Beef production’s harmful effects on the planet mean that ordering a steak often comes with a side of guilt. At Boulder’s Corrida, however, you’ll soon be able to chow down without the angst. The upscale Spanish chophouse will regeneratively source nearly its entire lineup of signature steaks by this spring in pursuit of both sustainability and delicious beef and bison. For owner Bryan Dayton, the question was simple: “How do we keep this good for the cow, good for the rancher, good for Mother Earth, and good for the consumer?” The answer is a little more complex. That’s why Dayton partnered with Land to Market, a startup within Boulder’s grasslands-restoring Savory Institute that verifies regenerative producers and measures their impacts on the environment. Unlike traditional ag operations, regenerative ranchers strategically move herds from field to field, increasing plant growth, water retention, and biodiversity by allowing pastures to replenish nutrients and vegetation. This gives flora the power to remove carbon from the air and store it back in the soil, helping reverse carbon emissions. As for taste? The grass-fed livestock enjoy longer, healthier lives, which produces feel-good vibes and can increase marbling that’s ideal for dry-aging. While many restaurants offer limited regenerative options, if any, Corrida will serve a rotating selection of four to five responsibly raised cuts, such as rib-eyes and striploins, prepared by executive chef Samuel McCandless. Here’s why you can feel better about eating them.

100+: Pounds of beef served at Corrida weekly

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3: Average age, in years, of a regeneratively raised cow when it is ready for consumers to enjoy (as opposed to 1.5 to two years for conventional beef)

240,000: Acres of regenerative land in Colorado associated with the Land to Market program, which encompasses approximately 2.5 million acres worldwide

3.5: Approximate kilograms of carbon dioxide that are removed from the atmosphere, then locked into the soil, for every kilogram of beef produced on a regenerative farm; in conventional agriculture, more than 30 kilograms of carbon dioxide are emitted for every kilogram of beef produced

14.5: Percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions produced by livestock, a figure the Savory Institute aims to reduce by converting one billion of the 3.3 billion hectares of the world’s livestock-grazing meadows and pastures to regenerative farming practices by 2025

3: Local regenerative producers featured on Corrida’s menu, including Parker Pastures in Gunnison, Gleason Bison (left) in Durango, and Cabriejo Ranch, whose grazing pastures span from Colorado to the East Coast

This article was originally published in 5280 December 2021.
Riane Menardi Morrison
Riane Menardi Morrison
Riane is 5280’s former digital strategy editor and assistant food editor. She writes food and culture content. Follow her at @riane__eats.