Growing better tasting beef
Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter
A new initiative by a rural neighbour may have Strathmore residents reaping the benefits.
Carli Baum and Nicole Lamb, owners of Bite Beef Company out of Balzac, are bringing a new type of slow grown, grass fed beef to dinner tables in October.
“We’re producing this product out of a rural setting close to Calgary, and we’re happy to be able to bring a new product to the market place out of that type setting. It’s a product that can be produced anywhere around Calgary and is also a product that can benefit anyone in and around Calgary,” said Baum.
“It is a local product and a product that obviously people in Strathmore would enjoy and would find to be beneficial to their lifestyle. It’s also to show that there’s really neat, new and innovative products coming out of rural settings, like Strathmore, (and) like Balzac.” said Baum
“We started the business because we knew that we could produce beef that was healthier and tasted better. We just didn’t know exactly how to go about that,” said Lamb.
Lamb had read the book Steak, by Mark Schatzker, which was about his search around the globe for the best steak, which he found in slow grown, grass fed beef. The two women decided to emulate that process. Lamb is a third generation rancher and her family’s business already had the capability and production means to be able to facilitate a project like this.
“There is grass fed beef, obviously and then there’s commodity beef, but she thought of the idea of, is there a way to produce a better tasting grass fed product?” said Baum.
The women explained that most beef bought in stores is commodity beef and will at some point be sent to a feedlot. Lamb said all beef bought in grocery stores would be finished at a feedlot and fed grain.
“It’s the grain that changes the fat profile in the beef, and changes the composition to more saturated fats, unhealthy fats,” said Lamb
Commodity beef is higher in saturated fat, which is why a lot of people avoid red meat. When cattle are kept on grass their whole life the fatty acid profile is more favourable.
“Our beef is higher in fats that are good for you like omega 3’s, omega 6’s, vitamin E, and lower in fats linked to disease like heart attacks, and any other saturated-fat-related illness,” said Baum.
The grass the cattle are fed is also monitored for quality and composition. Lamb said it needs to be high in alfalfa and the cattle only eat the top 40 per cent before heading to a new section to graze. The top 40 per cent is the sweetest grass, and Lamb said it is the highest in energy.
Their cattle are all a minimum of nine months to 12 months older than other grass feed beef, and at least nine months older than commodity beef, which is what makes it a part of their slow-grown process, and what sets them apart from other grass fed producers and commodity producers.
“Where people will notice a difference in our grass fed beef versus other grass-fed beef is, we’re working to produce a tastier product by the way we’ve changed our production. So there should be more natural marbling and tenderness in our product than compared to other grass fed beef,” said Baum.
Tall Grass Beef Company in the U.S. have proven the method, and the women have hired Dr. Allen Williams, Chief Operating Officer for Tall Grass Beef, as their consultant.
Lamb said with rising grain prices it makes sense economically, not just health wise. The prices will be comparable with other beef, and the end product will be competitive with what can be bought at stores.
Come October their product will be carried at Community Natural Foods in Calgary, and also directly to the consumer through their website which will allow the consumer to get to know the local producers and familiarize themselves with the process. The women are also taking pre-orders at this time. To find out more, or to place an order, go to www.bitebeef.com.