I was in the meat department of my local supermarket yesterday looking at two apparently identical cuts of beef, but one cost exactly twice as much as the other. I asked the butcher why there was such a big price difference between the two identical-looking steaks. He told me that the more expensive one was "pen fed".

I was under the impression that in the pen was precisely where you wouldn't want your cow to be fed. I thought that something like "range fed" or "grass fed" would be something that was worth paying more for. But pen fed? What is the benefit of that? Why would anyone pay double for it? And if the expensive beef is from cows fed in a pen, where do they feed the cows from which the cheap beef comes? In inner-city slums?

If anybody has any insight into this matter, please be so kind as to enlighten me. Thanks.

My family raised Brangus for meat in the US. They get grass and corn silage for the most part.Then about 2 months to slaughter they were put in a corral and we put them on fine ground chopped corn. Starting with a small amount each day and upping it about 1/2 gal a day till they are eating about 3-5 gal or so a day each. Some ate more and some less. Along with all the hay and feed they want. It puts on a nice layer of fat. They were normally sold for slaughter at 18 - 20 months. By penning them up they would not any exercise and would build up a layer of fat and the meat would be well marbled, tender and tasty.

Here most cattle are "free range" and eat most anything that they want and normally are tough and tasteless. There are some farms that grass feed their cattle in pastures, but I've never seen beef fattened before slaughter here like they do at home. I will buy the boneless sirloin here and make ground meat and also the"hump" of the Brahma which is usually well marbled and acceptable if slowly braised. I also use the tenderloin to make "steak Tartare" and Carpaccio but hardly ever eat a steak from Thai beef.

Just like chicken, catch one of those "free range" chickens that are running around and cook it, no meat and tough as shoe leather, pen them up and feed them properly and they are juicy and tender.

My family raised Brangus for meat in the US. They get grass and corn silage for the most part.Then about 2 months to slaughter they were put in a corral and we put them on fine ground chopped corn. Starting with a small amount each day and upping it about 1/2 gal a day till they are eating about 3-5 gal or so a day each. Some ate more and some less. Along with all the hay and feed they want. It puts on a nice layer of fat. They were normally sold for slaughter at 18 - 20 months. By penning them up they would not any exercise and would build up a layer of fat and the meat would be well marbled, tender and tasty.

Here most cattle are "free range" and eat most anything that they want and normally are tough and tasteless. There are some farms that grass feed their cattle in pastures, but I've never seen beef fattened before slaughter here like they do at home. I will buy the boneless sirloin here and make ground meat and also the"hump" of the Brahma which is usually well marbled and acceptable if slowly braised. I also use the tenderloin to make "steak Tartare" and Carpaccio but hardly ever eat a steak from Thai beef.

Just like chicken, catch one of those "free range" chickens that are running around and cook it, no meat and tough as shoe leather, pen them up and feed them properly and they are juicy and tender.

Well, that explains it! Thank you very much! It never ceases to amaze me that there will be someone on Thai Visa who can explain pretty much anything.

My family raised Brangus for meat in the US. They get grass and corn silage for the most part.Then about 2 months to slaughter they were put in a corral and we put them on fine ground chopped corn. Starting with a small amount each day and upping it about 1/2 gal a day till they are eating about 3-5 gal or so a day each. Some ate more and some less. Along with all the hay and feed they want. It puts on a nice layer of fat. They were normally sold for slaughter at 18 - 20 months. By penning them up they would not any exercise and would build up a layer of fat and the meat would be well marbled, tender and tasty.

Here most cattle are "free range" and eat most anything that they want and normally are tough and tasteless. There are some farms that grass feed their cattle in pastures, but I've never seen beef fattened before slaughter here like they do at home. I will buy the boneless sirloin here and make ground meat and also the"hump" of the Brahma which is usually well marbled and acceptable if slowly braised. I also use the tenderloin to make "steak Tartare" and Carpaccio but hardly ever eat a steak from Thai beef.

Just like chicken, catch one of those "free range" chickens that are running around and cook it, no meat and tough as shoe leather, pen them up and feed them properly and they are juicy and tender.

Well, that explains it! Thank you very much! It never ceases to amaze me that there will be someone on Thai Visa who can explain pretty much anything.

i used to buy pen-fed steak back in the 80's when living in bangkok,not sure wether it was robinsons or siam-jusco both in ratchada but there was a big difference in taste and quality.as for chickens i find home fresh in the malls are superior.

My family raised Brangus for meat in the US. They get grass and corn silage for the most part.Then about 2 months to slaughter they were put in a corral and we put them on fine ground chopped corn. Starting with a small amount each day and upping it about 1/2 gal a day till they are eating about 3-5 gal or so a day each. Some ate more and some less. Along with all the hay and feed they want. It puts on a nice layer of fat. They were normally sold for slaughter at 18 - 20 months. By penning them up they would not any exercise and would build up a layer of fat and the meat would be well marbled, tender and tasty.

Here most cattle are "free range" and eat most anything that they want and normally are tough and tasteless. There are some farms that grass feed their cattle in pastures, but I've never seen beef fattened before slaughter here like they do at home. I will buy the boneless sirloin here and make ground meat and also the"hump" of the Brahma which is usually well marbled and acceptable if slowly braised. I also use the tenderloin to make "steak Tartare" and Carpaccio but hardly ever eat a steak from Thai beef.

Just like chicken, catch one of those "free range" chickens that are running around and cook it, no meat and tough as shoe leather, pen them up and feed them properly and they are juicy and tender.

Good post

FYI Pom yang Kham beef (based in Sakhon Nakhon) are pen fed for 3 months before slaughter and they age it 21 days. I was same you - never eat thai steak but I'm using their beef where I'm working plus dry ageing it around 6 days more - better than the 'Australia inspected' beef makro stock ... But obviously more expensive.

It's the only thai beef I've found comparable to western standards.

Www.thaifrenchbeef.com