Beware the myth of grass-fed beef

I love grass-fed or feed-fed beef.

 

God Bless Cara Peller!!!!

 

Happy animals are tastier animals. I :wub: free-range chicken and pork.

 

I remember something about ecoli being more prolific in grain fed cattle and that if they are returned to a grass diet for even a short time before slaughter, the amount of ecoli come down considerably. Is that what you're referring too?

So is this a distinction between any level of infection either ecoli is present or it isn't V.S how much ecoli is present?

 

It's like studies that show organic produce has the same nutrients as regular produce. They're missing the point - I like organic better because A) not as many pesticides and other nasty chemicals (OK, I know there's some, but less is less), B) better for the environment, and most of all C) it just tastes better.

 

Some, perhaps, but I have witnessed blind taste tests where normal produce easily came out on top. I think the problem is that the term "organic" has a very fuzzy definition. It has some legal requirements, supposedly, but mostly it gets used as a marketing scam. I shudder to think of what "organic" products from China have been through.

I have also seen taste tests where a piece of fruit is cut in half. One half is put on a plate labeled "organic", while the other half goes onto a plate with a non-organic label. People raved over the organic fruit and exclaimed how much better it was. Never underestimate the power of the placebo effect.

Several of my farmer friends in this area grow excellent organic produce. Some also grow excellent non-organic produce. There are a lot of factors that go into good tasting food. A good farmer can produce a quality crop either way.

Tom

 

I didn't know grass-fed cows were reported to be eColi-free. I buy free-range beef because I think it's better for the environment, it supports local farmers, and it's better for me.

As for produce, home grown tastes way better. Fruit that's picked green and shipped half way across the country doesn't stand a chance, compared to picking something fresh out of the garden. I'd say the organic thing is more a matter of good stewardship than taste.

 

Bad article. E. coli O157:H7 is part of the normal bovine gut flora. It is a problem only when it contaminates meat for human consumption; a processing, not a biological problem.

 

You wouldn't be trying to gross out any carnivores, now would you, Tony?

 

WAY better. Store produce is over engineered for shelf life and yield. Taste is at the bottom of the list. That's why I grow my own lettuce year round. To avoid the bland pesticide laced stuff. We have a continual supply of fresh organic lettuce of different varieties and save hundreds of dollars a year.

As for grass fed beef...I'm sorry to disagree, but I think the regular beef is tastier. On the rare occasion we want steaks, I want the regular. We get grass fed for ground beef, though, so we actually buy more grass fed than regular beef.

Taste is subjective!

 

I'll remember not to eat cow stomaches uncooked in future.