Frequently Asked Questions

Is Grass Fed Criollo Beef dry-aged?

How will my beef arrive?

I don't understand the DNA testing of your cattle. Can you tell me more?

What is "Finishing" a beef animal?

Can I pick up my Criollo Beef order directly at your ranch?

I have never heard of Criollo Cattle. Have you ever been in the news?

How do you pronounce Criollo, and where did the word come from?

Click on the question.

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Certified Criollo Grass Fed Beef?
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Q: Is Grass Fed Criollo Beef dry-aged?

A: Yes. Our beef is dry-aged for maximum flavor and tenderness. The time period of dry-aging is a little different for each beef side, as it depends on several factors necessary to achieve the best results. The average dry-aging time is 10 to 14 days. Return

Q: How will my beef arrive?

A: Each separate item of our beef is vacuum-sealed in a heavy-mil plastic pouch, then flash-frozen for maximum freshness. We will hand pack your order in a 1-3/4" thick foam cooler, which perfectly fits inside a heavy-duty corrugated box. We know how long your order will be in the UPS system, and pack it with the appropriate amount of dry ice to insure your order arrives in perfect condition. Return

Q: I don't understand the DNA testing of your cattle. Can you tell me more?

A: As a consumer, you can reasonably ask, "OK, HOW do you know what kind of meat a particular animal will provide until after you harvest that animal?" The industry-wide standard that provides pre-harvest information about what to expect from the meat from a particular animal is DNA testing. Specifically, Meat Quality, also known as Marbling, (a measure of the intramuscular fat to expect in the meat from any given animal) and Tenderness (how much shear force does it take to cut/chew a piece of meat from that animal) can be predicted, with high levels of confidence, from DNA testing. You can read more by clicking here.. Return

Q: What is "finishing" a beef animal?

A: Finishing is the time period when the animal is in the final stages of preparation for harvest. The difference between beef at your local grocery store and Certified Criollo Grass Fed Beef is the following:

The typical commercial operation will "finish" their beef by feeding them lots and lots of grain, in a very crowded, dirty feed lot. Anyone driving through cattle country has seen, and smelled, these facilities. Each animal is given an implant of growth hormone to accelerate the rate of gain of the animal. Each animal is fed about 25 lbs. of grain - usually corn - per day. But because of the over-crowding, each animal is also fed about 8 lbs. of antibiotics! Then, once slaughtered, the beef is cut and packaged, just as soon as the carcass is chilled enough to cut. This leaves you with grocery store beef from unknown sources, laced with antibiotic and growth hormone, and finished on an unnatural bovine diet, usually cut and packaged within 24 hours of slaughter. These animals are usually 14 to 18 months old when slaughtered.

The cows that provide Certified Criollo Grass Fed Beef spend their entire life free-roaming grass pastures with a smorgasbord of varieties of grass for the animal to choose. These animals are never given antibiotic. It is unnecessary because the animals are never crowded in their pastures. Our animals are never given growth hormones. Without the growth hormones, and the stuffing with grain, our grass-fed Criollo cattle need to be 24 to 28 months old before they mature to the point they are ready for harvest. Once harvested, each beef side is dry-aged to perfection (usually 10 to 14 days). Then, each beef side is hand-cut and trimmed into the delicious steaks and beef products we offer our customers. Return

Q: Can I pick up my Criollo Beef order directly at your ranch?

A: Yes! During "Checkout", you can select "Pick Up your order at the Jandal Ranch". If you make this selection, you will see the shipping charges removed for the final order verification. After we receive your order, we will arrange with you to pick-up your order. We really enjoy meeting our customers face-to-face! Return

Q: I have never heard of Criollo Cattle. Have you ever been in the news?

A: Yes! You can read and view several articles written about our Criollo Cattle and Beef. Just click here to see our "Media" page. Return

Q: How do you pronounce Criollo, and where did the word come from?

A: Criollo is prononuced krēē-ō-yō. Criollo comes form the word Creole, or "from the old country". Criollo cattle are the same breed of cattle brought to the new world by Columbus and other early explorers. Return