Jessica Rohr is a failed vegetarian. Set out with responsible and compassionate intentions; she ultimately succumbed to an omnivorous lifestyle. However, she made a decision to continue preserving her benevolent ethos of living a health-driven, environmentally conscious life with genuine concerns of sustainability and animal welfare. 

She now owns and operates Forage Hawaii, a purveyor of premium Hawaiian meats intended to provide the community access to a healthy hunter-and-gatherer diet that encompasses the gamut of responsibly sourced, staple proteins, as well as less commonly available specialty cuts and wild game.

Rohr started the business out of her garage in the summer of 2016, transporting a food truck to the West side and participating in a few farmers markets to further her mission of making provincial meats more readily available. Maintaining farmers markets during the pandemic, she admits the assessment may be higher than for those proteins shipped in, but there is a greater toll to be considered. 

“The more affordable price of meats flown in does not consider the health costs and problems that processed foods cause,” Rohr cautions. “The farther away food is consumed from its original source, the more likely it will require additional processing and storage. Clean, high-quality local meats and seafood that are nutrient-dense are essential to prime human health.”

Rohr hopes that Hawai‘i’s residents understand that the quest for sustainability involves their conscious decision to support the cattle industry in the Islands, albeit in small measures. She pleads, “If people spend a few bucks more a week to purchase just one pound of [ground] beef, that will signific  antly help local farmers and ranchers.”  

Forage Hawaii exclusively supports local farmers and ranchers that are dedicated to enhancing sustainability and committed to regenerative agricultural practices. By reducing the islands’ reliance on imported food, she hopes to achieve increased food security and a lessening of the carbon footprint. 

The humane treatment and respect for an animal’s life capture Rohr’s previous vegetarian endeavors and is therefore another pillar of Forage Hawaii’s pursuits: “We only source ethically treated animals, raised in low stress environments, from ranchers and farmers who have a profound respect for their animals and ensure humane slaughter.”  

Preserving the Islands’ ecosystems also fuels Rohr’s recommendation to those with carnivorous intent to consider consuming invasive species, such as wild venison.

As a matter of fact, Forage Hawaii offers a fabulous selection of venison, courtesy of Maui Nui Venison. This is the result of a friendship struck in college that now affords Rohr cuts, such as medallions, Frenched racks, osso buco shanks and tenderloin, which makes for an amazing tartare.

Years of cultivating relationships have manifested in an impressive menu that spans the island chain. David Wong of Mountain View Farms provides Rohr with shoulders, bellies, smoked hocks, chops, spareribs, bones and ground pork, while Puna Chicks furnishes uber-flavorful cuts of chicken. Lamb, goat and macadamia nut boars are sourced from the Big Island, while an availability of Hanalei bison occasionally surfaces from Kaua‘i.

The bulk of the offerings include 100% grass-fed beef, which most casual cooks will appreciate.  Most popular are the kalbi short ribs, ribeyes, sirloins, New York steaks, skirt steaks and ground beef, but adventurous culinarians delight in more unconventional procurements as the livers, kidneys, hearts and tongues, which actually come with the skin on for those considering a slow-braised lengua.  

Those with less time who prefer to simply plop something into a heated pan for expedited gratification should consider Forage Hawaii’s bacon and sausages, such as a Portuguese and spicy Andouille, including a chorizo and an Italian scented with white wine, which Rohr makes herself in-house. The bacon has a bit of a chew — something that the more culinarily-inclined may resolve through technique — but the flavor is quite exceptional, with a cleaner finish. Rohr states that she is transformed by it, believing that when compared to store-bought bacon, “it feels better, it digests better in your body, and it tastes better.”

Generally, the meats come vacuum-sealed and frozen, but before passing any frigid judgment on the quality, Rohr asserts, “Frozen is not the opposite of fresh, as freezing can be a convenient way to preserve the meat.” In fact, there are also many techniques to improve the flavor and textural quality of her provisions, including reducing cook time for leaner cuts, and recommending seasoning meats up to 24 hours in advance of cooking to enable more fla vor permeation, as well as rubbing salt before air drying in the refrigerator on a rack (to make for a moister and plumper protein).

Whether your inclination is to make an exotic Jamaican goat curry, an elaborate pie construct with homemade crusts crafted from the lard of the macadamia nut wild boar, or a humble cup of instant noodles zhuzhed up by some beefy bone broth, consider ordering ahead online to ensure your preferred selections are available for pickup from the open market.  If you are lucky, you will be able to serve friends some beautifully marbled steaks that you can boast you personally foraged earlier that day, from the Kaka‘ako Farmers Market. 

808-762-8203, foragehawaii.com