Eating Longhorn Beef

[OpenSights]

Got a opportunity to get a longhorn that's roughly under 2 years of age. To anyone that eats it how are they?

Usually get Angus but am getting a good deal on the longhorn this year. Its been fed good and has had a good life on a Buffalo farm.

Just reading they are a little leaner then Angus.

[Rancid Crabtree]

Assuming it’s a steer or heifer not a bull, under 2 and well fed it’ll be great.
If it’s not fed long enough it could be pretty lean but that’s not all bad either depending on your taste.

[Twisted Canuck]

Well, I have only ever had one longhorn, got it from a friend who raved about it. Neither my wife or I were actually very impressed with the flavor (it was a 2 year old steer) compared to Angus. Now there are so many variables, grass vs grain fed, and so on, but we went back to Angus and that's where we will stay. Maybe not a fair one-time comparison, but that was our experience. I have one hanging now, 2 weeks till cutting time.

[Jim Blake]

My neighbor butchers one every year. Swears they are the best meat going. He has given us a few steaks from a couple of them and they were ok but I would say just ok.. He said he sure pumped the rolled barley into them and usually finishes them at 90 days.

I still prefer Angus. Even with a real good price I wouldn't switch.

I think my neighbor butchers a long horn because he is the cheapest SOB I have ever run across. The good stuff goes to auction LOL.

[Dean2]

I agree with Twisted Canuck - tried longhorn steaks and Ribs in Texas, not at all impressed. Tough, lean, very gamey. Tried it a couple more times in other places, same result. As far as I am concerned, Armadillo tastes better. I admit to being a Steak snob, triple A Alberta beef, Ribeye for number one, T-Bone for second and a good Sirloin is also never a bad thing.

You might want to try a couple of steaks from his animals before jumping into a whole cow.

[nast70]

Originally Posted by Dean2

You might want to try a couple of steaks from his animals before jumping into a whole cow.

This!!! And pick your animal.
I know a fellow who went in with some friends on a half a bison. They were expecting one of the young bulls and ended up with something that was not. Super lean, very tough, almost inedible. Turned the batch into various jerky's and sausages to get rid of it without out throwing it out.

[OpenSights]

They don't have any in the freezer as this is the first one going this year.

I read that longhorn is considered the gamey beef. But I'm not afraid of it being lean and a tad gamey for flavor with all the deer and moose we eat already it will be mild flavor wise.

Killing it Saturday so we ll let it hang for 2 weeks and see.

[Twisted Canuck]

Depending on how marbled it is, you may want to hang it for 18-21 days to let it tender, assuming it's in a proper cooler. Let us know how it is once you get it on the plate, I will be curious.

[Smokinyotes]

With the price of beef I’m not sure why you would want to eat one that was designed for growing horns. Take any of the actual beef breeds, pour the barley to them until they are finished and hang them 21 days and they will be good.

[Hardway]

Sorry dean. You cant compare any beef fed and finished up here to the corn fed stuff down south.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

With the price of beef I’m not sure why you would want to eat one that was designed for growing horns. Take any of the actual beef breeds, pour the barley to them until they are finished and hang them 21 days and they will be good.

Holsteins, a dairy breed , make damn good eating , you've probably had some.

Grizz

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Hardway

Sorry dean. You cant compare any beef fed and finished up here to the corn fed stuff down south.

That is very true. Corn finished beef sucks. However some of the Longhorn I tried came from grain finished beef from the Rycroft area. It was organic grown Longhorn raised by Christoph Weder of Spirit River ranches just north and east of rycroft. He sold this beef direct to high end restaurants all over Europe for premium prices. It still didn't compare favorably to Angus or Herford AAA. I don't want my beef that lean, tough or gamey. Part of the reason I don't like mutton either.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Dean2

That is very true. Corn finished beef sucks. However some of the Longhorn I tried came from grain finished beef from the Rycroft area. It was organic grown Longhorn raised by Christoph Weder of Spirit River ranches just north and east of rycroft. .

Well there's the problem. No growth hormones.

[roper1]

Originally Posted by Dean2

That is very true. Corn finished beef sucks. However some of the Longhorn I tried came from grain finished beef from the Rycroft area. It was organic grown Longhorn raised by Christoph Weder of Spirit River ranches just north and east of rycroft. He sold this beef direct to high end restaurants all over Europe for premium prices. It still didn't compare favorably to Angus or Herford AAA. I don't want my beef that lean, tough or gamey. Part of the reason I don't like mutton either.

Old Christoph always tried to be a niche marketer, rarely does that mean a step up in quality.

[ditch donkey]

I’ve been butchering longhorns every fall for 5 years now, and that’s all I care to eat. Excellent flavour, tender, well marbled prime steaks, lean burger. I’m sure if I fed round muscle steers it would cost me less in feed, cause I don’t think longhorns are very efficient in turning grass and grain into beef, but I don’t really care about that.

Every steer has consistently provided beautifully marbled steaks. I’ve eaten a lot of rib steaks from round muscle animals. Minimal marbling, with a big hunk of fat in the centre that you need to cut chunks off to eat with your meat. Longhorns tend to carry that fat throughout the steak.

I think the op is going to be pleased.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by ditch donkey

I’ve been butchering longhorns every fall for 5 years now, and that’s all I care to eat. Excellent flavour, tender, well marbled prime steaks, lean burger. I’m sure if I fed round muscle steers it would cost me less in feed, cause I don’t think longhorns are very efficient in turning grass and grain into beef, but I don’t really care about that.

Every steer has consistently provided beautifully marbled steaks. I’ve eaten a lot of rib steaks from round muscle animals. Minimal marbling, with a big hunk of fat in the centre that you need to cut chunks off to eat with your meat. Longhorns tend to carry that fat throughout the steak.

I think the op is going to be pleased.

Where are u getting your animals from. Your description of the meat as well marbled sure doesn't match what I have seen but I admit I havent seen a big variety of it.

[ditch donkey]

The last bunch came from a fellow near Westlock. And I’ll try get steers from him again. I put them on pasture, with as much oats, and barley as they care to eat.

He raises them, as a proper beef herd. Often longhorns are raised for roping, and not enough time is given between the end of their roping career to their butcher date. I have bought ropers before. I pick the biggest ones in the pen, because nobody wants to rope big steers so they probably haven’t been roped in a while, and then turn them in my pasture for 5 months.

[Chewbacca]

I received a Longhorn steer as part of a deal one time. It has a strong flavor that I didn’t care for but not to the point that I couldn’t eat it. Wouldn’t turn it down if I was hungry but until time I will take Buffalo first then beef.

[marlin4570]

Christoph beef were raised on pasture! A couple miles from my place, if they were feed was unusual! Seen them every day. Was it a long horn or a highlander?

[sns2]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Well there's the problem. No growth hormones.

ROFLMAO right there ^^^

[sns2]

Originally Posted by ditch donkey

The last bunch came from a fellow near Westlock. And I’ll try get steers from him again. I put them on pasture, with as much oats, and barley as they care to eat.

He raises them, as a proper beef herd. Often longhorns are raised for roping, and not enough time is given between the end of their roping career to their butcher date. I have bought ropers before. I pick the biggest ones in the pen, because nobody wants to rope big steers so they probably haven’t been roped in a while, and then turn them in my pasture for 5 months.

They don't teach this kind of smarts at the U of A. Good thinking. I bet you are Ukrainian too. Right?

Now you buggers got me wanting to try one a Longhorn Ribeye. Zounds!

[dgl1948]

Our old animal veterinarian claimed the best marbled beef was a jersey. That’s all he ever bought to butcher.

[NCC]

I kept my roping steers one fall and put them in our feedlot on a 30% barley ration. They were slow gainers and probably would have done better on more barley. The people who bought them didn't complain about the meat. I've ate some and thought it was alright, but prefer overfat square beef steers for our freezer. If I remember, I'll try to post a pic of a finished steer sometime. It's remarkable how much flesh a modern beef animal can carry.

[amosfella]

I've killed a few longhorns. IMHO, even though they're 'cheap', you're paying a premium for what you get. Now, it's good for some dry aged or cured cuts. And jerky.

If I were to get one for horns, I'd cure a few cuts, and grind the rest for my dog.

[ditch donkey]

[QUOTE=sns2;4319125]They don't teach this kind of smarts at the U of A. Good thinking. I bet you are Ukrainian too. Right?

Took my wedding pictures under the big egg!👍🇺🇦

[sns2]

[QUOTE=ditch donkey;4319177]

Originally Posted by sns2

They don't teach this kind of smarts at the U of A. Good thinking. I bet you are Ukrainian too. Right?

Took my wedding pictures under the big egg!👍🇺🇦

A man after my own heart!

[oldgutpile]

As a butcher for almost 40 years, I have observed the following:
Angus to me is still the top beef ON AVERAGE.
There are a variety of breeds that when finished properly, offer excellent table fare. This includes dairy breeds and long horns as well. The problem with most "off-breeds" is that it takes a bit extra time to get a proper finish on them and the higher level of marbling. Most dairy breeds like holstein and jersey take it right to the 30 months age to finish, and I would not be opposed to even a three year old animal. This is also the time-frame I see some of the better finish and marbling on longhorns.
I honestly find that a three year old offers more in the way of flavor, and not just simply "protein". The down-side to anything over 30 months of age, is that due to regulations originated from the BSE crisis, all spinal bones must be removed and retained for inspection at the plant. This really just boils down to no T-bone steaks, but you still get the whole striploin/tenderloin cuts.
Some of the BEST beef I have ever seen and tasted is from producers who can do a good job finishing a longhorn/angus cross! This usually results in a bit smaller frame carcass with good confirmation, and excellent marbling/flavor.
There are good results in any and all beef breeds if the genetics and the feeding program is good. In my book; a roping steer with 90 days feed on it is still going to give you gamey, lean cuts. I would look for at least twice that time on feed to really do it justice. I still prefer a good barley finish and greasy marbling to make the best cuts for the table.

[Dean2]

Well, I for one really enjoyed this thread. I learned a whole bunch about feeding and finishing beef that I never knew before. Gives me a real appreciation for all the work and care that goes into producing the well flavoured, well marbled beef I love to eat.

[Ronaround]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Holsteins, a dairy breed , make damn good eating , you've probably had some.

Grizz

Dam straight Grizz!

Back in the day when my grandfather had a dairy, the old milkers were now Beef! they were as good as most beef today, not counting Ruth Crist Steakhouse.
As a matter of fact maybe you could do some research and see if you could get a deal on one.

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Well, I for one really enjoyed this thread. I learned a whole bunch about feeding and finishing beef that I never knew before. Gives me a real appreciation for all the work and care that goes into producing the well flavoured, well marbled beef I love to eat.

I agree. On that note, I've really been enjoying the beef here in Bolivia, honestly the best tasting beef I have had, perhaps not the most tender or as well marbled as we are used to seeing in AAA cuts here, but the flavour! Beef here is predominantly Brahma, because it can take the heat and live on grass with no issues. There is no grain or corn fed here, get that right out of your head. However, they have an Angus and Brahma cross (Brangus) that is sort of the best of both worlds. They are very hardy and can take the heat, but with the Angus they put on weight and size much better and you can't count their ribs from the highway. And the flavor is just simply amazing. I have loads of pics of steaks that went down very very nice, but bandwidth here is awful.

Anyway, I have very much enjoyed the trip here, even if I had trouble chewing food after I had teeth pulled. It was still glorious to cut it small, chew carefully a bit, and savour the juices! They really know how to do beef. Particularly a couple of Brazilian style restaurants we went to.

Brangus. Look for it.