Choice

[bbqbrisket]

Aside from tenderness and dryness, has anyone really noticed a difference in taste between Standard Choice and Angus Choice?
Thanks

 

[mosparky]

I haven't, despite the hype. Technically an animal only has to be more than 50% black to be called angus. I'm sure more than a few are being "mis-identified" at the plant.
I can taste sweet, bitter, sour, hot ect. but I can't taste color.

 

[old sarge]

By the time I season the meat for grilling, and then have the flavor of the smoke and such from the grill, little to no difference. However, if talking stew and roast, I do notice a difference although somewhat slight.

 

[Marknmd]

I've had really good standard choice and really crappy standard choice. But I've never had crappy Angus choice. So I would have to say yes, I've noticed a difference.

Edit: I'm gonna back off from the above comment because my main problem with the "crappy standard choice" was actually the toughness. That's what stood out. I can't comment on a flavor or taste difference because all I remember was the toughness of the low end choice which kind of ruined the expectations. I've since learned how to avoid low-end choice.

 

[DougE]

Having eaten a lot of beef from animals raised on my farm, I call BS on the Angus hype. All beef breeds are capable of producing excellent beef. All comes down to how they're fed before slaughter. Heck, Jerseys make for excellent beef if fattened up right.

 

[DougE]

Tip for best tenderness, process a big calf while it's still sucking milk from its mama. Less yield, but you get steaks you can cut with a fork.

 

[gmc2003]

Tip for best tenderness, process a big calf while it's still sucking milk from its mama. Less yield, but you get steaks you can cut with a fork.

Isn't that veal Doug? Growing up it was readily available. Not so much anymore.

Chris

 

[DougE]

Isn't that veal Doug? Growing up it was readily available. Not so much anymore.

Chris

Veal calves are only milk fed. What I'm talking about is large unweaned calves that are also on grass and grain.

 

[gmc2003]

Ok so like a toddeler calve

Chris

 

[DougE]

Ok so like a toddeler calve

Chris

800 to 1000 lbs. on the hoof is about what we go for.

 

[gmc2003]

Wow, what's an avg. adult weigh?

 

[DougE]

Wow, what's an avg. adult weigh?

No, Beef for steaks and whatnot comes from year olds or so. Full grown cows and bulls get turned into ground beef.

 

[DougE]

I reckon the average weight for beefs getting slaughtered for steaks is around 1200 pounds. The older they get, the tougher they get.

 

[kelbro]

We raised angus and hereford. I doubt that many people could tell the difference if the calves were slaughtered at the same age.

There's some 'mature' beef hitting the market now that couldn't be sold last year and had to be carried over. Caveat emptor!

 

[DougE]

We raised angus and hereford. I doubt that many people could tell the difference if the calves were slaughtered at the same age.

I doubt it too. I've eaten meat from solid black calves, red calves, Charolais, and one is about as good as the other provided they are fed similarly and killed around the same age.

 

[Fueling Around]

Back to OP
Taste, yes. Older animals actually have a stronger meat flavor. They have less fat flavor which is what makes your cut. Fat carries a different flavor.

.... Heck, Jerseys make for excellent beef if fattened up right.

 

[Fueling Around]

Wrong key stroke
Jerseys carry much more fat, but a Holstein past veal is the nastiest beef. Think your favorite canned soup is where it goes.

 

[DougE]

Yeah, Holsteins are nasty as beef. I believe it's mainly where they don't carry enough fat. Fat is flavor.

 

[pc farmer]

Wrong key stroke
Jerseys carry much more fat, but a Holstein past veal is the nastiest beef. Think your favorite canned soup is where it goes.

Hmmm. I used to raise Holstein heifers for 10 years. Bought them a calves, we ate the ones that didn't get bred. I can't believe you could tell the difference between them and a beef. We raised them with the beef. They are very good and fed very good.

 

[pc farmer]

Yeah, Holsteins are nasty as beef. I believe it's mainly where they don't carry enough fat. Fat is flavor.

Our Holsteins were pretty fatty,. Heifers that ate the same as our beef. Finished in 18 months. They were fed well thou. Corn silage, haylage and chop.