mike

What is the opinion of you folks about organic meats?

I mean the real organic stuff, not the "natural" meats. I am talking about the meat from animals that only ate organic feed, weren't fed hormones or other animal by-products, no anti-biotics - that kind of organic meat.

I am seeing more of it in stores and I am glad to see it being more available, but it is pretty expensive - at least two times as expensive as regular "raised on chemicals" stuff.

I know the old vegetarian arguments and I am not looking for that because I like to eat meat.

What are the opinions, knowledge, wisdom about organic meats?

Az B

It's the only kind I will feed my family. We don't eat a lot of red meat, so the price isn't as big a problem as it might be for someone that has ground beef every night. As a bonus it tends to be leaner as well.

I think it's worth it. There's certainly no difference in the taste.

Az

mike

That is an interesting point. I did notice that organic meat is leaner. Ground beef is like 90% or more lean. I thought it was just because of the products at the store where I shop.

sjjone

Certified organic is hard to find around here as the farm has to follow organic practices for 7 years (i think?) before they get the USDA stamp. In the mean time they label as "all natural" and clearly state their products are free range, no antibiotics etc. That's what I do for chicken, for red meat the only kind we eat is buffalo from the farmers market. I buy from the guy (and his wife) who killed and butchered the animals himself. That is the ideal in my mind, to buy directly from the person who locally raised the meat, but it's not always possible.

akarius

I used to buy meat from a freind that I worked with, he had a small farm with maybe 10 to 15 head. The beef he was selling was not certified organic, but it was grass fed and it roamed free all summer and then they would be corralled for the winter. The only thing the cattle got were a shot of vitamins when they were born. The meat was so good, it had a very strong taste for beef. It was extremely lean. Some of the meat even looked like veal it had such a light colour. To bad he ground up all his cows, because they were very tasty.

I have also heard that grass fed beef has half the cholestorol of grain fed beef, and is very nutritious.

AnthonyG

I've gone one step further and only eat Biodynamic meat at home. Animals can be classified as organic and still be in a feedlot being fed grains as long as all the inputs are organic. The most desirable way to raise animals in on pasture which produces the healthiest meat. Organic meat could be grass fed although it's not garenteed but with Biodynamic it is garenteed.

Grass fed meat is higher in omega 3 fatty acids than fish actually where as grain fed meat is high in omega 6 fatty acids.

I don't even consider the cost anymore and I don't know what the price difference between regular and biodymic actually is in Australia although I didn't think it was as much as 2x.

I don't eat a lot of meat anyway and I realy like liver and the fat which is cheap.

See https://www.westonaprice.org for more information and if you look for your local chapter leader in your area they will be able to assist you in finding more produce in your area and maybe even a local farmer to buy direct from.

Regards, Anthony

mike

Anthony, what is "Biodynamic meat"?

AnthonyG

Simplisticly "Biodynamic" is a higher standard of "Organic".

It was developed by Rudolph Steiner and it's very concerned with the whole cycle of agriculture and life realy. It's a dedicated private organization so there won't be any "bracket creep" regarding it's standards. Any producer who's certified Biodynamic is VERY committed to growing the highest standard of produce.

https://www.steinercollege.org/biodynamics.html

Regards, Anthony

Enthalpic

Start hunting for deer, moose, elk, caribou. All natural, all organic, all cheap. Whitetail deer especially are becoming problamatic in many areas in north america. I know you hippie types don't hunt. Just kidding around

But really deer is all natural, free range, no medicines ever.

bigbossman 

I prefer organic meat. It tastes better and has better texture than "manufactured" meat. Luckily, we have an abundance of wild boar here in California, and I don't mind taking a day in the hills to find my own. 2-3 good hogs a year will keep me and my family in good supply of tasty wonderful meat. Of course, there is also rabbit, deer, quail, chukkar, pheasant, turkey, etc.

Nothing like getting a good solid day's worth of exercise and clean air in the great outdoors, and filling your freezer in the bargain....

And to tie it all together with cycling, I have a special bike I use for hunting.

mike

I am a hunter too and I used to think that wild game was more "pure" or safer than beef.

However, so many deer are coming down with Cronic Wasting Disease - the deer form of "mad-cow". The theory is that wild deer which are nomadic by nature ate cattle feed that was contaminated.

My brother-in-law decided that deer meat was too risky and he filled up my freezer with the venison from his freezer. Gee... thanks. It is all great stuff too - summer sausages, venison sticks, steaks. Still, I wonder if I should feed it to my family or is he right? We are all crazy enough as it is - don't need any help from CWD.

This fact has me looking more closely at certified organic meats, where the feed is controlled.

mike

That's neat. Hey, has anybody ever chased wild animals on a bike? How about you bigbossman? How does a bike hold up against a running deer or boar?

sestivers

Same reason that 10 carat gold is less expensive than 18 carat - it's filled with a bunch of crap that isn't gold.

Az B

That looks like my commuter. (I live in a bad part of town)

Can you carry a Caribou carcass on that thing?

Az