Tips for cooking Grassfed Beef
Cooking naturally raised Flint Hills grassfed beef requires a different mindset compared to cooking store-bought meat, that is taken from animals that were unnaturally fattened faster with grains and other substances.
Our beef has a deeper beef flavor that reflects the Flint Hills grasses that our animals have been eating. That green matter gives the meat a higher level of Omega-3 fatty acids, but less fat overall. You will notice the reduced fat content when cooking.
Generally, you want to quickly sear the outside sealing in the juices, then slowly cook the rest of the time to reach the lowest temperature to suite your tastes. Overcooking is the most common mistake people make in cooking grasped beef.
Defrosting
NEVER defrost using a microwave!
It will change the taste & texture of the meat, as well as increase the toughness. It is best to place the frozen meat in the refrigerator 24 hours BEFORE you plan to use it. Allow longer for thicker cuts & roasts. Bring the meat to room temperature prior to cooking.
For quick thawing, place the sealed package in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes. Don’t let it sit at room temperature for more than 30 minutes. The general idea is to get the meat thawed without letting it get warmed up. If you used hot water, you’ll have mushy meat on the outside & frozen meat in the middle.
Don’t over cook it & don’t ever use a microwave!
Since grasped meat has less fat than feedlot meat, it is more solid & cooks faster. You will need to cut back on the cooking time to reduce the temperature you cook at compared to what you have done with the store-bought meats.
Grassfed meat cooks about 30% faster than grainfed meat so use a thermometer to test for doneness. It can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in less than a minute, plus the meat continues to cook after you remove it from the heat. So, when you reach a temperature 10 degrees LOWER than your desired temperature, it is done.
After you remove the meat, let it sit, covered in a warm place for 8-10 minutes, to let the juices redistribute thought the cut of beef.
Cooking ground beef
I use a couple of tricks to help protect the leaner grassfed meat from being tough or dry. I put the ground beef in the pan and add 1/4 cup of water then cover it. The steam helps cook the meat & keep it from drying out as it cooks. As the meat gets near the desired doneness, remove the cover & stir until the last bit of liquid is gone. There will be very little, if any, fat to pour out when it is done. Now, you can add any seasonings to the meat that you desire.
Cooking steaks
Pan searing on the stovetop is an easy way to cook a steak. After searing the steak over a high heat, turn the heat to low then add butter & garlic to the pan and finish cooking. NEVER use a fork to turn meat because it allows the juices to escape, use tongs to gently turn the meat
Very lean cuts like Sirloin & New York strips can benefit from marinades. Choose one that doesn’t mask the flavor but enhances the moisture content. Always marinate in the refrigerator for safety reasons. Once the steak has been cooked or grilled to your desired doneness, remove it from the heat & wrap it under aluminum foil for approximately 5 minutes. This allows the steak to finish cooking as well as keep the steak moist, which is an important step for the tenderest & juiciest steaks on the block.