Grass Fed Flavor

[slick4591]

Didn't want to wreck the slaughter thread...

I've never eaten anything that I know of that was grass finished and I'm wondering just how much of a flavor difference there is between grass and grain finished beef? I understand there's a good market for grass fed and I may try and capitalize on it with my commercial animals.

A couple of years back we were getting a new floor installed by a husband and wife team. He saw some of my association magazines and we began talking cows. He was telling me that he had raised a number of steers through the years and had problems with the last two. He told me that both had a bad flavor and strong smell to them to the point they couldn't eat them, so he ended up throwing the meat away.

The conversation went on and he eventually told me that the fat was a yellow color, so I asked him how they were finished. He said that he decided to go with grass finished instead of grain since he had heard so many good things about it.

Now, my question would be did he just totally screw up the process of grass finishing or is this the way grass finished beef is?

 

[Toad]

I haven't done a lot of grass finished steers but I've done a few. I'm looking forward to what others have to say.
In my experience it seems its very important to make sure the cattle are getting the proper nutrition. Turning steers out on old dry fescue and a salt block probably isn't going to result in a good product.

 

[CottageFarm]

Ive never done my own grass finished but I have had quite a bit of it and do like it. It does have what I call an earthy flavor to it, similar to buffalo, and is a leaner beef. I have a friend who doesn't like it because she says it tastes like dirt.

The yellow fat sounds more like an old cow, or maybe a jersey. Strong flavor sounds subjective, but could also indicate an older animal, crappy grass, a nutrition/health deficiency, or it just didn't taste the same as grain finished and they didn't like it.

 

[slick4591]

Ive never done my own grass finished but I have had quite a bit of it and do like it. It does have what I call an earthy flavor to it, similar to buffalo, and is a leaner beef. I have a friend who doesn't like it because she says it tastes like dirt.

The yellow fat sounds more like an old cow, or maybe a jersey. Strong flavor sounds subjective, but could also indicate an older animal, crappy grass, a nutrition/health deficiency, or it just didn't taste the same as grain finished and they didn't like it.

These were younger steers and if I remember correctly they were in the 1000 lb range. Yes, strong flavor, smell is subjective, but I was thinking if were so strong they had to throw it out it was pretty bad. Never gave much thought to nutrition, but it makes sense that they would be what they eat.

 

[CottageFarm]

Yeah, I figured they were young animals, but didn't want to assume anything. I figure its like wild game meat. Can be really good..... or really bad, depending on what they've been eating.

Dave says this in the other thread...

I have done some grass fed beef in the past. The key to good tender beef is to kill the steer while on the gain. I don't know where you are but here that means butchering in June or July. By November the grass has been pretty over ripe and not too digestible for some time. Any thing I kill in November will have been eating grain. Well, except for an elk. But there won't be a lot of difference between a November killed grass fed beef and an elk.

 

[Rafter S]

Ive never done my own grass finished but I have had quite a bit of it and do like it. It does have what I call an earthy flavor to it, similar to buffalo, and is a leaner beef. I have a friend who doesn't like it because she says it tastes like dirt.

The yellow fat sounds more like an old cow, or maybe a jersey. Strong flavor sounds subjective, but could also indicate an older animal, crappy grass, a nutrition/health deficiency, or it just didn't taste the same as grain finished and they didn't like it.

These were younger steers and if I remember correctly they were in the 1000 lb range. Yes, strong flavor, smell is subjective, but I was thinking if were so strong they had to throw it out it was pretty bad. Never gave much thought to nutrition, but it makes sense that they would be what they eat.

That makes me wonder if it had gone bad. Maybe not chilled down quick enough after slaughtering, or got warm later?

 

[slick4591]

Yeah, I figured they were young animals, but didn't want to assume anything. I figure its like wild game meat. Can be really good..... or really bad, depending on what they've been eating.

Dave says this in the other thread...

I have done some grass fed beef in the past. The key to good tender beef is to kill the steer while on the gain. I don't know where you are but here that means butchering in June or July. By November the grass has been pretty over ripe and not too digestible for some time. Any thing I kill in November will have been eating grain. Well, except for an elk. But there won't be a lot of difference between a November killed grass fed beef and an elk.

I read that and makes sense.

That makes me wonder if it had gone bad. Maybe not chilled down quick enough after slaughtering, or got warm later?

I probably should have included more detail in my post, but apparently he and his son shared one, then grew another one out and they both had the same flavor and smell. He used the same processor for both.

 

[Muddy]

Had a steer that was grass fed. The meat tasted funky and the smell was ranky. We used up all meat to feed the dogs. Venison tastes better than that steer.

 

[dieselbeef]

all we eat..convereted alotta people to it. gotta git em on gain is right. early summer on thick green grass..
thsi topic can go on forever

 

[Nesikep]

The fat has to be fresh fat, so killing while on gain is important... you get old fat and it gets a strong flavor. All we eat is grass fed beef, still eating a 2 1/2 year old bull and he's got steaks on him you cut with your fork and he tastes good. Sold a steer to a friend, he kept him until 2 1/2 years old as well, don't know his live weight but a Holstein cow could hide behind him, 940 lbs hanging weight, 650 cut and wrapped and the butcher said it was some of the nicest meat he'd ever seen.

 

[1wlimo]

Feeding grain to finish animals is a relatively new idea, and was more to use up cheep grain than about the meat quality.

There are some feeds that can taint meat, both when grazing and feed lotting animals. Onions, fishmeal, milk weed etc all not good for meat flavour, and there are a lot more.

 

[slick4591]

Thanks for all the info!

 

[Jessica06]

Grass finished fat is yellow, grain fed is white. All we eat is grass fed open heifers and cows. I buy rib rolls from Sam's to cut into steaks, vacuum pack, and freeze. That should tell you my opinion of grass finished beef. I keep trying to talk my husband into letting us feed a calf, but he says they're worth too much. I'm just hoping our freezer is empty when the day comes that we have a yearling bull not test. Fwiw, when we first moved out here we bought a bunch of grass finished beef from one of those traveling salesman.....terrible stuff.

 

[grubbie]

all we eat..convereted alotta people to it. gotta git em on gain is right. early summer on thick green grass..
thsi topic can go on forever

Yep, that's how we do it, get them on the gain in spring. It is a different taste, but very good. Another thing to keep in mind is that you have to have enough grass for them to get FAT. If not, they will be tough and nasty tasting.

 

[Son of Butch]

It is a different taste, but very good. Another thing to keep in mind is that you have to have enough grass for them to get FAT. If not, they will be tough and nasty tasting.

I like the flavor, my brother hates it. Maybe it's an acquired taste.
I've never had tough and nasty...but I've heard plenty of others say they have, that I assume it to be a true possibility.
Cattle are too expensive to not feed them out right, no matter which feed program you are on.

 

[Stocker Steve]

It is a different taste, but very good. Another thing to keep in mind is that you have to have enough grass for them to get FAT. If not, they will be tough and nasty tasting.

I like the flavor, my brother hates it. Maybe it's an acquired taste.
I've never had tough and nasty...but I've heard plenty of others say they have, that I assume it to be a true possibility.

I butchered a couple grass unfinished animals before we knew better. Not good.
I now butcher 30 month heifers off grass in late summer. Great eating!
Corn finished tastes bland and greasy after you have some experience.

 

[HDRider]

I have had really bad GF, and I have had really good GF.

I think there are a lot of reasons. GF is harder to get tasting right..

I visited a homesteader north of Raleigh. They were carving them a nice place.

Leaving, I felt obligated to buy a couple of steaks from her. Think I spent $75 for four... :roll: Wifey and daughter could not eat them. Tasted like aluminum.

As she was showing me her place, I asked to walk her pastures. She said this is her pasture. Pine needles and pig weed and mares tail. Very little grass. She said they will eat it when they get hungry enough. :yuck:

Now, sometimes my mouth gets ahead of my restraining muscle. I popped off, "You'd die for my grass."

I visited another guy around Raleigh, and to tell you the truth, I think he claimed GF on what wasn't.. They tasted good.

 

[Rhune]

Im finishing a freemartin heifer right now on alfalfa. Hoping it tastes good. Anyone have experience with it?

 

[dun]

Im finishing a freemartin heifer right now on alfalfa. Hoping it tastes good. Anyone have experience with it?

Years ago we finished one on alflafa. Meat tasted like grass.

 

[slick4591]

I'm convinced now that I won't get into that market with my limited experience. Thanks for all the comments.