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Cooking Tips & Recipes

Grass-fed beef is naturally lower in fat and higher in nutrients, so the beef must be cooked a little differently.Here are some tips for getting the most flavor out of your delicious, pastured-raised, beef:

  • Do not overcook

Because grass-fed beef is leaner than grain-fed, it doesn't have a lot of spare fat to keep it moist when cooked too long or at temperatures that are too high. Beef with lots of fat is more forgiving ... but grass-fed cuts need a little extra attention and care. So, rule number one: don't overcook. Grass-fed beef needs about 30 percent less cooking time than most common beef and is best if cooked medium-rare to medium.

  • Do not microwave

Do not cook when frozen or partially frozen.
Thaw the meat in the refrigerator or under cold running water, but don't defrost it in a microwave oven.

  • When grilling, wait to salt until just before you eat

Salting earlier in the process draws out juices.

  • Let rest after cooking

As a rule, always let any type of meat rest for 8 to 10 minutes after taking it out of the heat. This will help redistribute the juices inside the meat before serving. In particular, when you're planning to serve the meat in pieces, don't cut into it right away because the juices will immediately spill out, resulting in a drier texture. For the same reason, always turn your meat with tongs rather than a fork when cooking it. Deliciously precious juices will be lost if you poke the meat.

Source: sustainabletable.org. Please refer to our Ideas & Links page for more information.

Here are some recipes for tasty grass-fed beef:

Recipes

Roast Sirloin Steak with Mushrooms & Peppercorns (serves 4)

2 tbsp peppercorns
1 lb grassfed sirloin steak

1 tbsp olive oil
3 green onions, chopped

1 cup dried shitake mushrooms (available from local growers), soaked 1-2 hours in 1 cup water

 

Preheat oven to 550 degrees F. Crush peppercorns with mortar & pestle or grind coarsely in a spice mill. Coat both sides of steak with the crushed peppercorns.

Set a heavy oven-going skillet over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add the olive oil and heat approximately 1 minute. Sear steak for 30 seconds on each side (turn with tongs!)

Transfer the skillet to the upper third of the oven and roast, uncovered (about 4 minutes for rare, 5 - 6 minutes for medium rare, 6 - 7 minutes for medium). Transfer the steak to a heated platter and slice thin. Add the green onions to the skillet and cook, stirring, over moderate heat for 30 seconds. Add the broth from the mushrooms & cook 1 minute. Chop mushrooms & add them; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. When 1/2 cup liquid remains, serve atop the sliced steak.
 

Don's Marinated Roast (serves 6-8)
1 (3 lb.) chuck roast, arm roast or rump roast
1/3 c. wine vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Combine ingredients and pour over roast in shallow baking dish. Marinate overnight, turning twice (turn with tongs!)

To roast in oven: Bake at 350 F. until internal temperature reaches 145 F (for rare) -- approximately 35-45 minutes. Bake longer for medium-rare or medium.

To grill: Grill over medium coals 35 to 45 minutes for medium rare roast. Turn (with tongs!) and baste with sauce mixture every 10 minutes. Vary grilling time for desired doneness.

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