DAY 82: How Do I Shop For Paleo Meat?

I found this clip on Bob’s Blog when researching how to Grocery Shop for Paleo Meat. Bob writes about where to buy grass-fed, pasture raised, and wild caught meats.

However I got a lot of value from reading the article How to choose great Meat from your butcher by paleolifestyle.com.

How to choose great meat from your butcher

When choosing meat at your butcher’s, other than how it was fed (choose naturally fed and grass fed) or treated (choose free-range and antibiotic free), also look at the meat your buying and look for cuts that look dry, have a deep red to purplish color and are marbled with fat with an extra creamy fat layer on top. Of course, with pork or chicken, it won’t be marbled, but good cuts of pork should have a good layer of fat on the exterior (exception made for lean cuts like the tenderloin). The more fat a cut of meat has, the more moisture it will hold when cooked. You’ll want to choose meat that look dry because wet meat often hasn’t been hung long enough and will lose most of its juices in the cooking process. Hanging an animal makes the muscle fibers break down and the meat gets more tender.”

Right – So now I understand that grass-fed meat is good – but how do I know if the meat I am buying/eating is grass-fed?

When shopping at my local grocery store I have been consciously checking the meat that I am choosing. I look for the ‘organic’ labels and try to make the best choice.

Here is a picture of the beef I purchased today:

This beef is

• labeled ‘healthy organic’
• in different packaging (It is packaged green unlike other meats in the grocery store)
• states ‘hormone free’
• states “All our livestock has been free ranged on pure pastures and reared as close as possible to the way nature intended. The result is succulent full flavoured meat higher in nutrients and omega 3. At Cleavers we only accept certified organic meat. Our certification number is the absolute guarantee of the products organic status.”
• for more information go to www.organicmeat.com.au

I visited the Cleavers website to find more information and to see if this beef has been grass-fed yet it is difficult to find that information at all.

So now I’m confused – I thought I was making the right purchase when buying Cleaver’s Organic Beef – but I don’t know if it is grass-fed. This leads me to believe that it is not grass-fed and that I need to look a bit harder – perhaps outside of my local grocery store.

Next stop, the local butcher to ask some questions.

Until tomorrow,

Sia