s straight baller meatball sub. We had two votes, we loved them all, but were torn between Chef Dale Kester and Chef Ray Naranjo, so he voted for Dale and I voted for Ray! We thought both dishes were amazing, but we really loved the uniqueness of the cloud waffle and brisket, and the red chile sauce was perfect. And who doesn’t love a classic smashburger? Especially when it’s as perfect as this one was.
My son approached each tasting with the seriousness of a judge.
“Grassfed tastes different,” he said after one bite. “You can actually taste the meat.” Meeting the ranchers was just as memorable. Producers from ranches across the state explained how grassfed animals spend their lives grazing on pasture, which can improve flavor while supporting animal welfare and healthier soils.
That part surprised him. “I didn’t realize how many ranches were here in New Mexico,” he said after one conversation. Events like the Grassfed Smackdown manage to balance serious food with a relaxed, community feel. Chefs, ranchers, and families all share the same space, talking about food that was raised and prepared close to home.
Christopher meeting rancher Chantal Orosco of New Mexico Hair Sheep Producers. Courtesy photo
On the drive back to Los Alamos, I asked my son what stood out the most. “The food was amazing,” he said. “But meeting the ranchers and chefs was my favorite part. They really care about what they do.” That may be the real takeaway.
Great food brings people in. Understanding where it comes from is what stays with you, and what made this event so New Mexico True! And judging by how quickly he started asking about next year’s event, New Mexico’s youngest gourmet critic is already planning his return.
Keep an eye out for other upcoming events from Edible New Mexico, including the Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown in September!