Hereford or Black Angus???

ACB

Been eggin for two months. My wife bought me a large as a wedding gift. I am planing on doing Prime Rib this weekend for my in-laws. The market has both Hereford beef and Black angus Beef, and I wanted to know if anyone has any insight regarding which is better. I understand that both are grain fed. Please share with me your knowledge. ACB

Austin Smoker

I've never been able to tell a discernable difference between equal grade (prime vs. prime, choice vs. choice, etc) UNLESS it's grass fed or grass finished. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

thirdeye

If you really want to choose only between red and black try a roulette table. :laugh:

Seriously, when it comes to flavor, the breed is of lesser importance than the grade, the type and length of finishing (grain or grass) and the type of ageing (dry or wet).

emilluca

Most of the time breed has little to do with flavor, tenderness and mouth feel. Just trust the butcher to give you what they view as the best of that day. I now prefer grass fed beef. I used to think grain fed was the only way to get good marbling in the muscle of the beef. I found a dairy farm that also raises beef for sale and all is grass fed and the marbling is excellent.
Find a good store with a meat shop where they cut the beef and allow them to be your person for the best.
Get them to sell you then cuts they would take home. Treat them as an important person in your life and they will take care of you. Most large shops may cut 10 to 30 beef loins a day and out of those there may be only 2 or 3 that are special.
You can find good beef at the wholesale stores once you learn what to look for.
E

Crimsongator

angus does a better job of organizing the program as CAB. Both are good!

bubba tim

I have polled this same question to many chef instructors at Le Cordon Bleu, they all said Black Angus. I have never questioned their advice and have never been disappointed with certified Black Angus Beef.

thirdeye

I agree that The American Angus Association has done a great job with rules for CAB certification as well as marketing, both on the farmer/rancher level as well as the retail level. CAB must meet certain criteria before being branded as such.

The problem is that just the word "Angus" on a label or a sign at a burger joint does not mean that it is certified. So often the consumer is mislead...

tach18k

Buy the one with the better marbling. Some meat is so lean it just doesn't get tender or have any flavor. If a choice cut looks better it just might be. Better meat does not make a better taco.

Crimsongator

Absolutely

Pyro

Just a note of caution, Angus/Black Angus does not equate to Certified Black Angus. If it does not clearly say it is CAB, it isn't.

Celtic Wolf

Only one breed stands out over the others - WAYGU.

Over the years I have eaten my share of both Hereford and Angus. One is red, one is black. '

Ask to look at the meat from both and pick the one with the most marbling.