Grass Fed Beef VS. Grain Fed Beef

[inv3ctiv3]

I didn't read the whole thread but I was at my local butchers and they said most places claim "grass fed" when the cow is only grass fed for the last 3 months of it's life but they place they get their grass fed is grass fed the whole life of the cow.

 

[Jamber]

The whole 'cattle in feedlots being pumped full of hormones and antibiotics' is the most ludacris argument ever. Most meds have more harmful antibiotics and hormones than you will get in a life time from implants and cattle that have been vaccinated! I'll take my cornfed certified angus choice t-bone medium-rare please.

 

[mmmmeat]

I'd like to try grass fed, but our farmers market is selling it for 9 bucks a pound. So needless to say I wont be trying it any time soon

Hey jimmy.....ive had the "grass"fed beef from round our parts....not worth it...

And that is why I will gladly get "beefed" up beef, if I was out east grass fed might be a very viable choice, but out here in az, its not good(tasting) meat, its very gamey....like venison...if I wanted that, i would shoot a deer (hopefully I get one this year) and eat it.

 

[ODU Dad]

you answer your own question here. the way nature intended pork is better tasting.

I am afraid that my point got missed. Yes, I agree that the old way pork was developed is better, because it was based on taste. Cows' diets, however, were changed from grass to grain. Why? Because of the taste (marbling). Therefore my point is that "going back to nature" for beef is not for taste but for pork it is.

So, what are you trying to achieve, better taste or more natural? Regarding grass fed beef, to me it is NOT a benefit to the taste of the product, it is more about certain groups of people railing against the industrialization of our food supply.

 

[jimmyinsd]

a combination of both will give you the best of both worlds, and yes the nasty crap you hear about larger commercial feedlots is real, but you cant argue with the profitability and tastiness of the product.

however if you truly want good beef i would recommend taking a drive into the country and buy for a 6 month period from the producer instead of meal to meal from the local butcher who probably buys boxed beef and has no clue as to its origin or background.

your butcher will tell you what you want to hear, but the grower will tell you what you need to hear. wheter you buy from him or not the grower is going to get his 1.20 per pound, its just that this way you know where your meat comes from for real. not to mention by cutting out the commercial feedlot and paper ranchers you will average under 3.00 per pound for all your cuts of beef.

imo the right plan is ma and grass till 600, then semi confined with ample grain and free choice grass/hay until 1000 and then grass/hay for a month and slaughter.

 

[Wampus]

a combination of both will give you the best of both worlds, and yes the nasty crap you hear about larger commercial feedlots is real, but you cant argue with the profitability and tastiness of the product.

however if you truly want good beef i would recommend taking a drive into the country and buy for a 6 month period from the producer instead of meal to meal from the local butcher who probably buys boxed beef and has no clue as to its origin or background.

your butcher will tell you what you want to hear, but the grower will tell you what you need to hear. wheter you buy from him or not the grower is going to get his 1.20 per pound, its just that this way you know where your meat comes from for real. not to mention by cutting out the commercial feedlot and paper ranchers you will average under 3.00 per pound for all your cuts of beef.

imo the right plan is ma and grass till 600, then semi confined with ample grain and free choice grass/hay until 1000 and then grass/hay for a month and slaughter.

I simply didn't want to believe this stuff, but after doing the research, I agree 100% with the fact that the slaughterhouses and large commercial feed and finish lots is not good at all. As I understand it, cattle are fed foods high in protein and fat to make them gain weight quickly, which many times means meat. Cows are herbivores, not carnivores. I have a hunch that this is where many of the "tainted beef" issues have arisen from. Certainly not natural. But, feeding the masses has brought us to this end I'm afraid.

THIS is why I just went and paid a friend for a 320 lb hog raised at his uncle's place and it will be butchered this week the way I want from a local butcher. And THIS is why that same friend of mine buys 2 or 3 calves every 2 years, and is going to let me and my family be a part of raising them, feeding, etc. and late this fall, we'll take them to the same butcher and I'll get one of the cattle myself.....butchered the way I want.

I want my kids and my family to learn WHERE their food comes from. Back to basics, as they say.

My friend and his family have told me that (as Cap said) all grass fed cattle is very lean, but grass and grain fed cattle simply have a better FLAVOR to their meat. I'm no expert, but I'll take the word of people like Cowgirl and my buddy who do it and are only telling you what they know.

 

[Duke]

Further to Wampus' point, some study figured out that cows need to eat grass for just one week to get the natural immunizations that preclude them needing antibiotics, but that even giving the cows a one-week vacation from the feed lots is more expensive than the cost of medicating them.

We have a 'buy local' movement in the area raising the question of whether cows in our county need to travel to Kansas to be slaughtered instead of cutting and selling locally. (1,000 miles of truck fuel) So, we bought half a cow. I must say that the flavor is surprisingly different and once you learn not to overcook it, the cuts are as or more tender than Costco with a lot more flavor.

When picking up our order, I met the rancher and his story was similar to Cowgirl's in saying that his cows were grass fed until their last couple months as winter approached, when they were grain fed and marbled up.
It's hard to beat. The average cost was $4.05/lb delivered which makes for some expensive (but very tender and flavorful) ground beef, but really inexpensive Loins, T-bones and Rib eyes. We'll do it again!

 

[bignburlyman]

Further to Wampus' point, some study figured out that cows need to eat grass for just one week to get the natural immunizations that preclude them needing antibiotics, but that even giving the cows a one-week vacation from the feed lots is more expensive than the cost of medicating them.

We have a 'buy local' movement in the area raising the question of whether cows in our county need to travel to Kansas to be slaughtered instead of cutting and selling locally. (1,000 miles of truck fuel) So, we bought half a cow. I must say that the flavor is surprisingly different and once you learn not to overcook it, the cuts are as or more tender than Costco with a lot more flavor.

When picking up our order, I met the rancher and his story was similar to Cowgirl's in saying that his cows were grass fed until their last couple months as winter approached, when they were grain fed and marbled up.
It's hard to beat. The average cost was $4.05/lb delivered which makes for some expensive (but very tender and flavorful) ground beef, but really inexpensive Loins, T-bones and Rib eyes. We'll do it again!

One potential problem with buying direct from a producer and having it slaughtered yourself is if the animal has an unseen internal health problem (blood disorder, liver flukes, etc) the carcass could be condemned by the meat processor. If your producer won't stand by their product and provide another animal, you have bought and paid for a carcass going to a dog food plant.

 

[greenkm]

I just smoked a brisket that was grass fed...it was small...just a couple of pounds, and came out too dry for me...simply too lean for my taste.

Price wasn't bad, but need that fat for flavor and moisture.

 

[Duke]

One potential problem with buying direct from a producer and having it slaughtered yourself is if the animal has an unseen internal health problem (blood disorder, liver flukes, etc) the carcass could be condemned by the meat processor. If your producer won't stand by their product and provide another animal, you have bought and paid for a carcass going to a dog food plant.

Great point. Fortunately, the inspecting, slaughtering and so on is managed by two County departments before any end purchasers are involved. Luckily the buyers in this program don't bear any losses. Pay a deposit, specify the cuts and thicknesses, and wait your turn for the next side that passes inspection to be cut to order. The program is getting quite popular as the coordinators and County Council are working hard to ensure no one has a bad experience.

 

[jimmyinsd]

One potential problem with buying direct from a producer and having it slaughtered yourself is if the animal has an unseen internal health problem (blood disorder, liver flukes, etc) the carcass could be condemned by the meat processor. If your producer won't stand by their product and provide another animal, you have bought and paid for a carcass going to a dog food plant.

i have yet to meet a cattle man that wouldnt stand behind one of his animals. we arent going to get rich on range cattle, but we still have our pride in that the animals that we raise are top quality US beef. whether you are dealing with a guy that raises 10 a year or 1000, if you buy an animal for slaughter from somebody who is committed you will receive a satisfactory product.

 

[SmokinGuitarPlayer]

I prefer grass fed if I can get it.

 

[Murray in N.Z.]

Hi there.. Y'all should try New zealand beef & lamb. Its all grass fed, we dont have no feedlots down here. The meat is a lot leaner which means different cooking techniques. After seeing the well marbled meat in Sams Club a few years back I have looked for it all over here. The only time we get it is either spring or autumn (fall) kills & even then y'all wouldnt call it "well marbled".

Now I gotta say that your grainfed beef tastes a whole lot like grain but our grass fed steak tastes gamier, I previously just called ours real beef flavoured but after comparing with cornfed it is more earthy. We tend not to get too carried away with antibiotics. The cattle live outside 24/7/365 and they rarely get sick, if they do they usually end up as fertilizer.
Yes you need to cook it different, it takes a lot more skill or else you end up with shoe rubber.

Man our brisket is skinny though... I just cant find a decent fatty lump to smoke. Maybe all the walking around the padocks keeps the steers moobs away. The missus sez I should try it

Yip it sure is expensive.. but then again everthing down here is!

See Y'all in th'soup

Muzza in N.Z.