Grass fed beef vs grain fed

[paulraphael]

In the refrigerator I have a small, organic, rib eye wet aging...for lack of a better term.  There is no visible marbling on this steak.  I was thinking to cook low temperature sous vide, then sautee in butter.

 

Any other suggestions.

A rib-eye without marbling suggests that the cow was finished on grass, and not for a very long time. No idea about breed ... I think the way cattle are raised and fed has a bigger impact than the breed. I buy Piedmontese beef from time to time. Some of it is grain finished and rated prime ... lots of marbling. Some is grass finished and has less. Interestingly, it's possible to finish on grass and get a lot of marbling, but only some farmers go through the trouble. Some also finish on a mix ... raise them in a pasture, but put out grain for them to snack on. Contrary to what grass-feeding activists will tell you, the cows run to the grain.

 

Really lean beef is indeed tricky to cook. I haven't tried it sous-vide. Since you don't have to melt the marbling, you can try temperatures lower than medium-rare. But I don't know what will give the best mix of tenderness / juiciness / flavor. My starting point would be to try cooking in a 55°C bath to an internal temp of 54° or 53.5, and not leave it in for a minute longer than necessary. Then brown in a pan with oil, so you can get a more even crust without burning anything.

 

In general, I think 1.5" is the ideal thickness for sous-vide steaks. I'd rather get one steak to share between two or three people than to try to cook individual ones that are too-thin. 1.5" is thick enough that you can easily sear without worrying about overcooking the middle, but thin enough that s.v. times are reasonable.

[quiet1]

A rib-eye without marbling suggests that the cow was finished on grass, and not for a very long time. No idea about breed ... I think the way cattle are raised and fed has a bigger impact than the breed. I buy Piedmontese beef from time to time. Some of it is grain finished and rated prime ... lots of marbling. Some is grass finished and has less. Interestingly, it's possible to finish on grass and get a lot of marbling, but only some farmers go through the trouble. Some also finish on a mix ... raise them in a pasture, but put out grain for them to snack on. Contrary to what grass-feeding activists will tell you, the cows run to the grain.

... Do these people know cows? I don't know cows, but all the horses I've ever met have preferred grain to hay/grass. I think grain is sort of the livestock equivalent of tasty tasty junk food. Much yummier than boring old leafy things. (Not necessarily healthy, of course, but the horses for sure didn't care about that part of things at all. )

[Honkman]

... Do these people know cows? I don't know cows, but all the horses I've ever met have preferred grain to hay/grass. I think grain is sort of the livestock equivalent of tasty tasty junk food. Much yummier than boring old leafy things. (Not necessarily healthy, of course, but the horses for sure didn't care about that part of things at all. )

 

You are aware that cows have problems to digest large amounts of grains (in particular corn which is used a lot in the US) and that it is quite painful for them and often is one of the reasons why they need antibiotics - so cows defintiely prefer grass to grain/corn

[paulraphael]

You are aware that cows have problems to digest large amounts of grains (in particular corn which is used a lot in the US) and that it is quite painful for them and often is one of the reasons why they need antibiotics - so cows defintiely prefer grass to grain/corn

I am aware of the claim, and also aware that it's misleading. There are issues with giviing digestive problems (acidosis) to cattle by switching them too quickly to a grain-rich diet, or by giving them a poor mix of grains and forage. But cattle can do fine on a diet that's rich in grain. Here's one explanation.

 

Antibiotic use is unrelated to any of this. Feed lots that use antibiotics generatlly do so to compensate for crowded and unsanitary conditions. People associate these conditions with grain-finished catle. But the better farmers don't do it this way. Some of the best ones finsih on grain in large corals, or even in the pasture.

[quiet1]

You are aware that cows have problems to digest large amounts of grains (in particular corn which is used a lot in the US) and that it is quite painful for them and often is one of the reasons why they need antibiotics - so cows defintiely prefer grass to grain/corn

I never said it was good for them, just that in my experience livestock generally prefer the taste of grain type feeds to all but really good grass - so if you offer them both, they are quite likely to opt for the grain, in the same way as a child would often opt for candy or cake over spinach. Livestock does not really consider the overall effects of what it is eating overly much, they only care if it smells and tastes good. Their digestive systems might prefer grass, but if it is free choice between the two the thing making the decision is their taste buds.

As I said in my original comment - lots of grain isn't any good for horses, either. But give one a chance and it'll probably be in the feed room with its head stuffed into the grain tub. It is up to the people caring for livestock to make sure the diet is appropriate for the animal. (Usually with horses this means primarily grass/hay of some variety, with grain added in small amounts as needed to make supplements palateable - some areas the grass is naturally deficient in some minerals so you add those back in as a supplement at amounts determined by testing your grass/hay supply every so often. More grain may be added for horses who are doing a lot of work or have trouble keeping weight on, but in modern horse keeping practices it would be very unusual to see a horse on a diet that was actually primarily grain. I imagine something similar is involved in farming cattle - the exact diet provided is determined by making a proper evaluation of the needs of the animal and the nutrition provided by the grazing and/or hay and other forage available, combined with the end goal in terms of what meat you end up with. It is highly unlikely to be the best possible diet for the cow if you let the cow choose for him or herself based on taste. Cows just aren't that smart.)

(I suspect this is going to be moderated since it is getting off topic for the thread, but as a semi-related note, I would never ever eat horse meat sourced from the US or Canada, were I enclined to eat the stuff at all, which I am not. But we have no meaningful system for tracking the animals from birth to slaughter, and there are a huge number of medications used in horses as companion type animals - riding, etc. - that are absolutely not suitable for human consumption. There is supposed to be a waiting period before slaughter to allow some medications that may have been given recently to process out, but it is my understanding that there are some common medications that do not clear the system reliably. No thanks.)

[Martin Fisher]

I never said it was good for them, just that in my experience livestock generally prefer the taste of grain type feeds to all but really good grass - so if you offer them both, they are quite likely to opt for the grain, in the same way as a child would often opt for candy or cake over spinach. Livestock does not really consider the overall effects of what it is eating overly much, they only care if it smells and tastes good. Their digestive systems might prefer grass, but if it is free choice between the two the thing making the decision is their taste buds.

 

 

I agree!

in spite of all the "hip" hype, like it or not, the reality is, cattle relish grain!

Edited January 6, 2015 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[paulraphael]

Also worth considering that grain, by definition, is from grass. We're making a distinction between the seeds and the leaves, but cattle living in the wild would be eating a certain amount of both.

 

There is some truth that cattle have health problems when they eat too much of the wrong types of grains. This happens, but is universally considered bad farming practice. Good farmers can raise very healthy cattle, whether they're finished on greens, silage, dried grass, grain, or on combinations. 

 

The best beef I've had has been finished on a combination of green grass and grains.

[Martin Fisher]

There is some truth that cattle have health problems when they eat too much of the wrong types of grains.

Edited January 6, 2015 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[quiet1]

Yes, but there's also the fact that, in certain situations, pasture and forages can cause health problem too, .....grass tetany, bloat, nutrient-deficiencies, parasites, nitrate poisoning, prussic-acid poisoning.....etc.There's MUCH to be considered when comparing cattle feeding methods and nutrient regimens and doing what's best for the animals. I grew up in dairying and worked a seasonal pasture-based dairy (plus beef) for several years...i'm ALL for it but there's a lot of popular and related "feel good" information, perception and opinion that's just plain wrong.In terms of good beef, good genetics is paramount, some cattle won't yield good beef to matter what they're fed!!!

Right, with horses these days I know people who have taken college level courses about equine nutrition in order to make sure they are feeding the animals in their care correctly, and have testing done regularly on the local grass and on the hay they bring in (to supplement the pasture - some areas don't support grass enough of the year for horses to be only on pasture, or the type of grass that will grow is not nutritionally complete, etc. Various reasons for feeding hay even if there is ample pasture.) And many of these folks are just people trying to provided good care for a companion animal, not people trying to make a living in the industry.

Given that, I can't imagine that how to feed up meat livestock like cattle is any simpler a proposition - your livelihood depends on the animals maturing as expected into acceptable quality meat, without having too many problems along the way which require vet care, since vet visits cut into the bottom line. (Note I am not saying people would not get cattle care, just that it is in the best interest of the farmer or rancher to manage things in a way that reduces the chances of needing extra vet care beyond the routine stuff they can budget for in advance.) Then you add to just wanting to keep them healthy the idea of finding a market niche by being able to reliably produce a certain characteristic in the meat, which often occurs due to diet, and you end up with a situation where I am sure a good cattle farmer could talk your ear off about feeding options for beef cattle, and which you would choose when and why.

Don't get me wrong - I do think we need to get away from factory and intensive farming methods where subpar care is corrected by just giving the whole herd antibiotics and other similar interventions - I much prefer my meat to have had a decent quality of life before it ends up on my plate, and an environment in which medications are required because the keeping method itself basically makes the animals sick seems pretty unlikely to be a good quality of life situation. I just doubt that good care and keeping practices for all herds in all places are the same in terms of what they need nutritionally, be it grass or grain or hay or a commercial feed product.

[takadi]

Although grains do come from grasses, I'm pretty sure the chemistry of the plant is quite different when it is seeding than when it is actively growing. The grass converts all of its energy and nutrients to creating the seed, which is mostly an endosperm (carbohydrate)...it's probably why cows love it so much, it is the equivalent of cow junk food. The one thing I know for sure is the nature of the fats, specifically the omega-3/omega-6 ratio changes when the grass goes to seed. 

 

 People are right, even conventionally raised cows are all raised on grass, at least until they reach a certain weight and they are moved into a feedlot. I'm not sure what labeling requirements are, but sometimes you'll read the label and it'll say "Grass-fed" in big letters and in fine print there is "and other vegetarian feed". 100% Grass-fed beef has a very distinctive taste and mouth feel. Grain-fed, or at least grain finished beef, tastes very bland to me, is much more marbled and has a harder, whiter fat.  I can always tell when a producer cheats and the meat isn't 100% grass-fed.

 

That being said, I think grain-finished steaks are vastly superior to grass-finished steaks due to the higher marbling content, but for all other purposes I prefer the taste of grass-fed beef. This goes for "grass-finished" milk as well. The health benefits are a secondary benefit

[kayb]

I buy my beef in bulk (a quarter-steer at the time) from a local farmer. His cattle are pasture-grazed until the day they're taken to slaughter, as were the ones we used to raise when I was a kid, but they are fed grain, in addition to hay, during the winter, and are "finished" on an extra grain ration for about six weeks prior to slaughter. Which again, as I recall, was similar to what we did, although we didn't grain-finish much at all. Slaughter was generally in October, and we still had sufficient grass that we generally didn't start feeding hay until mid-month, and I think added the grain ration about the same time. I think my farmer, who slaughters his bulk beef in September, well before first frost, feeds significantly more grain for finishing than we ever did. I find the texture of the grain-finished, while still being grazed simultaneously, much preferable to the much tougher more-grass-less-grain beef with which I grew up.

[Okanagancook]

We get grass fed beef from just north of here and the flavour is wonderful.  The meat does require a bit more chewing but I don't mind that.  We do a bit of sous vide cookery with the less tender cuts but generally buy their prime rib and steaks including the flank.  The Flank when cooked sous vide for a little longer than commercial flank gets very tender.

 

We also get grass fed lamb from the same farmers and the meat is so tender it is the best we have ever had.  Even a slice of leg meat or shoulder chop can be grilled and still almost fork tender.  The meat is very lean as well.

[Ruthie]

I have been an active butcher dealing with small, sustainable farms for the last 5 years. The differences between grass and grain finished animals have always intrigued me. I couldn't necessarily say that one is better than the other, but the flavor differences and content of marbling have led me to choose one or the other based on the texture and flavor of the finished product.

Consistently, grain finished beef has better marbling. That is because fats are much more concentrated in grains, so grain finishing allows farmers control over their product. Most of the farms I work with use regionally native grains to cut back on the cost from feed lots (most of which use genetically modified crops).

Grass fed farmers have to go to greater lengths to ensure fat content in their meat. Having worked with over a dozen grass fed beef farms in my region, very few are able to produce great marbling in their finished cuts. The ones that do use pasture rotation and controlled varieties of grass that will go to seed at different points throughout the year. The grass seed, like grain, is the best method to control the marbling of their cows. I find that grass fed beef from most farms will be better in the fall than any other season because that is when most varieties of grass go to seed here in Tennessee.

As far as flavor is concerned, the differences are bountiful. Grain finished beef tends to be balanced but rich. This makes it very suitable for dry aging, as the flavored continue to develop intensity throughout the aging process. At 40 days of dry age, grain finished beef is hard to beat. I also prefer grain fed beef for briskets and braising pieces, I find that the consistent fat content leads to a moister entree and the mild flavor of the beef allows other flavor to shine through.

The flavor of good grass fed beef is deceptively rich and gamey. Often, even the raw meat has a deeper purplish color to it. Year round, I prefer grass fed beef for leaner cuts, such as rounds and sirloins. But in the fall, grass fed strips are incredible as well. With sufficient marbling, grass fed beef seems to age well, but the flavor can be overwhelming after 20 days of age. Higher levels of iodine in the grass are the cause of the gamey flavor of grass fed beef, just as acorns are to thank for the delicious flavor of iberico pork.

From the perspective of a butcher and chef, grain fed beef is the best way to control your product's fat content for both farmers and chefs, but grass fed beef offers another dimension of flavor that speaks for itself. I have other opinions as to the consequences of mass produced beef that is grain fed throughout it's life, which is why I have talked about grain finished beef instead.

[rotuts]

Ruthie

 

thank you for your insight.

 

where i live its very difficult to find GFB.  Ive only had it a few times and used SV.   the flavor was distinctive and lasted much longer that grain beef.