Grass Fed Beef Cooking Tips

1. Lower the cooking temperature. If your grill, oven or stove top is too hot, you will cook off the beneficial fat and dry this beef out quickly. Slow and Low is the way to go with this beef. A general rule of thumb is cut the temperature down by at least 50 degrees. For roasts, cook at 225 degrees or in a crock pot. For steaks, you can sear on medium, but then quickly move to low heat to slowly finish the cooking process.  Unlike grain fed beef which requires a higher searing temperature, grass fed beef will sear on medium.

Reverse Sear is a great option if you are afraid of overcooking your steak.  This method is much more forgiving.   The process of reverse-searing is really simple: Season a roast or a thick-cut steak (the method works best with steaks at least one and a half to two inches thick), arrange the meat on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet, and place it in a low oven—between 200 and 275°F. You can also do this outdoors by placing the meat directly on the cooler side of a closed grill with half the burners on. Cook it until it’s about 10 to 15°F below your desired serving temperature (see the chart at the end of this section), then take it out and sear it in a ripping-hot skillet, or on a grill that’s as hot as you can get it.

A good thermometer is absolutely essential for this process. Then dig into the best-cooked steak you’ve ever had in your life.

2. Invest in a meat thermometer. Most people can cook a conventional grain fed steak perfectly just by eyeballing it. But with grass fed beef, there’s less wiggle room because grass fed beef cooks quickly and can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked in less than a minute. Remove it from the heat source when it is 10-15 degrees below your desired cooking temperature. Don’t worry, it will continue to cook once it’s taken off the grill.

The suggested internal cooking temperatures for grass fed beef are 120 – 140 degrees Fahrenheit (which is lower than the USDAs guidelines for beef which is 145 – 175).  Here’s how the grass feed beef cooking guidelines break down:

• Rare — 120F
• Medium Rare — 125F
• Medium — 130F
• Medium Well — 135F
• Well — 140F

Just remember, if you like your meat more on the medium to well done side, make sure you turn the heat way down to allow the meat to cook slowly. Your patience will be rewarded.

Cooking Chart for all pastured meats.

3. Wrap in Foil and let it rest on the counter top for 10 minutes. While your meat was cooking, all the water molecules were heated up and excited. Resting it allows the juices to redistribute. Cutting into it too soon will allow all the moisture to drain out. The result? More moisture on the plate than in your mouth.

4. Start with steaks and roasts that are at room temperature before cooking. Thaw your meat in the refrigerator, or if you are in a hurry, in an air tight bag submerged in cool water. But never thaw it in the microwave. Once it is thawed, allow it to come to room temperature covered on the counter top before cooking. This prevents the meat from being shocked when you put it on the hot surface.

5. Tenderize. One great way to tenderize grass-fed beef is to use a tenderizing marinade.   This basic marinade involves rubbing beef with 2 or more tablespoons of Organic, Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive oil.  The unfiltered oil contains enzymes that help tenderize the beef and enhance the flavor.  Let the oil soak into the meat for two hours at room temperature (overnight if in the fridge).  For some of the tougher cuts of beef, try a more physical approach.  Cover the beef with plastic and pound your steak a few times to break down the connective tissue. But no need to pulverize it! A few whacks should do the trick.

Follow these tips and you will experience an extremely tender, flavorful and healthful piece of meat!