Holding Ranch, 3232 Deer Hill Road, Lafayette
CA 94549-3202
Phone (925) 997-1072 | Fax (925) 283-1184 | Email office@holdingranch.com
Grass-Fed
Beef - Cooking Tips| Almost all the beef in this country comes from cattle that spend the last few months of their lives in feedlots. They are taken out of their natural environment where they enjoy a natural grass diet, and crammed together where they are given processed grain feed in addition to growth-promoting hormones and a variety of antibiotics. The result is beef that is lower in nutrients and has much less flavor than beef from cattle that live their whole lives on grassland. Since grass-fed beef is different from the grain-fed beef prevalent in this country, it needs to be cooked differently. The fat in grain-fed beef acts as an insulator during cooking that helps keep the meat juices from cooking away. This means that lean grass-fed beef requires a little more attention to maintain its tenderness and juiciness. Grass-fed beef will cook 30% faster because it is leaner and because its fat reaches a melting point at a lower temperature. |
It is important to NOT OVERCOOK grass-fed beef. It will cook faster, and it will continue to cook after it's been removed from heat. Start checking meat for doneness when it has cooked 50-60% of the cooking time for grain-fed beef. It is best to let grass-fed beef sit for 8-10 minutes before eating. Defrost grass-fed beef slowly, in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours before cooking. Don’t defrost in the microwave, and don’t cook partially thawed beef. Use tongs to turn the meat, not a fork. Cooking steaks medium-well or well-done is not recommended. If you must, marinate them with a recipe that doesn’t disguise the delicate flavor of grass-fed beef. For roasting, reduce recipe temperatures by 50 degrees and cook for the recommended time or a little less, using a thermometer to check doneness. |
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