Ordinary grain-fed beef -- a strategy page

[phusisphilo]

If you must buy ordinary meats buy the leanest cuts: e.g. flank steak in place of fatty sirloin.

If the grain-induced unfavorable omega 6:3 imbalance is concentrated in the fats, and markedly less so in the lean protein, then this may be a way to, in part, manage the omega 6 overload commonly encountered.

Marinating these tougher cuts, as in a lemon/onion soup mixture tenderizes them and renders them succulent.

The other deficiencies of feedlot beef are by no means entirely corrected but the omega 6 problem may well be greatly relieved.

All comments and helpful rejoinders heartily welcomed.

[sbhikes]

I think the omega 6 "overload" is way overblown. Most of the fat in beef fat is saturated and monounsaturated fat. Only a small amount is polyunsaturated. I eat grainfed beef often (actually, it's simply unspecified and I assume it's grain finished). I can get ribeye that is pretty lean for $8/lb and fatty grassfed ribeye for $20-$25/lb. So if I want beef, what do you think I'm going to do most of the time? Get regular beef and eat a lot of salmon and sardines.

Fat (1 Tbsp)	Saturated (grams)	Mono-unsaturated (grams)	Poly-unsaturated (grams)	Trans-fat (grams)
Beef Tallow	6.4	5.4	0.5	0.0

[sbhikes]

P.S. I don't know about where you live, but I do know that out here in the West cattle are grazed on public lands and sent to a feedlot for a few weeks at the end of life. So basically the CAFO beef out here is grass-fed, grain-finished.

[Drumroll]

I buy grass-fed ground beef, chuck roast, ground lamb, and pasture-raised ground pork, pork chops, bacon, and pork shoulder roast because I can usually get those for under $8.00 an lb, usually more in the $7.00 range. But then, the steaks start getting up there in price, as do the more pricey roast cuts and lamb chops, ect.

So for those cuts, I simply accept the prices and get the grain-fed stuff. And yes, fatty fish can help on weeks were I venture into a cut that I have to buy grain-fed.

[Dirlot]

I would be more worried about the hormones, antibiotics and water added to the meat than the grain. Once you grass fed though...no going back.

[Drumroll]

I would be more worried about the hormones, antibiotics and water added to the meat than the grain. Once you grass fed though...no going back.

This is mostly the reason I try to stick to grass-fed and pasture-raised as much as I can.

Although I don't fuss about it on the off-chance that for some reason (eating out or cost), this isn't a possibility.