Grass Fed vs Grain Fed Beef: The Honest Comparison
We finish on grass, so we have a side. Here is the comparison anyway, including the parts that do not flatter us.
We finish our cattle on grass, so treat this as a comparison written by someone with a horse in the race. We have tried to include the parts that do not flatter us, because you will find them anyway.
The thing the labels hide
Nearly all cattle in America are grass fed for most of their lives. The split happens in the final months, when most are moved to a feedlot and finished on grain. So a package reading grass fed may well describe an animal finished on corn.
The claim that carries information is grass finished.
Taste
Grain finished beef is milder, sweeter and more marbled. Grass finished beef is leaner, more mineral, and tastes more like something that grew somewhere. Plenty of people prefer grain finished, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Fat and nutrition
Grass finished beef has a different fat profile: more omega-3s, a better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, more CLA and more vitamin E and beta carotene, which is why the fat looks yellower. That research is real and it applies to finishing, not to how the animal was raised.
What we will not tell you is that it is medicine. The protein, iron, zinc and B12 that make beef worth eating are much the same either way.
Cost
Grass finished costs more, and the reason is not marketing. It takes longer to reach weight and it hangs lighter. Fewer pounds from more months of grass is the entire explanation.
| Grain finished | Grass finished | |
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Milder, sweeter | Stronger, more mineral |
| Marbling | More | Less |
| Fat color | White | Yellower |
| Omega-3s | Lower | Higher |
| Time to finish | Shorter | Longer |
| Cost per pound | Lower | Higher |
| Cooking | Forgiving | Less forgiving, cook shorter |
Which should you buy
If you want the most tender, mildest steak per dollar, grain finished wins and we will not pretend otherwise. If you want beef with a known source, a different fat profile and a stronger flavor, and you are willing to cook it a little more carefully, grass finished is worth it.
Either way, ask where the animal spent its last ninety days.
Questions
Is grass fed beef healthier than grain fed?
The fat profile is better: more omega-3s, a better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio and more vitamin E. The core nutrition, meaning protein, iron, zinc and B12, is much the same in both.
Why does grass fed beef cost more?
It takes longer to finish and yields less. More months of grass for fewer pounds of beef.
Does grass fed beef taste gamey?
It tastes stronger and more mineral than grain finished beef. Whether that reads as better or gamey is personal, and cooking it too long makes it worse.
Rather just ask somebody?
Call the ranch and you will get Justin or Ryley, not a call center.