Angus beef: news and curiosities for everyone!

Angus beef: what, where, when

Many talk about Angus beef, praising a unique, intense, complete and satiating flavour. Few, however, choose to go further and delve deeper into the reasons that make the breed so prestigious and continually growing.

Angus beef has Scottish origins and, up there between an endless expanse, a rocky wall and constant humidity, the ideal habitat develops to let the cattle graze and offer perfect, or almost perfect, marbling.

The meat on the palate is succulent and soft and this particular characteristic is given precisely by the origin of the breed which requires the animal to be in constant movement so as to create a perfect mix between pure meat and fat, offering marbling. Furthermore, the breed is simple to breed, which is another reason that leads to rapid expansion and the increase - even in Italy - of farms that add it to their animals.

Origin of Angus beef

Angus beef comes from the Scottish county of Angus - Aberdeen Angus and the neighboring county of Banff. The attention and prestige of the bovine breed is due to a series of factors ranging from the excellent quality of the meat to the possibility of also producing cheese and milk. In short, a multifaceted and functional solution.

However, given its being "suitable for many things" it risked making the breed disappear as the authentic flavor of the meat was not enhanced and consequently it was used for different purposes.

George Grant, Scottish by birth and citizen of Kansas by adoption, chose to bring the cattle with him and introduce the breed to America, from there a new and rapid rebirth. Adaptable to the different climates, solid and resistant, the Angus found its new habitat in America and was able to expand towards Oklahoma and Nebraska. In the same period, Australia, Argentina and the smaller Ireland also found in the cattle breed a perfect animal for meat production.

Angus meat: distinctive features

On a physical level it is easy to recognize an Angus in a herd: without horns, short hair and black - hence the other name Black Angus, more rarely red. Small in stature with short, stocky legs, an important, powerful and round trunk, the Angus cattle boasts a weight that exceeds 700 kg for females and 1000 kg for males.

The meat is rich in fat, around 20% per 100g of almost perfectly marbled meat. The sweetish and full-bodied flavor derives from the large quantity of fat which, during cooking, melts and allows the morsel to transform into a marvel of softness, juiciness and just the right amount of flavour.

However, the goodness of the meat is closely linked to the animal's breeding method which, where it takes place in a reality that practices the short supply chain, can maximize its taste and offer maximum yield. The Angus cattle breed feeds on hay and wheat and towards slaughter age there is a tendency to manage the food plan with only corn so as to optimize the flavor of the meat.

Argentine Angus cattle breed

If the characteristics are common and distinctive traits, there are variants around the world that choose to enhance one or another characteristic, making the breed unique, even if it belongs to a very specific strain. The Argentine version, more precisely in the Pampas plains, it is quite common to observe Angus cattle grazing free in the wild, where they feed exclusively on grass.

The practice allows the meat to accentuate the sweetish flavour, which is why during cooking it presents the characteristic caramelisation and is rather buttery on the palate. The marbling is very evident in Argentine Angus where the different cuts represent a perfect union between muscle, meat and fat.

Australian Angus cattle breed

The first Australian region where the Angus arrived was Tasmania, which at the beginning of the nineteenth century chose to introduce the cattle breed and transform it into a flag of the continent. The choice was dictated by the physical resistance of the animal and the possibility of raising it in a completely natural way without forcing or particular attention.

The Australian version responds to the common physical characteristics of the breeds present in other continents with the exception of one element: the dimensions, over time, have reduced following the adaptation of the animal to the new reality. The Australian Angus breed is approximately 30% smaller which becomes a peculiarity thanks to its greater physical efficiency. The meat has the typical sweetish flavor that meets a perfect marbling.

Irish Angus cattle breed

And here we are again in the old continent, where it all began we find a cattle breed that prefers breeding on the ground, on fresh, green meadows. The historical and ideal habitat of the animal that finds here, its perfect place of growth. The union between free-range breeding and fresh grass allows the meat to accentuate its sweet and soft character even more than in the Argentine climate.

Another prominent feature of the Irish variant is the lower amount of fat and low calorie content. The credit goes to the diet and climatic conditions which offer the animal a suitable and suitable environment away from atmospheric changes and seasonal differentiations.

The Angus breed in Italy

Angus is a perfect solution from which to obtain cuts of meat from the Italian tradition. In fact, the characteristics of the bovine breed allow us to enhance cuts such as the Fiorentina steak which are, for Tuscany, a real flagship.

There are other cattle breeds that are perfectly suited to fulfilling the cause, however, choosing Angus meat is a perfect and valid alternative. Among the cuts of meat obtained, in addition to fresh meat, there are also cured meats that fully respect the authentic flavor of Angus meat: bresaola or slices of bresaola are valid solutions.

Carne online Genuina offers a variant that offers the possibility of tasting different cuts, some more unusual, to bring an authentic flavor and a surprising recipe to the table, all enclosed in a convenient and practical Black Box with Black Angus crossbreed meat. You need to know and choose, and then enjoy!