Cooking Grass fed Beef

Do

Don’t

Chef’s Tip

Enjoy your naturally tender, wonderfully flavorful grass fed  beef with family and friends!

Remember grass fed beef is meant for Rare to Medium Rare cooking.

Choose beef recipes that show off the natural, rich and delicate flavors of grass fed beef.

Don't overcook!

The primary culprit for tough grass fed beef is overcooking.

Treat it like game (think "venison").

Rare is King!

Grass fed beef is as low in fat as chicken breast.

If you insist on Well Done, then cook your grass fed beef at very low temperatures in a sauce to add moisture (because the fat content is so low).

Bring your grass fed beef to room temperature before cooking .   

Do not cook your grass fed beef cold straight from a refrigerator.

Never use a microwave to thaw your grass fed beef.

Thaw your beef in the refrigerator.

For quick thawing, place your vacuum sealed package in cold water for a few minutes.

Always use tongs.  

Never use a fork to turn your beef or precious juices will be lost.

Prevent sticking by basting your meat with Virgin Olive Oil (or a favorite light oil) before it goes on any grill or pan.

Steaks

Chef’s Tip

Do...

Marinate your steaks before cooking (for up to 24 hours) - especially lean cuts like New York and Top Sirloin Steak.

Baste to add moisture throughout the grilling process.

Don’t...

Never go straight from the package to the grill.

Choose a marinade recipe that does not mask the delicate flavor of grass fed beef but enhances the moisture content.

A great choice is any marinade using lemon, vinegar, wine, beer, or bourbon.

Always marinate in the refrigerator for safety.

Pound your steak a few times if you do not have time to marinate.

Place on a solid surface and cover with a towel or waxed paper. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or whatever you feel is safe and convenient, and pound two or three times.

Don't go overboard and flatten your beef unless your recipe calls for it.

Coat your thawed steak with your favorite rub.

Your favorite rub will be pushed into your grass fed beef as an added benefit of pounding.

Use a very hot fire.

When grilling, sear the steak quickly (20-30 seconds) over high heat on each side to seal in its natural juices and

After searing, reduce the heat to medium or low and then try 3-4 minutes for the first side and 2-3 minutes for the second.

Remember you can always go back to the grill if your steak is too Rare, but not vice versa!

Don't forget grass fed beef requires 30 percent less cooking time - frequently use the touch test.

Don't cook slowly over a moderate fire.

Don't leave your steaks unattended.

Know your fire and your grill. Find a lower temperature spot for the second side.

Use your finger frequently to test the softness of the meat. Take meat off the grill while still moist and springy.

Your beef can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked in less than a minute. Even 4 minutes can be a long time on a very hot fire.

Use fresh garlic butter in the final minutes - just like the top steak chefs.

Try stove top cooking - chefs do steaks on the stove all the time. You have more control over the temperature than on the grill.

Don't ever cook grass fed steaks to Medium Well or Well Done.

If you usually like your meat Well Done, try a steak done to Medium. Grass fed steaks have a different texture and taste at Medium.

Burgers

Chef’s Tip

Do... Remember grass fed burgers are 85 to 90 percent lean . . . so some moisture is needed to compensate for the lack of fat.

Coat your burgers (and your grill) with Virgin Olive Oil (or another favorite light oil)

Don’t...

Don't place burgers on grill or pan without added moisture, butter, or oil.

When preparing hamburgers for the grill, use caramelized onions, olives or roasted peppers to add low fat moisture to the meat while cooking.

Add a pad of butter as the burger comes off the grill.

Use a very hot fire.

Sear the burger quickly over a high heat on one side to seal in its natural juices and then reduce the heat to medium or low.

Try 3-4 minutes for the first side (after searing for 30 seconds) and 2-3 minutes for the second.

Don't forget grass fed beef requires 30 percent less cooking time.

Don't forget minutes really count.

Don't leave your burgers unattended.

Know your fire and your grill. Find a lower temperature spot for the second side.

Take burgers off the grill early. Your burgers will continue to cook when removed from heat.

Your burgers can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked in less than a minute.

Roasts

Chef’s Tip

Do... Reduce the temperature of your grain-fed beef recipes by 50 degrees (generally to about 275 degrees for roasting).

Use slightly shorter cooking time even at the lower temperature.

Use the lowest heat setting in a crock pot.

Always pre-heat your oven.

Don’t...

Never assume the cooking time will still be the same (it is always shorter).

Coat with Virgin Olive Oil, (truffle oil or a favorite light oil) for flavor enhancement and easy browning.

When roasting, sear the beef first to lock in the juices and then place in a pre-heated oven.

Use moisture from sauces to add to the tenderness when cooking your roast.

Use a thermometer to test for doneness and watch the thermometer carefully.

Remove the roast from your heat source 10 degrees before it reaches the desired temperature (we like 115-125 degrees).

Never wait for the thermometer to get near 140 degrees.

Your roast can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked in less than five minutes.

Your roast will continue to cook when removed from heat.

Let the roast sit covered and in a warm place for 8 to 10 minutes after removing from heat to let the juices redistribute.