If you have been a part of the Paleo community for even a short amount of time, you probably have heard that beef is an important food group on a diet.
Some people stick to beef strictly as their sole protein source (although one should never do this without consulting an expert).
But whether or not it’s your main protein source or just something you eat very occasionally, beef can be a difficult meat to get right.
Sometimes your beef comes out dry and tough, lacking in the rich flavors that would make it a staple of your diet.
So what is going wrong? How come your beef tastes like a cow?
Let’s look at the main factors determining whether your beef is delicious or just plain old bovine.
Why Does My Beef Taste Like Cattle?
There are several reasons why your beef might taste like a cow – and none of them have to do with you or your cooking.
It’s worth noting, however, that the rest of your diet can affect how much you appreciate beef.
For example, eating a lot of cheese or other dairy products could contribute to your beef tasting like a cow.
This primarily comes down to the processing and the feed that cows (and other farm animals) are given.
This can impact both the flavor of the meat and its nutritional content.
There isn’t any way around it – if you want to make sure your beef tastes like beef, you need to make sure it’s grass-fed beef.
What Makes Grass-Fed Beef Taste Different?
Grass-fed cows are not given the same kind of feed as grain-fed cows, with the main difference being that they are not given any grains or byproducts.
Another big difference between these two is that grass-fed cows are not given any hormones or antibiotics unless they are sick, while grain-fed cows often receive both.
However, the most important factor is that grass-fed beef tastes like beef and grain-fed beef taste like a cow.
The reason for this is that it’s more difficult to process fattier meat into leaner meat – so grain-fed cows produce leaner beef.
But this also makes the meat less flavorful – and, as a result, it tends to taste more like a cow.
Does Grass-Fed Beef Have Different Nutritional Content?
There are several different theories about how grass-fed beef might impact your health vs.
corn-fed beef – but the real truth is that there isn’t a clear answer.
Both grass-fed beef and grain-fed beef contain almost identical nutritional content – with one important difference: omega-3 fatty acids.
Grass-fed cattle have been shown to have as much as 1.5 times more omega 3s than those fed grain.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should give up your grass-fed burger in favor of one made from corn-fed beef – especially if you’re not able to find grass-fed beef where you live.
But it does show that choosing the right kind of meat is an important part of getting delicious results.
How Can I Ensure That My Beef Tastes Like Beef?
Even though grass-fed beef is often leaner, it has more fat than conventionally raised cows.
This higher percentage of fat helps to give your grass-fed meat a richer flavor and makes it less likely to dry out when you cook it.
As a result, the big difference between grass-fed beef tastes and grain-fed beef tastes isn’t so much about what’s in the meat as it is about what’s been done to it.
So if you want your beef to taste like a cow, don’t go for a grass-fed burger – but if you’re not willing to take the time and effort to find one, you might want to try adding some other flavors or cooking methods.
How To Get Rid Of The Cattle-Like Taste Of Beef?
If you want to cook beef and do not want your dish to remind you of a barn, there are some things you can do.
If possible, buy beef from a reputable local butcher shop instead of the supermarket.
Ask for rump or sirloin steak if you do not have an option between these two types of meat.
Try to get high-quality soft beef instead of hard steak, or try soft steak because it has less collagen.
If you do not have an option, use harder beef but soak it in milk for two to four hours before cooking and discard the remaining milk water.
Add More Spices And Herbs To Your Dish
Spices like soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and other herbs like thyme, rosemary, and oregano help hide some of the beefy smell.
Soak The Beef In Milk Before Cooking
If you do not want to discard the leftover milk-water after soaking your steak or any other type of beef for that matter, use it as a part of the liquid and try to choose a dish where the beefy flavor compliments it.
This is not necessary if you want to get rid of any taste of beef in your dish.
Cook The Beef At A High Temperature
When grilling, pan-frying, or roasting your steak, do so as quickly as possible and on very high heat for a short period.
This way, you will not have time for the meat to give off its fat, and the presence of fat is necessary for beef to taste like beef.
The more your cook it, the more beefy your dish will be.
Do not over-cook it, though, because you run a risk of overcooking your steak and making it tough, dry, and flavorless.
The beef in your dish should be cooked medium-rare to rare for the best taste and texture.
Conclusion
As you can see, it’s pretty easy to get rid of the taste of a cow when cooking.
If you do not want to go through all these steps, there is still an option: buy a pre-made sauce or spice mix for beef.
Many people think that when they have bought grass-fed beef from a store, it is just a cover-up because its taste is not as good as it should be because of wrong cooking methods.
Many people have been tricked into buying grass-fed beef, thinking that they will have a delicious, flavorful, and better-tasting compared to other types of beef, but this isn’t true.
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