COOKING YOUR GRASS FED MEAT
Thank you for purchasing your share of Livingston Springs Farm grass fed meat. Remember grass fed meat has a lower fat content than conventional grain fed meats and the fat in grass fed is a different consistency and must be prepared accordingly. The biggest culprit in tough grass fed meat is overcooking. Grass fed meat is best cooked rare to medium rare but can be cooked more if done carefully. Follow these suggestions for cooking your grass fed meat. You can season your meat any way you'd like, but grass fed meat has a unique flavor of its own and is delicious with minimal seasoning as well.
The rule for cooking grass fed meat is LOW and SLOW—low temperatures and cook slowly. Grass fed also cooks about 30% quicker so watch your meat carefully until you get the hang of it.
1. Never thaw meat in the microwave or by running directly under hot water—this will make your meat tough and cause it to lose precious moisture. It is best to completely thaw your meat in the refrigerator then bring your beef/lamb to room temperature just before the cooking process.
2. Pre-heat your oven, grill or stovetop pan before cooking.
3. Reduce the temperature of your conventional meat recipes by about 50-75 degrees. Cooking time will be shorter with leaner cuts so keep a close eye on the meat to prevent overcooking which will lead to toughness.
4. Sear your roasts or steaks quickly (you don’t want to cook the meat while browning the outside) in a hot pan coated with olive oil or other cooking oil before cooking. This will seal in the juices of the meat and prevent moisture loss during the cooking process. For steaks you can then move over to a pan on medium low heat to cook to desired doneness or to the grill but still remember to cook low and slow and watch carefully as grass fed meat tends to cook more quickly.
5. Cooking with a crock pot is always an excellent choice. Still remember to cook at a low temperature.
6. Never use a fork to turn or pick up your meat. Piercing with a fork will cause your meat to lose juices and can cause it to become dry. Always use tongs.
7. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness and watch the thermometer carefully. Grass fed meat can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in less than a minute.
8. Meat will continue to cook even after it is removed from the heat. Stop cooking about 10 degrees before your desired doneness and then allow the meat to sit covered in a warm place for about 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute in the meat. This is especially important when cooking roasts.
9. Roasts can be cooked well done and still be delicious and tender. The secret is to cook at a low temperature for a long period of time. For tender pull apart roast we suggest the following: Thaw your roast in the refrigerator until fully thawed. Allow the meat to come to room temperature just before cooking. Pre-heat your oven to 275 degrees. Sear the roast on all sides in a pre-heated pan lightly coated in olive oil. Place about an inch of water in the bottom of your roasting pan. Place the seared roast on a roasting rack over the water. Cover tightly with foil and cook for 5-7 hours. Do not pierce the meat at any time before or during the cooking process. When the meat easily pulls apart your roast is done.
Thank you for purchasing your share of Livingston Springs Farm grass fed meat. Remember grass fed meat has a lower fat content than conventional grain fed meats and the fat in grass fed is a different consistency and must be prepared accordingly. The biggest culprit in tough grass fed meat is overcooking. Grass fed meat is best cooked rare to medium rare but can be cooked more if done carefully. Follow these suggestions for cooking your grass fed meat. You can season your meat any way you'd like, but grass fed meat has a unique flavor of its own and is delicious with minimal seasoning as well.
The rule for cooking grass fed meat is LOW and SLOW—low temperatures and cook slowly. Grass fed also cooks about 30% quicker so watch your meat carefully until you get the hang of it.
1. Never thaw meat in the microwave or by running directly under hot water—this will make your meat tough and cause it to lose precious moisture. It is best to completely thaw your meat in the refrigerator then bring your beef/lamb to room temperature just before the cooking process.
2. Pre-heat your oven, grill or stovetop pan before cooking.
3. Reduce the temperature of your conventional meat recipes by about 50-75 degrees. Cooking time will be shorter with leaner cuts so keep a close eye on the meat to prevent overcooking which will lead to toughness.
4. Sear your roasts or steaks quickly (you don’t want to cook the meat while browning the outside) in a hot pan coated with olive oil or other cooking oil before cooking. This will seal in the juices of the meat and prevent moisture loss during the cooking process. For steaks you can then move over to a pan on medium low heat to cook to desired doneness or to the grill but still remember to cook low and slow and watch carefully as grass fed meat tends to cook more quickly.
5. Cooking with a crock pot is always an excellent choice. Still remember to cook at a low temperature.
6. Never use a fork to turn or pick up your meat. Piercing with a fork will cause your meat to lose juices and can cause it to become dry. Always use tongs.
7. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness and watch the thermometer carefully. Grass fed meat can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in less than a minute.
8. Meat will continue to cook even after it is removed from the heat. Stop cooking about 10 degrees before your desired doneness and then allow the meat to sit covered in a warm place for about 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute in the meat. This is especially important when cooking roasts.
9. Roasts can be cooked well done and still be delicious and tender. The secret is to cook at a low temperature for a long period of time. For tender pull apart roast we suggest the following: Thaw your roast in the refrigerator until fully thawed. Allow the meat to come to room temperature just before cooking. Pre-heat your oven to 275 degrees. Sear the roast on all sides in a pre-heated pan lightly coated in olive oil. Place about an inch of water in the bottom of your roasting pan. Place the seared roast on a roasting rack over the water. Cover tightly with foil and cook for 5-7 hours. Do not pierce the meat at any time before or during the cooking process. When the meat easily pulls apart your roast is done.
The Reverse Sear
Preheat your oven to 250 or set up your Big Green Egg indirect at 250.
Place the steak in an iron skillet and place that into the oven.
Cook the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 120-125. Use an internal meat thermometer to ensure it has reached the proper temperature. Pull your steak from the oven after it has reached an internal temperature of 125 (for medium rare; 135 for medium) degrees. Let the steak rest 10-15 minutes on a plate.
Get your cast iron skillet as hot as possible on the stove or grill..
Place the steak in the dry skillet. You can put some olive oil and butter in the skillet enough to sear.
Sear the steak for 30 seconds to minute. Flip the steak and sear the other side. Plate and cover with foil and let it rest an additional 10 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 250 or set up your Big Green Egg indirect at 250.
Place the steak in an iron skillet and place that into the oven.
Cook the steak until it reaches an internal temperature of 120-125. Use an internal meat thermometer to ensure it has reached the proper temperature. Pull your steak from the oven after it has reached an internal temperature of 125 (for medium rare; 135 for medium) degrees. Let the steak rest 10-15 minutes on a plate.
Get your cast iron skillet as hot as possible on the stove or grill..
Place the steak in the dry skillet. You can put some olive oil and butter in the skillet enough to sear.
Sear the steak for 30 seconds to minute. Flip the steak and sear the other side. Plate and cover with foil and let it rest an additional 10 minutes.