Born and raised on the banks of Loch Lomond, our cattle grow slowly on a diet of 100% home grown organic grass.
At Portnellan we breed Aberdeen Angus cross cattle which are a traditional beef breed in Scotland. They have a world class reputation for producing well marbled meat which helps give it a great flavour. Angus cattle also grow well on a grass diet which is important for our organic system. During the summer the cattle graze the species rich pastures whilst in the winter they are housed and feed on silage made on the farm. This grass diet not only benefits the flavour but also increases the level of omega 3 fatty acids (which are good for you!). Unlike many beef producers, who slaughter their animals at 18 – 24 months old, we rear our animals for between 26 and 30 months, allowing them to mature and grow slowly, which again improves the flavour.
The carcass is then hung for a minimum of 21 days. This allows the flavour of the meat to develop and gives it a wonderful rich dark red colour. Once butchered the beef is vacuum packed and returned to the farm where we store it at -25 °C so that it is perfectly preserved.
So why does Portnellan beef taste so good?
Our beef has an outstanding flavour – many of our customers tell us it’s the best they’ve had which is the ultimate compliment! The main reasons for this are:
- The animals grow slowly
- They are well handled – this keeps stress to a minimum
- Our cattle are fed only home grown organic grass
- Stress is kept to an absolute minimum before slaughter
- Our beef is hung for a minimum of 21 days
Please contact us if you would like any more information about our beef.