What happens to Bulls, milking cows and other animals not bred for meat.

John_Rambo

Hello. A quick question from an eager amateur cook.

I spend a good bit on food, I don't buy meat in Supermarkets, I buy most of my meat in butchers. I insist on Irish when I can, I even buy Irish Chorizo (Gubeen). Traditionally my family would be fairly strong on supporting Irish business, produce and services. That tradition goes on and we would pay over the odds for superior home grown produce.

99.999% of the time, the produce is amazing, the very very odd time, I get shyte. Most recently a rib roast (on the rib) I bought was dreadful. It looked great, the right colour, size etc... (Hereford sizeish... Maybe a bit larger) Normally you can't go wrong with rib roast on the rib, but it was tough and it tasted almost gamey!! There was lots of fat, which is good, but it wasn't evenly spread like it normally is, it was concentrated in large gluts. It was an €18 cut that would only feed three people. I cooked it rare, it was tough, When I roasted it further it didn't improve.

I didn't buy it in my normal butchers, so I haven't been back to complain and I haven't been visiting my farming friends to have a chat, so I thought I'd post up here.

Could it have been an old bull? An old Friesian for milk? What happens to animals not bred for meat?

Thanks in advance and sorry if it's a stupid question, but like lots, I like to know where the flesh comes from...

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

John_Rambo wrote: »

Could it have been an old bull? An old Friesian for milk? What happens to animals not bred for meat?

Thanks in advance and sorry if it's a stupid question, but like lots, I like to know where the flesh comes from...

They go into the food chain when not required by the farmer anymore

John_Rambo

ZETOR_IS_BETTER wrote: »

They go into the food chain when not required by the farmer anymore

OK, thanks for the reply, I always assumed they went to the by-products factory. So it's likely that my crap rib roast on the bone wasn't prime beef bred for the plate.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

John_Rambo wrote: »

OK, thanks for the reply, I always assumed they went to the by-products factory. So it's likely that my crap rib roast on the bone wasn't prime beef bred for the plate.

You will get bad cuts of beef alright, but the one thing I should say is a butcher has the final say on the quality he/she puts on the counter.
I always go to the same butcher knowing i will get nice cuts of meat.

John_Rambo

ZETOR_IS_BETTER wrote: »

You will get bad cuts of beef alright, but the one thing I should say is a butcher has the final say on the quality he/she puts on the counter.
I always go to the same butcher knowing i will get nice cuts of meat.

Yeah, fair point, this wasn't one of my regular butchers and the post isn't an attack on farmers! I just didn't know where else to post.

You know, I'd rather they'd sell it cheaper and marked up honestly, then they'd get return business.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

John_Rambo wrote: »

Yeah, fair point, this wasn't one of my regular butchers and the post isn't an attack on farmers! I just didn't know where else to post.

You know, I'd rather they'd sell it cheaper and marked up honestly, then they'd get return business.

Ohh i wasnt reading it as an attack on farmers
Id be complaining about quality of meat too when its not nice to eat.

John_Rambo

ZETOR_IS_BETTER wrote: »

Ohh i wasnt reading it as an attack on farmers
Id be complaining about quality of meat too when its not nice to eat.

Ha! We have to be careful online, things can be misconstrued. I'd be happy to buy meat from an animal that wasn't bred for meat at a good price, and I'd cook it accordingly. But, in this case, I think I was ripped off.

mf240

John_Rambo wrote: »

Ha! We have to be careful online, things can be misconstrued. I'd be happy to buy meat from an animal that wasn't bred for meat at a good price, and I'd cook it accordingly. But, in this case, I think I was ripped off.

I thought non prime animals went into ready meals and burgers but as recent events show we don't know.

Just for your information there is only about 50 cents a kilo in what a farmer gets for a cull cow and what we get for prime cattle.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

I think its fairly normal (in my local butcher shops) now that you can see what breed of animal you are buying, name of the farmer, sometimes a picture of the farmer too

Im sure the butcher will be able to tell you about the animal before you buy the meat.

Farmer Pudsey

The biggest issue with meat being tough is it not being hung long enough. Beef need to be hung for three weeks. Sometimes Butchers mistime there supply and may be tempted to start cutting a carcase before it is ready.

Cows that are slaughters have different markets. The big heavy cows go to France and Belgium where cowmeat is eaten alot. The other outlet's are catering ( school meals, Prisons maybe even hospitals) Most big burger multiple such as McDonalds was beef under 30 months. Ready meals is another outlet. Nothing wrong with cow meat it just take's longer to cook and a bit more gristle if it is hung long enough

John_Rambo

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

The biggest issue with meat being tough is it not being hung long enough. Beef need to be hung for three weeks. Sometimes Butchers mistime there supply and may be tempted to start cutting a carcase before it is ready.

Well, it looked as if it had been hung right, it was very dark at the lower end and the butcher assured me it was. The butchers (FX Buckleys) actually have their own farm! Could it have been hung for too long?

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Cows that are slaughters have different markets. The big heavy cows go to France and Belgium where cowmeat is eaten alot. The other outlet's are catering ( school meals, Prisons maybe even hospitals) Most big burger multiple such as McDonalds was beef under 30 months. Ready meals is another outlet.

I didn't know that, it's very interesting though, thanks.

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Nothing wrong with cow meat it just take's longer to cook and a bit more gristle if it is hung long enough

Jaysus Farmer Pudsey, you just described the roast I had! I guess I'll never find out what the story is, but I will be complaining and I will let you know what the outcome is. Thanks a million to yourself, Zetor and mf240 for your replies.

Bizzum

It's my understanding that meat sold through Irish butchers is almost exclusively heifer. The continental trade absorbs bull/cow/steer beef.
Beef is a natural product and as such can never be precisely the same, every time. There would be expected variation.

As important as hanging time is, other variants can be at play. Eg. Stress at slaughter, temperature protocol pre chiller.
Breed may also play a role, as will level of finish.

You (OP) seem happy with your usual butcher. Stick with him!

John_Rambo

Bizzum wrote: »

Beef is a natural product and as such can never be precisely the same, every time. There would be expected variation.

Such a good point, but this was way off the norm! And, that's the pleasure of the produce, sometimes, in fact more than often, it's stunning.

Bizzum wrote: »

As important as hanging time is, other variants can be at play. Eg. Stress at slaughter, temperature protocol pre chiller.
Breed may also play a role, as will level of finish.

Of course, so many variables. Anything could have happened, great points.

Bizzum wrote: »

You (OP) seem happy with your usual butcher. Stick with him!

I know, but I like to spread it out a bit. I use FXB because they have amazing and large slabs of pig belly, they also do unusual cuts that you won't get in other butchers. My usual butchers an elderly inner city one man show, very traditional, he doesn't do rib roast on the bone.