1.
Your biggest culprit for tough grass fed beef is overcooking.
This beef is made for rare to medium rare cooking. If
you like well done beef, then cook your grass fed beef
at very low temperatures in a sauce to add moisture.
2.
Since grass fed beef is extremely low in fat, coat with
virgin olive oil, truffle oil or a favorite light oil
for flavor enhancement and easy browning. The oil will,
also, prevent drying and sticking.
3.
We recommend marinating your beef before cooking especially
lean cuts like NY Strip and Sirloin Steak. Choose a recipe
that doesn't mask the delicate flavor of grass fed beef
but enhances the moisture content. A favorite marinade
using lemon, vinegar, wine, beer or bourbon is a great
choice. Some people use their favorite Italian salad dressing.
If you choose to use bourbon, beer or vinegar, use slightly
less than you would use for grain fed beef. Grass fed
beef cooks quicker so the liquor or vinegar won't have
as much time to cook off. For safe handling, always marinate
in the refrigerator.
4.
If you do not have time to marinate, just coat your thawed
steak with your favorite rub, place on a solid surface,
cover with plastic and 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 beef.
Don't go overboard and flatten your beef unless your recipe
calls for it. If you don't have a meat mallet, use a rolling
pin or whatever you feel is safe and convenient.
5.
Stove top cooking is great for any type of steak
. . . including grass fed steak. You have more control
over the temperature than on the grill. You can use butter
in the final minutes when the heat is low to carry the
taste of fresh garlic through the meat just like steak
chefs.
6.
Grass fed beef has high protein and low fat levels, the
beef will usually require 30% less cooking time and will
continue to cook when removed from heat. For this reason,
remove the beef from your heat source 10 degrees before
it reaches the desired temperature.
7.
Use a thermometer to test for doneness and watch the thermometer
carefully. Since grass fed beef cooks so quickly, your
beef can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked in less
than a minute.
8.
Let the beef sit covered and in a warm place for 8 to
10 minutes after removing from heat to let the juices
redistribute.
9.
Never use a fork to turn your beef . . . precious
juices will be lost. Always use tongs.
10.
Reduce the temperature of your grain fed beef recipes
by 50 degrees i.e. 275 degrees for roasting or at the
lowest heat setting in a crock pot. The cooking time will
still be the same or slightly shorter even at the lower
temperature. Again . . . watch your meat thermometer and
don't overcook your meat. Use moisture from sauces to
add to the tenderness when cooking your roast.
11.
Never use a microwave to thaw your grass fed beef. Either
thaw your beef in the refrigerator or for quick thawing
place your vacuum sealed package in water for a few minutes.
12.
Bring your grass fed meat to room temperature before cooking
. . . do not cook it cold straight from a refrigerator.
13.
Always pre-heat your oven, pan or grill before cooking
grass fed beef.
14.
When grilling, sear the meat quickly over a high heat
on each side to seal in its natural juices and then reduce
the heat to a medium or low to finish the cooking process.
Also, baste to add moisture throughout the grilling process.
Don't forget grass fed beef requires 30% less cooking
time so watch your thermometer and don't leave your steaks
unattended.
15.
When roasting, sear the beef first to lock in the juices
and then place in a pre-heated oven. Save your leftovers
. . . roasted grass fed beef slices make great healthy
luncheon meats with no additives or preservatives.
16.
When preparing hamburgers on the grill, use caramelized
onions, olives or roasted peppers to add low fat moisture
to the meat while cooking. We add zero fat to our burgers
(they are 85% to 90% lean) . . . so some moisture is needed
to compensate for the lack of fat. Make sure you do not
overcook your burgers . . . 30% less cooking time is required.
