Aged Australian Angus Beef

In this section of Australian Angus Beef we are talking about the age of the meat that has already been butchered. The age of the Angus Beef Cattle itself and its physiological maturity when it is slaughtered for consumption is referred to as ossification. Whilst ossification is also important in regards to the overall quality of the meat produced from the animal I will cover it in another section.

So what is aged beef? Just like a bottle of fine wine Angus Beef can also benefit from the ageing process. Enzymes begin working on the proteins in the muscle tissue soon after death, the majority of this process happens to within 10 to 24 hours. If the carcass is hung in refrigerated conditions just above freezing level this naturally occurring biochemical activity will slowly break down the muscle fibres at a microscopic level. The end result being in weakened muscle fibres and consequently you end up with beef that is more tender due to this ageing process. Overall the appearance of the beef is unchanged.

In modern times there are two basic ageing processes, dry ageing and wet ageing.

Dry Ageing Angus Beef

Dry ageing is a process described as above where the carcass or cuts of beef are stored in strictly regulated environmental conditions for a prescribed number of days. The carcass of all beef is typically aged this way for up to 5 days before further cut into "Primals" for further ageing.

The disadvantages are weight loss due to evaporation and if aged long enough mold forms on the outer part of the meat which must be trimmed off to maintain the appropriate safety standards. This and lengthy refrigeration and storage increases the costs of this process markedly. You typically find this kind of dry aged beef only in upscale restaurants and gourmet retailers.

The advantages of dry ageing beef is that it is said to intensify the flavour of the cut, producing a mellow, buttery or nutty flavor.

Just for fun you can check out a dry aged beef cam at Haverick Meats.

Wet Ageing Angus Beef

Wet ageing came about in the 1970s when the advantages of placing beef in vacuum sealed packaging became evident. The beef did not lose weight due to evaporation, the onset of mould was significantly delayed and the meat was immediately available for transshipment to supermarket shelves. This relegated the traditional dry ageing process to the niche market it occupies today.

Does ageing actually improve quality?

Research by MSA (Meat Standards Australia) has shown that aging does indeed improve the quality of beef with the majority of the improvement happening in the first 21 days as shown in the following table.

The only thing I can suggest now is the good old Angus Beef taste test so Bon Apetit!

Australian Angus Beef - Grass Fed vs Grain Fed

Grass Fed Australian Angus Beef vs Grain Fed Australian Angus Beef

The debate rages on! Google anything to do with this topic and you will see the pros and cons of this issue seesawing back and forth from world ecology and sustainability, to choice and cost.

Suffice to say it is beyond the scope of this blog to enter into those discussions in depth. So, a summary of how I see it.

What is grass fed Australian Angus Beef?

Typically most Australian Angus Beef, are grass fed for the majority of their lives. This means that the cattle graze in open paddocks on grass that grows naturally in that region such as at Mittagong in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.

Australian Angus cattle, particularly Black Angus seem suited to the grasslands of Australia, whereas some of stronger European bloodline breeds fare less well. Generally speaking, the opinion in country Australia, this translates into a product which is less suited to their markets.

What is grain fed Australian Angus Beef?

Some of the criticism levelled at grain fed beef is that the grain that is fed to the cattle is from poor sources full of impurities and even hormones. This is certainly not true of producers like at Kerwee in Queensland who produce fine export beef to the world.

Also Australian Angus grain fed cattle must be sourced from a grain feedlot accredited under the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme by AUS-MEAT and come from animals which are fed for a minimum number of days on a nutritionally balanced, high energy feed.

Grain Fed Steak Left  Grass Fed Steak Right

Alright! Now, what is it that your eating, eating?

Why grass fed?

Fat content: 

Overall there seems a lower overall quantity of fat in grass fed beef compared to grain fed beef . The "type" of fat that also seems the issue. It professed that the fat in grass fed beef has more content of Omega 3 fatty acids which are said to be beneficial to human health.

Antioxidants and Vitamin A: 

Furthermore, other "good" antioxidants and trace elements are present in the grass fed variety including Beta Carotene which gives not to much but just enough Vitamin A to the body.

Appearance: 

It is the Beta Carotene that gives the fat in grass fed beef its telltale slightly yellow hue and grass fed beef to to have lower levels of intramuscular fat.

Why grain fed?

Fat content: 

Grain fed animals gain weight faster and have higher levels of intramuscular fat "Marbling"! Combined with this the fat turns white under grain feeding giving the impression to some that the product is less "dirty".

Cost: 

Feedlots can produce market ready cattle faster and more cost effectively than most grass fed beef, this cost saving is passed on to the consumer.

Quality control: 

Whilst the grass fed cattle are generally subject to the whims of mother nature for their feed, grain fed beef producers can manage a consistent product year round.

Ok! So which one tastes better?

 As long as it is a quality product, the choice, happily, is yours!

Grass Fed 

Some prefer the taste of grass fed beef with its "greener" taste. Great texture with a robust earthiness that can vary dependant on the pasture type.  

Grain Fed

Others prefer the smooth, consistent flavour of grain fed Australian Angus Beef.

Best of both worlds? Well, what about?

Grass Fed and Grain Finished 

A lot of producers have grown their cattle on open paddocks and in the last few weeks introduced the animals to feedlots. This gives some of the benefits of grain feeding and reduces the stress on animals that might be "suddenly" introduced to the confines of a slaughter yard.
The debate continues.........................!