Beef flavor - changing of late?

[RetroDiner]

Calling all tastebuds. Has anyone else noticed a distinct change in the flavor and aroma of supermarket beef sometime in the past year? Although I get most of my beef in other channels that don't seem to have this issue, we have historically purchased some "choice" beef at Market Basket locally. If selected carefully, it used to be palatable and was priced right. Their rib steaks and delmonicos were generally very good. Over the past year however, coincident with the rise in ethanol production (and gas prices), prices have gone up sharply and the flavor has changed dramatically. Seems like they're finishing the cattle on a different mix. I know that feed corn is up to roughly double what it was, and that the ethanol mills are pushing "distillers grain" products for feed. These are the post-fermentation residues of ethanol production. I looked at the nutritional analysis on these products and actually they look like they could be a perfectly good food - but I can't speak to what the flavor implications for the finished beef would be. Not sure if corn costs, or these distillers by products as corn replacement are the cause, but I can't buy the beef in these stores at all anymore. Anybody else notice anything? Anybody else know anything difinitive about what's going on?

Thanks,

RetroDiner

[FistFullaRoux]

I don't know if it is related, but the ground chuck I've bought the last couple of times has a distinctly different flavor. I don't know how else to describe it... lunchroom-y. I don't know if this is related to the feed of the cattle or stores finding lower price points for certain cuts, but I have noticed a difference. Next shopping trip will be to a different store for further investigation.

[MarkIsCooking]

Very interesting. I hadn't noticed the beef thing (I don't buy/eat it often), but I did read an article that said we could be looking at material price increases on domestic produce. The speculation is that with ethanol becoming so big, that more and more acreage is being converted to growing corn to make it. Directly, this would drive corn prices higher, but also prices of other things that had previously been grown on land that might be converted to growing more corn. Man! Why does everything seem to boil down to oil? (sorry for the political commentary).

Mark

[iriee]

we were told that prime beef is now finished with 5 weeks of corn because of cost. normally is would be finished for 10 weeks. as far as choice,,im not sure what there being finished with now.

[BarbaraY]

I don't know what has been done to the beef but it definitely tastes different. It isn't just you.