Hereford
Bos taurus · Meat
Top 10 pairings
The Hereford, from the English county of the same name on the Welsh border, is the great grass converter: a hardy, docile red-and-white breed that finishes to a good fat cover on forage alone, at lighter weights than the continental breeds. Its marbling is moderate rather than Angus-heavy, its grain is fine, and grass finishing leaves the fat yellower with carotene and the flavour greener and more mineral.
Picking a good onedrag
Freshly cut, cherry-red, firmOff: tacky, slimy, smelling wrong
Counter freshEveryday bestSear, roast or braise, but mince needs 160°F (71°C). Pregnant? Cook all meat through.
ColourRed, a brownish cast under lights
Touch the surfaceMoist and clean, still not sticky
SmellMild, clean, faintly meaty
These cues are Beef's, and hold across its varieties; where this one differs, its own page says so.