Heavy Western Beef ?

[chainblu]

I've often noticed some of the smaller grocery chains in my area will have specials (sometimes a "truckload special") on 'Heavy Western Beef'; T-Bones, Ribeye, etc.. A quick internet search offered the opinion that it could be Angus or Hereford beef, but it seems to me that if it was Angus, they would advertise it as such. To be honest, I've never bought any so I can't say anything about the quality of this beef as I just can't get past the idea of some old tough cow for sale.

Can anybody shed any light on this?

 

[PimTac]

Sounds like someone's idea of exaggeration.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Hmmm...PimTac may be right. I've lived here in "cattle country" all my life, and I've never heard the term.

 

[doitmyself]

Yea, there seems to be a lot of confusion about the term "Heavy Western Beef". As you state, some sources state that it refers to heavy breeds like Angus. Other sources suggests that "Heavy" refers to lots of marbling.

This source refers to heavy beef as older, less quality beef cattle: https://www.tastymeat.net/how-to-properly-handle-beef/

" there are two types of beef you need to know about. That is Young Beef, and Old, or Heavy Beef. Young Beef is what is used for the best steaks and other upper-end cuts. Young beef has more marbling, is more tender and more delicately-flavored than a full-grown animal. The majority of animals are slaughtered young, around 18 months old, or when they reach 1200-1500 pounds in weight. These constitute the bulk of Prime, Choice, and Select Grades of beef. Older animals can be slaughtered after they have bred for a few years, and are considered Old Beef. These usually end up as Standard Grade."

The important thing is that "Heavy Western Beef" is not a recognized USDA grade. It is a marketing term. Labels often influence perceptions. It might even be illegal if preceded by "USDA": https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/QAD 108.pdf

Section 6.3.1 addresses "Advertising "USDA" with unofficial grade terminology (e.g., "USDA" Heavy Western Beef, US Corn Fed Beef)"

 

[bdcardinal]

Might be better for something like a stew. I wonder how one would do being cooked sous vide.

 

[skyactiv]

Sounds like a marketing ploy.

 

[Pelican]

I would not consider Angus as a heavy breed, they are rather small, nor would the herefords. If one wants to go into heavy breeds one must look at Belgian Blue; Chianina; Piedmontese; Charolais etc, all british derived breeds would not qualify as heavy, one must look into the european ones to find heavy individuals.
Unless they mean they are heavy in western beef lines and only little bloodline from the east coast

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Sounds like the name of a band.

I guess I grew up eating Heavy Western Beef myself, since our freezer was always stocked with meat from a 10-15 year-old dairy cow.

I also remember seeing, about once a month in Eastern Colorado, a truck that said Fresh Seafood from Nebraska.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Non agnita in the #1 beef producing state.