Grass Finished South Poll: Our On-Tap Selection

You've never had beef from India, Africa, or the Caribbean? South Poll can solve that for you with one delicious bite. We’re sure that you’ve never heard of South Poll, so allow us to give you a little bit of education before we tell you what to look for in the eating experience.

South Poll is a composite breed, meaning that it was bred from other existing breeds to produce a stable breed of its own. It was developed in Alabama by…wait for it…the bassist for the country music supergroup, “Alabama”. That’s right, when Teddy Gentry wasn’t busy playing in sold-out arenas and producing number-one hits as the top-selling country music group of all time, he was apparently developing a new cattle breed.

So what’s special about this breed? Two things. First, these cows were bred to work perfectly in the South. Their red hide helps them deal with the heat, their dense hair follicles help resist pests, and their ability to breed easily makes them a top choice for quality calves.

Second, they were bred specifically to finish on grass, which is almost unheard of. Almost every cow born in America ultimately goes into a grain finishing system. That means that once they’re fully grown, they are fed to become fat on grain, which is the key to good beef.

South Polls are different. They have been bred to be efficient, and therefore finish easily, on our Southern grasses, which are some of the best in the world. While most breeds need grain for a quality finish, South Polls are fine doing it on salad alone.

South Polls are also known for their ecological benefits. Since this is our most efficient breed, we need less grass per cow. We can also raise more of them because they’re a smaller breed than most others. Rapid grazing and not having to bring in grain make this the perfect choice for those who want their beef to have a regenerative effect on the environment.

South Polls also offer a great eating experience. The flavor is robust, but not overpowering. It’s a reflection of the quality grasses, legumes, and forbs that these animals were raised on. They were also developed from the beginning for tenderness. They are marbled about the same as most grocery store meat, but typically not as much as our Angus cattle. These would typically grade as a mid to low choice steak based on our fatty acid testing. The flavor is sometimes described as bold and memorable. Some people who grew up on beef raised by a parent or grandparent tell us that it reminds them of that traditional flavor.

The South Polls also get our highest marks in health benefits. Their fatty acid tests are amazing, with Omega 6:Omega 3 ratios close to 1:1…the same as sardines. They’re low in saturated fats and high in unsaturated (good) fats.

Because it’s so well rounded, we’ve made it one of our two “On Tap” varieties; types of beef that are the foundation of Hi Brau Beef and that we always try to keep in stock. If flavor, health, and environmental benefits are a concern, this may be the choice for you.