Shopping at a butcher or a meat counter at the grocery store can be a complicated affair. There’s organic and grass-fed beef, not to mention highly-prized wagyu, or the other various labels and USDA grades of beef, like Prime, Choice, or Select. This may all be confusing to some, but oftentimes, it’s best to take advice from experts, especially the people behind the meat counter. If you’ve never heard of Pat LaFreida, he’s a fourth-generation butcher and CEO of Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, whose father, quite literally, wrote the quintessential book on meat. We spoke with LaFrieda about several topics, and he explained why grass-fed beef is best avoided, and why he prefers the flavor of grain-fed steak instead.
While you can absolutely taste the difference between regular and grass-fed butter, a grass-fed label is less desirable in beef. “Grass-fed beef is not my go-to,” LaFrieda said before noting some reasons why this is the case. “It doesn’t have the marbling that makes beef juicy and flavorful … It rarely has quality and is not better for the environment as what was previously believed.” He also mentioned another key factor that could affect the quality of this type of beef. “It will usually be from older animals, which have less than desirable attributes and toughness,” LaFrieda said.
Grain-finished beef is a clear winner to LaFrieda
In terms of what to look for when shopping for quality meat at the supermarket, Pat LaFrieda suggests seeking out steak that’s well-marbled. “If the meat is dark red or purplish, it’s from an older animal, and you don’t want that—it’s going to be tougher,” he noted. He said to steer clear of any questionable odors as well, and that any smell “should be almost nonexistent unless you’re buying dry-aged beef, which will have a sweet, corn-like aroma.”
If you’re still set on bringing home grass-fed, LaFrieda advises going for “cuts that do well with slow cooking, like short ribs or stew meat, because that long, slow heat will help break down the tougher fibers.” However for shorter cook times, like pan-searing or grilling, he recommends choosing grain-finished over grass-fed. “It’s just a better eating experience—more tender, more flavor, more enjoyment. Most chefs who try grass-fed end up switching back for that reason,” LaFrieda said.
LaFrieda observed that customers can get swept up in marketing terms, as “grass-fed beef is often pitched as the healthier option because of omega-3s,” though the difference between is negligible. What’s really important is the tail end of the cow’s life, as all cows feed on grass early in life. “The difference comes in the last 120-160 days,” LaFrieda explained. “If the animal is grain-finished, it’s going to develop beautiful marbling, which means better flavor, better texture, and a much more enjoyable steak.”
While the choice is up to you, LaFrieda sums up his vast knowledge plainly: “If you want the best beef, go grain-finished.”