Nutrition

Longhorn beef beats the birds and bison too!

Nutritional Facts

Natural Lean Longhorn Beef is definitely good news for your healthy lifestyle.

Our natural grass fed Longhorn lean beef is one of the healthiest meat choices for today’s health conscious consumer. They are lower in saturated fat than most beef, lower in calories and cholesterol than chicken, tender and great tasting. We sell our fresh ground beef in air tight packages for $ 6 a pound and will deliver it from Winnsboro, Texas to Dallas, Texas. USDA inspected and will be the leanest and best ground beef you have ever tasted. Just call us at 512-466-5917

Longhorn cattle are “naturally lean.” This does not mean they don’t have fat. Longhorn meat is just not as marbled as regular beef. Nor does it mean they lack flavor. It does mean that the butcher does not usually have to trim as much fat from around the outside of the cut.

What health professionals say about natural lean beef:

“Adding the healthy, friendly essential fats for cell wall integrity; lowering the bad cholesterol, triglyceride and blood sugar levels; raising the good cholesterol – you’re going to find all of that is possible by adding omega-3s, like those found in pasture-raised longhorn beef, to your diet,” Sheats said. “By putting good, healthy food into your system, the quality of life of Type II diabetics or people with high cholesterol and blood pressure can improve dramatically. And the best part with longhorn beef is that it tastes great. With the proper diet and exercise plan, now you can eat beef, totally guilt-free, and really watch your blood chemistry and body composition improve.”
“Red meat is really a treasure trove of nutrients, including protein, iron, vitamin B12, and more. One of the healthiest red meats is Longhorn beef, which is extremely low in fat.”

Cliff Sheets, certified clinical nutritionist, and nationally recognized author or Lean Bodies, Total Fitness.

“Lean beef is good for you – and the key word is lean. A heart patient can eat steak every meal if it is in the right proportions. Longhorn meat on the average, contains 10 percent less saturated fat than that of other cattle. That puts lean Longhorn beef on par with skinned boneless white meat of chicken and that fact may come as a surprise to many dieticians.”

Dr. Joseph Graham, Cardiovascular Surgeon at St. John’s Medical Center in Joplin, Missouri, and a Longhorn breeder himself.

Does grass-fed beef have any heart-health benefits that other types of beef don’t?

“Grass-fed beef typically comes from cattle that eat only grass and other foraged foods throughout their lives. Often, conventional beef and dairy cattle eat a diet that includes grains, such as corn, at some point. The difference in the diets of the cattle changes the nutrients and fats you get from eating the different types of beef.

-Grass-fed beef may have some heart-health benefits that other types of beef don’t have. When compared with other types of beef, grass-fed beef may have:
-Less total fat
-More heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids
-More conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fat that’s thought to reduce heart disease and cancer risks
-More antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamin E”

Martha Grogan, M.D., Mayo Clinic.

Including natural lean Longhorn beef in a heart-healthy diet can positively impact blood cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that eating lean beef can help increase “good” cholesterol and reduce “bad” cholesterol in people with elevated cholesterol levels. It is also high in protein, zinc, Vitamin B12, and iron and provides 20-30% of the recommended daily allowance of selenium for men and women.

Cooking Tips

Cooking Suggestions

-Longhorn beef cooks quickly due to its low fat content. Since fat acts as an insulator, heat must penetrate the fat before it cooks the meat. Therefore, with less fat the quicker the meat will cook. Longhorn beef is best when it is not overcooked.
-There is little shrinkage in Longhorn beef resulting in nearly the same size you started with.
-Longhorn beef usually contains enough natural fat so you don’t need additional fat to cook it. However, depending on the meat cut and the pan, you may need to spray it with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking.
-When broiling use slightly frozen steaks for more juiciness and position the meat 3-4 inches from the heat. Remember to watch is closely to achieve the desired doneness.
-When grilling the meat, use a medium-hot fire. If you’re looking for extra flavor, try adding damp mesquite or apple or other wood chips of your choice. Be sure to watch the meat carefully as it cooks quickly.
-Cooking Longhorn beef roasts at 275 degrees F or lower will maximize flavor and tenderness.

Reasons why cooking meat slowly works

-Using a meat thermometer will yield better results in monitoring desired doneness. It is recommended that ground beef have an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Why slow cooking makes meat tender
-Enzymes are a type or protein. One of its functions is to reprocess other proteins. In meat, these enzymes are a catalyst that increase the rates of chemical reaction. To some extent this effects the consistency, texture, and color of the meat.
-Two enzymes dominate this process: cathepsins and calpains. Calpains break down the proteins that hold muscle fibers in place. Cathepsins break down many meat proteins, filaments that contract, and molecules that support and can also weaken the collagen in the muscles’ connective tissue. There are also thought to cause a meatier flavor and encourage the formulation of amino acids and peptides as muscle breaks down.
-Tenderizing occurs as proteins are broken down. This activity level is largely based on temperature. At 32º to 40º F for refrigerated dry aging, the process is slow and may take as much as 30 days. This rate increases with temperature until you reach 122º. That’s when the process stops. Consequently, slow cooking meat just under 122º is a great encouragement to tender and flavorful meat.
Taken from Cook’s Illustrated The Science of Good Cooking