Flanders Beef, everything you need to know

Hailing from Belgium, Belgian white blue beef is known for its lean exterior, yet ultra-rich flavor. Let’s dive into the characteristics of this delicious Belgian delicacy.

In many cases, marbling means flavor. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth when talking about Belgian Blue beef. Belgian Blue, also known as Blanc-Bleu Belge, is a unique type of beef with very characteristic traits. Because Belgian Blue beef as a very lean exterior, people understandably confuse it to be bland and kind of underwhelming in taste. Yet, Belgian Blue beef is praised and used by many star chefs in the world due to its intense flavor characteristics and buttery smooth texture.

The cattle

Belgian Blue is a cattle breed from Belgium. The name comes from the exterior of cattle, ranging from fully white cattle to cattle that show white and black and blue spots. These cows look quite intimidating, as they are extremely muscular and sculpted. This phenomenon is described as ‘double-muscled’, which is basically a genetic trait that causes muscles to be significantly increased in size. As muscles are developed in a very refined manner, it causes the beef to be extremely lean, juicy and tender. Cattle are also known to be ‘double-purpose’, which means that they can be both used for beef and dairy production.

The history

The Belgian Blue breed emerged from crossbreeding Shorthorn and Durham cattle with local Belgian cattle breeds around the 19^th century. Not long after, Shorthorn was slowly taken out of the breeding program, which benefitted significantly for the quality of Belgian Blue beef. After centuries of perfecting the bloodline and optimizing breeding conditions, Belgian Blue now finds itself at the pinnacle in terms of purity and quality.

Tasting notes

As mentioned earlier, Belgian Blue beef has nearly no marbling at all. There’s a big chance that beef lovers who love Japanese A5 Wagyu, Sashi Beef and other types of intensely marbled beef could be deceived when seeing this product in an online beef store. However, make no mistake! Belgian Blue beef is incredibly rich in taste. In terms of texture, one can expect a smooth and effortless sensation. As you chew, you’ll be surprised by the explosion of juices that are unleashed upon you. You’re left with a delightful tasting experience that will surely leave a long-lasting impression.

Health benefits

One would think that eating beef has little benefits for our body, but if you’d have to pick one beef breed to boost health levels, it would have to be Belgian Blue beef! This Beef is rich in high biological quality protein, in vitamins B3 and B12 and in iron and zinc and has less cholesterol than skinless chicken.

Flanders Beef

There are several farms in Belgium that produce their own Belgian Blue beef. While having several top farms with excellent quality, Flanders Beef stands out between them all, which hails from the Haspengouw region. Haspengouw is situated in the south of Limburg, also referred to as ‘Flemish Tuscany’. The region is well known for its fertile soil and its specific, mild micro climate. It is the region that Flanders Beef cattle call home, where they peacefully reside their entire life span.

Conclusion

As the saying goes: ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’, a true beef lover should really try Belgian Blue beef, which is nothing short of amazing. While Belgium is known for its beer, chocolate and fries, the country produces another delicacy that is worth the try. Are you curious to find out? Shop the best Belgian Blue beef here!