prime vs Choice vs select

[RallyJon]

Real Kobe (or the vastly more available American Wagyu) is not just the same only better. It really is a whole different concept. It can be marbled to the point where there is more fat than meat--for example in the cap part of a ribeye. It's an acquired taste, and you generally eat less of it because it's so fatty.

IMO, the best Wagyu cuts aren't loin cuts, since good prime ribs, strips and tenderloin are plenty well marbled as it is. But Wagyu short ribs and skirt steak are pure heaven and much, much cheaper. I bet the brisket is great, too.

[RickM]

Originally posted by NICKG
Rick what Costco do you use? the one in wharton or the one in east hanover? They have a great butcher in Wharton...I go to Esposito's in East hanover...they have some aged stuff...like $10 lb for Rib steak...great people there too. I eat there for luch just about everyday

Nick: I've probably seen you in line for their great sandwiches! Too cold to eat them outside though...lol. I've known them since they were located down on Rt 10 back in the 60s-70s.

I go to the Costco in EH. The steak selection is pretty good there.

To those who are lumping Costco in with supermarkets and other warehouse retailers I disagree. Again, Costco has huge buying power and uses it to get higher than usual quality....a good steak at a great price. Not to be compared to Kobe or other "botique" meats.

[TimT]

Lobels I buy beef and lamb and pork from lobels, itsnot cheap by any stretch. They ship anywhere in the country fedex. I stop by the shop when I happen to be in NYC

My recent fav is a Wagyu Hanger steak..

[bigchillcar]

organic, grass-fed should be your top choice..problem with grain beef is the widespread use of hormones, etc. wind up in the fat of the animal. with grass-fed beef, you can even eat the fat..not all fat is bad, remember..should make up 20-30% of your diet.
ryan

[RickM]

Question for you livestock guys: I've heard that when corn is fed to cows, steer, cattle, bulls or whatever it irritates the stomach(s?) to the point where it is neccessary to use of antibiotics. Something along the lines that the corn shell/husk will not break down and is an irritant. True?

[snowman]

Paying for organic beef is a total waste of money. Its not better, safer, and may be more of a health concern than "regular" beef.

[bigchillcar]

Paying for organic beef is a total waste of money.

nope..grass-fed trumps grain-fed by a huge margin in terms of being hormone-free and healthier. you get exactly what you pay for. you can put into your body what you like.

Its not better, safer, and may be more of a health concern than "regular" beef.

too ridiculous. takes something completely off the wall to get me to comment like this.
ryan

[snowman]

Exactly why? Cite ONE just One legitimate reference to any harm done to anyone by "normal" beef. You can't, because there is NONE.

Just what is ridiculous? Referring to perfectly safe food as dangerous, without a single bit of evidence to the contrary is ridiculous. Get real.

[bigchillcar]

lol. here..get educated. plenty more where that came from.rolleyes:
ryan

http://www.mercola.com/2005/apr/23/beef.htm
http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/grass-fed-beef-vs-organic-beef.asp
http://www.mercola.com/beef/health_benefits.htm
http://www.csuchico.edu/agr/grsfdbef
http://www.luciesfarm.com/artman/publish/article_85.php
http://www.benttreefarms.com/burts.html
http://angeles.sierraclub.org/News/SS_2004-07/grassgrain.asp
http://texasgrassfedbeef.com/grass_fed_beef_in_a_nutshell.htm:

[cool_chick]

Filet Mignon is my favorite cut and BTW that steak is perfectly cooked for me.

[NICKG]

Originally posted by cool_chick
Filet Mignon is my favorite cut and BTW that steak is perfectly cooked for me.

i thought Muslim's like you didn't eat beef. and even if they did, since you are a woman you would only get scraps, so how could you know about anything premium?

[RallyJon]

Before you get too worked up about the word Organic, you should define terms a bit better.

There is organic beef grown without hormones or antibiotics that is top quality prime grade, perfectly marbled and absolutely delicious. There is also crappy so-called "natural" beef that is lean, chewy and flavorless like that overpriced **** Laura's beef that our local store sells to people who buy into all that tree-hugger nonsense.

The way I see it, FIRST the meat has to taste good. If it's not great tasting, why eat it at all? THEN you can worry about how it's grown.

[Moses]

My dad owned a cattle ranch for many years. Before slaughter, grass fed beef are transitioned to a short cycle of a grain diet. The grain is super-rich in terms of calories and the cattle love it. Every year, we would prepare one steer for our friends and family. The steer would be penned, limiting exercise. We would gradually add corn to the steers diet. Changing the diet too abruptly can cause gastic upset, but none of our cattle got antibiotics for this.

The grain diet is amazing, the steer will balloon up faster than Oprah on a cruise ship. Their bellies damn near hit the ground. Commercial grain-fed beef is only fed corn for a few days. We would keep ours penned and corn fed for months. It's also critical how the animal is slaughtered. If the animal is hurt or frightened, or even tense, there will be lactic acid buildup in the meat. Our home-grown beef was "organic" and prime plus. Amazing stuff. Can't find anything like it in a butcher store.

[gaijindabe]

Originally posted by Moses


The grain diet is amazing, the steer will balloon up faster than Oprah on a cruise ship.

.

[Drago]

Originally posted by Moses
It's also critical how the animal is slaughtered. If the animal is hurt or frightened, or even tense, there will be lactic acid buildup in the meat.

I know I'm a morbid SOB but care to elaborate?

[bigchillcar]

Donald Sutherland.

just rent the whole series of 'the texas chainsaw massacre'...the original..lol.
ryan

[Moses]

Originally posted by Drago
I know I'm a morbid SOB but care to elaborate?

Our butcher would come out to the ranch for us. The butcher would shake the bucket of corn as he walked to the pen and the steer would waddle up to the fence. As the steer would drop his head to eat the corn, the butcher would put a sawed off 12 gauge at the base of his skull and fire. The steer would drop immediately. He would be field dressed then hauled to a meat locker to hang.

I never killed one myself, but a friend who used to work at a bigger commercial feed lot told me they killed their beef with a single blow to the back of the head with a sledge hammer. He would straddle a chute and swing away as the steer passed under him.

[bigchillcar]

He would straddle a chute and swing away as the steer passed under him.

there's a guy you wanna piss off...not..lol
ryan

[RickM]

I saw a documentary on how large plants slaughter cattle. I think the subject was the difference between standard and Kosher slaughter houses. IIRC, the animal was secured by this large robotic clamp/lift mechanism. It was knocked out, it's throat was cut and it's voice box removed (ripped out...sorry for being so graphic). They were pointing out how inhumane this practice was.....

Doesn't sound like that meat was tassting too good. These animals went though alot of stress. Not like poppin old Elsie when she's not lookin.

[fuelie600]

Originally posted by bigchillcar
there's a guy you wanna piss off...not..lol
ryan