What's Your Beef?

So, the holidays are coming quick and you think to yourself, “What do I get when I purchase beef from Kowalski’s?” Let us answer that question for you.

There are a lot of beef programs on the market, and it can be a challenge to know exactly what you are getting. While some taste good, they have a narrower flavor profile (think dry aged) and others are pretty questionable on flavor, quality and how sure are you that these animals are humanely raised?

We are proud to partner with Creekstone Beef out of Arkansas City, Kansas to bring you two grades of beef that are a cut above the rest. Our partnership with Creekstone Beef allows us to bring you beef that has never ever been given antibiotics or growth stimulants and most importantly, they are certified humane! This means that the beef you purchase from Kowalski’s is some of the cleanest, and most humanely treated on the market.

Choice and Prime grades are on the higher end of the grading scale, and we are proud to offer these grades in multiple cuts! Choice grade is the vast majority of what we offer and simply means that the marbling in the beef is not as present as in our Prime grade. Choice grading represents about 45% of the national average, while at Creekstone farms that number increases to upwards of 65%! Prime grade beef represents 1-2% of the national average, while at Creekstone Farms that number is consistently between 25-30%!

So, why does this happen? A number of things can affect the quality of the beef, but ultimately it comes from superior genetics, and humane handling. The time spent doing things right instead of fast can make all the difference in the world. Creekstone has built a reputation on quality, humanely raised product and the result is that on average, 95% of the beef grades out at least Choice or higher while the national average is 75%.

So, what is the difference between “naturally raised” and a program like Creekstone’s never/ever program? The new standard for naturally raised changed this past year to simply mean: minimally processed. That’s it. It has nothing to do with growth stimulants, growth hormones, or the use of antibiotics. That standard now has many people believing that all beef is the same, and it isn’t. Creekstone’s never/ever program is a giant step above the national average. Creekstone’s animals in this program have never ever received antibiotics, growth hormones, or growth stimulants during the entire life of the animal, and have been this way for many, many years. They continue to work to achieve the best, most sustainable practices while trying to stay ahead of the national average, just one of many reasons why we partner with them.

We hope this brought some clarity to your holiday planning. Please don’t hesitate to call the butchers at your local Kowalski's market with any questions, or to place an order. You can also place on online order to pick up at your local market!