Debra's Cooking Tips

Cooking your grassfed beef

1.    The main reason for tough, grass-fed beef is overcooking. The beef usually will require 30% less cooking time and will continue to cook when removed from heat. This beef is intended for rare to medium-rare cooking. If you like well-done beef, then cook grass-fed beef at very low temperatures in a sauce to add moisture. When grilling, sear the meat quickly over a high heat on each side to seal in its natural juices and then reduce the heat to a medium or low to finish the cooking process.
2.    Since grass-fed beef is extremely low in fat, coat with virgin olive oil, truffle oil or a favorite light oil for flavor enhancement and easy browning. The oil will also prevent drying and sticking.
3.    Stove top cooking is great for any type of steak... including grass-fed steak! You have more control over the temperature than on the grill. You can use butter in the final minutes when the heat is low to carry the taste of fresh garlic through the meat as steak chefs do.
4.    If roasting, reduce the temperature of your grain-fed beef recipes by 50 degrees. This usually means around 275 degrees for roasting, or at the lowest heat setting in a crock pot. The cooking time will still be the same or slightly shorter, even at the lower temperature. Again, watch your meat thermometer and don't overcook your meat. Use moisture from sauces to add to the tenderness when cooking your roast.


5.    Also, baste to add moisture throughout the grilling process. Don't forget grass-fed beef requires 30% less cooking time so don't leave your steaks unattended.
6.    When roasting, sear the beef to lock in the juices and then place it in a pre-heated oven. Save your leftovers... roasted grass-fed beef slices make good, healthy, luncheon meats instead of processed "lunch-meats".

Rinsing Beef
It isn't necessary to wash raw beef before cooking it. Any bacteria which might be present on the surface would be destroyed by cooking.

Safe Defrosting
There are two safe ways to defrost beef: in the refrigerator and in cold water. Never defrost on the counter or in other locations.
•Refrigerator:. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Ground beef, stew meat, and          steaks may defrost within a day. Bone-in parts and whole roasts may take 2 days or longer. Once the raw beef   defrosts, it will be safe in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days before cooking. During this time, if you decide not to use the beef, you can safely refreeze it without cooking it first.
•Cold Water:. To defrost beef in cold water, do not remove packaging. Be sure the package is airtight or put it into a leakproof bag. Submerge the beef in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes so that it continues to thaw. Small packages of beef may defrost in an hour or less; a 3- to 4-pound roast may take 2 to 3 hours.

*Foods defrosted by the cold water method should be cooked before refreezing because they may have been held at temperatures above 40 °F.                                                                                                      
*It is safe to cook frozen beef in the oven, on the stove, or grill without defrosting it first; the cooking time may be about 50% longer. Do not cook frozen beef in a slow cooker.

Marinating
Marinate beef in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Boil used marinade before brushing on cooked beef. Discard any uncooked leftover marinade.

Partial Cooking
Never brown or partially cook beef to refrigerate and finish cooking later because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed. It is safe to partially pre-cook beef immediately before transferring it to the hot grill to finish cooking.

Liquid in Package
Many people think the red liquid in packaged fresh beef is blood. However, blood is removed from beef during slaughter and only a small amount remains within the muscle tissue. Since beef is about 3/4 water, this natural moisture combined with protein is the source of the liquid in the package.

Safe Cooking
For safety, the USDA recommends cooking hamburgers and ground beef mixtures such as meat loaf to 160 °F on a meat thermometer. However, whole muscle meats such as steaks and roasts may be cooked to 145 °F (medium rare), 160 °F (medium), 170 °F (well done). For approximate cooking times for use in meal planning, see the following chart compiled from various resources.

Times are based on beef at refrigerator temperature (40 °F). Remember that appliances and outdoor grills can vary in heat. Use a meat thermometer to check for safe cooking and doneness of beef.