Where`s The Beef ?

[khairyexpat]

You can use baking soda as well to make the meat tender, but better indeed buy a good piece from the scratch!

How to apply Baking Soda? Over night?
Even starting with a good piece, I still need all the help I can get.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is "feedlot beef split"? Are you talking about hormone fed?

sorry, the split between cows raised in feedlots (corn fed) and those raised on grass.

basically, does anyone know what % of the beef available in Arg still comes from grassfed cows and what % comes from cornfed, feedlots (i.e. not grassfed).

 

[sleslie23]

It's been a while since I've been around feedlots, but you can feed alfalfa or other feed to livestock in a feedlot, no. In other words, feedlots don't necessarily mean cornfed.

The fact that they are grown in feedlots usually implies that they are given antibiotics. It's the only way the poor beasts can survive in that environment.

What to me would be truly sad is if in addition feedlots, Argentine farmers start using corn and hormones. Corn, which is not the natural diet of bovines, increases the need for antibiotics.

Hormones and corn are what give good ''ole Merican beef" that rubbery texture. Mmmm hormones and corn. Good stuff.

 

[French jurist]

How to apply Baking Soda? Over night?
Even starting with a good piece, I still need all the help I can get.

You can rub the meat with it, 2 hours before cooking it. Works also for squid and such (which often taste like hard rubber under the teeth).

 

[LostinBA]

It's been a while since I've been around feedlots, but you can feed alfalfa or other feed to livestock in a feedlot, no. In other words, feedlots don't necessarily mean cornfed.

The fact that they are grown in feedlots usually implies that they are given antibiotics. It's the only way the poor beasts can survive in that environment.

What to me would be truly sad is if in addition feedlots, Argentine farmers start using corn and hormones. Corn, which is not the natural diet of bovines, increases the need for antibiotics.

Hormones and corn are what give good ''ole Merican beef" that rubbery texture. Mmmm hormones and corn. Good stuff.

Add some deep-fried GMO potatoes to that and you got yerself a good ol' americun meal right there son!

 

[PhilipDT]

I just had some delicious argentine beef for lunch. I don't know whats wrong with all of you.

Entrana horrible?
Has to be a punto?
Nothing good at super markets?
Low and slow?
Bakinging soda?

 

[Jaredberryman]

It's hard to beat the Mercado del Progreso in Caballito. The quality of the food products there is amazing, especially the beef.

 

[Jaredberryman]

I just had some delicious argentine beef for lunch. I don't know whats wrong with all of you.

Entrana horrible?
Has to be a punto?
Nothing good at super markets?
Low and slow?
Bakinging soda?

I can't believe all the complaints about the food here on these forums. It leads me to believe that expats have not been finding the right restaurants or buying their food at the right places. I've read complaints about empanadas (probably haven't tried my mother-in-law's) pizza, beef, medialunas, and you name it. Truth be told, I have eaten absolutely terrible samples of all of those. But I've also had some amazing food, too, in just about any category. Here is one thing I have found: in Argentina, you almost always get what you pay for. There is no way around it. I would say, though, that if you pay, Argentina has some of the best food in S. America.

 

[khairyexpat]

I can't believe all the complaints about the food here on these forums. It leads me to believe that expats have not been finding the right restaurants or buying their food at the right places. I've read complaints about empanadas (probably haven't tried my mother-in-law's) pizza, beef, medialunas, and you name it. Truth be told, I have eaten absolutely terrible samples of all of those. But I've also had some amazing food, too, in just about any category. Here is one thing I have found: in Argentina, you almost always get what you pay for. There is no way around it. I would say, though, that if you pay, Argentina has some of the best food in S. America.

We probably are in agreement (if comparing to S. America).

But first , thanks for the great info, new carnecarias locations, new recipies and tips and also the history and the politics role in changing the farms and the cow feed. I got the time and going to try and experiment.

Argentina and beef are synonyms since I was a kid. It is the expectation of the norm when I came here. Of course there may be some great beef and restaurants here, but it is not the norm. Also of course in Toronto, New York or San Francisco one may have the very rare bad luck, but it will not be the norm. In Canada & US you don`t have to go out of your way to find a surf & turf with prime rib roast with gravy & all the trimmings with lobster and Alaska king crab with garlic butter. Many normal places will do (no need for the Waldorf Astoria). When I buy prime rib roast, I always get prime rib roast, (never ever I got what I paid for). Here the restaurants are magnificent with 100 / 200 tables spiffy with white table cloth and 3 / 5 customers (if any) tied up in knots and suits eating pizza with fork & knife. This is the norm here.

Here when I put meat in the oven, WATER comes out, (no drippings to make gravy). It is as if I am boiling it. It comes out "torsida" twisted as if it just had epilepsy fit.
Here garlic is disgusting, and spices are no no.

Also, I have been told that they wash meat with Clorex "Lavandina" for 2 reasons:
1. Make the grease look whiter.
2. To remove the natural taste of the meat.
Is this true?

 

[camberiu]

Here is one thing I have found: in Argentina, you almost always get what you pay for. There is no way around it. I would say, though, that if you pay, Argentina has some of the best food in S. America.

not my experience at all. i tried the very high end to the very low end and everything in between. Mediocre was the best I was able to find. Yes, there were a few decent empanadas and a decent pizza once in Recoleta. But nothing to write home about. And it most cases, the food was outright plain and completely passable. The food in Argentina is not criminally bad, it is just completely bland and soulless. Like as if it was prepared without any love or passion.

it is probably the kind of food that someone from Northern Michigan, Montana, Idaho or Wyoming would find acceptable or even good.