Beef Tastes Like Grass: What Makes My Beef Taste Grassy?

When it comes to the taste of beef, what do you think of it?

It should be a typical sweet and earthy flavor of red meat instead of grassy.

So why does beef taste like grass sometimes and how can you fix this issue?

Let’s figure it out in this article.

Why does my beef taste like grass?

Beef should taste like beef, but when it tastes grassy, here are the reasons that can explain:

The higher level of omega-3 in grass-fed beef

You have actually just bought grass-fed beef.

And the cause for the grassy taste in grass-fed beef is that this kind of red meat contains more Omega-3 fatty acids.

Due to their healthier and organic diet (mainly from grass), the cattle tend to produce meat that has a taste that is reminiscent of grass but just with a subtle note.

This happens the same as some kinds of fish, the kind of seafood with the highest Omega-3 levels.

The leaner texture of grass-fed beef

Another reason that can explain the grassy taste in your beef is the leaner texture of grass-fed beef.

Not only because of the higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, but grass-fed is also likely to be leaner than its grain-fed counterpart.

Besides an organic diet, grass-fed beef is often equivalent to free-range beef, which means the cattle are raised without the cage.

Therefore, they are more active, making their meat leaner.

Grass-fed beef, as a result, contains less intramuscular fat, so its taste is a bit gamier, or grassier than grain-fed beef.

Is it safe to eat beef that tastes like grass?

Do you feel panic when tasting your beef and figuring out it tastes like grass?

Don’t worry, it is not an alarm at all.

As already mentioned, the grassy, or gamey taste from beef is due to the typical features of grass-fed beef.

And we all know that grass-fed beef is even a healthier choice than regular beef.

It is more nutritious and many people even prefer this grassy taste from this kind of beef.

So after all, it is safe to eat beef that tastes like grass.

But if you still want to know how to get rid of this grassy taste in your dish?

Check the following section.

How to get rid of the grassy taste of beef?

Now, for those who are not a fan of the grassy taste in your beef, but still want to add grass-fed beef to their diets because of its nutritional value, here are some tips that can help you get rid of or reduce the grassy taste of beef:

Soak your beef in milk before cooking

The first thing you can do is to soak your beef in milk before cooking it in your recipe.

You better use plain milk instead of sweetened milk to not provide your beef with a weird sweet flavor.

Soaking your grass-fed beef in milk a couple of hours prior to cooking can help moisten the meat as well as get rid of the grassy taste in the resulting dish.

Serve your beef dish with a dairy product-based side dish

If you just forgot to bathe your beef in milk before cooking, don’t worry.

You can choose to serve your beef dish with a dairy product-based side.

The creamy and milky taste of the accompaniment will work as a nice addition to your main dish that features grass-fed beef.

Some suggestions from us are mac and cheese, cheese sauce, creamy butternut squash soup, casseroles, or a salad with a ranch dressing.

Add more spices and other ingredients

The last thing you can do to reduce the grassy taste in your beef is to add more spices and/or other ingredients (like veggies) to the recipe.

Beef goes well with different kinds of spices and herbs, so just add whatever you want to the dish to mask the grassy taste of your beef.

However, remember to add a little by little and give it a taste to not ruin your dish.

The bottom line

Now you know that the grassy taste of beef is actually not a bad sign.

It turns out to come from grass-fed beef, which is considered a nutritious and tasty alternative to regular grain-fed beef.

Grass-fed beef is even more expensive than not everyone can afford it.

However, with the help from our post, now you can enjoy healthy grass-fed beef without sacrificing flavor and your resulting beef dish will never taste like grass anymore.

Thanks for reading!