I grew up on a small farm and we sometimes slaughtered cattle for our family to consume. As far as I knew at the time, all beef was "grass fed". As I got older and traveled to different areas of the country, I learned that the majority of beef we purchase from a supermarket is not grass-fed but rather grain fed - on feed lots.
According to this article published on IdealBite.com, we should all consider eating more grass fed beef. "Grass-fed beef, bison, and lamb have less total fat, cholesterol, and calories than grain-fed. And grass-fed is a good source of potentially-cancer-blocking conjugated lineolic acid." Not to mention that grazing is usually better for the environment versus feed lots.
Click here to find places to purchase grass fed beef.
I, too, grew up on a ranch and we always had beef in the freezer. When I grew up and went away to college I thought that I was cooking my food incorrectly. Turns out it was the store bought beef. My dad laughed for quite a while when I asked him what I was doing wrong. There is a huge difference, but most of us get used to it. It's tough to get grass fed meat when you don't live in a farming community. Do you have any suggestions as to where to find affordable range beef in the city??
ReplyDeleteI think the local Publix near my house has it. You could try a web search for suppliers. You could try a local butcher. My local butcher can get anything I want. Or, you could ask at the supermarket and inquire as to why they don't carry it. Who knows, maybe they'll see the light.
ReplyDeleteIs there anyway to tell what bbq beef ribs in our supermarket is grass fed or grain fed by the package label?
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, the label says grass fed beef on it.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any good beef bbq recipes?
I don't have a specific recipe but I have tasted the best rubs for all meats. You need to try the Artisan Rubs from , www.iprobbq.com. You won't be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteThe BBQ guy is right. If it is grass-fed there will most certainly be a label. However, these labels have not been standardized yet - so buyer beware. Until "grass-fed" or some variant such as "pasture-fed" is legally defined, there is no way to know exactly how much grass was eaten or for how long it constituted the majority of the diet.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, your best bet is to not worry about it. The grass-fed community has been pretty good at self-regulation.
Also, pasture ranchers are working on a standardized and legally-binding label. It will be much like that now found on certified organic products.
For those interested, I just published a post on finding good online grass-fed beef sources.
I enjoyed your post. If I may, I would like to suggest my farm web site.
ReplyDeleteSumas Mountain Farms is the only producer of 100% certified-organic, lifetime grass-fed & finished beef in the Lower Mainland of BC (near Vancouver,
Canada). We also offer chicken, eggs, pepperoni, jerky, salami, sausage, farmer sausage, steak and more.
Because our beef is 100% grass-fed & finished, the quality of the meat is exceptional, and the flavor is unsurpassed. Plus, it is more nutrient-dense and packed with healthful Omega-3's than conventional beef, which is healthier for you, your family, and the planet.
Please visit http://www.sumasmountainfarms.ca/ for more information! We have plenty of recipes for you to try.
Thanks.