How bad for you is argentine beef?

[tangojohn]

Every trip I make to Argentina I consume large quantities of beef. I somehow justify it to myself that it is much better for me than what I get at home in the USA. Can someone direct me to accurate information in regard to the overall differences in beef from Argentina and the USA? Here in the USA I try to limit eating beef to one time per week. Thanks

 

[cricri58]

The reputation of Argentinean meat used to be> the best in the world. Currently I am skeptical because feedlot is replacing traditional breeding from the plains *pampa
Also bear in mind that the consequence of the drought killed many animals this year *you can check the carcass in the plains once away from the Capital
But as always there is no official data about that....

 

[Samb4]

I still think it's delicious. Argentine beef was hyped up a lot for me before I came, and I was ready to be disappointed. Of course, the best steak wherever you go will be good. The difference here is that the regular, everyday steaks are much better. Think about the type of steak you get on a lomito sandwich here, it's pretty impressive. also, what about the 8 peso bife sandwiches down by the ecological reserve? In the US, if you paid 8 pesos or even 8 dollars, what type of meat would you get? Probably that gross philly cheesesteak "meat" that is as thin as paper and is put in the microwave. (please, philadelphians, i'm not looking for a fight, just making a point.)

Also, if the meat here is bad for you, it's worth it. Everything is bad for you these days. plastic water bottles can give you cancer. so screw it, eat beef and be happy!

Cheers!

 

[mini]

I agree with Cri. It's hard to know which beef you are eating.

From what I've read & come to understand is that free feeding grass fed beef is better for us in that it has less saturated fat, ie, healthier. Plus grass fed beef is not pumped full of antibiotics, growth hormones, etc. were as feedlot cattle are raised in close quarters with more risk of disease, plus the point of feedlots if much more about getting the cows in & out faster to maximize profits (thus the growth hormones).

So, if you can find hormone & antibiotic free grass fed beef this is the best choice for you. It doesn't matter which country. It was just that this was the norm in Argentina. Now it is hard to know.

Thats my take on it.

 

[balle13112]

In my opinion, I was very disappointed with the quality of the beef and cuisine in general here. I heard back in Y2000, 80% of the cows were grass fed and now only 20% are grass fed. This has had a major impact on the quality hence taste of the beef. It's at par to your average cafeteria in the US with the exception of a lower price.

 

[2GuysInPM]

I find the beef here to be good... But I've heard more than a few times from locals that the best Argetine beef is for export and not sold in the local market. Thus, that's why it is so well known and appreciated abroad but not so found here. I don't know if there is any truth to that story, though.

 

[Lucas]

How bad for you is argentine beef?

My worst disappointing with the Argentinean beef is not having it right now on a plate in front of me.

With whatever the cattle are feed on, the taste so far remains unique, for how long? who knows...as the French baguettes are unique to the country they produced it.....this go for cricri without any intention of malice.

I... But I've heard more than a few times from locals that the best Argetine beef is for export and not sold in the local market. Thus, that's why it is so well known and appreciated abroad but not so found here. I don't know if there is any truth to that story, though.

That is the simple truth, which still nowadays with almost all the beef producers and exporters.-No long ago the government must come out in defense of the internal consumers because these people in command of the cattle industry wanted to export everything without any concern of the people of this country, always the best is reserved for export and the population is feed with the leftovers since the gauchos times, why do you think that all the asado and cow internals were consumed here, because the Europeans...and I will not name any country in particular to avoid nasty replies, but the truth is that they did not wanted that kind of sub-product so they only acquired the prime and the best cuts sucking out of the country the best produced beef , that is why those strange cuts become so popular here people were left with that only choice, eat that or eat nothing.....amen of all this the flavor and taste of the Argentinean beef still unique.

 

[gouchobob]

Don't worry about the beef here as it may soon no longer be a local product. Argentina now ranks third in beef production in S.A. behind Brazil and Uruguay. I have read reports that due to farsighted government policies and the drought that Argentina may have to start importing beef inside of a year to meet domestic needs.

I'm undecided in the great grass versus grain fed debate. Surveys have shown that in blind tests people prefer the taste of grain fed. Grain fed however contains more fat. Eating beef in the quantities consumed in Argentina grass or grain fed is probably not the healthiest of diets.

 

[Irish Cailín]

The big farmers pump their cows with all sorts of hormones and drugs to fatten them up for the markets. This is first hand information, from a farmer. It happens everywhere in the world. To survive in today's markets they are forced to do the same as everywhere else but here they don't have any of the same regulations that exist in the EU or the US or elsewhere. So who knows what we are eating! Personally, I think the beef here is delicious. Learning about the hormones and chemicals in meat worldwide made me stop eating any sort of meat for three years... but then I caved at a parilla and started again!

 

[steveinbsas]

I have read reports that due to farsighted government policies and the drought that Argentina may have to start importing beef inside of a year to meet domestic needs.

In the past couple months I have seen beef imported from the USA in the COTO on Junin in Recoleta. It was also very, very, cheap.