It has been so long since I wrote-sometimes life happens and blogs rest. I wanted to talk about National Public Radio's recent story on grass-fed vs corn-fed beef. In the story, they do explain some of the nutritional difference in the two beefs. Grass-fed beef has much higher Omega-3 fats than corn-fed. Remember, not all our hunting-gathering ancestors ate cold-water fish, and they sure as shootin' didn't eat flax seeds. Game meat, pastured meat has your O-3s. Another fatty acid not mentioned in the NPR story is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is ONLY found in ruminant animals (those with 4 stomachs-so if you only eat fish or poultry you lose). CLA is the subject of an enormous amount of research right now regarding its anti-diabetic, anti-cancer properties and it is already well known to be a fighter of fat-storage/obesity. Grass-fed beef also is derived from animals that are healthy. Ruminants are not meant to eat grain. It changes the pH of their stomachs and the bacterial populations of their guts. This makes them prone to hosting E. Coli and other nasty things that cannot survive in the stomachs of ruminants that eat grass.
In terms of the taste test that NPR did, you'll notice that Susan Stamberg said the grass-fed meat was "meatier". The flavor was more intense. To me that is a good thing... Of course the meat was chewier. This was partly a function of the way it was cooked. Quickly searing grass-fed beef is not the best option. Now, I'm not going to pretend that your grass-fed meat is ever going to be as buttery as a the meat from a fat, sedentary, corn-fed animal. It won't be. But cook it right and you'll have better results.
Try this:
Use the juice and zest of 2 lemons as well as a spoonful of crushed peppercorns. Pound your grass fed meat lightly with a meat pounder (you know all those old-fashioned kitchen tools should tell us something about food preparation). Marinate your tenderized meat for several hours or overnight. Then you can dry the meat and proceed.
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I just read this article this morning and put it on facebook. I hope everyone reads it. Thank you for adding to it.
ReplyDeleteOne of my classmates called me yesterday and asked me about the paleo diet. She said she can see how it is changing me and she wants to give it a try!! I was so excited. I gave her some of the info you gave us during the 3 month nutrition challenge and The Paleo Diet and The Evolution Diet. That is all I've got. It makes me so happy to think I have influenced someone though. And it is all thanks to you Jen.
This is going to sound crazy but Im totally serious when I say that I prefer to eat my grassfed meat totally raw but dried for a few days (I spread or lay it out on a cookie rack in the fridge). The outside gets a little crunchy and the flavor is more intense. I do this with ground beef mostly, and then just throw a bunch in a bowl. Sometimes I add a nice raw egg yolk. Cooking dried grassfed beef also tastes better.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're crazy at all. Outside ordinary maybe, but that is always good! I'd have to clean my fridge first or my meat would smell like who knows what! I do like to make my own jerky with grassfed beef in a similar manner. Raw beef is delicious anyway with a little lemon juice and parsley, salt and pepper.
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