Grassfed, pastured raised meat is delicious, but to achieve the best results, you must change a few of the things you have normally done in the kitchen. Nowhere is this perhaps better detailed than in The Grassfed Gourmet by Shannon Hayes.
Below are Shannon’s principles for cooking grassfed meats. These are invaluable, and should be committed to memory as you embark on preparing delicious grassfed meals.
1. Put away your timer, get a good meat thermometer, and be prepared to use it. Our favourite, though pricey, is the Thermapen, but any good instant read digital thermometer will do. The same company makes a Thermapop, cheaper, and honestly just as good.
2. Turn down the heat. Grassfed beef has less fat than grain fed beef, and this means cooking it with heat that is too hot may toughen the protein. It’s best to lower the heat on your grill, flame, or oven and start to get an idea of what works best for different meats and different cuts. The Grassfed Gourmet provides a helpful temperature guide to get you started. Also, don’t forget to let your meat rest! Steaks and chops should rest for 10 minutes, and roasts up to 30 minutes depending on the size. Your meat’s internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees during this time – so remove from the heat accordingly.
3. Learn when to use dry heat and when to use moist heat. Dry heat includes methods such as roasting, grilling and sautéing. Use this for tender cuts of meat, like loins and flank. Moist heat includes braising and stewing, which is more appropriate for tougher cuts of meat where the muscles have done a lot of work, like shoulders. Of course, slow roasting a typically tough cut of meat will still have a desired effect. Think brisket!
4. Ease up on the seasonings and sauces. Grassfed meat has plenty of flavour all on its own! Start by using good ol’ salt and pepper and perhaps some simple herbs. You’ll find that grassfed meats provide a depth of flavor that just can’t be found in meats from conventionally raised animals.
Above all – experiment. These are some great guidelines, but it’s up to you how you want to prepare your meals. Grassfeds meats are juicy and have amazingly robust flavours. Let them shine through! From the moment you unwrap your fresh cuts of meat you’ll notice the difference and you’ll be please to showcase such great food.