Grass fed or Wagyu – anyone dryage these?

[Anonymous]

Had my first home dry aged NY strip Sunday. FAIL. I forgot to season it in any way (no oil, no salt, no pepper, no nothing). Then I over-seared it and turned the outside into charcoal. Blah.

Tried again last night…success! It was AWESOME. VERY pleased. Its time to get something else in the bags.

I was wondering…has anyone dry aged grass fed beef? Is this a good/bad idea? not so sure as grass fed typically has less fat than grain fed and not sure how well it might age.

Also, at the other end of the spectrum, has anyone dryaged Wagyu? Plenty of fat in those guys, just a lot harder to get and more expensive.

Nick

[Ron Pratt]

While I personally have aged neither one I see no reason not to. While the fat content produces taste that has little to do with the affects of aging which consists of moisture removal thus intensifying the taste. I’d say go for it and let us know! I just don’t have access to that high quality meat where I live.

[Anonymous]

Looks like grass fed probably won’t happen…for whatever reason my source for that only wants to sell retail cuts, not subprimals. No idea why.

Now the Wagyu might be shaping up to be a different story…heard back from the farmer (who’s about an hour drive from where I’m at) this morning saying that they could sell those cuts (I asked about strip loin and rib roast subprimals). Its not 100% Wagyu, but a Wagyu-Angus mix, but thats okay with me. Way better than anything I can get here in town. He even asked if I might be interested in whole beef that he’s feeding now, to be ready next summer. I asked for pricing…could get interesting… :cheer:

[Anonymous]

Okie dokie…the Wagyu saga is getting more and more interesting. Finally got prices (I had stuff come up…not the rancher’s fault). Its spendy. For the steak cuts (strip loin as an example), its close to 3x what I paid for my first choice strip loin (bought from a local meat market). Some of the other cuts aren’t too bad actually (ex. top sirloin $6.50-$9/lb depending on quality level). I talked the guy into sending me a couple of sample steaks before I plunk down this kind of change. I’ll have to drive down to Omaha (~3 hr. drive for me), so thats not too big a deal. Now I’m just waiting on the samples so I can see if its worth giving a shot.

I believe the samples are supposed to get here tomorrow, so we’re having the family over for steaks. I figured I’d cook up some of the 36-day dry aged NY strips from the freezer along with the samples and see how different they are…

[Anonymous]

Grass fed beef is just a marketing gimmick. Fat is what makes a good steak, and they don;t spend all the $ grain feeding beef at feed lots just to increase weight, they do it for quality flavor.

Grass fed beef is the cheaper alternative. Feed lots charge a pretty good $ to prepare cattle for market.

As to Wagyu, there is only one ranch in the US that produces purebred Wagyu beef. It really isn’t as good as the Wagyu/Hereford or Wagyu/Angus cross beef for grilling. It is probably better for eating raw like sashimi though.

I have cooked both and eaten both raw.

Dry aging should improve the flavor and texture of any beef though. the only thing that I would wonder about is through the loss of moisture (a good thing for flavor), one would change the ratio of fat to lean (because you would lose lean weight, but not fat weight), and this might end to being to greasy in some cases.

Which producer’s beef did you settle on and what kind of price did they quote you?

[Anonymous]

SmokieOkie, welcome to the forum! If you haven’t already, I hope you take the plunge into home dry aging…its a lot of fun.

Just need to set the record straight here on several items as SmokyOkie has made several inaccurate statements. I don’t proclaim to be an expert, but I’ve come across a great deal of information during my research that I can share.

SmokyOkie wrote:

quote :

Grass fed beef is just a marketing gimmick. Fat is what makes a good steak, and they don;t spend all the $ grain feeding beef at feed lots just to increase weight, they do it for quality flavor.

Grass fed beef is the cheaper alternative. Feed lots charge a pretty good $ to prepare cattle for market.

Grass fed beef is usually more expensive for a myriad of different reasons. One of the primary reasons is the amount of time and space required for grass fed cattle when compared to grain fed. Reference:

http://beefissuesquarterly.com/thegrassisalwaysgreenerorisit.aspx

Some people like grass fed better and some grain fed better. Its a totally different taste. Personally I like grass fed better than corn fed (grocery store stuff is typically heavily corn fed). But I also like the Waygu samples I got better than grass fed.

SmokyOkie wrote:

quote :

As to Wagyu, there is only one ranch in the US that produces purebred Wagyu beef.

I could easily be wrong on this one, but I’m pretty sure this is inaccurate as well. If you look in the classified section of the American Wagyu Association, you’ll see lots of different ranches selling full bloded Wagyu. Reference:

wagyu.org/wagyuads.htm

SmokyOkie wrote:

quote :

It really isn’t as good as the Wagyu/Hereford or Wagyu/Angus cross beef for grilling. It is probably better for eating raw like sashimi though.

I have cooked both and eaten both raw.

Not that Wikipedia is a totally trustworthy reference, but I’ve seen this other places…the reasons for crossing Wagyu with more traditional breeds was to meet demand…not for taste. Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_beef#.22Kobe-style.22_beef

If you’ve eaten raw beef, more power to you. I’ll stick to cooking it on my Primo.

SmokyOkie wrote:

quote :

Dry aging should improve the flavor and texture of any beef though. the only thing that I would wonder about is through the loss of moisture (a good thing for flavor), one would change the ratio of fat to lean (because you would lose lean weight, but not fat weight), and this might end to being to greasy in some cases.

Which producer’s beef did you settle on and what kind of price did they quote you?

I’m hopeful that dry aging should improve the beef. The guy at the ranch I’ve been talking to has some experience with dry aging this beef and he assured me that it makes it out of this world.

The guys I’m talking to are at Strube Ranch. The ranch is in East Texas (close to where I was born and raised), the feedlot they use is in Sioux City, IA (1 hour away from me now), and their storage is is Omaha, NE (3 hours away). I’m waiting on one more answer and then I’m going to drive down there any pick some up either tomorrow or Saturday.

I’d rather not say the price, as its pretty spendy :blush: Lets just say the strip loin is around 3x as expensive as what I paid for my previous Choice strip loin here at a local meat market.

[Anonymous]

Aegwyn11 wrote:

quote :

SmokieOkie, welcome to the forum! If you haven’t already, I hope you take the plunge into home dry aging…its a lot of fun.

I have been wet and dry aging beef for well over 25 years. Dry aging is very tricky w/o a walk in cooler. I prefer wet aging to dry aging for competition BBQ briskets, but prefer dry aging for grilling cuts. This is what has stirred my interest in the dry aging bags.

Just need to set the record straight here on several items as SmokyOkie has made several inaccurate statements. I don’t proclaim to be an expert, but I’ve come across a great deal of information during my research that I can share.

I am very well versed in Wagyu beef. I have consumed thousands of dollars worth of Wagyu beef, everything from briskets to steaks to burgers. I have been in touch with every commercial producer of Wagyu beef in the UNited states at one time or another.

If you would like to engage in a debate, I am more than willing to do so, but I don’t know as I think that you would be one to call my statements inaccurate or to “set the record straight”.

I am simply sharing my experience.

SmokyOkie wrote:

quote :

Grass fed beef is just a marketing gimmick. Fat is what makes a good steak, and they don;t spend all the $ grain feeding beef at feed lots just to increase weight, they do it for quality flavor.

Grass fed beef is the cheaper alternative. Feed lots charge a pretty good $ to prepare cattle for market.

Grass fed beef is usually more expensive for a myriad of different reasons. One of the primary reasons is the amount of time and space required for grass fed cattle when compared to grain fed. Reference:

http://beefissuesquarterly.com/thegrassisalwaysgreenerorisit.aspx

Some people like grass fed better and some grain fed better. Its a totally different taste. Personally I like grass fed better than corn fed (grocery store stuff is typically heavily corn fed). But I also like the Waygu samples I got better than grass fed.

What you are not taking into consideration is that all beef is grass fed before being sent to the feedlot to finish it. Grain feeding is an extras step. I am very familiar with cattle ranching. If you think the Wagyu beef is expensive, you really wouldn’t want to pay what it would cost if the beef was raised grain fed.

In the 70s due to Nixon’s price controls, ranchers slaughtered their herds on a wholesale level w/o sending them to the feed lost.
They called it baby beef. It was young beef, but not veal, and it was 100% grass fed. They did so because the could not justify the cost of finishing the beef at the feed lot given the low price they were allowed to command.

Grass is next to free. Corn is fairly expensive.
I stand by my original statement that it is a marketing hype, and see nothing in your source that disputes that.

SmokyOkie wrote:

quote :

As to Wagyu, there is only one ranch in the US that produces purebred Wagyu beef.

I could easily be wrong on this one, but I’m pretty sure this is inaccurate as well. If you look in the classified section of the American Wagyu Association, you’ll see lots of different ranches selling full bloded Wagyu. Reference:

http://www.wagyu.org/wagyuads.htm

Please allow me to emend my statement. There is really only one ranch that produces any considerable quantity of full blood Wagyu for the consumer market. Of course there are ranches that deal in full blood Wagyu. If there weren’t there would be no cross breeds. Perhaps that has changed since I last checked about 9 months ago.

SmokyOkie wrote:

quote :

It really isn’t as good as the Wagyu/Hereford or Wagyu/Angus cross beef for grilling. It is probably better for eating raw like sashimi though.

I have cooked both and eaten both raw.

Not that Wikipedia is a totally trustworthy reference, but I’ve seen this other places…the reasons for crossing Wagyu with more traditional breeds was to meet demand…not for taste. Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_beef#.22Kobe-style.22_beef

If you’ve eaten raw beef, more power to you. I’ll stick to cooking it on my
Primo.

Which Primo do you have? I’m looking hard at an oval. Nice cookers

I guess I am speaking from personal experience. I have eaten a lot of Wagyu beef. To me and the others that have dined on it along with me, the fat content of the purebred Wagyu is so high that it is a bit unpleasant when the fat begins to render (rare to medium).

As to eating it raw, I was merely referring to the way that it is typically consumed in Japan. Though I have no problem eating raw whole muscle beef

SmokyOkie wrote:

quote :

Dry aging should improve the flavor and texture of any beef though. the only thing that I would wonder about is through the loss of moisture (a good thing for flavor), one would change the ratio of fat to lean (because you would lose lean weight, but not fat weight), and this might end to being to greasy in some cases.

Which producer’s beef did you settle on and what kind of price did they quote you?

I’m hopeful that dry aging should improve the beef. The guy at the ranch I’ve been talking to has some experience with dry aging this beef and he assured me that it makes it out of this world.

The guys I’m talking to are at Strube Ranch. The ranch is in East Texas (close to where I was born and raised), the feedlot they use is in Sioux City, IA (1 hour away from me now), and their storage is is Omaha, NE (3 hours away). I’m waiting on one more answer and then I’m going to drive down there any pick some up either tomorrow or Saturday.

I’d rather not say the price, as its pretty spendy :blush: Lets just say the strip loin is around 3x as expensive as what I paid for my previous Choice strip loin here at a local meat market.

I am very familiar with The Strubes. they are a good producer. I am, however, aware of another producer whose product I prefer.

[Anonymous]

Not going to get into a debate…I shy away from debates with people I don’t know, particularily on the internet. No offense ment to you, but there is no way for me to know if you’re genuine or if you’re a troll. You’ve posted twice in my thread and before that not at all on this board. Simply put, some of the things you said made no sense to me based on the (very limited knowledge) I have. I don’t have a lot of experience…I have googling skills. I’ll take your statements into account, but will continue to disagree on some points (such as the grass fed comments). Lets agree to disagree and not waste any more time on the topic.

I do encourage anyone that is reading this to do their own research…don’t trust me or anyone else to do it for you.

I am curious, you mention another producer whose product you like better…whom is that? Are they in the midwest?

As for your question about my grill, I love my Primo. I have the Oval XL. The flexibility the oval affords is awesome. I typically have mine set up for indirect cooking on one half and direct cooking on the other half….allows me to reverse sear steaks VERY easily.

[Anonymous]

Virtually all the US Wagyu producers have their beef slaughtered in the midwest, most in Nebraska.

I don’t really understand why you would want my advice on where to buy the beef when you don’t know whether or not I am a troll.

As to the grass fed thing, If you don;t want to take my word for it, ask any rancher that isn’t producing trendy pricey “Grass fed beef”. it’s just a marketing thing like Organic produce. You pay more and get less.

I am in Oklahoma. Cattle ranching is a primary industry here. While I have no interest in raising beef, I have a lot of friends that do.

You are certainly free to disagree if you like, but the facts are that it doesn’t cost much of nothing to continue to pasture your beeves. It does cost to ship them to and feed them at the feed lot.

If you have enough land to support the beef that you are pasturing and you don;t let them graze the grasses down, it just goes to waste anyway.

[Anonymous]

Hi.

Am new here -located in SE Australia.

The vast majority of beef sold in Australia is grass fed.

I have had many dry aged grass fed steaks – all very good.

Also have had dry aged Wagyu steak (only once due to cost) – again it was very good.

Hope this adds to the discussion.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

hound wrote:

quote :

Hi.

Am new here -located in SE Australia.

The vast majority of beef sold in Australia is grass fed.

I have had many dry aged grass fed steaks – all very good.

Also have had dry aged Wagyu steak (only once due to cost) – again it was very good.

Hope this adds to the discussion.

Cheers

Hound,

Thanks for the feedback. Very interesting. Maybe after I finish the Wagyu experiment I’ll have to search a little more for good grass fed/finished steak that I can try dry aging. The fun part of all this is experiencing new stuff 🙂

[Anonymous]

what I have read so far in this thread is a very intelligent conversation between two or more professional meat enthusiast’s.. Well done, well balanced and referenced.
🙂 No real condemnations of the others views.. great.
Char-Woody

[Anonymous]

Other than the fact that my statements were labeled as inaccurate, I would agree.

While I am not a professional meat processor, I have studied meat for decades and have done fairly high volume catering. I am known in many circles for my culinary prowess as it pertains to meat.

I have spent a good deal of time around the meat industry from ranching to processing to butchering.

[Anonymous]

Hello..and a welcome to our new friend from Australia, from Iowa, a Midwest state in the USA… After about 15 years now in the food forums, I find very little difference in human nature in various parts of the world.. Only thing that is different is the amount of water and land in between us. Maybe that is a good thing…Please sh :laugh: are your interests with us..
“C~W” = Char-Woody :laugh:

[Author]

Posts