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TASTE THE DIFFERENCE
The Flavor of Pasture-Raised Meats and Dairy
Not only are pasture-raised meats and dairy better for your health, better for the animals, better for the environment, and better for the farmer, they also are better tasting than conventionally raised meats and dairy products. “The search is worth it,” writes Corby Kummer in the May 2003 issue of the Atlantic Monthly. “Grassfed beef tastes better than corn-fed beef: meatier, purer, far less fatty, the way we imagine beef tasted before feedlots and farm subsidies changed ranchers and cattle.” When raised and cooked properly, grassfed pork and lamb have a particularly rich and savory flavor. Grassfed beef tends to be lean and juicy, with a robust flavor. Pasture-raised chickens have a firm texture and a flavor that many older generations will remember from their youth.
What gives grassfed meats and dairy their unique flavor and texture? The grass, for one. Wine enthusiasts have long heard about the influence of terroir on the flavor and characteristics of wine. Terroir refers to the unique elements of the soil, the landscape, and the climate that influence flavor. The same is true of grassfed foods. And just as the experience and expertise of the grower and the winemaker contribute to the quality of the wine, the experience and expertise of the farmer often means grassfed meat that’s unforgettably delicious.
Flavor is also derived from the breed of the animal, the management of the pastures, the age at which the animal is harvested, and numerous other factors. The bottom line is that it pays to get to know the farmers who are growing and raising your food. Through them, you’ll find the meat and dairy products that taste best to you (see page 11 for resources on finding grassfed foods).
The information on this section of our website is reprinted from The Great New About Grass produced by: Eating Fresh Publications, 2004. A full version of this publication can be dowloaded by clicking here.
Endnotes:
1 Shannon Hayes. The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook: Healthy Cooking and Good Living with Pasture-Raised Foods. Eating Fresh Publications, New Jersey. 2004.
2 Grassland Birds: Fostering Habitats Using Rotational Grazing. Dan Undersander, Stan Temple, Jerry Bartlet, Dave Sample, Laura Paine. University of Wisconsin System. Cooperative Extension Publishing. 2000.
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