Grass Fed Beef

[zandi]

This was on my list today, for items to get at the store today. I have never of this before. My daughter told me, I will feel like I am on the TV show, Super Market Sweep (she knows I love this game show lol). I was like, no, I am not going to search all over for this item. I am gong to ask for assistance in the meat department, which I did and had no problem!
I must admit, even though, I do not eat meat myself, the aroma smelled wonderful, she prepared a dish with this meat for lunch. I am wondering, if anyone else cooks or has tried grass fed beef and your thoughts/

 

[lizzief79]

As much as I like to think of myself as a bit of a foodie, I can never really tell the difference when you get meat from animals fed in certain ways. Also, are all cows not grass fed? I assume this means they do not have any other supplements to their diet.

 

[Corzhens]

Like an organic label where you cannot tell if the food item is indeed organic or not, you can never tell how a cow was raised for that beef. Depending on the ranch, cows can be fed anything nutritious aside from ordinary grass or silage. Over here, cattle is sometimes fed with mulberry leaves and I've heard that they also give corn (although I still have to confirm this). Now, with that beef you are saying if it was grass-fed, perhaps you just have to ask the vendor if he knows about it.

 

[Berties]

you can tell the difference if meat is well looked after and well hung and well butchered,

 

[classic33]

Like an organic label where you cannot tell if the food item is indeed organic or not, you can never tell how a cow was raised for that beef. Depending on the ranch, cows can be fed anything nutritious aside from ordinary grass or silage. Over here, cattle is sometimes fed with mulberry leaves and I've heard that they also give corn (although I still have to confirm this). Now, with that beef you are saying if it was grass-fed, perhaps you just have to ask the vendor if he knows about it.

you can tell the difference if meat is well looked after and well hung and well butchered,

But not if grass fed, which depending on who you ask can mean different things.
Consumer: The cows have been fed on grass, as seen growing in the fields. Not possible in this day and age to manage all year round.
Butcher/P.O.S.: The cow has been fed only grass, all year round. This will include silage(possibly hay), with artificial feed. Beef nuts, grain etc.
Farmer: The cow has been fed only grass, all year round. This will include silage(possibly hay) with no artificial feed. Beef nuts, etc.
In all the above the animals will have spent the better part of the year outside.

To confuse matters slightly, on the organic side.
Pit silage: Whilst slightly easier on the environment(less plastic used) isn't organic feed. Because of what is poured over it at various stages and before the final plastic covering is placed over it. The pit size determines how often. The run off is highly corrosive as well.
Baled silage: Usually black/Light Green plastic used for the covering on round bales, is classed as organic feed. Nothing being added to it prior to wrapping. Other than the cords/netting to hold it in place. But a larger amount of plastic(non bio-degradable) to get rid off. 25 years on & the plastic remains in the "building" set aside for it, four walls and a bit of a roof. As good as the day it went in.
Both are grass, but only one is organic.

And the consumer has very little chance of knowing if the grass it was fed on was organic or not. Nitrogen fertilizer usage will instantly remove the organic label from it, as will any on which the slurry from animals fed on anything other than organic products has been spread.

 

[Berties]

But not if grass fed, which depending on who you ask can mean different things.
Consumer: The cows have been fed on grass, as seen growing in the fields. Not possible in this day and age to manage all year round.
Butcher/P.O.S.: The cow has been fed only grass, all year round. This will include silage(possibly hay), with artificial feed. Beef nuts, grain etc.
Farmer: The cow has been fed only grass, all year round. This will include silage(possibly hay) with no artificial feed. Beef nuts, etc.
In all the above the animals will have spent the better part of the year outside.

To confuse matters slightly, on the organic side.
Pit silage: Whilst slightly easier on the environment(less plastic used) isn't organic feed. Because of what is poured over it at various stages and before the final plastic covering is placed over it. The pit size determines how often. The run off is highly corrosive as well.
Baled silage: Usually black/Light Green plastic used for the covering on round bales, is classed as organic feed. Nothing being added to it prior to wrapping. Other than the cords/netting to hold it in place. But a larger amount of plastic(non bio-degradable) to get rid off. 25 years on & the plastic remains in the "building" set aside for it, four walls and a bit of a roof. As good as the day it went in.
Both are grass, but only one is organic.

And the consumer has very little chance of knowing if the grass it was fed on was organic or not. Nitrogen fertilizer usage will instantly remove the organic label from it, as will any on which the slurry from animals fed on anything other than organic products has been spread.

Nice cutting and paste,
I look at total providence of meat were I can ,a lot of cow herds only spend 100 days on grass,yes the term on grass ,I have seen the advantages first hand of total on grass fed beef,hung for 28 plus days,and butchered by people who understand their trade , I get reports on farmer ,feed etc every week
How much animal feed is grass if barn kept ,how about rape,sweet corn ,peas,a lot goes to silage,
the farmer opposite my home gave up cows milking and meat due to problem with silage from grass

 

[Corzhens]

May I add this to this beef issue.

Corned Beef. This is the common beef in can that we inherited from the Americans. But mostly, canned corned beef here are those from Argentina and Brazil. In fact there is a corned beef with the Argentina brand. Anyway, from what I remember, my grandfather used to tell me that corned beef is made from cows that were fed corn (and probably silage too). Those cows are in the cage or corrals that have never experienced the joy of grazing in open land.

Now, can anyone comment on that? Thanks in advance.

 

[classic33]

Nice cutting and paste,
I look at total providence of meat were I can ,a lot of cow herds only spend 100 days on grass,yes the term on grass ,I have seen the advantages first hand of total on grass fed beef,hung for 28 plus days,and butchered by people who understand their trade , I get reports on farmer ,feed etc every week
How much animal feed is grass if barn kept ,how about rape,sweet corn ,peas,a lot goes to silage,
the farmer opposite my home gave up cows milking and meat due to problem with silage from grass

No cutting and pasting there!

That's all first hand. I tried to put it in a way that would be easy understand. 10 hour days in silage pits are not uncommon, whilst on holiday.

Relatives in both farming and the meat trade(s).

 

[classic33]

May I add this to this beef issue.

Corned Beef. This is the common beef in can that we inherited from the Americans. But mostly, canned corned beef here are those from Argentina and Brazil. In fact there is a corned beef with the Argentina brand. Anyway, from what I remember, my grandfather used to tell me that corned beef is made from cows that were fed corn (and probably silage too). Those cows are in the cage or corrals that have never experienced the joy of grazing in open land.

Now, can anyone comment on that? Thanks in advance.

No disrespect meant with this bit, but its doubtful that your grandfather would have meant silage. Its a fairly new method, as far as farming goes.

 

[classic33]

Between spending days in the callagh, in t'pit and on the bog(@welsh dragon will explain), farm work can be varied.

 

[welsh dragon]

Between spending days in the callagh, in t'pit and on the bog(@welsh dragon will explain), farm work can be varied.

Ah yes. Classic and his bog. As In peat bog in Ireland.

 

[classic33]

May I add this to this beef issue.

Corned Beef. This is the common beef in can that we inherited from the Americans. But mostly, canned corned beef here are those from Argentina and Brazil. In fact there is a corned beef with the Argentina brand. Anyway, from what I remember, my grandfather used to tell me that corned beef is made from cows that were fed corn (and probably silage too). Those cows are in the cage or corrals that have never experienced the joy of grazing in open land.

Now, can anyone comment on that? Thanks in advance.

Corned Beef does not come from what the cows were fed on, more from how the meat was preserved/treated after slaughter.
"Corned beef is a salt-cured beef product. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large grained rock salt, also called "corns" of salt.
Although the exact beginnings of corned beef are unknown, it most likely came about when people began preserving meat through salt-curing. Evidence of its legacy is apparent in numerous cultures, including Ancient Europe and the Middle East. The word corn derives from Old English, and is used to describe any small hard particles or grains. In the case of "corned beef", the word may refer to the coarse granular salts used to cure the beef. The word corned may also refer to the corns of potassium nitrate, also known as saltpetre, which were formerly used to preserve the meat."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corned_beef give a better insight into it.

Checked because its been a while, 35 years at least, since I saw it done with salt. Regional variations in wordings/descriptions used, so I've checked.

 

[classic33]

Ah yes. Classic and his bog. As In peat bog in Ireland.

And the Callagh?

 

[welsh dragon]

And the Callagh?

I forgot about that.

 

[Corzhens]

Corned Beef does not come from what the cows were fed on, more from how the meat was preserved/treated after slaughter.
"Corned beef is a salt-cured beef product. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large grained rock salt, also called "corns" of salt.
Although the exact beginnings of corned beef are unknown, it most likely came about when people began preserving meat through salt-curing. Evidence of its legacy is apparent in numerous cultures, including Ancient Europe and the Middle East. The word corn derives from Old English, and is used to describe any small hard particles or grains. In the case of "corned beef", the word may refer to the coarse granular salts used to cure the beef. The word corned may also refer to the corns of potassium nitrate, also known as saltpetre, which were formerly used to preserve the meat."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corned_beef give a better insight into it.

Checked because its been a while, 35 years at least, since I saw it done with salt. Regional variations in wordings/descriptions used, so I've checked.

Gee, that's a ton of knowledge for me. Now I know that it is not the corn fed the cows that made it corned beef. And since corned beef is the topic, let me just elaborate a bit. It is one of our favorite breakfast dish - sauteed corned beef with potato cubes served with fried rice or bread of any kind. For meals when we have no budget for food, we saute corned beef and mix a head of cabbage as the extender instead of potatoes. Just want to show that we love corned beef here.