Cooking and Handling Tips

  1. The best way to defrost our meat is in the refrigerator on a tray. And thanks to flash-freezing, there is very little moisture and flavor loss. You will see some juices accumulating around the meat when it thaws, however. But, don’t fear, our grass-fed beef is loaded with natural beef juices.
  2. Be sure beef reaches room temperature before cooking by taking it out of the refrigerator and leaving it on a counter for 30 minutes.
  3. Steaks like New York, Rib Eye, Filet, etc., usually require little more than patting dry, salt and pepper, and oil added to pan or grill.
  4. Always preheat the oven, pan, or grill before cooking.
  5. Remember, grass-fed steaks cook faster than similar grain-finished cuts. Reduce cooking times by ~ 20% for recipes that don’t distinguish sources.
  6. Lean, grass-fed roasts, on the other hand, can cook slower than conventional grain-fed roasts. Add ~20% to the cooking time for liquid-based slow-cooker recipes that don’t specify the beef source.
  7. Braising recipe times should be approximately the same.
  8. Grass-fed steaks are best served medium-rare to medium. If in doubt, use a meat thermometer: medium-rare – 125°, medium – 135° Fahrenheit.
  9. For steaks, sear first then finish at a lower temperature.
  10. For burgers, cook on high heat – sear first side 1 minute, flip, sear second side 1 minute, then flip back. Watch for the juices to leak to surface, then flip one last time and watch for same. Inside should be pink and juicy, but not red.
  11. Let all meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing or serving. Always look for and slice across the grain.

Beef is an excellent, nutrient dense food source. But, did you know not all meat is created equal?

First, before we get started, we think it’s essential for you to know some terms we’ll use:

  • Authentic, genuine, grass-fed beef – beef that has grown naturally from pasture grasses. No additional grains are used to fatten the cattle, ever. If possible, verified by a third party.
  • Grain- or corn-finished beef – beef from cattle removed from the pasture, confined to limit their movement, and fed grains (often including corn and soy) to help speed up fat production and create a ‘corn-like’ sweeter flavor profile.

At LeftCoast GrassFed, we produce authentic grass-fed beef as part of our regenerative grazing program. This practice not only benefits the entire ecosystem of our ranch but the health of our animals too. That’s why we’re confident that if it benefits the environment and animals it is beneficial for you as well.

There is no doubt, however, that authentic grass-fed beef cooks differently than grain-finished beef. That’s mostly because grass-fed beef is leaner with sturdy muscles developed from free-ranging, while confined, grain-finished meat has fat-permeated, weaker muscle fiber.

That means, when dry heat (from sources like a barbecue) penetrates the muscle of grain-finished beef, the fat liquifies and acts as moisture. The liquefied fat prevents the meat from drying out if overcooked. Likewise, even under extreme heat the weak muscle fiber tends to break down with ease.

With genuine grass-fed beef, on the other hand, excess dry heat can bind the strong muscle fiber making it tough to chew while the lack of additional fat makes if vulnerable to drying out.

When cooking in liquids, on the other hand, as in a stew recipe, the weaker muscle fibers found in grain-finished beef break down in short order. While with grass-fed, it takes a little more time to achieve the same ‘fork tender’ result.

Now, you might be wondering why you should bother with grass-fed beef if grain-finished beef is easier to cook.  Here’s why:

  1. if you want to avoid the additional fat from grain and corn, choose authentic grass-fed beef.
  2. If you want to know your food dollars are helping to improve the environment, buy it from local, regenerative meat suppliers.
  3. If you’re looking for a real, full-flavored beef experience, try the Terrior of your regional grasses.
  4. And finally, the health benefits of free-range beef speak for themselves: higher amounts of Omega 3s, Vitamin E, and conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs).

Bottom line, you can’t beat lean, rich-flavored, all-around beneficial, regeneratively grazed, 100%, ‘proven authentic’ grass-fed beef for you, your family, and the environment. Just please take the rules above to heart to assure the best, grass-fed beef experience possible.