# Why is my beef tasting bad?



## All country (Dec 23, 2003)

We had two grass fed steer raised for us. They are in the freezer now and our beef loving family is less than enthusiastic about eating it. The meat is strong tasting and especially nasty around the bone and fat. We have eaten grass fed beef before and found it delicious. We are wondering if the quality of pasture and hay fed would effect the meat this much? 

We have always used a quality pasture and feed for our animals and been very satisfied with the result. 

We have never raised steer.The man that we had raise them has spent his entire life around cattle. 
We questioned the quality of hay he used to feed the animals. We would not have even baled junk like that, but he said steer would do just fine on it. And the pasture was really rough looking mostly nasty weeds.

We tend to feel junk in and junk out, so strongly suspect this is the cause of the off flavor in our beef.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

All country said:


> We had two grass fed steer raised for us. They are in the freezer now and our beef loving family is less than enthusiastic about eating it. The meat is strong tasting and especially nasty around the bone and fat. We have eaten grass fed beef before and found it delicious. We are wondering if the quality of pasture and hay fed would effect the meat this much?
> 
> We have always used a quality pasture and feed for our animals and been very satisfied with the result.
> 
> ...


 
I think you just answered your own question.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

I had some buffalo that tastes the same way, almost rancid tasting fat and not much better around the bone. Did he finish them off on corn?

I have an idea to mask the taste but it will involve either some Morton tender quick or pink salt and some time. Much of the meat can be cured into corned beef and the other stuff jerky.


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## Ceilismom (Jul 16, 2011)

ksfarmer said:


> I think you just answered your own question.


I would second this. If corn-fed beef tastes different than grass-fed, it stands to reason that weed-fed would taste different than grass-fed. Another possibility is that if the animal is stressed just prior to slaughter, that can put an "off" taste in the meat.


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## All country (Dec 23, 2003)

One was finished out on corn the other wasn't, both are off tasting. I've never had beef like this before. 
The other grass fed beef I had wasn't given any corn at all and still delicious.


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## wannabechef (Nov 20, 2012)

All country said:


> One was finished out on corn the other wasn't, both are off tasting. I've never had beef like this before.
> The other grass fed beef I had wasn't given any corn at all and still delicious.


It may not have been slaughtered properly as another poster said. The buffalo I had was finished on corn but it still tasted bad...my father will eat anything and even he wouldn't eat the rib eyes! The dogs loved it!


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## All country (Dec 23, 2003)

So far I've found that this meat is okay canned and in stronger flavored dishes like chili. As steaks, roast, etc., not so good and we love steaks. I will be canning more this week. I used canned beef for noodles, soups, and hash, but will have to be finding a LOT more canned beef recipes.


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## dkhern (Nov 30, 2012)

sounds like the meat wasnt cooled right


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## nosqrls (Jun 9, 2012)

Almost sound like there was a lot of onions/chives in the pasture it will give the meat/fat a strong pungent taste if the animal eats a lot of it. Like you said junk in junk out.


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