When it comes to shopping for a great-tasting steak, it’s no longer just about choosing the right cut and grade. We now know that an animal’s diet is also an important factor in determining the quality of the beef.

饲料的方式可以对牛肉的营养成分产生重大影响。草食牛在牧场上放牧，他们只吃各种草，三叶草和苜蓿。重点是提供最接近自然饮食的东西。相比之下，谷物喂养意味着牛在生活中的某个时刻可能被草喂，但饮食中的饮食包括谷物，包括玉米。除了是牛饮食中不自然的成分外，谷物的卡路里也更高，并鼓励牛以较低的成本生长更快。另一方面，草在omega-3和维生素A和E等关键营养素中要高得多，并且由于允许草食牛放牧和漫游，因此所产生的牛肉在整体脂肪和饱和脂肪中更瘦，更低。

There are taste differences as well. Grass-fed beef has a more complex flavor profile due to a varied pastoral diet. Lynne Curry, author ofPure Beef: An Essential Guide to Artisan Beef with Recipes for Every Cut, explains it this way: “Grass-fed beef is compositionally and nutritionally distinct from conventionally raised beef. I liken it to wild game because it is leaner and its flavors and composition depend on the pastures where it grazed and how it was raised by the rancher.” and Dan Barber, chef and co-owner of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, collaborated on a comprehensive report on the U.S. beef sector; in the report, he says, “grass-fed
牛肉的味道干净，丰富，无可否认。”

Learning About Labels

While the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed cattle would appear to be a simple distinction, the labeling on packages can be confusing. Consumers need to be wary of some grass-fed beef claims and to dig a little deeper. Labels that identify beef as “grass-fed” don’t always tell the whole story, and claims such as pasture-raised, grass-finished, and natural are sometimes
misused. The takeaway here is to know that cattle eat grass, but not all cattle eat only grass. Talk with your butcher, shop at a high-quality market, and look for certifications from organizations like True Aussie Beef and the American Grass Fed Association, which ensure the product is 100 percent grass-fed and -finished. You may also see third-party certifications from animal welfare groups and natural beef cooperatives. (这是有关破译标签的更多信息）。

尽管对标签的误解有一些误解，但草食牛肉在美国的潮流浪潮，去年在超市销售中达到了4.8亿美元的历史最高点，同比增长约15％。餐厅也跳上了潮流，去年从分销商到独立和小型连锁店的货物量增长了15％。而且趋势并没有放慢速度。您可能会注意到购物时，很多100％草食牛肉来自澳大利亚以及新西兰和乌拉圭。当您认为这些国家有很多牧场可用的土地时，这是有道理的，因此牛除其他动物外，都可以得到放牧的空间。例如，澳大利亚的全年温带天气都转化为全年的草，没有灌溉或大量的肥料或化学投入。由于运营是大规模和全年运营的，因此尽管运输成本，这会导致价格较低。

Better Nutrition, Healthier Cattle

According to Paul Crock, a farmer whose family has raised grass-fed cattle in Southern Australia for over 20 years, “Good taste and nutrition all have to start on the farm with the right practices that are best for the animal and the land.” Because grass-fed cattle are in their natural habitat, with access to all of the open space needed to support a herd, their lives are less stressful, which means their immune systems are under less pressure and rarely require artificial assistance, such as antibiotics. Crock adds, “Animal welfare is a very strong component of what we do. The cattle are out on the grasses and in nature all year-round.”

Cattle that graze eat all kinds of plants on the pasture, including weeds. The pastures are essentially wild, with their own balanced ecosystem and plenty of help from manure, so pesticides and artificial fertilizers are unnecessary. “We take pride in leaving the land we farm better than it was, taking steps to increase ground cover and keep our native grasses year-round,” says Matt Pearce, who raises cattle in Adelong, Southern NewSouth Wales. “The environmental work we do benefits our business, too—the cows are getting better grass. We have improved our native pastures, so cows can graze fresh grass all year. That means better nutrition, and healthier animals without any need for lot feeding,” he adds. “We are passionate about what we do,” says Crock. “It’s not just about selling meat; it’s about getting our passion through to the consumer.”

On a recent trip to Australia, I had the opportunity to experience the Aussie beef industry up close. Traveling through the southeastern portion of the country, I toured several cattle ranches, met with farmers, and shared many amazing meals that showcased their grass-fed beef products.

不用说，这是一次令人难以置信的旅程。澳大利亚的多样化风景使它充满了令人惊叹的风景秀丽的全景，尤其是牛漫游的起伏的山丘和山谷。据我了解，该国的温带气候允许全年放牧，因此这些动物过着健康的生活，在生物学上适合于他们的干预措施最少。当牛被人道处治疗并仅以牧场为食，它来自土地的肉味。在澳大利亚，这意味着丰富而美味。澳大利亚的牧场主也为自己成为土地的管家而感到自豪，并以可持续性为重中之重。这意味着通过水和土壤管理实践来保管和改善现有牧场，并创新，以保护澳大利亚的自然资源。作为一个国家，它为环境标准设定了高度的标准，其牛肉说了有关结果的数量。

最好的旅程的一部分,是享受the many grass-fed beef dishes that chefs prepared. Most meals were served family-style on tables set outdoors on the farmland with guests that included local food producers and wine makers. From steaks on the barbie to a家常的牛肉锅，不乏美食和欢呼雀跃 - 澳大利亚牛肉行业的良好共鸣。

How to Choose and Cook Grass-Fed Beef

重要的是要注意，草食牛肉看起来与市场上的常规牛肉不同。首先，由于牛肉的苗条，草饲牛肉的大理石花纹将比常规牛肉少。颜色将具有更广泛的范围（从鲜红色到深桃金褐色棕色），因此很难将颜色用作新鲜度的指示。脂肪将更黄，从微弱的黄色到黄油黄色。

Because grass-fed beef is leaner, it cooks more quickly than grain-fed beef, which is well insulated by fat. The best advice is to keep a close eye on the temperature while cooking, and to aim for about 10°F less than the target temp for conventional beef. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to check for your desired doneness, and to remember that the meat will continue cooking after you remove it from the heat.

与大多数主题一样，知识就是力量。因此，下次您在市场上考虑牛肉选择时，请了解如何最能反映您的健康，风味和环境标准的决定。