My Beef with Steaks

[Joel]

Anyone else notice that steaks lately are not as "beefy" as they used to be.

Now I'm not talking about $12.99/lb butcher shop steaks..I'm talking about regular New York, Ribeye or Sirloin steaks you can buy at Albertson's, Vons, Ralphs, etc. on sale for $3.99 - $4.99/lb.

Why are steaks lacking flavour in recent years? Hormones? Steroids? Cheap feed they give the cows? I even bought some Harris Farms steaks at Henry's that are not as flavourful as they used to be..what up with that?

[Beckron]

Try's Dale's Seasoning (not a lot) marinate outside of fridge in a ziploc. Amazingly, if I let someone else cook them that isn't afraid of burning the house down like I am, they turn out good.

[Sluggo4171]

Anyone else notice that steaks lately are not as "beefy" as they used to be.

Now I'm not talking about $12.99/lb butcher shop steaks..I'm talking about regular New York, Ribeye or Sirloin steaks you can buy at Albertson's, Vons, Ralphs, etc. on sale for $3.99 - $4.99/lb.

Why are steaks lacking flavour in recent years? Hormones? Steroids? Cheap feed they give the cows? I even bought some Harris Farms steaks at Henry's that are not as flavourful as they used to be..what up with that?

could be numerous reasons

1. its caly which means avocados and artichokes only
2. quality of meat
3. you ordered chicken by accident
4. its caly which means avocados and artichokes only


tell ya what Joel...Im hitting stews this weekend to grab some bings and some NY Strip. Ill be more then happy the grab some NY Strips...3.99 / pound. Ill even chuck in some clams.

[Marat]

Joel - I can't speak to the steaks issue.

But I can speak to the "getting older" issue.

To wit: The older you get, the more your taste buds deteriorate.

This is no different than the eyesight issue, the hearing issue, the Viagra issue (not talking you specifically here, Holmes) , the memory issue or the smell issue. (Ever notice how some, uh, . . . women of a certain age . . . or cougars, ahem . . . POUR on the perfume? It's because they figuratively can't smell how much they've doused themselves.)

Well, anyhoo. Food for thought. ;o)

[DegenerationX]

JB please follow these simple directions.

The color must be pink with an even conformation of fat dispersed throughout. This is referred to as marbling. If selected, the loin is brought back to the premises of the restaurant where the dry aging process begins. The loins of beef sit in a temperature coned cooler where air circulates around them. After the meat is properly aged, it is butchered and brought up to the kitchen for broiling.

[Dgstan]

JB - I'm thinking that if you spent a little more time outdoors (say, at REAL LIVE RACING) and a little less time sequestered in a smoky poker room, your taste buds might wage a comeback.

[Atokad]

Anyone else notice that steaks lately are not as "beefy" as they used to be.

Now I'm not talking about $12.99/lb butcher shop steaks..I'm talking about regular New York, Ribeye or Sirloin steaks you can buy at Albertson's, Vons, Ralphs, etc. on sale for $3.99 - $4.99/lb.

Why are steaks lacking flavour in recent years? Hormones? Steroids? Cheap feed they give the cows? I even bought some Harris Farms steaks at Henry's that are not as flavourful as they used to be..what up with that?

Years ago, Albertsons, Vons Ralphs etc all bought USDA Choice beef as their house beef. Almost every grocery chain in the country now buys USDA Select beef as their house beef. Why? It's cheaper. Unfortunately, it doesn't taste as good either. There is not enough marbling in select to give it the good beefy flavor your looking for.

Don't get fooled by the "Black Angus" or "All Natural" or any of these other marketing terms designed to suck money from your wallet. Almost all of these are Select as well. Ask your butcher, if you can find him, at your grocery store if he has any Choice. He won't lie to you, it's to big a risk to try and pass Select as Choice and will likely let you now if he has some Choice.

Try one of the 12.99 butcher shop steaks as a treat from time to time if it is USDA Prime. These days, less than 2% of the beef in the US grades as Prime; if you can find some, try it. It will make you remember what beef should taste like.

[Joel]

Years ago, Albertsons, Vons Ralphs etc all bought USDA Choice beef as their house beef. Almost every grocery chain in the country now buys USDA Select beef as their house beef. Why? It's cheaper. Unfortunately, it doesn't taste as good either. There is not enough marbling in select to give it the good beefy flavor your looking for.

Don't get fooled by the "Black Angus" or "All Natural" or any of these other marketing terms designed to suck money from your wallet. Almost all of these are Select as well. Ask your butcher, if you can find him, at your grocery store if he has any Choice. He won't lie to you, it's to big a risk to try and pass Select as Choice and will likely let you now if he has some Choice.

Try one of the 12.99 butcher shop steaks as a treat from time to time if it is USDA Prime. These days, less than 2% of the beef in the US grades as Prime; if you can find some, try it. It will make you remember what beef should taste like.

Definitely, Atokad.

They have this great meat market in San Diego..Iowa Meat Farms. Awesome steaks, but like you said, you have to pay for them..Siesel's is also very good..

[MaryS]

Have you gotten steaks from Major Market in Escondido? I haven't tried the steaks, but the lamb chops and pork chops have been extraordinary, as have pastries, produce, etc.

Try to arrange a trip up there frequently to stock up on good stuff.

http://www.majormarketgrocery.com/

[PrivateSmiles]

(Ever notice how some, uh, . . . women of a certain age . . . or cougars, ahem . . . POUR on the perfume? It's because they figuratively can't smell how much they've doused themselves.)

I am happy & proud to be "of a certain age" and I've definitely been called a couger by more than one fellow, and I don't wear perfume. None. Ever. And I don't find that statement to be true of the majority of those women.

There are also men of all ages who bathe in aftershave & cologne and make us (females) gag. Not to mention fire up our allergies really bad.