I Hart Food (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Meet Me in Montana - full transcript

I'm Hannah Hart.

Hello.

And I am obsessed with food.

For the past five years,

I've been sharing
my passion with millions.

Hoo! Let's go.

Now it's time to journey
through this incredible country

to discover America's greatest,

most delectable foods

and the people
as devoted as I am.

You have introduced me
to a dangerous new favorite,



my friend.

Hallelujah, amen.

There you go.

Join me at the table...

My God..

...for "I Hart Food."

**

Montana, mon-Hannah.

Welcome to Missoula, Montana.

Missoula is known
as ranch country,

but I'm not talking
about the dressing.

In the heart of western Montana,
it's strictly bovine business.

Holy cow.

Montana and beef,
it's just part of the lifestyle.



We're big meat eaters here

because this is
all beef country.

It's a hearty food,
tastes delicious.

I'm obsessed with eating meat.
I'm definitely a meat eater.

And, you know, here in Montana,

we have our own beef,
our own pork.

A lot of ingredients
are here, locally made.

It's deliciousness
at its finest.

I'm here to dig deep
into the meat of Missoula

and explore
this cattle countryside.

But where to start?

Lucky for us, my good friend,
Hank Green,

happens to be a local.

You my recognize him from his
YouTube channel, VlogBrothers.

It's Hannah Hart.

Cheers.

And since he's lived here
for 15 years,

we're meeting up at his
favorite burger spot,

the Missoula Club,

so he can give us
the inside scoop

on what Missoula is all about.

You've been asking me
to come to Missoula for years.

I have.
I am proud of this town.

I love it a lot,
and I like to show it off.

I just wanted you to see
a little bit

of what a traditional Montana,

like, eatery experience is.

What's the food
in Missoula like?

For a small town,
we take it pretty seriously.

I mean, there's a lot of meat.

It's a lot of hearty food.

It's like
you're gonna be eating

because it's going to
last you all day.
Yeah.

But that's every meal.

Missoula Club's burger
is the best in town.

Made from local Montana beef,
their patties are hand formed,

grilled, and topped
with melted cheese

and crispy sliced onions.

You absolutely have
to try a Mo burger.

They're great.
They have blends, spices.

They're all homemade in house.
They're delicious.

You get cravings for 'em,
and there's nothing like 'em.

Yeah, they're delicious.

You can get singles, doubles,
been eating them forever.

This is a staple of Missoula,

and I think it
represents Missoula.

This is just the best tasting
burger in town.

Hello there.

Look at those onions.

I'm literally salivating.

- Thank you.
- I know you love mustard.

You do.
You know I love mustard.

Now do they ask you
how you like your meat cooked?

- They do not ask.
- So it's really simple.

There's, like, no decisions
you have to make.

They do it all day long.
They know what they're doing.

Cheers.

Burger cheers.

See?

That's a good burger.

That's a good burger.

This is your continued campaign
to get me to move to Missoula.

Anything I can do.

With about every restaurant
in Missoula serving beef,

the stakes are high.

But the burger isn't the only
dish that makes the cut.

I'm headed to Lolo's Steakhouse,
a place that considers

cooking steak an art form.

I've been cooking a long time.

And pretty much,
people like what I do.

I get to kind of perform here
and make people happy,

for the most part.

Every time I come, I don't even
have to look at the menu

because I always know
what I want

because it's always the same.

It's always delicious.

We always get the Lolo.

It's always cooked
to perfection.

It always tastes good,
and you always know

that you can get
a good meal here.

But there's more to
Lolo's than meets the eye.

Owner Mike Grunow
loves steaks and puns.

Our motto, actually, that we use
is that we are rare,

yet well done and...

I like that.

...it's -- that's what we like
to believe.

Our reputation is based
on service, quality,

and history, and we do all of
those very well.

Tonight, we're featuring
a 36-ounce bone-in rib eye.

36 ounces?

36 ounce and it's
selling like crazy, actually.

All right. Let's do it.

While my steak sizzles, let's
talk about what to look for

when choosing your own
cut of beef.

A term you often
hear is marbling.

But what is that?

Well, marbling is
the amount of fat

that runs through
the cut of meat.

Marbling is one factor
that determines the quality

and price of your cut.

Another is tenderness.

The tenderloin is one of
the more expensive cuts of meat

because, frankly, there's not
much of it on the cow,

and it gets it name because
it doesn't get a lot of use,

so it leaves it very lean
and very tender.

Another high quality
cut is the rib eye.

What it lacks in tenderness,
it makes up for in marbling,

and a marbled meat
is what's gonna give us

that delicious juiciness.

So let's give this
rib eye a try.

I have your rib eye here
for you.

- My God.
- There you are.

This is our 36-ounce rib eye
from the steakhouse.

- I think that you and about --
- I've got a minute.

...three other people
should join me for this.

Well, it's -- you've got
plenty there to eat.

So the rib eye that we serve
is the highest quality.

It's an Angus rib eye.

It's probably the best
you can buy.

We cut all of our steaks.

They're hand-cut in the back,

and we cut these ribs
this afternoon,

so it's as fresh
as it can get.

I guess when you have a really
fine-cut quality of meat,

you don't really need much more.

Basically, all we're doing
is rubbing it with a salt

and pepper that we've mixed.

With you rib eye,
we have our real sweet potato

served with honey butter and,
of course,

the steakhouse Texas toast.

Awesome. Okay. Let's do it.

I hope you enjoy it.

My God.

It's so thick.

Wow.
Look at this bite.

That is incredible.

It's so juicy and so tender.

Thank you.

A lot of that can be
attributed to the way

it's cooked on that grill,
you know,

it's searing those juices

in immediately once it
goes on the grill.

Yeah, and you can tell because

it's perfectly charred
on the outside,

but the inside is remaining
so tender and so moist.
Yeah.

- Mike?
- Yes.

You know how to cook a steak.

Phenomenal.
Cheers to you.

- Here's a go.
- There you go.

Thank you.

They really do take their meat

seriously here in Missoula.

But we're just getting started

conquering
this meat frontier...

...and it turns out it
isn't just about beef.

We have a confit leg of rabbit
with sunny-up egg.

I love a sunny egg.

A sunny egg is the prettiest
thing you can put on a plate.

It's the prettiest thing
you can put on a plate.

In Missoula, Montana,
whether it's flame-grilled,

pot-roasted or pan-fried,

locals just can't
get enough beef.

And here in cattle country,
it's tradition

to eat hearty dishes
like steak and potatoes.

But it's typically
for dinner.

At our next restaurant,
Burns Street Bistro,

they're swapping out the steak
with lighter meats,

like rabbit and lamb,

and serving it up
as brunch with a twist.

They take the idea of typical
Missoula, Montana food

and kind of make
a little bit more interesting,

just greasy, good,
homey Montana food.

I went with the biscuits
and gravy today.

It is delicious.

This breakfast sandwich
is amazing.

This is why I get out bed
before 9 in the morning.

**

Hi, Hannah. Walker.

- Walker, nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.

- Thanks for coming down.
- This is a...

I'm meeting up with
Burns Street's chef,

Walker Hunter,
who's known for cooking the best

and heartiest brunch in town.

He's serving me a lighter take

on the traditional steak
and grits...

...and adding a traditional
breakfast ingredient.

I love a sunny egg.

A sunny egg is the prettiest
thing you can put on a plate.

It's the prettiest thing
you can put on a plate.

It's so aesthetically pleasing.

Somebody else has already
done all the work for you.

So we have braised leg of lamb
with a local huckleberry sauce

served over polenta
with blue brie cheese,

sunny-side-up egg,

and a little salad
of arugula and micro kale.

So how do you cook this lamb?

So that lamb, we rub it,
sear it off,

and then braise it
overnight as well.

And do you braise it
in its own juices?

This was with some Chianti,

some lamb stock that
we make from the bones,

a little bit
of the huckleberry juice

and then braise it overnight.

That's wonderful. I like it.

It's meat and potatoes, but it's
lamb and polenta, wonderful.

This is fantastic.

It's just so satisfying.

And I also really
like the huckleberry

'cause it gives it
that little bit of sweetness.-

But I also --
And lamb had its own
kind of natural,

slightly gamy sweetness

to it that huckleberries
can help accentuate.

It's just like you're going
on this entire flavor journey

with every bite.

It's taking all of my power not
to shovel this into my mouth.

Well, don't fill up on that

because I've got something else
coming out for you

in just a minute, another kind
of take on ranch classics.

Second breakfast!

This next dish is a new take

on the traditional
corned beef hash,

and here, they've
replaced the beef

with a delicious alternative.

We have a confit leg of rabbit
with sunny-up egg,

red flannel hash,
some creme fraiche,

some pea shoots, and a little
shaved horseradish.

Awesome.
What's red flannel hash?

So red flannel hash is the beets
cooked with the potatoes

so that they kind of stay
in the potatoes

as they're tossed around

and give it the effect
of kind of having

a flannel-esque appearance.
- A look to it.

- Yeah.
- Okay, cute.

Is rabbit a really common
protein around here?

It's definitely starting
to make an appearance

on more menus around here,
but traditionally,

it's always been kind of
a sustenance food

that people could pick up
while hunting.

Get this.

Eating rabbit isn't as common
as it used to be.

But during World War II,

they weren't regulated
by the government,

which means they
weren't rationed.

It used to be a regular protein
at the dinner table.

While they aren't as
commonly consumed today,

rabbit meat actually has
quite a few benefits.

It's a lean protein
that's low in cholesterol.

Not only that, but rabbits,
themselves,

are pretty easy to raise

since they breed...
like rabbits.

So let's give this other,
other white meat a try.

Here we go.

So you get that kind of
earthiness coming from the beet.

I think the sweetness
of the beet and the saltiness

of the rabbit
really go together rather well.

Yeah. I mean they're nice kind
of counterpointed foils.

Absolutely, wonderful.
Awesome.

Well, thank you so much.

This has been a hare-raising
experience.

It can't be "beet."
Can't be beet.
Can't be beet. That's good.

I knew I paid $60,000
on an English education

for something.

- Yeah, I did English lit, too.
- All right.

**

I'm having a blast in Missoula.

But I think it's
time to go home.

Home on the range, that is,
to the Bitterroot Bison Ranch.

A hundred years ago,
bison were almost extinct.

Today, over 30,000 bison
roam across the U.S.,

thanks to ranchers
like Troy Westre.

Is there a difference
between bison and buffalo?

Buffalo is the water buffalo
that's in Africa.

So it's just a slang word
that just stuck.

So "Home on the Range"
really messed this up --
Yes.

...'cause it's not
buffalo roaming.
No.

- These are bison.
- No, no.

It's a totally
different animal.
Yes.

Wow, wow, wow.

Been raising bison
for 16 years.

We have about 200 head
here with their calves.

This is on about 250 acres,
which sustains them.

We make our own grass.

We do feed them round bales
in the winter,

but all they get is grass,
I mean, no grains, no --

We don't feed lot them
or nothing like that.

So it's all as natural
as possible.

When you started out,
did you have this many?

No, I started out with five.

Wow!

And then you just put on
some Motown and told them...

I just kept on
adding and adding,

and it's really been
working out good.

That's incredible.

His head is literally the size
of two thirds of my body.

It is.

Bye, son.

Bye, son, yeah.

Bye, son or nephew.

But it's not
goodbye just yet.

Up next, we're headed
right down the road

to the Bitterroot's
very own food truck,

where they serve up a dish
that's become my new obsession.

I am so excited to eat this.

Here in Missoula,
Montana, whether it's beef,

lamb or rabbit,

they just can't
get enough meat.

And here at the Bitterroot
Bison Ranch,

it's a family affair.

While Troy tends to the ranch,
his wife and son

are running
the Bitterroot food truck,

serving unique variations
of bison dishes.

So how did you guys go
from ranch to food truck?

We just figured that this was
the next natural thing to do.

Has there been a really
high demand for your meat?

Yes.

Bison is one of
the leanest meats available,

so when cooking it,
extra care is needed.

When grilling, roasting
or sautéing leaner cuts of meat,

like bison, chicken breast
or even turkey,

it's easy for them to dry out.

So how do we solve this
potential dehydration dilemma?

Well, here's one way --
Marinate your meat.

There are three
basic ingredients

that make up most marinades.

First, an oil, this can add back
in that missing moisture.

Then, an acid,a vinegar, juice
or wine which helps break down

the toughness of the meat.

Lastly, seasonings.

Depending on the recipe,
soak your meat

in the marinade anywhere
from an hour to a whole night,

the result, a juicy
and tender meal.

Just some food for thought,
dare I say,

something to marinate on.

But marinade is not the only way
to cook lean meat.

Here at the Bitterroot
food truck,

they cook their bison meat
with water and crushed tomatoes.

This maintains the moisture
and makes one heck of a taco.

So this is your taco?

- Yep.
- What's on there?

We got shredded cabbage,
bison meat, feta cheese,

cilantro, salsa,
and chipotle sour cream.

Awesome.
I am so excited to eat this.

How did we do?

I'm really picky
about my tacos.

This is fantastic.

There are so many
incredible flavors in this taco.

The sharpness
of the feta cheese,

the spiciness
of the chipotle sour cream,

and the fragrant
bite of cilantro

are perfectly balanced

with the slightly sweet
flavor of bison.

I expected that the bison
would taste differently

from a traditional beef taco,

but if anything,
it just tastes more interesting.

It's more flavorful.
Wow, this is --

It's a little richer, too,
you know, the meat is a little.
It's so much richer.

That meat was well done,
and I am ready for more.

At our next spot,
The Notorious P.I.G.,

people line up to choose

from their endless list
of meat styles.

They've got New York
pastrami, Memphis ribs,

Buffalo chicken
or St. Louis brisket.

Everyone's obsessed.

I am eating
their special today.

It's called the pulled
rib sandwich.

It's just really, really good,
juicy, not dry at all,

nice amount of sauce.

Burnt ends are the best.

I love them.

They're sweet, a little bit
sweet, perfectly made.

My favorite meal, actually,
is a pulled pork sandwich.

They absolutely are
melt-in-your-mouth good.

Flavors can't be beat.

Owner Burke Holmes
brought his passion for barbecue

back from his hometown
of St. Louis,

where he learned from
world-famous pit masters.

This place is pretty notorious.

- In a good way.
- In absolutely a good way.

Like a sweet, smoky way.

Yeah, like a good,
sweet and smoky way.

Now I got no beef
with pork or chicken,

but we're in Montana,

and this is cattle country.

So I'm not gonna risk it.

I'll go for the brisket.

Wow. My.

Whole mess of barbecue

and some vegetables because
vegetables are good for you.

This is good.
I like this vegetable.

But it's obvious.

It's a vegetable
covered in cheese,

which makes it
even better for you.

- Exactly right, exactly right.
- Awesome.

Well, talk me through
what's on this plate.

Well, we'll go left to right.

We've got some beans,
which were made earlier.

We've got the brisket.

We've got the burnt ends
on the right,

which are these
cubed-up numbers,

and our take on
a Mexican street-style corn.

Awesome.
Well, I'm excited to eat.

Dig in.

- That's good.
- Good. Glad you like it.

It's a lot leaner
than I thought,

and you can really
taste the smoke

but also the beefiness.

Good.

So these are what
we call burnt ends,

and they come off the fattier
part of the brisket.

Those don't last very
long at this restaurant.

We typically sell out of those

right around
the middle of lunchtime.

Wow. This is delicious.

- Thank you.
- So how do you make your corn?

We actually just throw her
in as a whole piece of corn.

We leave the husk on it,
torch it a little bit

and get that nice
little burnt edges

on there and then,
some Alabama white sauce.

It's mayonnaise,
whole bunch of vinegar,

some apple juice, lemon juice,

salt, coarse-ground
black pepper,

cayenne, and mayonnaise.

Okay.

**

Yeah.

I love this
Alabama white sauce.

That is --
that's really good.

The sauce is so rich and creamy,

but with a dash of cayenne
pepper, it's got a real kick.

Do you ever consider
getting a food truck,

taking this to, like,
venues and events?

We might have to do that.
We'll consider it.

If we do, we would just
call it Piggy Smalls.

So do you like puns?

We like puns a little bit.

You don't worry
about being too corny?

Missoula's meat enthusiasts

have really steered me
in the right direction,

and it doesn't stop here.

Next up, we're tasting
a beefy treat

that uses America's
favorite cut of beef.

So which is America's
favorite cut of beef?

Is it A, brisket, B, sirloin
or C, ground beef?

Coming up, we'll find out.

At my next stop here
in Missoula, Montana,

we're tasting a savory treat

that uses America's
favorite cut of beef.

So which is it?

Is it A, brisket, B, sirloin
or C, ground beef?

The answer is C, ground beef.

From burgers to meatloaf
to sloppy joes,

America just can't get enough.

And it's in the main dish as
Missoula's favorite pastry shop,

The Empanada Joint.

It's always delicious.

We come here about once a week,
and I get a minimum of three

'cause they're delicious,

and it's just such
a great mix of flavors.

It's absolutely phenomenal.

I've never had anything like it.

I love how unique it is,

not necessarily
the kind of place

you'd expect to find
in Missoula, Montana.

But it's here, and it's awesome.

I'm meeting up with
owner and chef Solange Brunet,

who's giving me the scoop

on this Argentinian
meat-filled pastry.

First things first.
What is an empanada?

Every country has their own form
of folding food in a pastry.

In Italy,
you have the calzones.

In a lot of South America,
we have empanadas.

A lot of different
countries make them.

We just differ in what
we put in the dough,

and we make our dough
with flour, butter, and water.

Flour, butter, and water,
that's all?

We don't compromise
on the butter.

A lot of people use different
things, but butter is best.

Well, I would love to know
how these beauties are made.

No doubt.
I'm gonna teach you.
Yeah.

This is the fun part.

This is
my grass-fed beef batch.

And it's one of our top
three empanadas we sell,

so it's your typical ingredients

that are in the authentic
Argentine beef empanada.

So that is ground beef.

We've got a bunch
of onions in there.

We have hard-boiled
egg in there,

green onions,
green olives --

- Awesome!
- ...and raisins.

- And raisins?
- Yes, correct.

- Get a little bit of filling.
- Okay.

And put it in the center.

- Those are green olives?
- They are.

Yeah. This is gorgeous.

All right.
You ready to close?

- Yeah.
- Here we go.

Awesome.

You know, making these,
it makes me just want to,

like, go home and have
an empanada-making party.

It does.

Okay. This is the fold.

Give it a little thumbprint,
and then, you flip that.

There you are.

This is so awesome.

- It's so pretty.
- Yeah, that's it.

- There you go.
- That's it.

Hey!

Solange brands her empanadas,
as they do in cattle country,

to distinguish each flavor.

Beauty!

Look at the little edges.

I'm never going to look
at an empanada the same way.

- I'm gonna know.
- As well you shouldn't.

Someone's hands, someone tender
loving care made this empanada.

It's true.

Aw, yeah.

**

This is so delicious.

- You like?
- I'm addicted already.

Awesome.

I can definitely see why people
come back for more.

Well, that wraps up my food
adventures here in Missoula.

It may seem off the eaten path,
but this meat Mecca

can really hold its own.

Hey, listen.

On this episode,
you're off the hook.

We're focusing on land animals.

Prom photo.

I want to see
that in the bloops.

I can't believe we've gotten
this far with no

"Hannah Montana" jokes.