What’s all the Beef About?

What’s all the Beef About?

By Roxanne Garcia
Do the terms “mad cow” and “e-coli” scare you? There has been a lot of bad press recently about practices in the beef industry, but don’t worry: you don’t have to give up your burgers and pot roasts (my personal favorite) just yet. Within our community, we have access to safe, savory cuts of meat, direct from Tucson farmers, and there are no secrets kept there.
If you are a carnivore, why not buy your meat directly from the producer? Our farmers’ market showcases and creates a marketplace for ranchers and farmers who raise their livestock on the range where they forage on pasture and native grasses. Buying your meat directly from the farmer or rancher is a simple task, and one worth investigating. In most cases, you can order exactly the cuts of meat you want, and even better, you can shake the hand of the person who raised the animals. This is your opportunity to ask questions such as what it was fed, how it was treated, and even how it was slaughtered.
What if you don’t know what to look for? There seems to be a lot of confusion as to the difference between organic, natural, pasture-raised, grain-fed beef and meat products. As a kid growing up on a farm, I had the unique experience of being able to feed, pet, ride, and herd the cattle on my grandfathers’ cattle ranch. This brought an innate understanding of where our milk, yogurt, cheese, hamburgers, and steaks come from, and it is my pleasure to pass a little of my knowledge on to you:
Most cattle, goats, and lambs raised for meat start out drinking mothers’ milk and grazing on grass, but after that, their diets can diverge.

Grain-fed means a diet that includes one or more of the following: grain, corn, molasses, cottonseed, and protein supplements.

Pasture- or grass-finished means the animals spend a certain amount of time dining on grass just before being slaughtered, but are grain-fed beforehand.

Same goes for meat labeled natural, which means that antibiotics and growth hormones may have been used.

With an understanding of these terms, you can ask exactly how the animals are raised, which means you know exactly what you’re eating. The differences in local beef products go far beyond the farm–they can be detected on your plate, beneath all the salt and pepper. Grass-fed meat smells and tastes better than any product you will find at your local grocery store. Here is a challenge: go to the farmers’ market, where you will find several different beef ranchers, purchase a favorite cut and taste-test it at home. Compare it to the same cut, purchased from any grocer. Keep in mind, grass-fed beef takes 30 percent less cooking time than ordinary beef, so cook it “low and slow” for optimum moisture, texture, and flavor. You will be surprised to find that the grass-fed beef has less fat and a more pleasant and flavorful taste. In addition to the unmatched flavor, pasture-raised products provide superior health benefits.

When you choose to eat meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals raised on pasture, you are improving the welfare of the animals, reducing environmental pollution, helping small-scale ranchers and farmers make a living from the land, creating sustainability within our communities, and giving your family the healthiest possible food. So join us as we celebrate our ranching and farming families that are truly devoted to their work at the annual “GrazeFest”, hosted by the Tucson Farmers’ Market. GrazeFest celebrates Arizona’s ranching heritage with leading producers of natural grass-fed and range-fed meats.

Meet the Ranchers & get the scoop from the Chefs:

FRIDAY ~ March 25
Tucson Farmers’ Market at Jesse Owens Park
Painted Cave Cattle Co.
Mountain Sunshine Eggs
Walking J Farms
Chef Demo with Jonathan from Jonathan’s Cork

SATURDAY ~ March 26
Oro Valley Farmers’ Market
Oro Valley Town Hall
Sombrero Butte Beef Co.
Van Haren Meat Co.
Rancho Chico Eggs
Chef Demo with Colin King from Harvest Restaurant

SUNDAY ~ March 27
Tucson Farmers’ Market at St. Philip’s Plaza
BX Ranch
Double Check Ranch
Jojoba Beef
Fiore de Capra Goat Cheese
San Rafael Beef Co.
Van Haren Meat Co.
Chef Demo with Primo Restaurant