Arts & Entertainment
Amuse-bouche: Grass-fed beef versus corn-fed beef
Published
6 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw Partners
By Scott Mechura EBS Food Columnist
About five or six years ago, I was having a conversation with my food and beverage director who, much in the way Vinny’s fiancé was an automobile expert in the movie “My Cousin Vinny,” is an expert in all things food.
We spent many evenings sitting at his kitchen table enjoying a glass of wine, delving deeply into what, on the surface, might seem to be mundane topics. This night was no exception. We were discussing grass-finished versus corn-finished beef and which one tastes better. All cows are raised on grass in some fashion, but what they eat the last six months is referred to as finishing.
It was his strong opinion that corn-finished beef tasted better than cattle finished on grass. As a chef, I know I was supposed to say that grass-finished beef tastes better. But I agreed with him—I too believe corn-finished beef tastes better.
Taste is subjective. When we refer to “taste,” we are usually merging flavor with mouthfeel in our minds. To be precise—grass-fed beef sometimes tastes better, but corn-fed beef almost always has a better mouthfeel.
A while back, a couple of us from Buck’s visited a place called Ranchland in Butte. Ranchland is one the four federally inspected processing plants in Montana. Touring a processing plant is generally not very exciting to most people unless it directly effects your line of work.
We made our way to the aging room where there were approximately 60 beef carcasses hanging, all at various stages of the drying process. It’s amazing to see the subtle differences between breeds, as well as the effects of diet, nutrition and exercise.
But one thing stood out to us immediately.
Some carcasses had an almost paper-thin layer of fat on the exterior of the muscles and you could still see a substantial portion of muscle. Others were covered in an off-white, almost creamy, layer of fat about half an inch thick. And you could not see any muscle because the fat covered it completely.
The first carcass was an animal that had been finished on grass. The second carcass had been finished on corn. Give or take the specifics of a given feed lot, “finished” refers to how the cow is fed the last six months. If that isn’t an obvious example of the effects of corn as opposed to grass, I don’t know what is.
The ones finished on corn have a distinct difference in fat-marbling. And fat-marbling equals mouthfeel which, for most people, translates to better flavor.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 1964 the average live weight of beef cattle was 1,043 pounds. In 2014, it was 1,330 pounds. That’s about a 21 percent increase in weight. Just imagine if humans increased their weight by 21 percent in 50 years. Wait, scratch that.
What does this tell us? That we are raising cows to be larger than ever. And among the many factors, some of which I will explore in the future, we achieve this additional weight by finishing a cow on corn.
Corn is not natural to cattle. It’s not natural to humans either, but that’s another article.
In 1965, Americans consumed 63.3 pounds of beef per person per year. By 2016, that number dropped to 56.6 pounds. In this same period, the total number of cattle being raised and slaughtered has gone down, yet the total gross weight of slaughtered beef has increased.
There are a few reasons for this. But one of the primary reasons is corn.
The relationship between beef and the human appetite is vast and complex to say the least, and I will be returning to this topic from time to time.
Scott Mechura has spent a life in the hospitality industry. He is a former certified beer judge and currently the Executive Chef at Buck’s T-4 Lodge in Big Sky
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
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My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
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Area parents are encouraged to bring their young children to Symphony Storytime with a Bassoon which will be presented at the Bozeman Public Library’s Community Room during their regular Toddler and Preschool Storytime on Wednesday, March 20, at 10:15 a.m. The free program, presented by the Bozeman Symphony is especially for children ages 3 to 5. Children will be able to listen to Montana Shakespeare in the Parks actor Emma Rather, who will be joined by Bozeman Symphony Bassoonist Sam Macken. The goal of the program is to encourage a love of music, literacy, and discovery. Additional programs are scheduled at the Library on April 10 and June 12. For more information, visit www.bozemansymphony.org or call 406-585-9774.
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