Grass-fed Beef - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Botnst · #46 08-29-2007, 07:28 AM

Back in the 1970's my in-laws raised cattle and were mostly on grass (the cows, I mean. Well okay, me too, but that was different). There was a difference in flavor & texture. I think it's because feedlot animals don't move much and eat high-protein food resulting in the animal equivalent of that mattress-man. I don't think most people would like meat that is more dense and less fat. The flavor difference isn't a big deal, IMO.

aklim · #47 08-29-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

I'd like to do a side by side taste test tween grass and grain fed -- not sure I'd spot the difference that well w/o that.

You'd have to do a blind test. Somebody feed you similar cuts of meat but one grass fed and one grain fed. See which one you like better. If you have the 2 cuts in front of you, you could be biasing the test. You'd have to be blindfolded and the assistant not talk to you while doing that.

R Leo · #48 08-29-2007, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I would think if you don't overcrowd them they wouldn't need the antibiotics. They are after all herd animals.

Well for one, blackleg is something they can get while in pastures. The pathogen (Clostridium chauvoei) is occurs naturally the GI tract of the animal and can reside dormant in the soil for years.Always fatal; kills them dead in about 24 hours and innoculation is the only defense.

John Doe · #49 08-29-2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waybomb

Go to USDA and check out what qualifies for "free range". Essentially, the standard coop of a few thousand birds, with an open door that allows them to walk freely outside into a 10' x 10' caged area. Free Range.

And don't get fooled by "hormone free" chicken. ALL chicken in the US today is hormone free. But some make a lot of money by charging more for a label that states the what the law says it must be.

As for steak - buy aged if you can find it. Almost all of it is good if aged. A little mold on it helps (you scrape the mold off first!).

I already did this, thus dropping the free range chickens. BUT, I have personally been to the small farm that was producing these birds and rabbits, and they are in corrals--no traditional coops-- and have individual pods almost like laying hens.

As far as beef goes, I buy in bulk, cut and age my own.

R Leo · #50 08-29-2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Doe

I already did this, thus dropping the free range chickens. BUT, I have personally been to the small farm that was producing these birds and rabbits, and they are in corrals--no traditional coops-- and have individual pods almost like laying hens.

As far as beef goes, I buy in bulk, cut and age my own.

On the road to the farm there's a place that had several portable chicken coops which permitted the animals access to the 10 x 10 space required for free range status but also a (relatively) safe place to roost at night. The contraptions had wheels and the 'free range' zone was covered with hardware cloth or chicken wire to contain the chickens and, hopefully, exclude the larger preadators.

Wheels permitted the coop to be moved around, thus they could occasionally relocating the bug-eating chickens to new 'range'.

Sort of like this but less elaborate:

In theory, portable coops solve one of the problems of a monoculture (in my case, cattle only) but in practice, it's another thing entirely to have several dozen cluckers in a pasture, ripe for the pickin' by coyotes, coons or wild dogs, only held at bay by a bit of wire. If the predators didn't eat them, those stupid yardbirds would probably kill themselves trying to get away.

Kuan · #51 08-29-2007, 12:37 PM

As far as beef is concerned, people love fat. The more the marbling, the more tender, and the better it tastes.

But there are ways you treat certain cuts of beef. The filet mignon from a grass fed steer is going to be quite tender if you don't cook it past medium. A standard USDA choice filet mignon is gonna be terrible if you do it med-well.

It doesn't matter that much for leaner cuts such as flank steak or bottom round. Bottom round is normally roasted rare to med-rare, flank steak at most med-rare anyway. The difference in tenderness is minimal between grass and corn fed.

Leo, I get all my chicken from a friend's farm. Chicken and goat really. The chicken is pastured. That's the term they use these days.

It's quite good.

tankdriver · #52 08-29-2007, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

A cow is a cow is a cow. Milk is still milk and a steak is still a steak no matter what it's been fed.

Not so. Milk in Canada and Europe does not come from rBGH/rBST fed cows due to health concerns.

aspar · #53 08-29-2007, 10:51 PM

I tell you one thing--it's good.

Larry Delor · #54 08-30-2007, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuan

...A standard USDA choice filet mignon is gonna be terrible if you do it med-well.

Might as well put ketchup on it, if it is past med-well.

aklim · #55 08-30-2007, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tankdriver

Not so. Milk in Canada and Europe does not come from rBGH/rBST fed cows due to health concerns.

But are they real concerns or just something people worry about. Take Chronic Wasting Disease. Had that in the Western states since the 70s. Hit WI a few years ago and Gander Mountain and other places were selling test kits and all that. Has there been one link to the Krutzfeld-Jacob disease? No. Do people worry about CWD here? You bet. Now, I wouldn't eat a sick deer, any sickness. Am I worried that I might be eating CWD deer? Nope.

aklim · #56 08-30-2007, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Delor

Might as well put ketchup on it, if it is past med-well.

Might as well give it to you with the ketchup on it at that level. I want my steaks rare. I want to start with the potato being yellow from the butter or the Jasmine Rice being that color from butter and by the middle bite, the rice or potato is red.

Botnst · #57 08-30-2007, 09:19 AM

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it...don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way.Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! .... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride"

Mistress · #58 08-30-2007, 10:26 AM

this might not skid sideways...

aklim · #59 08-30-2007, 10:35 AM

hubba hubba

tankdriver · #60 08-30-2007, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

But are they real concerns or just something people worry about.

I don't know if anyone really knows, but it certainly does a number on the cows. I do know that finding out the teats ooze pus doesn't make me want to rush out and buy non-organic milk. I think the Canadians have said, there's nothing harmful to humans, but we still won't take it, and the Europeans have said they don't know, but they won't take any chances. It causes an increase of insulin growth factor 1 (whatever that is), but whether that's transferrable isn't really known.

My point is, we do manipulate our food supply and there is a difference between manipulated and not manipulated food. It's a lot like the global warming debate. No one has satisfactory statistics about what causes what, but I don't think many people say pollution is fine and good. Personally, I'd rather have food that is what it's supposed to be than food that's been messed with.