Everything You Need To Know About Grassfed Beef

Apr 21

Grassfed beef can be ill-defined. Our beef is grass-fed and grass-finished, which means there is never any grain, even in the winter.

What Sets Grassfed Beef Apart (and Why Does it Matter)?

We can separate beef into conventional, grain-finished, and grassfed, pasture-raised.

Conventional and Grain-Finished

While cattle in the US start out eating grass on the pasture, conventionally raised cattle are shipped to concentrated animal feeding operations or feedlots. The shipment occurs after we wean calves before they are one year old. Calves are fed grain for several months to fatten them up quickly for slaughter.

Cattle in this environment are confined, and therefore their movement is limited. They have their food and water brought to them. Their diet includes corn, an unnatural diet high in carbohydrates, and these animals may gain 5-6 pounds per day.

The grain diet is hard on a cow's digestive system, and they become unnaturally obese with issues like ulcers, metabolic disorders, and suppressed immune systems. Conventional cattle are typically about 18 months old when slaughtered, but they are already dying of obesity and sedentary lifestyle diseases.

Feedlots are a high-risk environment for disease because the animals are in such proximity. Herds are preemptively treated with antibiotics, which contributes to the likelihood of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Grassfed and Pasture-Raised

Grassfed cattle eat grass, as intended, and spend their time in the pasture. Pasture-raised is an important distinction. Even though a producer may boast grass-fed beef, the producer may still feed their cattle via a confined feedlot model.

Grassfed cattle raised on strictly forage diets (grass) are much more active. They have to move to feed, access water and burn calories and fat. They take longer to gain weight and are slaughtered at an older age. Grassfed and pasture-raised beef are leaner than commercial-raised beef.

A cow's four-part stomach breaks down cellulose in grass, pasture, and hay. Since the cow gains weight naturally, they are strong and healthy throughout their lives. Their immune system develops naturally, without antibiotics, and they gain weight with no supplements. Cattle positively feed the soil's microbial ecology, which stimulates healthy plant growth and increases diversity.

Grassfed Beef Cuts

While there are even more cuts than we've listed here, these are the cuts that we carry regularly.

Hotdogs

Our 100% grassfed beef hot dogs are hardwood smoked and uncured. They're convenient, humane, USDA inspected at our regenerative farm, and sure to please the whole family!

Ground Beef

A customer favorite, our Grassfed Ground Beef is 100% grassfed and grass-finished! As a 90/10 grind, our ground beef is both lean and packed with flavor, making it an excellent choice for various meals.

Stew Beef

Cut from the sirloin, our stew meat is perfect for dishes you crave during cooler weather. We cut stew pieces in 1-inch, perfect for a slow, wet heat.

Ribeye Steak

Ribeye steaks are packed full of flavor. They can be grilled or pan-seared, finished with butter, garlic and thyme.

Porterhouse Steak

The Porterhouse steak is undeniably the emperor of all steaks! We cut porterhouse steaks from the thickest and most tender rear-end portion of the short loin, creating a delectable steak fit for royalty. They are great on the grill or stovetop in a seasoned cast iron pan, full of beefy flavor.

T-Bone Steak

T-Bone steak is a crosscut from just below the Porterhouse steak and, like the Porterhouse, has a section of the top loin and tenderloin in it. Grass-fed T-Bone Steak is an excellent steak for grilling. Generous amounts of fat keep it moist, tender, and flavorful.

Sirloin Steak

Well-suited for a variety of preparation, we can enjoy sirloin in many ways.

London Broil

Also known as top round steak, London broil makes a great steak for broiling, braising, or stewing. Slice it thin and you have the beginning of a great sandwich!

Rib Roast

A delightful and delicious delicacy, bone-in ribeye roast is an excellent centerpiece for holidays, celebrations, or even a special meal at home. An incredibly flavorful, juicy, and tender cut, a bone-in ribeye roast is impressive and satisfying. Best when slowly roasted to medium-rare, allowing the roast to develop a deep crust and stay juicy on the inside.

NY Strip

Exceptional amounts of marbling produce the tender, juicy flavors for which New York Strip Steak is so well-known. Grass Run Farms New York Strip Steak is perfect for grilling or under a broiler.

Filet Mignon

While it might be a slight exaggeration to say that you can cut filet with a fork, it is the most tender cut of meat. No matter how you prepare it, the filet will please both family and friends.

The Baldwin Farm Difference

We are proudly helping cultivate a lifestyle built on food meant to nourish. Food directly connects to our health, and we grow our food to be healthy, natural, and delicious. We pride ourselves on humanely raising the animals on lush pastures, abstaining from growth hormones and antibiotics, and ensuring only organic feed.

Taylor Munsell

Taylor spends her time listening to her husband talk about plants and chasing her daughters and dogs to see what they're trying to eat now. Writing and food are her two passions. When she's not doing the former, Taylor can be found cooking, reading, eating way too much cheese, and trying to fit more gadgets in her kitchen.