[JayJuanGee]

(06-12-2014 09:59 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

Grass fed doesn't have the fat that regular meat has, fat makes it taste better.

Yes.. .grass fed will have less fat, and the fat that it has will be less marbled into the meat. Corn fed provides for fat in the meat, and screws up the natural fats that cows' meat would have.

Fat is NOT bad, and as some others mentioned you can add fat, such as butter or maybe coconut oil or even lard to increase the fat.. or if you are able to select your own cuts of meat, then you should take whatever fat that you can, so you can add that fat in while you are cooking the grassfed meat.

[CEOArob]

I've noticed that there's a slight difference in the taste when I buy 100% Organic/Grass Fed from Whole Foods vs. just buying the same 100% Organic/GrassFed from my local farmer guy.

It's almost as if though there's a "funny" taste in the grassfed, no matter where I buy it from.

However, it makes me wonder if we've just been so used to that stuff with chemicals in it, that grass-fed tastes "funny" to us.

Who knows, but yes, I've noticed a funny taste to Grass Fed.

[Hades]

I'll tell you this much. Once you have lived on grass fed beef, regular beef has an acquired taste.

[RexImperator]

(06-26-2014 02:43 AM)JayJuanGee Wrote:  

(06-12-2014 09:59 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

Grass fed doesn't have the fat that regular meat has, fat makes it taste better.

Yes.. .grass fed will have less fat, and the fat that it has will be less marbled into the meat. Corn fed provides for fat in the meat, and screws up the natural fats that cows' meat would have.

Fat is NOT bad, and as some others mentioned you can add fat, such as butter or maybe coconut oil or even lard to increase the fat.. or if you are able to select your own cuts of meat, then you should take whatever fat that you can, so you can add that fat in while you are cooking the grassfed meat.

Steakhouse "trick": Put some melted butter on steak before serving.

[GoldHawkStar]

I know this may be an odd thread to bump, but I need more red meat in my diet and I'm considering buying grass-fed beef at the store tomorrow since I've seen it highly praised around the forum and RoK. For those that have made this switch, does it cost more than regular beef since it's considered 'organic'?

[kbell]

Can't you add some fats to the steak to add flavor to it?

[rudebwoy]

(10-28-2015 07:45 PM)Goldhawkstar Wrote:  

I know this may be an odd thread to bump, but I need more red meat in my diet and I'm considering buying grass-fed beef at the store tomorrow since I've seen it highly praised around the forum and RoK. For those that have made this switch, does it cost more than regular beef since it's considered 'organic'?

It is slightly more expensive where I live.

I pay around $10 for a piece of steak at any regular supermarket.

For grass fed, it will run me on average around $15.

[GoldHawkStar]

(10-28-2015 09:57 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

(10-28-2015 07:45 PM)Goldhawkstar Wrote:  

I know this may be an odd thread to bump, but I need more red meat in my diet and I'm considering buying grass-fed beef at the store tomorrow since I've seen it highly praised around the forum and RoK. For those that have made this switch, does it cost more than regular beef since it's considered 'organic'?

It is slightly more expensive where I live.

I pay around $10 for a piece of steak at any regular supermarket.

For grass fed, it will run me on average around $15.

Okay, thanks. Where I live it should be less than that. I'll still try it out.

[Designate]

(10-28-2015 07:45 PM)Goldhawkstar Wrote:  

I know this may be an odd thread to bump, but I need more red meat in my diet and I'm considering buying grass-fed beef at the store tomorrow since I've seen it highly praised around the forum and RoK. For those that have made this switch, does it cost more than regular beef since it's considered 'organic'?

Yes it will be more expensive, unless you buy in bulk straight from a local farm that raises the cattle and produces the beef.

I live in the Midwest U.S and have access to a number of farms who sell grass-fed in bulk at a price point that is at parity with what you buy grain-fed for in grocery stores.

In general, the grain-fed beef will always be cheaper than the grass-fed because they can fattened at a faster rate, and thus getting them to slaughter faster.

Anyways, I'm assuming since you want to get more red meat into your diet that you are trying to bulk-up?

Grass-fed beef is significantly leaner in fat and it probably has less protein than grain-fed as well, so you will have to consume more of it if that is your goal.

From that stand point it does not have a great ROI. It's more ideal for cutting weight or substituting for chicken breast in my opinion.

[Tex Cruise]

I've noticed something of an obsession with grassfed beef on this forum.
I'm going to come straight out and declare my conflict of interest here as I run both a beef cattle breeding enterprise and a commercial feedmill, so both my streams of income are directly related to the production of grain fed beef. That doesn't change what I believe to be facts.
The thing most people may not be aware of is that "Grassfed" is primarily a marketing device used by very large companies, a way of selling an ideology in order to charge a premium, just like "free range" eggs or "organic" vegetables.
What consumers demand is a consistently priced product of consistent quality on the shelf 365 days a year... pasture is seasonal, so the very nature of nature itself means that pasture finishing to achieve this is just not possible.
Sure it's possible to produce quality grass fed beef, just like I guess it's possible to make gains at the gym eating a strictly vegan locally sourced diet, but a carefully balanced and blended diet is both quicker and more economical.... Same for cows.

[GoldHawkStar]

(10-28-2015 10:52 PM)Designate Wrote:  

(10-28-2015 07:45 PM)Goldhawkstar Wrote:  

I know this may be an odd thread to bump, but I need more red meat in my diet and I'm considering buying grass-fed beef at the store tomorrow since I've seen it highly praised around the forum and RoK. For those that have made this switch, does it cost more than regular beef since it's considered 'organic'?

Yes it will be more expensive, unless you buy in bulk straight from a local farm that raises the cattle and produces the beef.

I live in the Midwest U.S and have access to a number of farms who sell grass-fed in bulk at a price point that is at parity with what you buy grain-fed for in grocery stores.

In general, the grain-fed beef will always be cheaper than the grass-fed because they can fattened at a faster rate, and thus getting them to slaughter faster.

Anyways, I'm assuming since you want to get more red meat into your diet that you are trying to bulk-up?

Grass-fed beef is significantly leaner in fat and it probably has less protein than grain-fed as well, so you will have to consume more of it if that is your goal.

From that stand point it does not have a great ROI. It's more ideal for cutting weight or substituting for chicken breast in my opinion.

That's a good point. And yes, I am trying to bulk up. I'll consider sticking with grain-fed. I may look up the numbers to see if it really has more or less protein. Thanks.

[Designate]

(10-29-2015 02:53 AM)Tex Cruise Wrote:  

I've noticed something of an obsession with grassfed beef on this forum.
I'm going to come straight out and declare my conflict of interest here as I run both a beef cattle breeding enterprise and a commercial feedmill, so both my streams of income are directly related to the production of grain fed beef. That doesn't change what I believe to be facts.
The thing most people may not be aware of is that "Grassfed" is primarily a marketing device used by very large companies, a way of selling an ideology in order to charge a premium, just like "free range" eggs or "organic" vegetables. What consumers demand is a consistently priced product of consistent quality on the shelf 365 days a year... pasture is seasonal, so the very nature of nature itself means that pasture finishing to achieve this is just not possible. Sure it's possible to produce quality grass fed beef, just like I guess it's possible to make gains at the gym eating a strictly vegan locally sourced diet, but a carefully balanced and blended diet is both quicker and more economical.... Same for cows.

I agree, but I think it's safe to assume most guys here are savvy enough to see through the hyperbole in ideological marketing techniques.

Obviously there is no ROI from buying smaller more expensive organic bananas than buying the bigger less expensive non-organic bananas. There are endless examples out there.

No doubt that it's more economical to produce grain-fed beef, but I'm not out there shopping for the greater good by conducting a societal cost-benefit analysis through my shopping cart.

Grass-fed is leaner protein, tastes like real meat should and has more favorable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio than grain-fed.

It's superior. I'll eat more of it if I want to bulk. I'd encourage other guys to do the same if you have the $ for it. Nothing wrong with grain-fed either, it works too.

(10-29-2015 11:38 AM)Goldhawkstar Wrote:  

That's a good point. And yes, I am trying to bulk up. I'll consider sticking with grain-fed. I may look up the numbers to see if it really has more or less protein. Thanks.

Grain-fed will do you just fine, but don't feel the need to emphasize the red meat so much over other meat products if you are not convinced you want to shell out the dough for it.

Chicken thighs are a good bulking substitute for beef as they are cheaper and have a decent amount of fat. Eat 5 or 6 eggs a day too.

[swoosh]

One thing for sure is that fat is delicious. Grass fed can be on the leaner side and like some of the members said it also has a different profile of LDL's to HDL's.

Maybe you got a bunk cow or a farmer new to the grass fed scene. There are different breeds of cattle that produce the same delicious fat/meat ratio as grain fed yet they are grass only cattle.

Also some farmers will raise em on grass and finish the last months or two on grain to get that fat content up. I'm not sure if that defeats the purpose though.

Also talk with your farmer about hang time. Those cows need to hang dead in a cold environment for a min of 2 weeks so that enzymes in the muscle break down and mellow the flavurrr. Ask about hang time.

To save money, my freinds and I go in on a half of a cow and I store it in my freezer. The shelf life is about a year. That way i don't have to go the store and sift through crappy "select" cuts.

Bonus: did you know that supermarkets mostly get steaks that amount to the quality of discarded bastard children after the restaurants get their first pick?
Crazy I know.

[ThrustMaster]

Didn't read the whole thread, but in case no one has mentioned it: It's much better rare...

[slimjim]

(06-15-2014 10:11 PM)kosko Wrote:  

My theory is that its the shitty grasses and long winters we have here in North America. Cows are picky as fuck with grass and they like certain types. They will want a certain type if they feel weak or sick, another if they are just hungry and want to grow. In Canada in almost any place hay bails will make up the bulk of their feed in the colder months versus cows whom could still get real grass in in more mild climates year round or close to.

Cows were never indigenous to these parts, this movement towards getting cows back to natural grazing is good, but maybe ranchers should be paying attention to the types of grasses these cows are eating. Not all grasses are the same and will give you meat that has a different taste and texture once the cow is slaughtered.

Grass science is focused on growth, appearance, and strength. Golf and Baseball poured big money into seeking out grass types that can grow like weeds, not break, hold color. I don't think much though has been given into grass types of grazing animals here in North America. A different strain is going to yield you different proteins, nutrition, and taste that would be reflected in the meat. I know for goats and lambs in some places they hack it by feeding the coats herbs like Oregano and sage which helps flavor the meat, maybe ranchers can start doing that with cattle.

I grew up on a farm and we ate nothing but grass fed. Whack one cow and you have meat for a year. You realize quickly why so many cuts are cheap in the super market..they aren't the tastiest parts(we had round stake every night it seems). I know in Argentina its all grass fed, and they have amazing meat. Cows descended from aurachs(sp?) in europe, so they had similar climate as the US.

[Hector1]

It's natural and that's how it should smell. So much better for you less fat content, organic makes your farts stink more than usual beef though!