There are both culinary and nutritional advantages to cooking with grass fed meats. Conventional meat , in comparison, is bland and boring; while grass fed meats boast a rich meaty flavor. Due to the leaness of pasture based (another term for grass fed) animals it is easy to overcook the meat. It is not uncommon to hear inexperienced, or uneducated chefs refer to grass fed meats as tough and dry. Although the breed and enviroment of the animal can have an impact on the final product- cooking techniques have an even greater impact. Below are some helpful guidelines to use when cooking your pastured meat.

Cooking methods fall into mainly 2 different catagories: dry heat cooking, and moist heat cooking. Dry heat cooking includes techniques such as; broiling, grilling, stir-fry, sautee, and dry roasting. Moist heats use the addition of liquid to assist cooking. Poaching, steaming, braising, and simmering in a liquid are all be forms of moist heat cooking. To make the adjustment from cooking conventionally raised animals, to grass fed meats; you must first determine the cooking method you will be using.

MOIST HEAT COOKING

Moist heat cooking is very forgiving. Rather than cooking to a specific temperature (ie: medium rare), your goal is to break down the connective tissues and fat; which creates a tender moist cut of meat. Moist heat works especially well for less expensive cuts of meat. It turns tough muscle into a fork tender, very rich in flavor, delight. Here are some keys for cooking grass fed meat using a moist heat cooking method.

• Never use a microwave

Using a microwave to thaw grass fed meats will cause a change in flavor, and a tough final product. It is very lean, and you don’t want to force any moisture out of the meat. If you need to thaw it quicker than normal, place in ziplock or vacume sealed bag, and then into a bowl of cool water. Replace the water every 30 minutes or so.

• Lower the temperature by 50 degrees

Grass fed meats should cook slower than conventional meats. Again, it’s very lean and the goal is to melt the connective tissues gently. When cooked too high and fast the proteins in the meat will tighten and squeeze all the moisture out, like wringing out a sponge. Even though you have reduced the temperature- the cooking time will be pretty close to the same.

• Always preheat your oven

 

• Bring meat to room temperature before cooking it

 

• Sear your meat before braising it

Searing your meat develops color and flavor. It also helps “lock in” juices. Mostly- it’s about the flavor though. Take the time to sear properly and you will be rewarded with a rich meaty flavor.

• Don’t pierce with a fork, use tongs

When moving the meat around, please don’t pierce it. That’s just going to cause the juices to escape, and retaining moisture is the name of the game!

• Let rest 8-10 minutes

When meat is hot and you cut it, the juices run everwhere and you are left with a dried out piece of meat. Allow it to rest for 8-10 minutes under some foil, and your meat will retain the juices, and the flavor!

DRY HEAT COOKING

Dry heat cooking is a little more tricky, but with a little understanding and a little attention- you’ll never want to go back to conventional meats. Grass fed meats are much leaner than conventional meats (yes- I know I’m repeating the same message….it’s an important one to understand). Cooking times and techniques should be adjusted so you don’t force all the fat and moisture out of the meat. Grass fed meats cooked using a dry heat method should not be cooked to temperatures above 140 degrees. Here are some things to keep in mind when using a dry heat cooking method on grass fed meat.

• Don’t use a microwave to thaw grass fed meats

See above

• New temperature guidelines

Here are the correct temperatures for grass fed meat:

Rare – 120

Medium Rare- 125

Medium – 130

Medium Well 135

Well Done – 140

The risk from food borne illness is much lower in grass fed meats. This is because you start with a healthy cow, that package of ground beef in your hand is from 1 cow, not comprised of 100 different cows, and the meat is much fresher! It has not been sitting thawed in a meat case waiting for someone to buy it.

• 30-50% faster cooking times!

Due to the lean nature of grass fed meats, it cooks quick! Until you are comfortable cooking grass fed meats, you will want to keep a close eye on it. Remember to reduce cooking times by 30-50 %

• Bring meat to room temperature before cooking

Your meat will cook more evenly, and predictibally if you start it from room temperature- rather than straight from the fridge. Never try to cook frozen grass fed meats. It’s a recipe for tough meat.

• Use tongs, don’t pierce the meat

 

• Sear first for additional flavor

 

• Use a thermometer!

Until you are really comfortable with the new cooking times and temperatures, you will really want to use a thermometer. Your beautiful steak or burgers can go from perfect to shoe leather in less than 1 minute. You don’t want to experience that heartache!

• Allow the meat to rest for 6-10 minutes

 

These are some basic guidelines that will get you well on your way to killer dinners. If you are interested in getting more information or recipes you might be interested in checking out The grassfed gourmet cookbook

You are going to love the richness of flavor you get from cooking grass fed meats. You are also going to love knowing that your meat was raised in a way that was best for both the animal and the enviroment. Please if you have any questions, post them below or contact me at Rices03@msn.com