SANUSVERSUS EXCLUSIVE – Steak

Why a Hödl steak is no ordinary steak

Not all steaks are created equal. What lies in the supermarket as "beef" has as much in common with what Hödl delivers as an industrial wine does with a Grand Cru. The difference isn't in the marketing — it's in three generations of craftsmanship, in in-house slaughtering, in dry aging, and in animals that have lived a life true to their nature.

Why free-range beef — and what intensive farming does to meat

The nutrient profile of a steak is largely determined by the animal's diet and husbandry — not by the chef.

Grass-fed beef: up to 5 times more Omega-3 — Cattle that eat grass produce meat with significantly higher Omega-3 content than grain-fed animals. According to the Journal of Animal Science (2010), grass-fed beef contains up to 5 times more alpha-linolenic acid — the difference is measurable and scientifically proven.
CLA: only in meat from grass-fed ruminants — conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) occurs naturally in the rumen of grass-fed animals. Intensively farmed cattle produce hardly any CLA. Grass-fed beef contains up to 3 times higher CLA levels — associated with reduced body fat percentage and improved immune function.
No prophylactic antibiotic use — Free-range farming with sufficient space, natural diet, and low stress levels massively reduces disease pressure. Hödl's suppliers use antibiotics exclusively in documented cases of illness.
Low-stress slaughter: no cortisol in the meat — Stress during transport and before slaughter increases the animal's cortisol levels and leads to PSE meat (pale, soft, exudative) — pale, soft, watery. Short transport routes and calm slaughter conditions are directly reflected in the result.

Why Dry Aged — and what really happens during maturation

Dry aging is not a trend — it is the traditional method of meat maturation that was displaced by industrial wet aging (vacuum bags). Hödl does it as it has always been done: slowly, openly, controllably.

Enzymatic breakdown: tenderness through time — during dry aging, endogenous enzymes (cathepsins, calpains) break down muscle proteins. The result: a tenderness that cannot be replicated by any marinade or sous-vide treatment. At least 21 days for an initial effect, 28–45 days for premium quality.
Moisture loss concentrates the flavor — Dry aged meat loses 15–30% of its weight due to evaporation. What remains is concentrated flavor — nutty, complex, with a depth that wet aging never achieves. This is also why dry aged is more expensive: less weight, more effort, more flavor.
Noble mold as a protective layer — during dry aging, a natural mold crust (Thamnidium) forms, which protects the meat from harmful germs and simultaneously produces enzymes that support the maturation process. This crust is removed before sale — it is part of the process, not the product.
Wet aging: the industrial compromise — 95% of supermarket meat is wet aged — in vacuum bags, in its own acidity. Faster, cheaper, but without the flavor complexity of dry aging. The sour taste of vacuum-packed meat is a direct result of this method.

Why Hödl — three generations, in-house slaughter, Viennese craftsmanship

Hödl is one of the last butcher shops in Vienna with in-house slaughter — a rarity that has almost disappeared in modern meat production. What this means: complete control over every step from the live animal to the finished steak.

In-house slaughter: control over the entire chain — most butchers buy already slaughtered and butchered meat from wholesalers. Hödl slaughters themselves — this means: known origin, controlled slaughter conditions, no anonymous goods from a central slaughterhouse. Hödl knows exactly what comes in.
Three generations of craftsmanship — the knowledge of maturation, butchering, and quality assessment is passed down from generation to generation at Hödl. No algorithm and no quality management system replaces the experienced eye of a butcher who knows what a well-aged piece of meat looks, smells, and feels like.
Direct supplier relationships with selected farmers — Hödl knows its suppliers personally. Every animal is traceable — breed, farm, husbandry method, slaughter date. No anonymous goods, no obfuscation of origin.
Traditional recipes without additives — Sausages and cold cuts according to Viennese tradition: without artificial flavors, without excessive phosphates, without flavor enhancers. The difference to industrial sausages is noticeable at the first bite — and confirmed in the ingredient list.
Vienna to you: short cold chain — no long transport across half of Europe. Freshness at Hödl is not a marketing statement but a logistical reality.

Best in combination

Dry Aged Steak + Styrian pumpkin seed oil or organic olive oil — a dash of cold-pressed oil over the finished steak enhances flavor perception and provides fat-soluble antioxidants.
Steak + Hay milk butter — the classic finishing touch: butter over the hot steak — fat as a flavor carrier, lactic acid as a contrast to the meat's savoriness.
Steak + Fresh salads — Red beet salad & Coleslaw — the classic side dish for steak: naturally fermented salads from Lower Austria provide vitamin C, which further increases the absorption of heme iron from the beef — and lactic acid, which aids digestion.
Steak + Organic BBQ Grill Rub with mountain herbs — Mountain herbs as a natural marinade: no artificial flavors, no glutamates — the essential oils of the herbs form a protective layer during grilling and reduce the formation of acrylamide and heterocyclic amines.
Steak + Nuts or seeds as a side dish — animal heme iron from beef has a bioavailability of 15–35% — significantly higher than plant-based iron. Combined with vitamin C-rich side dishes, absorption increases further.