400836 Fri May 11 19:51:26 -0700 2007 61 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 2563480 Everyone who likes steak loves a nicely marbled piece of meat. But what about grass fed beef... The flavor can be very different. Anyone who's tried grass-fed beef care to weigh-in? Fri May 11 19:51:26 -0700 2007 98048 damadchef 1 2563691 I had Big Island raised grass fed beef at Merriman's in Hawaii. For me it was leaner and kind of gamey. I prefer grain-fed beef to grass-fed. Fri May 11 22:20:37 -0700 2007 2563480 69496 septocaine_queen 1 2563729 Y'know, I've recently been intrigued by this topic. Like me, most urban Americans growing up in the last 40-50 years have been conditioned to grain-fed beef as the standard. I love a good steak as much as the next guy. Well, I noticed in the last year or so that Trader Joe's sometimes had fresh grass-fed beef -- generally either top sirloin steaks or 80-20 ground beef. IIRC, the package may warned that the meat would cook much faster than grain-fed beef. Why, I don't know, although I vaguely remember surfing online and reading about the fat in grass-fed animals having a lower melting point ... whatever ... My results: I've done the steaks three times, on my Weber over charcoal, and dammit it's true, they grill VERY fast, even with little to no visible fat or marbling. The first time was unfortunate -- nine minutes total grilling time, 4+ minutes per side, grey steaks, still tasty. I went to school on that and did better with shorter cooking time, but still more done than expected. Burgers, same ... 6-8 minutes for half-pound burgers, almost all color gone but still JUICY and DELICIOUS!!! How to describe the flavor? Hmm ... full, clean, beefy to the Nth degree ... anything but tough or gristly, far from it ... if anything, my reservations stem from the fat content, since I try to eat lean except for occasional plurges, but then is much of it running off, melting away? So, there may be someting to this lower melting point thing, but I'll leave it to others to figure it out, or whether other cuts from other purveyors would not match my experience. Me? After 5-6 experiences, it has been unequivocally yummy -- juicy, intensely flavorful, tricky to control, watch it intently! Fri May 11 22:55:34 -0700 2007 2563480 85615 misohungrychewlow 2 2574543 yes, grassfed takes a bit more skill-- fyi many cuts of grass fed beef have 1/2 the fat of corn fed beef, less saturated fats and more omega 3s, so if you're eating lean, grass-fed is a good way to go. Wed May 16 10:51:29 -0700 2007 2563729 46030 soupkitten 1 2564099 I lived in Argentina for 2 years and Brazil for 1, where beef is king and all of it is grass fed. Hmmmm...how to put this best. America is the land of corn fed. Corn fed processed foods, corn fed cows, and corn fed people. This results in corn fed asses, hence the expression "She's a corn fed farm girl", which usually doesn't imply lean. Read Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilema" on the concequences for our health and environment of cheap corn dominating our food supply. Scary. South America is the land of grain fed. The asses and health of people reflect that. And so do the beef. When I lived in Buenos Aires, I ate steak at least 4 times a week. The steak is cooked slowly, over wood coals, and is redder, leaner, and tastes cleaner than grain fed beef. Even on "Lomo", which is filet, the meat is tender, juicy, and lean. I could eat 3x the amount of beef that I would eat back home (say 30 or 40 oz) and feel fine...go out and party or surf or do work. When I returned home it was a kick in the gut. The first steak I had (a decent supermaket sirloin) was like eating beef soaked in water. It tasted bland and though the fat ribbon on the side was flavorful, the meat itself was tough. Even at great steakhouses, like G and Georgetti's in Chicago, I've yet to find something that equals what my cheap neighborhood place in Argentina could deliver. Grass fed, all the way. Cows weren't born to eat corn any more than they were born to eat ground up dead cattle. Nature tates best the way it was designed. Sat May 12 07:48:01 -0700 2007 2563480 48630 mutant4 1 2564172 I wonder if grain fed is the right term. Grain-fattened might be better. I can't claim any inside knowledge on this, but I believe most cattle in the USA are raised on grass (or hay) in open range. At some point they are sold as 'feeder cattle', sent to feed lot, and fatten up to market size on a grain rich diet. The sedentary nature of those last few months may contribute as much to their meat quality as the diet itself. paulj Sat May 12 08:40:54 -0700 2007 2563480 12139 paulj 2 2565094 No, grain fed is entirely correct, think feedlots, not pastures. The Pollan book _Omivoire's Dilemma_ is a MUST read for anyone who likes food, Sat May 12 18:22:52 -0700 2007 2564172 61669 Quine 3 2565250 Pollan actually verifies that steer are raised on grass and then fattened in feed lots. As ruminants, cows have evolved to eat grass, break it down in their rumen and then pass it on through the rest of their digestive system. Despite the desires of the US cattle industry, raising calfs in feedlots is too much of a shock to this natural system, so most cows spend a time (6 months?) on grass before being moved to feedlots. Benefits of Grass - cows must walk around to eat, so they get more excercise which creates leaner, more flavorful beef. Also, more flavor due to the varied diet (grazing fields actually contain many breed of grass, clover, etc). Downsides - unpredictable and difficult to control diet, longer time required to fatten cattle, tougher beef, and most importantly a more expensive process with a lot more variables to control than feeed lot farming. The handful of times I have had grass fed beef have been in higher end restaurants and it has been spectacular. So much more beef flavor that standard corn fed seems bland in comparison. In fact, of all the characteristics of beef (fat content, dry v. wet aging, grass v. corn v. grain fed) my expereince has been that grass feeding can have more positive impact than anything else. I'd rather eat a good qualtiy Choice non-aged grass fed beef than Prime dry-aged corn fed - or so has been my experience anyway. Sat May 12 20:04:32 -0700 2007 2565094 38577 wak 4 4981696 Pollan actually describes the process from birth to butcher. Calves are force weened from their mothers and moved to CAFO's at about 3 months. There, they are raised entirely on grain (which cows were not meant to digest), so they have health issues and tend to have lots of parasitic/organism issues, resulting in lots of steroids and antibiotics to keep them healthy enough to make it to market. Pollan's argument is this: if the cows were *finished* on grass, the parasite level drops off dramatically, and the steroid/antibiotics are also purged from the cattle's system (mostly). Regardless, grass fed beef does taste much better, especially if it is dry aged. Wed Aug 26 23:41:11 -0700 2009 2565250 62758 gsshark 2 2565200 We have been raising our beef as 100% grass fed for about 15 years and selling them direct to customers. Raising cattle is our primary livelihood. A few comments about typical raising of beef in the cattle industry. Up until recently, many calves went directly from weaning (at about 9 months old) into a feedlot. Some calves were held as "grass calves" which are lightweight calves that were overwintered often on the home ranch, or weaned later, and then put on spring grass for a few months. These calves would then go into a feedlot at about 12 to 14 months old at heavier weights than the weaner calves. Almost all beef available in the U.S. is finished in a feedlot, even many grass-fed beef brands. The advantages of a feedlot are many: easy access to and control of cattle, precise mixing of feeds; efficiency in feeding, and consistent product (this last reason is the primary reason even many grass fed brands are finished in the controlled environment of the feedlot). Corn and soybean meal are the primary feedstuff, although other grains, and other things with energy and protein are used as well. With the current ethanol-driven increase in corn prices, there have been some articles in the industry publications about putting more weight on beef using grass. The economies of grass vs. corn are tipping toward grass because feedlots are competing with ethanol plants for corn. There have also been many articles about the conversion to using "distiller's grain" in feedlots; which is a by-product of ethanol production. Finishing cattle on high-quality hay fed loose in the pasture (which is what we do in the winter) or on grass during the growing season, is like producing a fine wine- the producer has to take into account his varieties (the genetics of his or her cattle herd), growing conditions, soils, grass types, timing of harvest, final production (dry-aging)--all things it takes experience to manage. It took us many years to refine a product we could be proud of, and we still make it better every year. Sat May 12 19:36:34 -0700 2007 2564172 55456 Alderspring 3 2566132 Thank you for contributing your knowledge to this thread. It is always informative to hear the perspective of a working rancher. Sun May 13 11:28:07 -0700 2007 2565200 10793 Morton the Mousse 1 2564216 I live in NYC now but I grew up in Nebraska (cattle country). I can definitely taste the difference between beef that comes from cattle that were fed various ingredients. Personally, I am partial to the flavor of beef from cows that are fed corn. In the stores in the east coast, you tend to get beef which is fed other grains (wheat, oats, etc..) and I don't think that beef has nearly as much flavor as corn-fed beef. Grass, alas, I don't like the taste of but I do concur that it has a lot less fat. Sat May 12 09:18:56 -0700 2007 2563480 19464 ohromujici 1 2564309 Agree with the mutant. I've lived in Bolivia (3 years) and Colombia (14 years) where all beef is range fed. Hands down better. When I first went back to the US after Bolivia, I couldn't eat the US beef. Our beef is also from Brahma mixes rather than Herefords. Sat May 12 10:21:36 -0700 2007 2563480 36661 Sam Fujisaka 1 2564330 I've done a lot of Internet research on grass-fed beef vs. corn/grain fed beef, and what I've read seems to indicate that grass-fed = better for the cow, better for the human, better for the environment. I also happen to like the taste of grass-fed beef. Sat May 12 10:42:28 -0700 2007 2563480 89309 onebite 2 2564354 You guys has been talking grass and grain fed beef, what kind of grass are you talking abou? here in california I have seen both mostly grain fed, but there is alot of grass fed also. I use to work in slaughter house where we would kill about 350 a day and they had both grass fed and grain fed, and when it comes to beef. I just assune have a hamburger pattie as to have a big oh steak as every goes crazy for. I just don`t light my lights, and I have had both, to me its no big deal. Sat May 12 10:58:55 -0700 2007 2564330 50491 bigjimbray 1 2564337 Not all grass-fed is created equal. Have had terrific grass-fed in Hawaii, South Dakota, and Iowa. Fabulous in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Panama and other places in Latin America. When we lived in Ecuador, I could buy two or three lomos for a dinner party and one might have an off-flavor even though it was as fresh as the others. I've had very inconsistent luck with grass-fed from local farmers' markets and purveyors in the US. Some had a "waxy" flavor. Could it be different breeds of cattle, different grasses in pastures, the different climates? Farmers just getting into this business who aren't ranchers? How many areas in the US allow grass-feeding cattle for 12 months following weaning? Good grass-fed is delicious but just because a cow is grass-fed isn't a guarantee. I'll pack my bags for Buenos Aires at the drop of a hat but I haven't been pleased with what's available in the US.. Sat May 12 10:51:20 -0700 2007 2563480 32444 MakingSense 2 2565226 Comment was made regarding this in Micheal Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma," The type of grass will have a clear impact on the taste of the beef, and grazing fileds are in fact made up of many kinds of grasses and other plants (clover for example) that have different nutrient profiles. Its an excellent book if you are interested in this topic. On the one self-sustaining farm he visits and describes, he in fact says that the beef had some off tastes that he did not like. Sat May 12 19:50:49 -0700 2007 2564337 38577 wak 1 2564610 I've been ordering beef (grain-fed, I presume) from Allen Brothers and decided their ribeyes weere the best steaks I've ever eaten. Out of curiosity, I ordered some grass-fed ribeyes from Tallgrass. They are a bit chewier (but still tender), a bit different in flavor, but also excellent. Not much to choose between them, to my taste.. Sat May 12 13:34:13 -0700 2007 2563480 55316 mpalmer6c 1 2564624 I pretty much use local grass-fed beef for hamburgers and braised dishes. For steaks, though, I go to local grass-fed, but grain-finished. It's the texture more than the flavor that I prefer. Sat May 12 13:39:46 -0700 2007 2563480 11995 pikawicca 1 2564902 The question should not be whether grain-fed or grass-fed is better -- the question is "which do you like better?" I have no right to tell you the taste of one is better than the other. I do have the right to tell you I prefer one or the other or that in my opinion one tastes better than the other. But since taste is purely personal, one opinion is no better than the next. Our obsession on this site with "the best restaurant," "the best steak," "the best taco," "the best ice cream," "the best coffee," "the best chef," . . . . . ad nauseum, is, in my opinion, misplaced. There is no "best" of those things -- "best" when it comes to those things that touch our emotions is subjective. Is Galatoire's or August the best restaurant in New Orleans? Neither. The only thing we can truthfully say is which one we like best. Anything more is arrogance. Sat May 12 16:17:58 -0700 2007 2563480 89496 ddavis 2 2565007 I think the OP might be looking for some guidance. Is grass-fed jucier, firmer, sweeter, etc. There are objective standards that can be applied to beef and all other food products. It's not just all about "I like ...." Sat May 12 17:12:55 -0700 2007 2564902 11995 pikawicca 2 2565270 I think ddavis is absolutely right. I look for the day when beef is variable again, reflecting local climate, grass, beef genetics, and the husbandry of the grower, just like a fine wine or cheese. Grain fed beef has the benefit of several decades of nutritional and consumer data behind it. Grass fed beef is a very old idea that has become new again. It is going to be less consistent than beef finished in a feedlot on a consistent diet, but in time, as growers get good at finishing beef on grass, that very variability will make eating grass fed beef a delight. In the meantime, if you buy grass fed beef at a farmer's market or direct from a grower, give the producer feedback (and a thank-you if you give them negative feedback; they probably have been working many long hours and you don't want to completely discourage them). Sat May 12 20:19:33 -0700 2007 2564902 55456 Alderspring 3 2565396 Really enjoying and learning from your posts, Alderspring. I agree that we will see good grass-fed beef from quality producers - not really artisanal beef - but from professional level ranchers. I think that some of the grass-fed beef now is not of good quality as many small farmers have rushed into production without adequate background. Some will learn how to do it extremely well just as American wine and cheesemakers have - once they learn how. It stands to reason that some some sections of the US will excel just like we have wine growing regions. Can't wait! Sat May 12 21:39:00 -0700 2007 2565270 32444 MakingSense 3 2566151 Would you please clarify the statement, "Grain fed beef has the benefit of several decades of nutritional and consumer data behind it." I know that most consumers think they prefer grain fed beef (mostly because they've never had "the good stuff"), but I've never seen any nutritional data that suggests grain fed beef is superior. In fact, all of the data I've read suggests the opposite - grass fed beef is higher in Omega-3s, lower in saturated fat, less likely to cause heart disease, not at risk for Mad Cow and E Coli, etc. Sun May 13 11:37:50 -0700 2007 2565270 10793 Morton the Mousse 4 2572175 What I meant by nutritional data is the data needed to "finish" cattle in the feedlot consistently is abundant. There are many university studies and textbooks written on combinations of feedstuffs that provide all the nutritional needs of cattle in the feedlot for cost-effective rapid growth (although some of the components are startling- like shredded phonebooks and candy waste). In comparison, there is very little research available on finishing cattle on pasture, which is why many of us grass fed producers are in an experimental mode of always trying new things. As far as human nutrition, the data do support the nutritional superiority of grass fed beef, although some of those data are sketchy. Tue May 15 14:36:37 -0700 2007 2566151 55456 Alderspring 5 2573979 We work on feed systems for small-holders in Central America with "dual purpose females (haha!, i.e., cows for milk and meat production)". For the milk production side, protein in the diet is important--and that means addition of forrage legumes. Wed May 16 08:20:32 -0700 2007 2572175 36661 Sam Fujisaka 3 2566195 Alderspring no doubt doesn't want to give the appearance of spamming, so I might mention that an Alderspring ribeye won a taste competition written up in Slate magazine. Since then, there's been a waiting list (which I'm on) for steaks, though other cuts are available. Sun May 13 12:03:37 -0700 2007 2565270 55316 mpalmer6c 1 2566102 The bottom line for me is that cows need chemicals to digest corn-based feed, and some of the chemicals are petroleum-based. So, with grain-fed beef we get a nasty stew of excess chemicals (some of which end up in the ground and water), and we've gone from a natural process of using solar energy to grow grass to feed the cattle to produce protein, to a system that relies in part on petroleum. All merely because corn has been cheaper (partly because of subsidies). Pollen's book is amazing, and a must-read for anyone nterested in food. But armed with the right information, it's not much of a dilemma at all. Sun May 13 11:00:22 -0700 2007 2563480 41818 Grubbjunkie 2 2566117 Chemicals in a cow's rumen? Petroleum based? Rumen bacterial ecology is altered when cattle are not fed enough fiber (e.g., grass). Part of the result can be increases in pathogens dangerous to human health. One part of getting healthier meat is to put cattle back on a grass diet prior to slaughter. Sun May 13 11:15:44 -0700 2007 2566102 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 2566572 Cows do not need chemicals to digest corn! Perhaps in extreme conditions, where that's all they're fed, this might be true. I lived on a small cattle farm for years where the animals ate mostly grass and hay, but as they approached slaughtering age, this diet was supplimented with two small grain feeds per day. The resulting meat was delicious, and the cows suffered no ill-health with the addition of the grain. (Note: This was not, by any stretch, a typical feed-lot operation!) Sun May 13 16:15:04 -0700 2007 2566102 11995 pikawicca 1 2566127 All cattle eats some grass during its lifespan (except certain veal calves). The term "pastured" is more precise - it implies that the cow spent the majority of it's life outdoors (except the winter months in certain climates) eating wild grasses . Some ranchers finish pastured beef on a mix of grains to fatten them up right before slaughter - this is markedly different from the grain fed beef raised in factory farms. Pastured beef does not need to be grass finished to be sustainable, healthy, and safe. Personally, I prefer grain finished pastured beef for steaks, and grass finished pastured beef for stews and braises. Much as I enjoyed Pollan's book, he completely ignored the subject of grain finished pastured beef, and I feel that he misled many people into believing that grass finished beef is the only ethical choice. Pastured, grass finished beef can be well marbled, depending on the breed of steer and the practices of the rancher. Corn feeding speeds up the marbling process (resulting in a far less deep and complex flavor) but it is not the only way to obtain marbling. The main problem with much of the pastured beef on the market today is that it is not properly butchered and aged, and it is often frozen. Many small ranchers lack the facilities and infrastructure to ensure that a quality product is delivered to the marktet, and USDA regulations do not make it any easier. This is unfortunate, as it gives many consumers an inaccurate, negative perception of pastured beef. Aging makes beef more tender and more flavorful. When people complain that they don't like the texture of grass fed beef - it is too tough or chewy - that just means that the beef was not properly aged. Of course, factory farmed beef is never aged properly, but corn fed beef has a tender texture without aging. A well aged piece of pastured beef is among the most delicious pieces of meat you will ever eat. It is markedly superior to factory farmed beef in both flavor and texture. If you think you don't like grass fed beef, it just means you need to find a better source for it. Sun May 13 11:21:59 -0700 2007 2563480 10793 Morton the Mousse 2 2567329 Coming to this topic a little late but I thought I'd weigh in. I really enjoyed your post and it is nice to see that you are so well informed. Most people out there don't know much about this topic.My husband and I own a grass-fed and organic butcher shop, one of the few in the country to specialize this way. so a lot of grass-fed beef passes through our doors. First, aging . . .aging does in fact make meat more tender and of course more flavorful but even the best grass-fed beef is going to be chewier than grain-fed beef. These are animals that are actively walking around on pasture and using their muscles so there is no amount of aging that is going to compensate for that—they are not idly standing around in feedlots, which of course is a good thing, and are also MUCH leaner in comparison. You also have to take into account which part of the animal the meat comes from. The prime cuts like ribeyes, strips and filets are ALWAYS more tender because they come from a less worked part of the animal's body while top round, bottom round, etc. will be tougher. Most butchers/farmers do not dry-age anything (past 1wk-10days) that is not considered prime. For example we do a 4-wk aged top sirloin but would not consider aging a top round that long. Aging is a costly process and no one is going to pay $18.99/lb for a london broil. I agree with you about grass-fed/grain-finished animals which we have available throughout the winter and spring when there is no grass on the ground. Grass-fed beef for us Northeasterners is a seasonal product. Farmers can feed their animals this way without using antibiotics or hormones since their primary diet is still grass—balage or silage in the winter. Though we sell 100% grass-fed steaks that would knock your socks off (and I actually prefer them to the grain finished variety) many people do prefer a little more fat. We have managed to find farmers that have such a consistently good product that our customers barely notice when we switch to 100% grass-fed from grass-fed/grain-finished. But that is not the case in many instances, just because you put your animal on grass it doesn't mean it is going to taste good—it is a matter of the type of grass, genetics, rotational grazing and good farming. It is a hard combo to come by and even we have made a few very expensive mistakes along the way and had to grind whole animals because they were too tough to sell. I can't imagine eating grain-fed beef again and when I have at friends' houses and eaten conventionally-raised beef the taste difference has been so extraordinary that I have been shocked that anyone else would eat grain fed beef. But grass-fed beef is not for everyone, many people prefer a milder taste and a mushy texture. Mon May 14 05:39:03 -0700 2007 2566127 86379 schmutzyapple 3 4980974 Hey nice post! My beef preference changed alot when I came back from Southern Brazil. Its hard to buy beef at supermarkets now. Most of the beef tastes so bland. I would have to go to a good butcher shop or health food market to get my beef. While I was in South America, I could not stop eating beef and that was true for the rest of my group. I thought after the third day, geez!!....this can't be healthy:(... but after about two weeks, I noticed that I was digesting the grass fed beef easliy...well heck EAT MORE!!:) After a few days here in the states of eating grain fed... I would feel kinda "weighed down". I recently went back, this time Argentina visiting some friends. They took us to some AMAZING steak houses. For almost 5 weeks straight, we had beef at least once a day. Now I know why the Argentinians have the highest rate of beef cunsumption. And again, we did not feel "achy" or weighed down. I'm a firm believer. This time as well, I brought a friend and he had pretty much nothing but "Picanha Noble" and wine. I think he did that 8 days staight one time. He was also a skeptic before the trip. When we came back to the states. We tried finding a comparison, but it was hard to do. We just went down to the local high-end butcher and got super high priced Cowboy Steaks.. Nebraska Corn Fed.. it was good, but we miss the bold beef flavor of grass-fed. The "grissle" comparison is a big difference. Grass-Fed has very little (most of the time none), even in the the most tender steaks. Typical grain fed beef, has alot! You have to pay alot of money to get well marbled steaks here in the states with very little "grissle". Wed Aug 26 17:17:53 -0700 2009 2567329 1102991 sli790i 3 4980998 The "salt test"... While most grain fed beef, you have to add a lot of spices or marinades to flavor the beef. Grass-Fed beef for the most part only requires salt....adding anything else, you would mask the terrific flavor of grass-fed. Wed Aug 26 17:26:20 -0700 2009 2567329 1102991 sli790i 1 2567409 I bought some grass fed ground beef 2 weeks ago after reading "Crunchy Con's". Its a book about seeing the connection between conservation and traditionalism and the environment including the way we eat. I was shocked to read about how meat is raised. Anyways, the cost was a bit prohibitive 6.99 a pound compared to 2.99 a pound for the regular stuff. The flavor was more meaty tasting, and I think I overcooked it. I may try again with shorter cooking times. I would like to buy more grass fed, I just hope the prices come down some. Mon May 14 06:25:53 -0700 2007 2563480 98424 giddyrobin 2 2567646 When I buy steak I usually spend between $12-20 dollars per pound depending on the cut and where I buy it. But we also eat sensible portions, so a pound of lean steak will feed three quite nicely with 5-6 oz portions. I don't find that very expensiv, especially since we eat steak once a week at most. Even if you're making hamburgers with $5-6/pound grass fed ground beef, you can still get a great burger for $2 per person. Compare that to a mystery meat burger from McD's or BK and its quite a deal, especially when concerns about sustainability and animal and human welfare are factored in. I recently found great whole Australian grass-fed tenderloins for about $6 per pound at Shop Rite in NJ. I liked them but they were much stronger tasting and much less mushy than corn-fed filets, so they may not be to everyone's taste. Mon May 14 07:56:59 -0700 2007 2567409 13599 Ellen 1 2573833 I don't eat beef anymore and I haven't read this entire thread-my apologies if I am repeating what someone said. My understanding of flavor preference is this: Grass fed is more natural, but so many of us were raised on grain fed we prefer that. Grass fed can be an aquired taste. Also, a natural foods store here in Minnesota advertises grass-fed/grass-finished beef. The difference is that most of the grass fed beef in this country (according to them) is given grain after a certain point. You may want to check in to that. Wed May 16 07:38:50 -0700 2007 2563480 97411 NewSushiFiend 2 2574166 As always, it's important to learn from a variety of sources and weigh those sources. Your retailer is likely selling exactly what they advertise - grass-fed/grass-finished beef. But they are retailers, not agricultural experts or statisticians, and they are, of course, promoting their own product. "Most" is an imprecise word. As long as retailers honestly label what they are selling, there should be no problem. Consumers should inform themselves about what these products are. I suggest you do take time to read some of the instructive posts on this thread about the seasonality of grass-fed beef - especially in climates like Minnesota. They were from grass-fed cattle producers and vendors and very informative. Wed May 16 09:08:16 -0700 2007 2573833 32444 MakingSense 2 3422504 I think there's more reason to eat grass-fed beef/meat than just the flavor but i do think the flavor of grass-fed beef is an acquired taste. This site is very informative, fyi, www.eatwild.com and i strongly recommend Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. Thu Feb 21 17:42:25 -0800 2008 2573833 52222 hlv2eat 1 2575523 I made a very simple stew with grass fed beef. It was the first time I'd had grass fed, and there was a definite difference in taste. Major difference was a little hard to pin down, but the flavor imparted from fat was definitely missing---not a bad thing, but different, for sure. The meat also tasted, well-----grassy! Changed my wine choice to go with the new taste.....went with a Duckhorn Cab. Wed May 16 14:36:10 -0700 2007 2563480 18755 howboy 1 4960724 Grass-fed is got a ways to go in the US. I've spent time in South America especially in the southern part where grass-fed is king. My first experience was about 8 years ago in Brazil when someone in our group (she came way before me), told me to order the steak at a restraurant. My first impression was... I'm from the good ole USA and we have the best beef. She said, you won't believe the taste.. I said OK.. OK... I took one bite and and anohter and another and could not believe how good that was. Leaner, Juicer, BEEFIER!!!!!... and oh yeah.. I have to admit TASTIER:) I ate beef every day for the rest of my trip.. about 6 weeks!!! I noticed I was digesting the meat easier. It wasn't unitl I came back to the states I started to research about grass fed. I can get the best USDA beef possible since there are many high-grade butcher shops where I live... up to 29/35 dollars a pound. I've ordered PRIME BEEF on-line.....Grass-Fed is simply better. Once a friend of mine from Argentina told me that our beef wasn't that good, I pointed her out to a few butcher shops and though she said it was good it does not compare to beef in Argentina.. I took my trip to South America about a year later and found out what she was talking about. I've been back many times and I always can't wait to hit an Argentinian Steak House or a Brazilian Churrascaria. Grass fed has a much darker texture. It is also noticibly leaner. And oh yeah it cooks fast. The grains on the meat are also noticibly finer.... thus producing a more tender taste. Ciao!!! Wed Aug 19 17:47:17 -0700 2009 2563480 1102991 sli790i 2 4960731 I have to say that the DH and I had some pretty sub-par beef on a recent trip to Venezuela. Maybe we were just unlucky. I've had great grass fed and mediocre grass fed here in the U.S. Animal husbandry is an art. Wed Aug 19 17:51:51 -0700 2009 4960724 11995 pikawicca 3 4977332 I need to clarify myself and be more specific. I was being too general about the region. Southern Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay all share a huge area where PAMPAS GRASS grows wild on low flatlands. This is what their herd feed upon. This is the reason why their beef is raved about throughout the world. I've had beef in Northern parts of South America and it was a hit or miss. I've also had beef in Northern Brazil in remote towns which was grown locally and it was mediocare. Much of my great experiences with beef came from those regions I mentioned in the beginning. It's a way of life for them. In California where I am from, there are small farms with extremely limited distribution who specialize in grass-fed. Marin Sun Farms is my favorite, they bring their beef to the local farmers market and it is amazing indeed. Another one is Prather Farms... I only know of a few places where they sell their beef. The most widely distributed grass-fed is Estancia, they are from Uruguay. I've bought a huge loin roast from them..special order... and it was talked about more than the bday girl. Western Grass Land.. I believe that's the name.. sucks... plain and simple. Whole Foods carry some decent grass-fed. Tue Aug 25 15:38:18 -0700 2009 4960731 1102991 sli790i 4 4977656 Pardon my ignorance, but is the climate in northern Argentina such that cattle can graze on grass year-round? This is an extremely rare circumstance, I believe. Tue Aug 25 17:20:21 -0700 2009 4977332 11995 pikawicca 5 4977786 Tropical and semi-tropical forages can be maintained year-round in northern Argentina (near the border with Bolivia). The constraint is lack of moisture rather than temperature or day length. Tue Aug 25 18:00:23 -0700 2009 4977656 36661 Sam Fujisaka 5 4981075 Hay is dried grass. If there is not sufficient forage during the winter, feeding cattle cut hay still means they're grass fed. Wed Aug 26 17:54:32 -0700 2009 4977656 13599 Ellen 6 4981163 Having spent many years on a horse farm, I know very well what hay is. I also know that it is not as nutritious as fresh grass, and has to be supplemented. You cannot keep weight on a horse, or put weight on a steer, by feeding hay alone. Wed Aug 26 18:34:41 -0700 2009 4981075 11995 pikawicca 7 4981809 Although as you know, properly processed silage can be vrey nutritious. Thu Aug 27 03:48:32 -0700 2009 4981163 36661 Sam Fujisaka 4 4977775 Sorry, but the savannahs, cerrados, and pampas where cattle are grown are also sown to improved grasses and forage legumes. Pastures throughout Latin America vary in their condition and forage species mixes. Tue Aug 25 17:57:45 -0700 2009 4977332 36661 Sam Fujisaka 3 4977383 Also look for beef from Nicaragua... (Central America). I had some wonderful beef there, it was certified from the Port Of Miami and flown here to California. It was a huge hit!! They are now USDA certified and should be in Higher End Gorcery stores... Their cutting chart is different than ours.. BTW... when eating beef from another country, it is ALWAYS advisiable to adhere to their cutting charts and methods. Its always the best experience. The Argentinian cutting chart is very similar to ours BUT.. they do have about 15 to 20 more cuts. When I say similar, you will find similar cuts like New York, Rib Eye, but of course they are called different. Argentinians living here in the US, will tend to buy their meats in sides and customize their cuts. Tue Aug 25 15:52:07 -0700 2009 4960731 1102991 sli790i 1 4981462 Essentailly grass fed is almost always grain fed too! Most ranchers raise there cattle pretty well on grass and then off they go to feed lot (for grain, chicken bi products (now that beef bi products are banned) ,antibiotics, and growth hormones) Alot of butcher shops are sneaky about the term grass fed / grain fed. BISON > BUFFALO > grass fed, free range, non feed lot matured meat is WONDERFUL! Here's a scary passionate eye doc you can watch online which hits really close to home as an Albertan who was raised on beef! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4129902081038592146 Wed Aug 26 20:47:25 -0700 2009 2563480 82247 CookieGal 2 4981811 Almost all the beef in Latin America is not grain finished. Thu Aug 27 03:49:28 -0700 2009 4981462 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 4982002 There are a number of local beef producers where I live; some finish their cattle on grain, some on grass. They don't hesitate to explain (and defend) their method, so I have confidence that when I buy "grass fed," that's what I'm getting. Even the grain-finished local cattle are not finished in feedlots -- grain is simply added to their diet for the final 3 months or so before slaughter. Thu Aug 27 06:07:22 -0700 2009 4981462 11995 pikawicca 2 4982532 in the u.s.a., look for a 100% grass fed label, or buy farmer direct. Thu Aug 27 08:42:47 -0700 2009 4981462 46030 soupkitten 1 5067423 We raise a few steers each year. Never sure whether we should label them grass fed. They are pastured, but they do get some grain each day (usually in the morning). Other than that, they live their lives in the pasture, eating grass. This year's steers will be butchered at 10 months, when they should weigh around 1000 pounds each. Has anyone else had any experience raising cattle this way? They are definitely not relegated to a feedlot (we don't even have one). Tue Sep 29 12:36:43 -0700 2009 2563480 1112893 amyecenb 2 5067904 This is the beef I grew ate as a youngster and prefer, but you really can't find it unless you raise it: lots of grass, a little grain = great taste and fat-to-lean ratio, with no need of antibiotics. Tue Sep 29 16:37:36 -0700 2009 5067423 11995 pikawicca 2 5067923 Grass fed with grain supplements - very common the world over. Tue Sep 29 16:52:35 -0700 2009 5067423 36661 Sam Fujisaka 3 5068019 Hi Sam, I don't know about other parts of the world, but here in the U.S., this meat is only available to consumers who know ranchers who are raising their animals this way. Grass fed, grain finished beef is a niche market. Tue Sep 29 17:43:59 -0700 2009 5067923 11995 pikawicca 1 5068064 After reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, we switched to 100% grass fed beef. The ranch we buy from raises Scottish Highland cattle, so I can't comment too much on the taste difference of grain fed vs grass fed, because SH meat is different to begin with. We like it a lot. The huge difference I did notice is in the organ meats - much much tastier then grain fed. Given the sickness that grain feeding can induce, I think this makes sense - the liver of a healthy animal tastes better then the liver of a sick animal. Liver story -- my husband hates liver - for years after we were married I couldn't get him to eat it(even bribery failed). He'd try a taste, and spit it out -- once he vomited. I picked up a couple of lbs of liver to try when we were testing different grass-fed suppliers, sauteed some for supper, put the left overs in the fridge, and got woken up at 1 am by dasHusband asking "when did we buy the steak? it's delicious". So far, I've tried out the grass fed liver on several avowed liver haters, and every one has liked it -- I really think that the difference in feed and health is whats affecting the taste. Tue Sep 29 18:06:15 -0700 2009 2563480 66685 AnnaEA 1 5077494 Has anyone had problems with 100% grass fed and finished tasting "fishy"? I've found that I am very sensitive to Omega-3 and find high levels to taste unpleasant. For me, grass fed but grain finished drops the O-3 levels enough to be tasty without the fishy flavor. Sat Oct 03 21:57:26 -0700 2009 2563480 225355 baybritta 2 5106596 I eat pretty much only grass fed beef, and have never encountered a "fishy" taste. I think you're suffering from an overactive imagination. Thu Oct 15 16:34:33 -0700 2009 5077494 11995 pikawicca 1 5106373 The biggest advantage for me with organic, grass-fed beef is I can eat it! A few years ago, I swore off red meat due to digestive problems. This past summer, I served organic, grass fed burgers at a BBQ and they were a big hit. Afterwards, I didn't have any of my usual digestive problems. I still don't eat much red meat but I have since tried other cuts of grass-fed; I am thrilled I can eat red meat again. I am able to purchase quality, organic, grass-fed beef (a wide variety of cuts) at Lakewinds Coop in the Twin Cities. A couple of other small groceries carry the products, too, but not the variety. I've asked for grass fed at the local Cub meat counter where I'm told they have many requests but I notice they still don't carry the products. Comments about taste and cooking are accurate. I love the taste but it does take different cooking techniques. Thu Oct 15 15:08:18 -0700 2009 2563480 1116613 foodieftmidwest