Cooking Grass-Fed Beef

 Flank Steak photo courtesy of thebittenword.com's photostream

The recently released report from The President's Cancer Panel encourages comsumers to eat foods grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics and growth hormones. Organic grass-fed meats fit that description.

Since I switched to grass-fed meats about 2-3 months ago, I have noticed I cannot cook beef at the higher temps I have normally used, or it will tend to be dry and chewy. I haven't cooked enough pork yet to say if there is a difference in cooking pork.

Allowing beef to come nearly to room temperature before cooking helps lock in the juices. Marinades, even simple olive oil, will increase tenderness. Overnight is best. Dry Rubs are preferred by many folks, but I like to taste the unadulterated meat!

Steaks will cook about 20-30% faster than grain-fed, so reduce the heat, and/or cooking time. Lastly, it is imperative to let the meat rest. This allows the juices in the meat to re-distribute, giving you a juicier, more tender steak.

Other than steaks and burgers, most other cuts of beef excel when braised. The taste is outstanding!


Note: Not all grass-fed beef tastes the same. It varies from farmer to farmer, and the variables include soil composition of the pasture which affects the nutrients of the grass, breed of cattle, regional temperatures, and whether it was aged.