Grain Finished?

[Jordan Glasser]

I've been doing my best to find and eat high quality free range meats, but I am feeling duped! For one, what does grain finished mean? Does it compromise the right fat profile of the animal? It seems as though all the organic, or free range beef that I can get my hands on locally goes through this process.

I bought a dehydrator the other day, got the butcher to order me in a bunch of buffalo meat. And while experimenting with making Jerky, I ate a ton of buffalo. Based on the way it made me feel, I am guessing grain finish totally ruins the fat profile. Does anyone one have evidence to prove this, or know more about the subject?

thanks,

Jordan

[Mike ODonnell]

I believe you want "grass fed" and not "free range".....there is a difference...plus anything that is grass fed is usually free range anyways....free range can still be fed grains which compromises the omega 3/6 of the meat.

[Pierre Auge]

I think Mike is actually right about something for once!

[Mike ODonnell]

Originally Posted by Pierre Auge

I think Mike is actually right about something for once!

Now I know who has been drinking all my Molsens.....who let the Canadian back in???

[Chris Forbis]

Aren't most cattle grass-fed for the beginning of their lives and then grain finished?

[Jordan Glasser]

Originally Posted by Mike ODonnell

Now I know who has been drinking all my Molsens.....who let the Canadian back in???

I think you mean Molson, but I don't think any respectful canadain drinks that stuff.

On the topic, why do I hear the words grain finish at the grocery store. It sounds they have these animals on a pasture, let them eat wildly. And then, like they are doing "doing us a favor", grain finish the meat so that it tastes like the crap we've been eating all of our lives. My guess, and it's just that, a guess.....if they didn't grain finish, I would have a plethora of grass fed meats to choose from, with an ideal fat makeup. Is there fact to this?

[Scott Kustes]

Originally Posted by Chris Forbis

Aren't most cattle grass-fed for the beginning of their lives and then grain finished?

I believe calves are grass-fed before being put into the feedlot. However, grain-finished refers to a cow that can be technically called "grass-fed," but grains are used to marble them at the end. Grass-fed grain-finished meat is better than straight grain-fed, but not as good as straight grass-fed. The fatty acid profile will be between the grain-fed and grass-fed. Find pure grass-fed if you can. I have several farmers around me that do it the right way for the entire life of the cow.

Check Eat Wild and ask lots of questions.

[Allen Yeh]

Originally Posted by Jordan Glasser

I've been doing my best to find and eat high quality free range meats, but I am feeling duped! For one, what does grain finished mean? Does it compromise the right fat profile of the animal? It seems as though all the organic, or free range beef that I can get my hands on locally goes through this process.

I bought a dehydrator the other day, got the butcher to order me in a bunch of buffalo meat. And while experimenting with making Jerky, I ate a ton of buffalo. Based on the way it made me feel, I am guessing grain finish totally ruins the fat profile. Does anyone one have evidence to prove this, or know more about the subject?

thanks,

Jordan

Jordan,
Not sure where you live but in the last few months I've found that farmers markets are great places to find grass fed beef/buffalo meats. I had always toyed with the idea of ordering online but I think my wife just might kill me if I filled our freezer with 25 pounds of grass fed beef. It was great to actually find a place where I can get small amounts of grass fed meats for a reasonable price.

I think Scott had a website to find farmers markets in your area?

[Scott Kustes]

Originally Posted by Allen Yeh

I think Scott had a website to find farmers markets in your area?

Between these two, you should be able to find something up-to-date.
USDA
Local Harvest - This one also has CSAs, restaurants that serve organic, and farms.

[Jordan Glasser]

Originally Posted by Scott Kustes

Between these two, you should be able to find something up-to-date.
USDA
Local Harvest - This one also has CSAs, restaurants that serve organic, and farms.

I found a farm that warehouses it's grass fed meat nearby in vancouver, (Eatwild.com got me there) which is within 2 hours, so I'm in business. Should have some by the end of the week, can't wait!!!!