I recently purchased 30 lbs of grass-fed beef from a local farmer. Actually, it was around 60 lbs that was delivered to my door and that I split with my sister. Since I do not normally eat much beef besides hamburger I decided split it with my sister just in case I wasn’t a fan. I didn’t want 60 lbs of beef stuck in my freezer that I didn’t like or know what to do with. I didn’t need to worry, though, because the meat is awesome! 30 pounds of beef is a good amount for just my hubby and I, and I have been hunting around for recipes to make good use of it. Of course I researched grass-fed beef before I made my big purchase and this is what I learned:
-Grass-fed cows are happy cows. They roam around eating as much grass as they want. Since cows are herbivores, eating lots of grass is what they do best. Feed lot cows generally don’t have any access to grass and are instead fed corn, soybeans, and and host of other questionable things.
-Grass-fed beef is free of hormones, antibiotics, herbicides, and pesticides.
-Grass-fed beef has 2-4 times as much omega-3 fatty acids as conventionally raised beef. Omega-3′s are good for you!
-Grass-fed beef has better flavor. Everyone I have talked to and what I have read agrees.
-Grass-fed beef is lean. Not much fat which makes it better for you! Because it is so lean, grass-fed beef cooks FAST! My farmer kept stressing, “Don’t overcook it!” Low and slow with liquid is best for roasts and it only takes a few minutes for a steak to cook up. Mid-rare or medium is the way to go with this beef. Well-done will just result in a piece of shoe leather.
I haven’t made much of a dent in my beef yet but my hubby and I have been very impressed thus far! Even though good meat generally costs a bit more, it is worth it to me to have happy beef that is free of junk and that is raised the way it was created to be raised.
How about you? Have you tried grass-fed beef before?
This post is linked to Homestead Barn Hop, The Morris Tribe, and Healthy 2day Wednesday
3:19 pm on May 8th, 2012
I keep trying to find someone local from which to purchase grass fed beef, but haven’t had much luck. We just need to get on some land and raise some ourselves!
8:56 pm on May 8th, 2012
[...] my last post I talked about getting grass-fed beef from a local farmer. That farmer is Josh, who is the owner [...]
9:04 pm on May 13th, 2012
I don’t have a place to put 30 lbs of meat, but I do buy grass-fed beef from a local farm (a pound at a time
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7:53 pm on May 15th, 2012
I was so happy to learn about grass fed beef. I didn’t serve my family very much beef as I always considered it unhealthy. My family loves steak, so I have been researching grass fed steak. It feels so good to watch them dig into a juicy steak and know that it’s healthy for them.