the grass fed difference
Grass-fed beef is not easy to describe, which is why it’s important to give it a try.
When you talk to grass-fed beef fans, they all explain it in their own distinct ways. One thing that’s universal is that grass-fed muscle has a unique mouth feel. It has a particular bite or a chew to it. This has to do with the genetics of grass-fed animals and the way their muscles are used. Grass-fed flavour and texture depend so much on methods the farmer is using, too. We’re always focused on flavour, but we also want to be shepherds of the land. We work with various advisors to assess the impact of our operations on the earth, but also to discover together what’s marketable and delicious.
Australia is a world leader in Grass-Fed beef. Farmers in the United States, for example, have imported genetics from Australia. Those genetics come from a line of beef cattle that was only ever raised on grass — forever. The best grass on the planet is out of Australia, and we have cattle that do better than others on grass. Now these genetics are being acclimated to the northeast of America, which is so different than Australia. It’s really great stuff.
Our Grass-Fed beef comes straight off our paddocks to you. We do not use feed lots or other methods to grown-on the cattle they just grown-up eating grass on Yarra Valley pastures.
THE CHEF’S CUTS
In Australia we tend to have an abundance view of meat, and beef in particular. The challenges we now face with the world food supply will cause a shift in mindset.
When we think of red meat we think of porterhouse, ribeye, scotch fillet or T-bone. Sausages and mince are mid-week fill-ups to help us cope with our busy schedules.
Rarely, do we consider the Chef’s cuts or so called ‘new school cuts”. Often, the Chef’s cuts are the most flavoursome offering great value for money, they are cut thinner than the prime cuts because they have more grain and require a little more chewing, but superior flavour.
Cuts such as ‘hanger’ are highly regarded by Chef’s and butchers and have only recently appeared on menus and online butchers’ websites. The hanger is one of the most uniquely flavoured cuts on the whole cow. The best way to cook a hanger is over a medium heat to medium rare. Too rare and it is too tough to chew and too well done and it becomes stringy and tough.
Other cuts such as Bavette, Flat Iron, skirt and oyster blade are worthy of consideration. When we have cooked these cuts from 32 Acre cattle the results have been wonderful, because we pay attention and ensure we are educated in the best way to cook them.