I hear people frequently talk about grass fed beef and how “gamey” it is. This frankly confuses me to an extent because this has never been an issue with our beef. I’ve never had a batch of our beef come out game-y but it got me thinking, what do we do to prevent that flavor from coming out?
There are a lot of factors that contribute to flavor of beef. Age of the cow, gender (bull or cow and steer vs bull as well), conditions of the actual slaughter house/how the animal is butchered, hang time, how/what they are fed, how they are treated during life, etc.
Older cows honestly taste better in my opinion. The beef is literally “aged”. (Think aged cheese. Much richer flavor) I actually heard/read somewhere recently that chefs for upscale restaurants are looking to get beef from older cows because the meat tastes sooo much better and richer.
Gender matters and whether it’s a bull or a steer (fixed bull). Bull meat CAN be more game-y because of the testosterone still in the system of the animal. Doesn’t always make a difference, sometimes it does. Unfortunately, breed also plays into this. We had an angus bull (beef breed) processed and the meat was sweet and rich and not gamey in the slightest. We had a milking short horn (dairy breed) bull butchered, totally different flavor. A little more gamey than the angus, but still not enough to be off-putting.
If the animal is not treated well or eats substandard grasses or hay, it may come out gamey. If the animal doesn’t have a good place to rest or is constantly fighting for food or dealing with other stresses, it will taste gamey. If the animal does not have easy access to good water (whether that be pond/stream or human-provided water source), it will cause the meat to be gamey and tough.
Feeding, I think, probably is biggest factor. You can’t just throw a cow out there and hope the grass it has is enough. You honestly can’t even buy just any ol’ hay and feed them that. You need to control what they are eating at all times in order for the meat to come out tasting good. We always ensure that our beef cows (and our dairy cows too, of course!) have access to good quality hay, highly nutritious grasses, legumes, etc. and a good variety within their pastures. This helps ensure the beef from those cows will taste the absolute best!
If the animal is stressed immediately proceeding the actual slaughter, adrenaline will rush into their system and ruin the meat. It will be tough and gamey. If the slaughter house conditions are substandard, this causes stress which causes gamey flavor. How the animals are handled at the processor is very important. The processor we have selected is the best we’ve found. They don’t use a shock stick, don’t yell or whack the animals, they’re calm and gently move the animals into the pens.
Hang time also effects flavor. Warning: if you’re unfamiliar with the process of butchering, this may seem graphic. When an animal is processed, the first step is the actual killing. The blood is drained, the organs are removed (and in some cases like ours, saved to be packaged up later) , the skin is removed as well as anything else that is not the actual “meat” of the animal. This is called the carcass of the animal and it is left to hang in the cold storage for an amount of time. Pigs for example usually hang for about 3-4 days. They don’t really require much longer than that. Beef needs to hang for quite a bit longer in order for the beef to get good and tender. Yep, that’s what this step does: makes the meat tender. We never hang our beef for less than 12 days. I’d prefer 21 days but it’s hard to get a processor to hang it this long cause they gotta make room for more product. Once the hanging is done, the meat is cut into the cuts selected (such as roasts, steaks and ground meat, etc.) It’s packaged and ready for pick up!
There are probably more factors that I am not thinking of at the moment that contribute, but these are the basics of what makes grass fed beef good or bad. You should always feel completely comfortable asking the local farmer you intend to purchase from about any of these things. I know I personally am always happy to answer any questions that folks have and if I don’t know the answer, I’m happy to find out!
~JoAnna
FAQs
No studies have proven that grass-fed beef is better for your health. But pound for pound, it may have less total fat and fewer calories. Also, grass-fed beef has up to six times more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than regular grain-fed beef. Many people also believe grass-fed beef to be a more humane option.
What makes grass-fed beef? ›
The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season.
Is grass-fed beef better than choice? ›
Grass-fed beef is often leaner and may have a different texture. Even though grass-fed beef contains higher amounts of certain nutrients, there is currently no compelling evidence that it's significantly healthier than grain-fed beef in the context of a balanced diet.
Is grass-fed beef good for your gut? ›
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is a type of fat that is predominately found in grass-fed beef. Studies have shown that consuming CLA can help reduce inflammation in the gut and improve overall gut health.
Is it bad to eat grass-fed steak every day? ›
Downsides of Grass-Fed Beef
Eating too much meat has been associated with certain cancers. 9 Although less than grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef does contain some saturated fat. In excess, saturated fat can raise your risk of heart disease and stroke. 10 Therefore, eating in moderation is key.
How many times a week can I eat grass-fed beef? ›
Today I'd like to give you valuable advice on how to eat grass fed beef without breaking the bank! Eat Less and Smaller. We need to start by talking about how much and how often we should be eating beef so our expectations are clear. I personally recommend you eat beef no more than 1 or 2 times per week.
Why doesn't grass-fed beef taste as good? ›
Key Takeaways. Grass-fed beef has a leaner, gamey flavor due to the cattle's natural diet of grasses and vegetation, whereas grain-fed beef is richer and sweeter from a diet predominantly consisting of corn and other grains, which also increases marbling.
What tastes better grain fed or grass-fed beef? ›
Taste. Because of their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, grass-fed beef usually is described to have a more mineral-heavy, “nu*tty”, and “gamier” taste to them. While grain-fed beef has been described to have a milder, juicier, and buttery taste than its counterpart.
Is grass-fed beef better than Angus? ›
Today, the general opinion is that grass-fed Angus beef is healthier since it is lower in calories and contains higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid. The lower calorie count is attributed to the grass-fed Angus beef having less marbling.
Is grass-fed beef hard to digest? ›
Grass-fed beef is easier to digest
Also, antibiotic residues in conventional beef can upset your body's healthy bacteria levels. Switch to grass-fed and voila, problem solved. (Also pre-marinating and using a slow cooker can ease digestion of meat.
However, grass-fed beef and conventional beef, called grain-fed, both contain saturated fat. Such fat has been linked to unhealthy cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat. When choosing beef — whether it's grass-fed beef or another type of beef — opt for lean beef.
Does grass-fed beef taste like liver? ›
Grass-fed beef can have an off-flavor that tastes of liver or game when the cattle's forage isn't mature enough and contains too much protein and not enough carbohydrate (sugars). To prevent this, the forage can be measured for Brix.
Does grass-fed beef raise cholesterol? ›
In older, mildly hypercholesterolemic men, ground beef from grass-fed cattle decreased HDL-cholesterol. In men with normal cholesterol levels, only ground beef from grain-fed cattle increased HDL-cholesterol. Neither ground beef type increased LDL-cholesterol in men.
Does 100% grass fed mean grass finished? ›
Grass-finished beef means they are started on grass and end on grass, and are 100 percent grass fed for their lifetimes. Grass-fed beef must merely have spent the majority of their lives on grass. That generally means the first 75 percent of their lives are spent grazing, while the last 25 percent are not.
Is grass-fed dairy inflammatory? ›
In fact, cattle that feed on pasture have numerous phytonutrients in amounts comparable to those found in plant foods. Phytochemicals may have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and heart-supporting properties (13).
