Exploring Montana’s beef heritage, starting with untamed bison and ending at pasture-raised steaks.
As I stood at the top of a rugged cliff in Central Montana , the most prominent feature before my eyes was emptiness: vast, unending void—the hallmark of the Western landscape. This precipice witnessed massive bison leaping to their demise, pushed over by indigenous hunters seeking meat, hides, and bones. "At least 13 tribes utilized this site, such as the Shoshone-Bannock, Nez Perce, Assiniboine, and Crow," explained Clark Carlson-Thompson, the facility’s manager. First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park They informed me that the bone bed is 18 to 22 feet deep. It seems a significant number of bison fell off that cliff.
My initial destination on an expedition spanning Montana’s extensive prairies was to follow the narrative of the American West via its cattle ranches and the livestock they raised. Gazing upward from where countless bison had perished, I took in the vividly verdant landscape that appeared to extend endlessly towards the skyline. Locals often jest that due to the boundless vista, one might observe their canine companion disappearing into the distance for as long as three full days.
I walked back to my vehicle. The sun hung low in the sky, and hunger began setting in. Luckily, I didn’t have to make any creatures plunge off a precipice for supper. Not far from there, within the small community of Ulm, lay Beef N Bone Steakhouse , an informal eatery featuring a fireplace that focuses on serving Montana beef and bison. While bison meat is frequently praised for its nutritional advantages due to having significantly lower fat content compared to beef, I found this characteristic caused the steak to be somewhat overly lean for my preference.
The history of Montana, where I live, is in many ways the history of cattle ranching. Native peoples hunted the great herds on these grassy plains for generations, and the animals were essential to survival. But by the end of the 1870s the bison had been nearly wiped out by settlers and the U.S. Army and were replaced by cattle, which could be more easily herded and driven to market. The beef industry was central to life in Montana during the 19th and early 20th centuries, feeding people who were mining gold and copper and cutting timber.
Following the meal, I spent nearly an hour driving eastward to reach Fort Benton, where I lodged at an exquisite accommodation. Grand Union Hotel a glimpse into Montana’s history from the 1800s. Established in 1846, Fort Benton attracted cowboys and miners who came riding horses or traveling by steamboat along the Missouri River.
Related: 20 Top Destinations to Explore in Montana, as Recommended by Local Professionals
One of the earliest ranchers was Conrad Kohrs, who came as a prospector from Holstein, which today is part of Germany. Arriving in 1862 amid Montana’s gold rush, he worked initially as a butcher supplying meat to eager miners. Seeing an opportunity as the population expanded, Kohrs bought a ranch located in the Deer Lodge Valley—a large pasture close to Butte—and over two decades transformed this holding into more than one million acres with a herd exceeding 50,000 cattle.
I dedicated a few days to exploring Butte, where Kohrs conducted his affairs, walking through the vestiges of what was once a booming mining hub. During its peak, this place housed approximately 100,000 residents, whereas today the populace has dwindled down to about 36,000. In the heart of the city lies an enormous open-pit mine, a persistent mark left behind by decades of extraction activities.
I checked in to Hotel Finlen , a structure inspired by French architecture dating back to 1924. Although its former splendor has diminished slightly, the renovated rooms, though compact, remain cozy. The highlight of this establishment is undoubtedly the spacious and meticulously maintained lobby, adorned with lofty ceilings and elegant chandeliers.
Related: 20 Top Destinations to Explore in Montana, as Recommended by Local Professionals
However, Butte boasts numerous well-preserved historical structures that appear thriving, potentially accounting for this phenomenon. 1923, the predecessor to the popular TV show Yellowstone, was filmed there. For dinner, I went to Casagranda’s Steakhouse This place is located in a brick warehouse from the 1900s that seems to be at the outskirts of town. The ribeye steak—which, just like all the beef dishes served here, comes from ranches in the Rocky Mountains—had been seasoned with an aromatic mix of spices. Its middle part was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, showcasing a deep red color, and was so soft that it practically melted away when sliced with a fork. This may well have been one of the finest steaks I've had the pleasure of tasting.
The next day, I traveled for roughly thirty minutes to the north of there. Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historical Park. In the early 1970s, the National Park Foundation acquired the property from Conrad Kohrs's grandson, transforming it into a functioning 19th-century style cattle ranch complete with cows, chickens, and horses. "It looks like an ocean of grass," explained a volunteer during my visit. "Pretty much your only option for cultivation here is beef." The staff members and volunteers embody roles such as cowboys and camp cooks. While enjoying a rich, full-bodied coffee prepared above a smoldering campfire, I couldn’t help but feel transported back to another era, reminiscent of scenes out of 1923 was shot there, with mountains serving as the background.
Although cattle barons might appear outdated, their influence remains dominant. Big Sky Country Extensive ranches are scattered with numerous Hereford, Shorthorn, and Longhorn cattle along with the cowboys responsible for herding them. The cowboy way of life endures but has adopted contemporary elements such as microchipped livestock and GPS tracking systems; soon enough, people claim, drones may take over the task of herding.
The ownership of ranches has shifted, too. The vast open lands of Montana have had an irresistible allure for affluent outsiders; notable figures such as Tom Brokaw, David Letterman, and Rupert Murdoch are among those who possess prestigious properties there.
Although they encounter numerous obstacles, small family-owned ranches manage to persist and seek opportunities to flourish. During my final day, I traveled to Helena, which serves as Montana’s state capital. There, I connected with Cole Mannix, who co-founded and leads the Old Salt Co-Op—a meat distributor sourcing beef from five nearby farms, one of which includes his own family’s property located in the Blackfoot Valley.
Mannix informed me during the pandemic that as meatpacking workers fell sick and eateries shut down, the supply chain for cattle processing collapsed. Increasing property values along with rivalry from less expensive imported beef were already pressing issues. To bypass the intermediary, Mannix and several other ranching families opted to market their beef directly. Nowadays, a significant portion of their produce is sold within Montana.
Mannix additionally manages and operates two eateries, one of which is the Old Salt Outpost , a modest hamburger joint located within the Gold Bar saloon in downtown Helena. The hamburgers are crafted using grass-fed beef sourced from nearby ranches, while the potatoes, grown at a farm 60 miles distant, are cooked in beef tallow.
On the opposite side of the street is Mannix’s second eatery, the Union ,a contemporary wood-burning grill and butcher shop sourcing their meats from ranches affiliated with the Old Salt Co-Operative. They offer various steak options each evening. I opted for the well-marbled rib eye cooked to a perfect medium-rare, topped generously with marrow butter alongside some crushed purple potatoes. In one word: exquisite. The knowledge that this dish continues a time-honored tradition dating back generations on the Montana plains only enhanced my enjoyment.
A version of this tale initially surfaced in the May 2025 edition of Travel + Leisure under the headline “ A Flavors of the Wild West.
Read the initial article on Travel & Leisure
Post a Comment