It is very easy to overcook grassfed beef. In order to fully enjoy your very special meat it is important to re-educate yourself when it comes to cooking meat. This is not corn-fed beef and thus must not be cooked like corn-fed beef.
Defrosting: Never use a microwave to thaw your grass fed beef. Either thaw your beef in the refrigerator or for quick thawing place your package in water for a few minutes. Bring your grass fed meat to room temperature before cooking . . . do not cook it cold straight from a refrigerator.
Preparation: 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. We highly recommend the Jaccard meat tenderizer – a mechanical tenderizer that uses no chemicals. This tenderizer has won the prestigious Gold Medal presented by Chefs in America and is the easiest way to produce tender meat. Please see additional information below on the Jaccard.
If you don't own a Jaccard meat tenderizer, 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.
Barbequeing: 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. Always pre-heat your oven, pan or grill before cooking grass fed beef.
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. 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.
Never use a fork to turn your beef . . . precious juices will be lost. Always use tongs!
Stove top or oven cooking instructions: 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. 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.
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. Use a thermometer to test for doneness and watch the thermometer carefully. Use moisture from sauces to add to the tenderness when cooking your roast. Let the beef sit covered and in a warm place for 8 to 10 minutes after removing from heat to let the juices redistribute.
The Jaccard Meat Tenderizer was recommended to us by a large grass fed beef processor from Missouri. They told us the story how their old German butcher had revealed his # 1 secret for tender beef.
The butcher took them to the back of his facility and proudly revealed his Jaccard. This commercial machine had 624 thin steel surgical blades which pierced the beef before the butcher prepared the individual cuts. Their butcher explained that the patented Jaccard cuts the connective tissue which in turn tenderizes the steak.
That German butcher sells to 5 star restaurants and charges 25 cents a pound extra for jaccarded meat. In their marketing, these restaurants will mention their prime cuts, the feeding of their cattle and the aging method but they never reveal their secret weapon . . . jaccarded beef.
After hearing this we were interested but still skeptical. We bought our own and have been astounded at its ability to perfectly tenderize meat. Now we use it all the time—on all kinds of meat. If you would like more information on the Jaccard, visit them at Jaccard meat tenderizer . We use the 48 blade white tenderizer.
When you buy a half beef, we will give you a Jaccard meat tenderizer—free of charge