Don't overcook our meat!
Your biggest culprit when preparing grass-fed meat is overcooking due to its lower fat content than conventional meat. Most undesirable grass-fed meat experiences are due to improper cooking methods. This beef and lamb is best for rare to medium cooking. If you like well-done meat, then cook your grass fed beef or lamb at very low temperatures in a sauce or liquid to add moisture; we suggest using a crock pot.
Reduce the temperature
Reduce the temperature of standard (grain fed) beef recipes by 50 degrees. The cooking time for grass-fed beef will be about 30% - 50% less than standard (grain fed) beef, even at the lower temperature. Use a digital meat thermometer (120-145 degrees for rare-medium) and don’t overcook your meat. The meat will continue to cook when removed from heat. Since the meat cooks quickly, it can progress from perfectly cooked to overcooked in less than a minute. Lamb can be cooked at slightly higher temperatures and for slightly longer than beef.
Thaw completely before cooking
For best results, thaw your meat in the refrigerator or if it is important to thaw more quickly, place the vacuum sealed package in warm water. Thawing completely will eliminate the “weeping” of watery red liquid onto your plate.
Use olive oil, tenderizer, or marinate for enhanced flavor and moisture
Grass-fed meat is low in fat. Coating the meat with olive oil will add to the flavor and moisture and also prevent sticking. We also recommend the ‘Jaccard Meat Tenderizer’ (www.jaccard.com). Meat tenderized with this 16-bladed puncturing tool accepts marinade more generously and takes a shorter time to cook. If you do not own a meat tenderizer, marinate your beef, especially the lean cuts like the NY Strip Steak and Sirloin Steak.
... or rub it
You can also coat your thawed steak with your favorite seasoned rub (see cookbook to make your own or purchase at grocery store). Place the meat on a solid surface, cover with plastic and firmly pound your steak a few times to break down the connective tissue. As an added benefit your favorite rub will be pushed into your grass fed meat.
Grilling is fine
Stove top cooking steaks, while a bit risky, is preferable to grilling because you can control the heat more accurately. However, our steaks are thick, which helps protect them from overcooking and also allows you to grill them with greater success. The heat on a grill is correct when you can hold your hand next to the meat on the grill for 3 seconds. Baste to add moisture throughout the grilling process. Use a digital meat thermometer to closely monitor your meat while cooking.
Try this: Sear ... then roast
One of our favorite steak preparation methods, also used by many chefs, is to sear a steak or lamb chop quickly over a high heat on each side (two-four minutes per side) to seal in its natural juices and then place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven to finish the cooking process (about 4-6 minutes). Preheat the oven or pan or skillet you plan to cook in starting at a low temperature and slowly raising the temperature.
When roasting, sear the beef or lamb 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.
Cut across the grain
When you cut the meat, cut across the grain as this will improve texture because you are cutting the fibers in the meat into shorter segments.
Let it rest before eating
Let the beef or lamb sit in a warm place for about ten minutes before enjoying.
Benefits of eating grass-fed meat
Please visit www.eatwild.com and refer to The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook by Shannon Hayes, Pasture Perfect cookbook by Jo Robinson or Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions cookbook (a highly recommended read for health conscious people) for recipes and preparation.