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Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...

 
czygyny
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User ID: 1118203
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10/08/2010 09:42 PM
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Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
I have been raising beef and sheep for years, mostly sheep but I got back into the beef last year.

I just got back my beef from the butcher and I am mystified why it has this 'funk' smell and aftertaste, which I had attributed to the last beef's (different) butcher's botch job. I think their freezer had broken or something, we didn't get back a lamb and the beef was of poor quality.

Anyway, this 22 month old heifer should have been perfect. She was grass fed only, no hormones or antibiotics, but she was a fatty. I have to cut off a fair amount of fat but the meat is tender and tastes good except for the 'funky finish'. I first noticed the smell while cutting up the liver and heart for the dogs...it was strong. The liver was in excellent condition, so she was healthy.

Could eucalyptus affect the taste of the meat that much? There is nothing else in the pasture that I can imagine could cause trouble, I keep it free of all noxious weeds, and she received no supplement grain, just grass hay and fresh grass.

The eucalyptus trees don't offer a lot of browse but they have cleaned up around the bases of the trees (which I like).

I am disappointed in this meat, and I hate to think I'm going to need to marinate everything heavily to mask the taste.

Any ideas on what went wrong? 1dunno1
Kletos, Eklektos & Pistos
][nƒeRnaL

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Puerto Rico
10/08/2010 09:58 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Unless you are describing a taste like the plants in question, can be those plants. Milkweed can make them more bitter, verses alpha. If you are noticing an almost musky taste and smell and they had their balls (male) bad cut causes that funk if the gland gets cut. Almost any bad cut while gutting can render parts of the meat worthless if contaminated by urine/shit/ or bowel. A good butcher will make or break your investment. Usually home beef is much better taste/texture/quality.
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Aquarius 7

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10/08/2010 10:02 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
I would suggest you ask around ... see what butchers your neighbors recommend.

Homegrown beef should be deeeelicious!

hf

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Anonymous Coward
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United Kingdom
10/08/2010 10:06 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
You are going to have to start doing the butchering yourself
BRIEF AND TO THE POINT

User ID: 1124002
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10/08/2010 10:07 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
I normally have a lovely female raise it for me...
Poor people do poor people things, and rich people do rich people things.

You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

when you rob Paul to give to Peter ... ... ... you will always get Peters support!

:Brieffromnativea:
czygyny  (OP)

User ID: 1118203
United States
10/08/2010 10:09 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
[nƒeRnaL]
Unless you are describing a taste like the plants in question, can be those plants. Milkweed can make them more bitter, verses alpha. If you are noticing an almost musky taste and smell and they had their balls (male) bad cut causes that funk if the gland gets cut. Almost any bad cut while gutting can render parts of the meat worthless if contaminated by urine/shit/ or bowel. A good butcher will make or break your investment. Usually home beef is much better taste/texture/quality.
 Quoting:


Very true...I learned that painful lesson.

This animal was a heifer and I noticed the funk while processing the liver, which was right after the butchering, right on the spot.

I dunno. This place is beautiful and I love it here, but our apples and fruit are never quite 'right', and we have a lot of plant disease troubles. There are cold sulpher springs up in the creek but the soil is rich and fertile.

It's just darn frustrating.
Kletos, Eklektos & Pistos
Anonymous Coward
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10/08/2010 10:09 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
It may very well be something she ate.
We used to butcher extra steers and they were delish.

But I know that some stuff can give meat a really off taste.
Killed a 'nuisance' bear once, and tried to eat it, but it had been
eating fish and was practically inedible.

And one time some brainiac at our University got the bright idea
of finishing hogs on -- fish meal ! OMG. The bacon was DISGUSTING.
They quietly withdrew it all from the market and never tried that again.

Not sure what vegetable matter could give meat such a funky taste
but eucalyptus probably could if anything can. If you don't trust how
the meat was treated, then you'll have to do it yourself and see if there
is any difference.
Anonymous Coward
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10/08/2010 10:14 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Ranching grass fed Brangus is my job. I haven't butchered one in a few years. Did you let it hang in a cooler for a few days? Do you know what the butcher did after you dropped it off?

I was taking mine to relative that is the butcher and knew how it was being taken care of.

Natural grass fed. You can't go wrong with that.
czygyny  (OP)

User ID: 1118203
United States
10/08/2010 10:15 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
I would suggest you ask around ... see what butchers your neighbors recommend.

Homegrown beef should be deeeelicious!

hf

.
 Quoting: Aquarius 7


I don't think it is a butcher problem I smelled it in the fresh liver, and he is the only butcher in town!

I normally have a lovely female raise it for me...
 Quoting: BRIEF AND TO THE POINT


Well, I am easy on the eyes and female so what's your point? cow

Did you let it hang in a cooler for a few days? Do you know what the butcher did after you dropped it off?
 Quoting: Aggieranch


It hung the prerequisite amount of time. He does a good job.

Last Edited by czygyny on 10/08/2010 10:17 PM
Kletos, Eklektos & Pistos
BRIEF AND TO THE POINT

User ID: 1124002
United States
10/08/2010 10:20 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
I normally have a lovely female raise it for me...


Well, I am easy on the eyes and female so what's your point?
 Quoting: czygyny


Would you care to try and raise my beef?
Poor people do poor people things, and rich people do rich people things.

You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it!

when you rob Paul to give to Peter ... ... ... you will always get Peters support!

:Brieffromnativea:
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 1120917
Canada
10/08/2010 10:22 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
I have been raising beef and sheep for years, mostly sheep but I got back into the beef last year.

I just got back my beef from the butcher and I am mystified why it has this 'funk' smell and aftertaste, which I had attributed to the last beef's (different) butcher's botch job. I think their freezer had broken or something, we didn't get back a lamb and the beef was of poor quality.

Anyway, this 22 month old heifer should have been perfect. She was grass fed only, no hormones or antibiotics, but she was a fatty. I have to cut off a fair amount of fat but the meat is tender and tastes good except for the 'funky finish'. I first noticed the smell while cutting up the liver and heart for the dogs...it was strong. The liver was in excellent condition, so she was healthy.

Could eucalyptus affect the taste of the meat that much? There is nothing else in the pasture that I can imagine could cause trouble, I keep it free of all noxious weeds, and she received no supplement grain, just grass hay and fresh grass.

The eucalyptus trees don't offer a lot of browse but they have cleaned up around the bases of the trees (which I like).

I am disappointed in this meat, and I hate to think I'm going to need to marinate everything heavily to mask the taste.

Any ideas on what went wrong? 1dunno1
 Quoting: czygyny


The eucalyptus may be to blame, but there are other possibilities. One of our butchers switched disinfectants and our meat took on the taste and smell of that "Pine" disinfectant!! We had to use it all for dog food!!
czygyny  (OP)

User ID: 1118203
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10/08/2010 10:28 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
I normally have a lovely female raise it for me...


Well, I am easy on the eyes and female so what's your point?


Would you care to try and raise my beef?
 Quoting: BRIEF AND TO THE POINT


Silly boy, I am probably too old for you, you tend to be too unnecessarily mean and and caustic for my tastes and I have a pesky religious belief in chastity...


...but thanks for asking! chuckle
Kletos, Eklektos & Pistos
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 1124181
Canada
10/08/2010 10:42 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
You would do well to do a more thorough tour through the pasture area and identify those plants.
And it may be a good idea to get the soil and water tested just to see what is in it.
Digital Rapture

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10/08/2010 10:46 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Was it aged?
czygyny  (OP)

User ID: 1118203
United States
10/08/2010 10:56 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Was it aged?
 Quoting: Digital Rapture


Yes. It was butchered properly, aged properly, cut and wrapped properly.

I noticed the funk as I cut up the liver right after the butcher gave it to me on the premises, a good healthy liver, but that wierd smell.

It smelled a lot like the lamb used to, now I am wondering if the lamb was strong tasting because of the same funk...hard to tell as lamb tends to be strong anyway.
Kletos, Eklektos & Pistos
Anonymous Coward
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New Zealand
10/08/2010 11:07 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Did you ask the butcher?
drinking buddy

User ID: 1050702
United States
10/08/2010 11:13 PM

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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Was it aged?


Yes. It was butchered properly, aged properly, cut and wrapped properly.

I noticed the funk as I cut up the liver right after the butcher gave it to me on the premises, a good healthy liver, but that wierd smell.

It smelled a lot like the lamb used to, now I am wondering if the lamb was strong tasting because of the same funk...hard to tell as lamb tends to be strong anyway.
 Quoting: czygyny

I would butcher a lamb at home to rule out butcher vs. plant. A lamb is much smaller and pretty easy to do at home.
If you do a beef at home, you are better off inviting some neighbors to help out, and offering them the opportunity to buy some at a really good price unless you have a very large family.

I have noticed that our animals taste different when they are butchered in different places..you may want to check out a local farmer's market and see where most of the people selling meat go.
"Violence simply is not radical enough, since it generally changes only the rulers but not the rules. What use is a revolution that fails to address the fundamental problem: the existence of domination in all its forms, and the myth of redemptive violence that perpetuates it?" - Walter Wink
Anonymous Coward
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10/08/2010 11:16 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Alas, not as frequently as i formerly did :)
DNAprototype

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10/08/2010 11:17 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Is there any chance you are imagining the smell?

Once you think you smell something and then over think it, you can hallucinate scents.

Last Edited by DNAprototype on 10/08/2010 11:18 PM
Anonymous Coward
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10/08/2010 11:26 PM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
We raise grass finished angus ....a 22 month old grass finished heifer should be about as good as it gets.

Grass finishing will have a little more of a wild gamey taste than a grain fed animal, similar to but not as strong as venison. Most people actually prefer the taste of a well finished grass fed animal compared to grain fed beef which can taste a little more like pork.

As a rule we find that the older the animal the more flavor and fat( both marbling and back fat) and some of the lower quality cuts can become a little tougher with a coarser texture. Whereas a younger animal will be leaner with a more mild flavor and usually more tender. There can be huge differences in marbling from one animal to the next depending on genetics. We aim to finish ours at about 24-28 months with a back fat thickness of about 1/2 an inch or a little more.

Certain plants or weeds can impart unusual flavors but as long as the animal has access to all the grass and legumes it wants without being forced to eat weeds there should be no unpleasant flavor from what it eats.

I assume you dry aged your beef by hanging it in your butchers cooler that was at the proper temp? We usually hang ours for 10 to 16 days depending on the age and fat cover of the animal. The longer you hang it the more tender it becomes but too long and the flavor can go bad.
If the cooler isn't cool enough or if you hang it too long a carcass will develop mold and turn a "blue" color. Some people actually prefer it like that but most don't.
Also if there are other carcasses eg. venison, pork, bear or over aged beef in the same cooler flavors from them can be transferred to your beef.
Hope this helps... hayseed
Anonymous Coward
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10/09/2010 07:49 AM
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Re: Do You Raise Your Own Beef? I have a Question...
Just wanted to add one more thing to my above post.....

Although rare there is condition called a "dark cutter" which can seriously affect beef quality.

Dark-cutting meat is characterized by a color range from dark red to nearly black and has both a sticky texture and a high water-holding capacity.
Dark cutting beef is most often associated with preslaughter stress. Environment factors such as extreme cold, rain or heat along with weather fluctuations can lead to temporary glycogen depletion. Cattle which become excitable during sorting, hauling, penning and overcrowding can be candidates for dark cutting. Holding cattle off feed for one to two days can also lead to dark cutting beef.

Heifers that have been showing estrus just prior to slaughter can have a high incidence of dark cutters.
Highly excitable cattle are more likely to produce dark cutter carcasses than calmer cattle.

The quality of dark-cutting beef is lower than normal. It has significantly shorter shelf-life than normal beef and greater water-holding capacity, which is more conducive to bacterial growth. The 2005 National Beef Quality Audit reported that 1.5 to 2.5 per cent of beef carcasses were dark cutters.





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