Cooking With Grass-fed Beef
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Before you fire up the grill or get out your favorite pot there are some things a cook needs to know about preparing lean cuts of beef. First and foremost is that protein molecules shrink when subjected to high temperatures. Cooking lean meat at high temps can quickly turn a prime cut into shoe leather.
Here are some tips that can help avoid this problem.
Slow cooked meat may still have a tinge of pinkness when done. The best test is to insert a fork and twist it. If the meat shreds easily it is "fork tender" and ready to serve. If you are using a meat thermometer remove the pot from the oven or turn off the heat source when the thermometer registers 5 to 10 degrees less than called for -- it will continue to cook while resting.
When frying loose ground beef use medium heat and do not over cook. Some of the meat should still be pink; it will finish cooking when you add it to the other recipe ingredients. Examples: sloppy joes, chili, etc.
In the recipes that follow be sure to check the Notes sections for specific information.
It doesn't make as much sense to eat grass-fed beef if one isn't looking at similar dietary components. To that end there will be options in these recipes that reduce levels of sugar, use low-fat sources other than beef, and substitute whole grain ingredients for more processed grains.
Basic Roast Beef Recipe
NOTES: This recipe provides a mildly seasoned main dish or meat for use in other recipes. For example: hot roast beef sandwiches, BBQ beef sandwiches, enchiladas, burritos, tacos, etc. Try mixing shredded meat with a small amount of horseradish sauce for a prime rib flavor experience. Or chop meat and mix into hot corm meal or grits for a protein boost.
In the order listed place the following items into a crock pot or dutch oven:
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, sliced
1 grass-fed beef roast, 2-3 pounds
3 C beef stock or beef bouillon
2 t salt
2 t coarse ground pepper
Cook for 8 hours: Crock pot on low. Dutch oven at very low simmer.
Applesauce Beef Loaf Pie
NOTES: Adapted from a 1970's Better Homes & Gardens recipe. This is ideal for grass-fed ground beef because the applesauce component and the coarse bread crumbs yield a very moist meatloaf. A stand mixer with a paddle-type beater makes quick work of mixing the ingredients, but be careful not to over mix -- we're making meatloaf, not hot dog filling. Instead of topping the loaf with a traditional tomato-based sauce, the applesauce, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar sauce used here adds a sweet and sour taste component with just a touch of tanginess. The pie-like presentation provides a better per serving distribution of the sauce and adds a non-conventional look to the meal plating. Tell the kids they can't just scrape off the sauce and eat only it.
1 1/2 lb. grass-fed ground beef
1 large egg
1 1/2 C soft bread crumbs (2 slices)
1/2 C applesauce
1/4 C finely chopped celery
2 T finely chopped onion
1 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
Mix in a large bowl until ingredients are evenly distributed. Make an even layer of the meat mixture in a 9-inch glass pie pan. Then form a shallow crater (1/8th inch deep) in the meat to within 1/2 inch of the edge.
1/2 C applesauce
1 T brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar blend
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t Dijon mustard
Whisk together sauce ingredients, then pour into the crater formed in the meat. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges and serve.
American Goulash
NOTES: When the kids were little they used to request this often. They still clean their plates if it is on the menu when they are visiting the farm. Add a slab of warm homemade bread and butter and it can be a Midwestern adult's version of a toddler's ever present blanket.
1 C elbow macaroni (regular or whole grain), cooked per package directions and drained.
Set aside.
1 1/2 lbs. grass-fed ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 T unfiltered extra virgin olive oil
Heat oil in frying pan over medium high heat until it shimmers, reduce heat to medium and stir beef and onions frequently until most of the pink in the meat is gone. Turn off heat and add:
1 pint (16 oz can) stewed tomatoes, with juice
1 T brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar blend
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt (to taste}
dash of cayenne pepper (to taste)
Turn heat to medium, stir occasionally, and reduce heat to simmer just when it begins to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until flavors blend, adding hot water as needed (just enough to keep the ingredients from burning). Add reserved macaroni and simmer for a minute or two more to heat through. Serve in warm bowls.
Pul Ko-Ki
This classic Korean dish is more commonly known as bulgogi in America. I first had it when my Korean college roommate made his Mom's version under the stove broiler. I later had the real thing at a Korean orphanage that was supported by my U.S. Army unit; the 76th Engineer Battalion. The nuns cooked the marinated meat on a charcoal-fired, table-side brazier and served it to us one piece at a time. This recipe is a very close approximation. To achieve the desired very thin slices use a very sharp chef's knife or carving knife and cut the meat while it is still partially frozen. The meat will finish thawing in the marinade.
1 lb. grass-fed beef sirloin steak, sliced thin (less than 1/8th inch thick)
Serve immediately over rice. A traditional side dish is Kimchee. If you are a fan of spicy hot food this preparation of pickled oriental cabbage is a perfect contrast to the sweeter beef. Your best bet to find it will be an oriental grocery.
Here are some tips that can help avoid this problem.
- Thaw the meat completely and allow it to come to room temperature before cooking.
- When grilling or pan frying sear the meat for a minute or less on each side at medium-high heat. Then finish cooking at a lower temp (pan frying) or over indirect heat (grilling).
- Marinades can increase tenderness especially if they contain natural tenderizers. Citrus and pineapple juices are common examples. Unfiltered extra virgin olive oil works too. Unfiltered is the key word so you may have to go to a natural foods store to find it. Powdered natural meat tenderizers can also be found in the spice section of your grocery store.
- Low, slow, and moist is the recommendation for the less tender cuts. Dry roasting is NOT recommended. Recommended methods include pot-roasting, stewing, braising, and crock-pot cooking. As a rule of thumb for oven and stove-top cooking reduce the temperature by 25 degrees F. and increase the time by 25 percent. Always use the low setting on your crock pot and check the meat for tenderness every 10-15 minutes beginning 30 minutes before the minimum cook time indicated in the recipe.
- Starting when the cook time is half over, check the liquid level occasionally and add more as needed.
Slow cooked meat may still have a tinge of pinkness when done. The best test is to insert a fork and twist it. If the meat shreds easily it is "fork tender" and ready to serve. If you are using a meat thermometer remove the pot from the oven or turn off the heat source when the thermometer registers 5 to 10 degrees less than called for -- it will continue to cook while resting.
When frying loose ground beef use medium heat and do not over cook. Some of the meat should still be pink; it will finish cooking when you add it to the other recipe ingredients. Examples: sloppy joes, chili, etc.
In the recipes that follow be sure to check the Notes sections for specific information.
It doesn't make as much sense to eat grass-fed beef if one isn't looking at similar dietary components. To that end there will be options in these recipes that reduce levels of sugar, use low-fat sources other than beef, and substitute whole grain ingredients for more processed grains.
Basic Roast Beef Recipe
NOTES: This recipe provides a mildly seasoned main dish or meat for use in other recipes. For example: hot roast beef sandwiches, BBQ beef sandwiches, enchiladas, burritos, tacos, etc. Try mixing shredded meat with a small amount of horseradish sauce for a prime rib flavor experience. Or chop meat and mix into hot corm meal or grits for a protein boost.
In the order listed place the following items into a crock pot or dutch oven:
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, sliced
1 grass-fed beef roast, 2-3 pounds
3 C beef stock or beef bouillon
2 t salt
2 t coarse ground pepper
Cook for 8 hours: Crock pot on low. Dutch oven at very low simmer.
Applesauce Beef Loaf Pie
NOTES: Adapted from a 1970's Better Homes & Gardens recipe. This is ideal for grass-fed ground beef because the applesauce component and the coarse bread crumbs yield a very moist meatloaf. A stand mixer with a paddle-type beater makes quick work of mixing the ingredients, but be careful not to over mix -- we're making meatloaf, not hot dog filling. Instead of topping the loaf with a traditional tomato-based sauce, the applesauce, brown sugar, mustard, and vinegar sauce used here adds a sweet and sour taste component with just a touch of tanginess. The pie-like presentation provides a better per serving distribution of the sauce and adds a non-conventional look to the meal plating. Tell the kids they can't just scrape off the sauce and eat only it.
1 1/2 lb. grass-fed ground beef
1 large egg
1 1/2 C soft bread crumbs (2 slices)
1/2 C applesauce
1/4 C finely chopped celery
2 T finely chopped onion
1 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
Mix in a large bowl until ingredients are evenly distributed. Make an even layer of the meat mixture in a 9-inch glass pie pan. Then form a shallow crater (1/8th inch deep) in the meat to within 1/2 inch of the edge.
1/2 C applesauce
1 T brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar blend
1 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t Dijon mustard
Whisk together sauce ingredients, then pour into the crater formed in the meat. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges and serve.
American Goulash
NOTES: When the kids were little they used to request this often. They still clean their plates if it is on the menu when they are visiting the farm. Add a slab of warm homemade bread and butter and it can be a Midwestern adult's version of a toddler's ever present blanket.
1 C elbow macaroni (regular or whole grain), cooked per package directions and drained.
Set aside.
1 1/2 lbs. grass-fed ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 T unfiltered extra virgin olive oil
Heat oil in frying pan over medium high heat until it shimmers, reduce heat to medium and stir beef and onions frequently until most of the pink in the meat is gone. Turn off heat and add:
1 pint (16 oz can) stewed tomatoes, with juice
1 T brown sugar or Splenda brown sugar blend
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt (to taste}
dash of cayenne pepper (to taste)
Turn heat to medium, stir occasionally, and reduce heat to simmer just when it begins to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until flavors blend, adding hot water as needed (just enough to keep the ingredients from burning). Add reserved macaroni and simmer for a minute or two more to heat through. Serve in warm bowls.
Pul Ko-Ki
This classic Korean dish is more commonly known as bulgogi in America. I first had it when my Korean college roommate made his Mom's version under the stove broiler. I later had the real thing at a Korean orphanage that was supported by my U.S. Army unit; the 76th Engineer Battalion. The nuns cooked the marinated meat on a charcoal-fired, table-side brazier and served it to us one piece at a time. This recipe is a very close approximation. To achieve the desired very thin slices use a very sharp chef's knife or carving knife and cut the meat while it is still partially frozen. The meat will finish thawing in the marinade.
1 lb. grass-fed beef sirloin steak, sliced thin (less than 1/8th inch thick)
Serve immediately over rice. A traditional side dish is Kimchee. If you are a fan of spicy hot food this preparation of pickled oriental cabbage is a perfect contrast to the sweeter beef. Your best bet to find it will be an oriental grocery.