Why Grass Finished Beef Isn't Created Equal

Experience the Piedmontese Difference

June 23, 2023

Are you familiar with the buzz around grass fed and finished beef? Many of us deem it a healthier and more sustainable option, but let's face it; not all beef is created equal. Have you ever tried grass finished beef and found it to be tough and with an unusual flavor? You're not alone.

The truth is, the better quality grass fed beef (beef that was intentionally raised to be grass fed and finished and produce a tender, juicy, and flavorful steak) is often not readily available at your local market. But don't worry, we've got you covered. Allow us to explain why most grass fed, grass finished beef falls short and how we produce a superior product that's not only lean and tender but also packed with flavor. Trust us, you won't be able to resist taking a bite.

The answers to that question are quite simple - The majority of grass fed and grass finished beef consumers are buying online or in the stores, comes from overseas, without the guidance of the USDA and the world-renowned stockmanship of American Farmers and Ranchers.  Australia, New Zealand, and South America all contribute the majority of supply of grass finished beef.

One of the largest retailers of grass finished beef in this country, ButcherBox, an online beef company, sources their grass finished beef from Australia. Imported grass finished beef is still a nutritious source of healthy protein, it still can be raised with sustainable efforts, and it still takes passionate ranchers and workers to raise these animals.  However, imported grass finished beef quality isn't exactly what American consumers are expecting, but is the majority of what they are tasting and experiencing due to these larger retailers.

Internationally raised beef typically comes with an abundance of yellow fat, largely coming from year-round overgrazing of green grasses.  Green grass has more beta carotene which gives green grass it's green color. With cattle eating more green grass, where winter doesn't provide a dormant season, it leads towards more yellow fat and flavor in the finished beef. Teamed with vast-pasture roaming in higher temperature climates in search for those grasses, the tenderness also suffers as a result of these cattle working extra hard to roam those pastures, developing tougher muscles. So the majority feedback given in the marketplace of grassy or metallic flavors and tough beef, is all based on programs raised outside of the USA.  In many cases, you can still certainly find these issues with US based programs as well where warmer climates can be a challenge to produce a better beef, but nearly 85% of of the grass finished marketplace is still sourced from overseas.

For many other grass finished programs, the beef is sourced from culled dairy animals from the USA and abroad. These cows, having grazed on grasses for years while producing milk, tend to have an even grassier flavor, and unfortunately, the meat can be quite tough. As a sustainable measure, this practice is abundant and cost-effective, but the end quality may not always match consumer expectations. This is the reason why you may find ground beef sourced from culled dairy cows served at some fast-food restaurants due to cost and supply.

Large retailers, spanning both the online and grocery marketplaces, often utilize these cost-effective programs to fulfill their consumer demand and profitability goals. We certainly are not against these programs and they certainly do have their place in the market.  However, these inferior programs sets the precedent for consumers on what to expect from their grass finished beef. That sounds fair, right?

At Certified Piedmontese, we benefit from two factors that are extremely important to our finished beef quality and performance with Grass Fed, Grass Finished Beef.

1) Breed.

This Italian Heritage Piedmontese Breed is well known for its superior meat quality, namely it's natural lean and tender characteristics. Piedmontese cattle have an inactive myostatin gene, which leads to "double-muscling" within in this breed. These Italian genetics lead to less fat and connective tissue developing within the beef.  Combined with shorter muscle fibers, this beef remains incredibly tender and flavorful without the need for extra marbling.  As this breed of cattle gets leaner, the more tender the beef becomes and it also allows consumer to taste real beef - not fat.  This breed, in particular, produces beef that defies logic in what most consumers are trained to look for in quality beef and why our grass finished beef tastes the way it does.

We would not produce a grass fed, grass finished program if we were not raising Piedmontese.

2) Nebraska.

Nebraska is the beef state. With changes of seasons and nutrition demands of our cattle, Nebraska Ranchers manage their grasslands with love and expertise to provide the best nutrition and environmental health for the grass year round, which ultimately converts to different nutrient profiles within the beef. As we like to say, Nebraska provides the perfect recipe for grass-fed beef that's never tough and always delicious. Simply put, during winter, our cattle are safely fed in smaller paddocks with nutritious hay and foliage (now void of the extra green beta carotene flavors), joyously living each day with the comforts of safety and companionship with the land and ranchers.  

We're thrilled to share that our ranchers put animal welfare and sustainability at the forefront of our operations. By following our protocol, they're able to provide you with beef that's not only flavorful but environmentally friendly. We take pride in being stewards of our land and livestock, and we'd love for you to be a part of our journey towards a better future.

Grass-fed beef, intentionally raised and produced the Nebraska way, should never taste bitter or metallic. It shouldn't be dry, fatty, or tough to chew. Certified Piedmontese grass-fed beef is tender, lean, and delicious, thanks to our Italian Heritage Breed and premium Nebraska Stockmanship in producing the world's best performing beef. 

Please shop our lineup of grass finished beef and taste the experience that no other program can offer.