What’s Special About Black Angus?
From Burger Fi to Hardee’s, it’s hard to miss the excitement over Black Angus. But what is Black Angus? Is it really better? As a locally-owned store that raises its own cattle, Ward’s Supermarket is here to explain.
What is Black Angus?
Surprisingly, Black Angus doesn’t refer to a cut or grade of beef or how cattle are raised. It refers to specific breeds of cattle – Red Angus and Black Angus.
Angus cattle (or Aberdeen Angus as they’re sometimes known) originated from the county of Angus in Scotland. The breed roamed around the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus as early as the sixteenth century, but in the early 1800s, a Scotsman named Hugh Watson began to develop the breed.
The early Angus cattle (then referred to as “doddies”) had varied colored markings and broken color patterns. Some had horns, and others did not. When Watson received his first group of cattle (six cows and one bull), he favored the deep black of the bull and decided to breed his herd for the black color and other strong attributes. Thus, the Black Angus breed was born.
Following Watson, several other Scotsmen contributed to building the breed. Black Angus grew in popularity, and in 1873, the first Black Angus arrived in North America. George Grant carried four bulls with him into Kansas and soon bred them with Texas longhorn cows, creating offspring that were polled (hornless), black, heavier, and better prepared for winter. Since then, Black Angus has become one of the most popular breeds of cattle in the US.
Why Choose Black Angus
Generally, Black Angus tastes better and is more tender than other beef. This is attributed to the meat’s marbling – a trait that Black Angus is known for. In marbled meat, the fat is distributed thinly and evenly, which leads to consistent flavor, juiciness, and flavor. Black Angus is flavorful, easy to cook with, and available at most supermarkets.
Black Angus at Ward’s
At Ward’s, we grow our own Black Angus. Billy Ward, the Ward’s patriarch and son of the founders, raises Black Angus cattle on his farm not far from Ward’s, so we know the quality of our beef. We stay away from antibiotics and growth hormones. Our pasture-fed cattle are part of our Ward’s Supermarket family.
In addition to our own Black Angus beef, we also carry a variety of other meats. Stop by the store today and talk to Bryan Ward, our meat manager, for more information.
