Costa Rica Beef

Facts about beef in Costa Rica

• Costa Rica is not recognized for the quality of it’s beef- at least not in the gastronomic eyes of North Americans and Western Europeans.
• Gringos who know Costa Rican beef claim its some of the worst meat they have ever eaten.
• The growth in Costa Rica’s meat consumption is partly due to producers’ work to improve meat quality.
• Buying meat in Costa Rica can be like a lottery – unless one has a trusted carnicero there is always doubt whether the meat will be tender and succulent or tough as shoe leather- hence the nickname “mystery meat” – especially when buying from a pulpería.
• Most beef consumed here in Costa Rica has not been aged- and for that reason- frequently has a “metallic” taste- not very tender- and lacks a typical beef flavor.