Differences in beef

[Chaparral]

I am posting this for informational purposes only.

We raise a few cattle and feed them practically all the same. We raise on grass and hay with feed once a week to keep them gentle and used to coming in. In winter we increase the grain. We only use antibiotics if an animal is ill and we do not add any hormones. We give free choice to salt and mineral salt. We do immunize and worm. up until recently our main result was very lean high quality meat.

This year we took two steers which were born near the same date through two separate breeding programs. the steers were raised side by side after weaning. They were given an additional two to five pounds of extra feed every day for three months and extra feed this past winter. Both were close in weight at weaning, the first steer weighed roughly 150 pounds more at ( sorry, this should read live weight ) hang weight.

The first two photos are an F1 cross. Bull 100% Akaushi (Red Wagyu), cow 100% production Angus. Marbled very well.

The third photo is an F1 cross. Bull 100% production Charlais, cow 100% production Angus. lean but not as lean as we are used to, exterior fat deposits.

 

[TinkerTanker]

And which one tastes better?

 

[Letfreedomring]

All I heard was "cook-out at chaparral's house!"

 

[retrieverman]

What exactly did all three steers weigh?

 

[Chaparral]

Two steers. I will have to grab the paperwork and get the weights.

I will only get feedback, they are sold and gone sadly. I wanted to try them.

 

[turkeyrun]

Both taste like dead cow

1st MIGHT be more tender, but not a given

2nd had marbling, more to my liking.

Fat is FLAVOR, up to a point. Too much fat is just fat. Hard, thick, yellow fat (from too much grain) is just plain nasty.

Too lean can be dry and bland.

 

[swampratt]

That 150 lb more at hang weight seems like it would be a lot more meat.
Nice experiment.

 

[turkeyrun]

150 hanging should equal 90-100# of meat

 

[Jon3830]

how long did those hang?

 

[Chaparral]

raised on good grass and using calm stock we do arrive at tender flavorful lean meat. Some you need to add a bit of oil at cooking. We have had wild ones before and they end up tough and difficult. I think a lot of the tenderness comes from the disposition of the animals. A lot of fear is tense and takes away, burns up vitamins and minerals in a constant fight or flight stage.

Sorry, been really busy. I got the weights different, Wagyu was near 150 pounds more at live weight, Wagyu hang 693, Charlais hang 638.

14 days hang, could not go longer on the leaner meat.