About the Hungarian gray cattle 

The Hungarian gray cattle as a symbol of Hortobágy is a legally protected domestic animal native to Hungary. Our Hungaricum is a world famous beautiful animal of imposing appearance, pious nature, radiating calm and strength. There has been a lot of research on its origin. To the best of our knowledge, there are breeding data from around the 14th century that can be proven to be related to the keeping of the Hungarian gray cattle known today. 

From these times with its excellent properties, it has dominated European meat markets for centuries. On the established trade routes, the animals were driven to the markets of the hajdús, south to the cities of Venice and Ragusa, to the west to the fairs and butchers of Vienna and Strabburg in Austria, and to Nuremberg, Regensburg, Ulm, Augsburg and Munich in Germany. 

We know from the Nuremberg Protocols of the time that tens of thousand of animals were given and bought at the animal fairs of that time. It is mentioned that as long as the high quality „Hungarian cattle of the Great Plain” could be obtained on the markets, no other cattle were bought by the butchers. 

What makes the taste of this noble animal’s meat so unique and special? 

Several have already researched this and described their experiences.  In our view, this issue must first be approached from an animal husbandry perspective. These animals graze outdoors from late spring to late autumn with controlled housing technology adapted to their conditions. The muscles combine the slow growth so characteristic of the breed, the grazing with a lot of movement. 

They contribute to the health of the animal, while the aromas deposited in its muscle fibers are also incorporated into the animals’s adipose tissue so that later- during the preparation- we can make meat dishes with a special taste from them. 

About the meat of gray beef

Why is it worth eating healthy gray beef?

Gray beef meat is more compact and rich than beef of other origins due to the slower growth of the animal. Individuals intended for slaughter reach the parameters of cattle in intense fattening at the age of 16-18 months at the age of 3 to 3,5 years. 

The beneficial effect on health is that its meat has an outstandingly high iron content among red meats. It is also rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega 3 fatty acids. It is micro-marbled, extremely low in fat and therefore has a remarkably high protein content per kilogram. 

Gray beef as a raw material has been pushed out of gastronomy over the past centuries, as it has been difficult to access due to the greatly reduced herd. This includes the fact that due to its genetics, its muscles are solid and its fat percentage is extremely low. It is therefore recommended for fresh baking, steaks and whole roasts with thorough preparation (for example confit). What is especially recommended are stews, meat broths, goulash soup, quick roasts and main dishes made with steamed meat.

What makes beef so valuable in nutrition?

Beef is high in protein and contains important minerals. The viscera are rich in vitamin A, so pregnant women should only consume them in moderation, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Zinc is important because it is involved in many metabolic reactions in the body. Selenium is a component of many important enzymes and plays a role in the metabolism of thyroid hormone. 

Meat protein, like egg and milk protein is one of the proteins with the highest biological value. Rich in essential amino acids, the building blocks of vital protein. The biological value of animal proteins is generally higher than that of plant proteins. 

A biological value indicates how many grams of endogenous protein can be made up from a food protein. The biological value of beef is 92. This means that 92 g of body protein can be formed from 100 g of beef protein. A mixture of plant and animal proteins often increases the biological value. 

Fat content of beef

For many consumers, meat is a high fat and therefore energy rich food. Most of the beef comes from young bulls, they are mostly lean meats. During slaughterhouse processing, the fatty parts are cut off from the meat part sas much as possible. 100 g of lean muscle meat contains one to two percent intramuscular fat, its energy content is only 100-120 kcal. 

How long is a calf a calf?

In the past there have been many differing views among farmers between processors and other market participants as to how long a calf is a calf. To make this celar and to avoid further controversy the European Union has been regulating from 2008 which meat can be called veal. According to his, calves can be up to eight months old at the time of slaughter. 

An animal slaughtered between 9 and 12 months is called a young cattle. An exception to this regulation is the internal market of four countries(Denmark, Greece,Spain and the Netherlands) where, due to customs and cultural traditions, the term „calf” can still be used until the animal is 1 year old. 

About the veal

The flesh of these young animals is soft and tender because the muscles haven’t fully developed yet and the connective tissues are soft. The composition of veal is favorable, it contains a lot of protein, but it contains much less fat compared to beef so it must be cooked gently so that it doesn’t dry out. 

The tender texture of veal is perfect for light meals. The light pink flesh color is characteristic of different breeds of calf. Its inherent low fat consistency and high protein content make veal such an obvious choice, even if someone needs to cook dietary or pay attention to their cholesterol levels.