Organic

[In the Kitchen]

We just watched the documentary, Food, Inc. We are now planning on buying meat from farmers. In other words, trying to eat food without the hormones or whatever they are feeding the livestock.

If anyone else is doing this already, could you please let me know about the difference in preparing? I know not as tender as other regular bought meat in store. Just don't want to get defeated before I even get started

Thanks!

 

[Selkie]

There's no difference in preparation. It simply means the hormone implants ranchers often use are now missing. There's no difference in looks or taste. You'll simply avoid ingesting hormones that get cattle to put on additional weight, usually 40-50 pounds by the time they're market-ready.

 

[BigAL]

I think it is great that you are wanting to buy your food from farmers, it is a great idea.

BUT, don't think for one minute that that "documentary" told the whole truth. Just some fyi.

 

[BigAL]

There's no difference in preparation. It simply means the hormone implants ranchers often use are now missing. There's no difference in looks or taste. You'll simply avoid ingesting hormones that get cattle to put on additional weight, usually 40-50 pounds by the time they're market-ready.

That is pretty much right, it just takes quite a bit longer to get to weight, so it will cost a bit more.

 

[buckytom]

is that why i cry, then i laugh, then i cry, then i blame whomever's around for everything, then i laugh and watch "the view" every time i have a steak?


lol, hiya itk. it's been a long time. i hope you and yours are well.

good luck with the farmer's meats. i'm stuck with buying store meats here.

don't say anything mean or i might cry again.

 

[Alix]

Hi ITK, long time no see! We have often bought a side of beef. Really the only difference is that things are better tasting straight off the farm. You have to pay for the butchering etc so don't think you will be getting much of a deal. A bit, but not a lot. As for prep, the one thing I've noticed is my ground beef from a side of beef is always so lean that I need to add some oil to the pan when I cook it. If I'm making something like a meatloaf or meatballs I need to use a bit of ground pork or everything is way too dry.

Enjoy!

PS, BigAl is quite right. Often the documentaries you see don't paint a full picture. The farmer is going to have used the same antibiotics whether he sells the cow to you or to the packers a few weeks later. You might miss something, but not a lot. What you are REALLY doing though is buying local, and that is an important thing to do too.

 

[Wyogal]

Depends on the farmer/rancher... if it is purely grass fed beef, then there will be a difference in taste. I have a friend that trades music lessons for beef from a local rancher. It's grass fed and she says it indeed is leaner and has a different taste than grain fed beef.
Buying local, buying organic, buying from the rancher, can all be very different.

 

[buckytom]

so you could say he gets his beef for a song?

 

[Wyogal]

nope, not a "song," a tune... she teaches cello lessons to the rancher's daughter

 

[buckytom]

and the sound of someone murdering a cat doesn't spook the cattle? lol.

 

[Wyogal]

maybe that's how YOU sound playing the cello...

 

[LPBeier]

maybe that's how YOU sound playing the cello...

I think Bucky Tom may have been referring to the old practice of making strings out of cat gut not the person playing......right Bucky?

Anyway, here if a farmer sells meet/poultry directly to a consumer they are not allowed to call it organic or free range as it has not been inspected and certified. I have had some of this meat and it is awesome, but hard to come by because the farmers have a hard time getting it butchered and have to charge more for it.

 

[Wyogal]

It's quite common around here; never heard of them having difficulty butchering it.
p.s. strings were made from sheep intestines, "cat" came from "kit" (Italian) meaning violin, and Catagniny, Germany, where the best strings were from

 

[LPBeier]

It's quite common around here; never heard of them having difficulty butchering it.
p.s. strings were made from sheep intestines, "cat" came from "kit" (Italian) meaning violin, and Catagniny, Germany, where the best strings were from

Sorry, didn't mean they "had trouble" butchering it, we just have a lot of laws about selling meat, specially after all the Mad Cow stuff.

And I should not have said "practice", I should have said "joke". Just trying to keep things light!

I totally agree it is leaner and has a different taste - I like it.

Oh, and I forgot to say Hi ITK, I have missed you too!

 

[In the Kitchen]

gee, thanks for the comments. Many of the contributors are the BEST ones I remember on this site. Thanks for remembering me! Even you buckytom, will always remember how you bring a chuckle which I so badly needed to every question I asked. Hope you still have your birds and your family doing well.

Have not been around much due to change in eating habits. Doctor seems to think I am not eating right! I often wonder what the doctor eats? I have always practiced balanced type of diet and try to be conscientious of what we eat.

However, I do appreciate your thoughts so very much and will look back often to check your opinions. I hope each and everyone of you are doing well. Take care