Taste of Beef

Member since 15 May 2022

timozmanNew member20 May 2022 02:50:53

So - in March of 2021, wife and I spent 5 days at the Secrets Resort in Punta Cana, all inclusive. We found the beef there to have an unpleasant taste. Given we both love a good cheeseburger and a good steak, this concerns us. I have poked around, and have found conflicting opinions. Some say food at all inclusives is the worst you will find in country.

What are your opinions? Does the beef have an unpleasant, or did we just hit at a bad time, or............????

Thanks!!

Tippj Serial expat

Member since 12 February 2022

TippjSerial expat20 May 2022 03:25:55

564

Yes I found that when I ordered a hamburger 🍔 at a restaurant in playa Dorado on the north coast I got violently sick , and someone informed me that’ a lot of restaurants

were hurt during the pandemic….. so they really will freeze food for up to six months because they very rarely throw food out ,,,, plus there’s no board of health checking on them and no FDA for oversight…… so now I’m really careful when ordering and try to stay with the items or dishes that move a lot so the turn over in stock is more frequent

timozman New member

Member since 15 May 2022

timozmanNew member20 May 2022 10:22:39

@Tippj

Thanks. We didnt get sick, just didnt like the taste. We are heading to the North Coast in Sep, debating whether I want to give it another go. I love seafood, but to not have a good steak readily available will be painful.

DominicanadaMike ViP

Member since 21 July 2015

DominicanadaMikeViP20 May 2022 10:50:09

1049

There could be a few explanations... At an all inclusive I rarely take meat from the buffet. If you have the option to select your meat and have them cook it while you wait, that is the way to go. Secondly, Dominican beef is terrible! It is tough like shoe leather. It doesn't seem to matter how it looks in the grocery store but the only way to cook it and have it tender that I have found is by cooking it in a slow cooker with pineapple and some other natural tenderizers. Imported beef is the only way to go for me if you want a good steak on the BBQ. However, since COVID, imported is getting more difficult and more expensive so I am sure the resorts are suffering and having to deal with that. Most likely with a mix of beef from DR and imported...

Getting sick at the resorts is not a new phenomena. After many years of going thru that at the resorts I believe it is caused from several different factors. One, you over eat and drink and your system is not used to it. Two, you ate something that has been sitting out too long and picked up some bad bacteria. Three, combine over eating with the hot sun and climate and you could get sick and of course heavy consumption of alcohol combined with the climate equals dehydration and getting sick.

I found a good solution to the stomach problems where you find yourself running for the toilet. Go to the bar (the more upscale one) and ask for a la bomba. It's non-alcoholic and within 10 minutes you will feel like new again. It's a mix of a freshly squeezed lime, a tsp of salt and a table spoon of Angostura bitters. I keep it on hand always...just in case. Works like a charm

That's my take...

sberger50 Active member

Member since 06 July 2021

sberger50Active member20 May 2022 11:58:49

I am not sure, but doubt if the DR has feedlots, like there are in the US. Our US meat is from much younger cattle that are fattened up with grains prior to being slaughtered and sent to markets. DR meats are probably from older cull cattle that will not have the marbling fats like the US meats. Hence the difference in taste. Any meats not cared for properly can cause you to get sick.

planner Dominican Republic Expert

Member since 27 December 2010

Dominican Republic Expert

plannerDominican Republic Expert20 May 2022 14:01:14

17268

I agree the beef here tastes different. Outside the resorts I only go to good quality restaurants if I want a beef dish. I want imported beef when I get that craving! There are many restaurants to get it and imported beef is widely available in grocery stores! You just have to be willing to pay the price!

DominicanadaMike ViP

Member since 21 July 2015

DominicanadaMikeViP20 May 2022 14:36:32

1049

yes, like 1600 pesos per lb for ribeye!

planner Dominican Republic Expert

Member since 27 December 2010

Dominican Republic Expert

plannerDominican Republic Expert20 May 2022 15:34:52

17268

Yes its crazy. I buy my imported beef at Pricemart. I've not been disappointed!

DRVisitor Serial expat

Member since 20 December 2019

DRVisitorSerial expat20 May 2022 20:03:20

722

All inclusives the food is generally bad so eating steak from there better off staying home. I remember recently staying at Senators Puerta Plata and all the food with all inclusive was some of the worst ever

which included the breakfast. People like the sound of all inclusive especially for liquor so it is tolerated.

Agree steak overall is not great but for the most part I like the churrasco.

Guest2022 Guest

Guest2022Guest20 May 2022 21:23:17

#10

Dominican cattle are grass fed and the beef will be leaner with less fat than that of grain fed american cattle. It tastes different - richer- and needs to be cooked more slowly otherwise it becomes tough.

North Americans clearly much prefer the taste of beef they have been accustomed in steaks and burgers and importing seems the answer.

Dominicans don't eat much beef nor do I, and for me the local lean beef works well in Dominican dishes which are often slow cooked.

DominicanadaMike ViP

Member since 21 July 2015

DominicanadaMikeViP20 May 2022 21:41:25

#11

1049

Very true Lennox. Hence the reason its tough like shoe leather. On the other hand, much healthier for you than North American beef, because lets not forget the hormones and steroids in NA beef.

DRVisitor Serial expat

Member since 20 December 2019

DRVisitorSerial expat21 May 2022 01:35:20

#12

722

Interesting because I did have had few rib eyes that was very fatty probably imported in but much fatty than even in US.

Guest2022 Guest

Guest2022Guest21 May 2022 13:41:12

#13

sberger50 pointed out that the cattle culled here for meat are older in general.

Also the majority of cows in DR are daily cattle and the predominant breeds are Gyr and Girolando with some Fresian, Jersey and Holstein. The Gyr is a tropical breed common in India and Africa. The meat from the dairy cattle bulls is often being used for the meat and normally old. I see them daily loaded in twos in the backs of the gated small Toyota pick ups coming from the many cattle farms nearby.

Some farms have been cross breeding with Aberdeen angus beef cattle and Brangus local beef is apparently good (according to social media Americans) and can be found at Supermercado Nacional and cost significantly less than imported certified angus beef.

http://www.brangus.com.do/quienes-somos/

https://supermercadosnacional.com/t-bon … 88032.html

https://supermercadosnacional.com/culot … 88037.html

You can get good select carne de rez criolla if you have a good butcher. For those in Piantini, Santo Domingo try Carne & Co. I believe they have a restaurant now on Sarasota in Bella Vista but not sure if the butcher outlet too. I have eaten with my steak loving friends in C & C in Piantini and they were impressed with the criolla steaks. They too like the criolla cuts served in Asaderos Los Argentinos next to the El Embajador hotel in Bella Vista.

https://www.facebook.com/carneyco/

https://www.facebook.com/asaderolosargentinos/

But the message here is that beef is not a main meat here and less so steaks, so if that is important, you will need to import or find a a good butcher. And when at AI's opt for something different than steak and burgers or be disappointed.