Why We Grain-Finish Our Beef

What grain adds

Marbling. Grain increases the fat between muscle fibers, the white flecks in a ribeye. Marbling is what makes a steak tender and juicy.
A milder flavor. Grain-finished beef tastes richer and less earthy than 100% grass-fed.
Consistency. Grain smooths out seasonal swings in the pasture. Beef is more alike from animal to animal and year to year.
Forgiveness in the pan. With more marbling, a steak cooked to medium is still tender.

Our cattle never leave pasture to get it. They eat about 1% of their body weight in grain once a day and are back grazing within ten minutes. What that means in practice.

What it gives up

Studies suggest 100% grass-fed beef may have somewhat more omega-3s and CLA. Grain has to be grown, which takes cropland that a grass-only animal would not need. And grain-finished beef is less distinct from conventional beef in flavor. If those matter more to you than tenderness, 100% grass-fed is a good choice. See the comparison.

Finishing is only part of beef quality

Age at harvest. Younger cattle tend to be milder and more tender. We harvest ours at about 18 to 19 months.
Breed. We raise Red Angus and Hereford.
Aging. Matt's Custom Meats dry-ages every share 14 to 21 days, which develops flavor and tenderness.
Low-stress harvest. Mobile slaughter happens at the ranch, so the cattle are not trucked first. Stress before slaughter can lower meat quality.

Common questions

Does grain-finishing ruin the benefits of pasture?: No. The cattle spend their lives on pasture, and the grain ration is small and given on pasture. Studies suggest a grain-finished animal may have somewhat less omega-3 and CLA than a 100% grass-fed one, but the difference is small.
How much marbling should I expect?: Moderate: more than grass-finished, less than feedlot beef. Think of the grocery store's middle grade, not its top one.
Does finishing affect ground beef?: Less than it affects steaks and roasts. Ground beef mixes the fat through, so the difference is subtle.
Why not just do 100% grass-fed?: We want steaks that stay tender and flavor that repeats from year to year. Most customers cook beef the usual way. It is a judgment call, and we say so on the comparison page.

Fall 2026 beef shares are sold out

Send us a note and we'll get back to you when next season's shares open.