Learning About The History Of Beef In America
If you are an American who loves beef, you are not alone! However
, learning about its origins may either confirm your love, or change your mind.
Since the first time cattle was brought to America by the Spaniads in 1534, people were hooked on red meat. America seemed to be made for raising cattle, with its countless miles of lush pasture, and rolling hills of tall grass.
It seems the perfect place for animals to grow fat, and produce the milk and meat we love. The first cattle brought over were Longhorns, followed by the British bringing Herefords, Aberdeen Angus, and Shorthorns.
All have been able to acclimatize to the harsh winters in both Canada and the USA. Since then, many other breeds were imported - Ayrshire, Charolais, Chianina, Galloway, Guernsey, Jersey, Limousin, Simmenthal, and crossbreeds.
Some were brought as dairy cattle, others for meat. Americans, Canadians, Australians, Argentines, the British, and Colombians consume considerable amounts of beef whereas continental Europeans favor veal and other sources of protein.
In Europe, beef is consumed in relatively small quantities. Cattle requires pastureland, and European countries being more densely populated than those mentioned above prefer by necessity to husband cows for milk and cheese.
Continental European beef is more expensive and generally tougher than North American beef. In Canada, the USA, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand, cattle raising is now a multibillion dollar industry fine-tuned right down to manufactured feed to achieve optimal results.
Along with this sophistication, greed contributed to the fatal BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalophaty). Much of the beef consumed today is raised on grass, and fattened on feed lots by feed consisting of corn, and molasses.
Chemicals are used to tranquillize cattle and prevent diseases. In Britain, the feed industry used ground slaughtered by-products and animal fat, blended with grain-based mixtures to feed the animals.
Farmers eagerly bought this so called "balanced feed," only to discover much later that some of their animals became sick, behaving abnormally, and losing their balance. Humans, who consumed the meat of both symptomatic and symptom-free cattle, got infected ad came down with the Creutzfeld-Jacob fatal disease.
This is when catastrophe struck the industry. Authorities moved in, killing thousands of cattle, sheep, and other suspect animals.
The losses amounted to billions of dollars and prompted thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, to swear off beef forever. Authorities both in the USA and Canada prohibited the importation of British cattle, and use of feed containing rendered animal by-products.
Beef is a hearty, deeply flavored and more satisfying meat than veal or pork. Whole roasted strip loin or tenderloin with Sauce Hollandaise, Choron, Mousseline, Bearnaise, or Bordelaise are served for ceremonial dinners.
Even back in the day, Romans knew that beef from steer tasted better, and accordingly castrated heifers to obtain firmer and more flavorful meat. Steer beef is lighter in color, firmer without being chewy, and contains better marbling.
In America, pasture, and general agricultural land, is vast and relatively inexpensive, making corn feeding feasible. However, these cattle require four kilograms (9 lbs) of corn to gain 500 grams (one lb.) of meat-an expensive way to convert grain to meat.
Regardless, beef remains to be affordable for millions. However, inexpensive food encourages over consumption of not only meat, but also cholesterol-rich fat that lead to cardiovascular diseases and weight gain.
Japanese Kobe and Matsuzake beef are famous for their tenderness, and rich taste and flavor, but can only be enjoyed by the wealthy. The popularity of Kobe-style beef led some American cattle ranchers to raise their animals according to the Kobe protocol.
Recent unfavorable developments of BSE encouraged many consumers to turn to organic beef (Black Angus, Hereford, Black Baldy), that are fed with high-quality grass (grass about to go to seed) and clover, prior to being pampered with organically grown corn. Chemicals, vaccines, and artificial substances are not used.
While this costs more, it is more satisfying and possesses eating characteristics that fattened cattle cannot offer. French consider their Charolais and Limousin to be superior in taste to Black Angus and not surprisingly, Italians claim the same for their Chianina developed in the Chiana Valley in Tuscany.
In Spain, the owner of Vega Sicila winery, the most prestigious red wine of the country, stated raising cattle on the highlands of Castille-Leom. Here the mountain Brown cattle imported from Switzerland are raised on high-quality pastureland, without antibiotics, vaccines, or tranquillizers.
The cattle are never stressed and slaughtered when 800 kg. As you can see, the industry has evolved greatly over the years, and Americans have been some of the most proficient at the game.
by: Jack Landry
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