It can be intimidating to cook with grass-fed beef, I’ve been there! Grass-fed beef tends to be leaner than other beef you may have cooked, but not to worry, it just needs to be prepped and cooked a little differently to ensure a delicious final product!
Currently, we are partnering with Buron & Sarah Lanier of Piney Woods Farm in Burgaw to carry their grass-fed beef products. This is a bit of a detour from what you may be used to, since all of our current products before were raised on our farm. So we wanted to give you a little backstory.
We have had a desire to raise our own beef cattle since we started the farm. We currently have a herd of cattle but won’t have beef available until 2025. However, we wanted to find a way to provide high quality, local beef products to you, our customers and friends, in the mean time. That's where Buron and Sarah come to the rescue.
Buron & Sarah have been raising grass-fed Red and Black Angus for almost 20 years. They have invested years of hard work and expertise establishing and maintaining high quality pastures through intensive rotational grazing, moving the cattle every couple days to new paddocks. This minimizes soil disturbance, maximizes forage quality, and distributes nutrients evenly back into the soil. We could go on and on about all the good things we learned and saw at their ranch.
If you wish to read more about their standards and guidelines for how they raise and feed their cattle, you can check out the "NC State Local Grass-Fed Beef Production Guidelines" here.
Joe and I were so excited to meet this sweet family, learn about their farm and family, and begin a partnership with such an experienced, trustworthy farm.
Okay…now let’s get to cookin’!
Cooking Tips
Set Out First | Instead of cooking your meat straight from the fridge, bring your meat to room temperature for about half hour first.
Dry Rub | Use a spice rub with salt to tenderize while bringing the meat to room temperature.
Add Fat | Grass-fed beef is usually leaner so this is a great step to prevent the meat from drying out or sticking to the pan. Coat with your favorite oil or lard to enhance flavor and make for easy browning.
Pre-Heat | This guarantees an even sear without the risk of overcooking. We recommend heating for at least 5 minutes. I like to flick a little water on the skillet. If it sizzles, you know it’s ready.
Sear the Meat | For grilling, sear quickly on high heat, then reduce to a medium or low to finish the cooking process. For roasting, sear first to lock in the juices and then place in a pre-heated oven. For steaks, we sear on medium high heat for a few minutes per side.
Steaks: Cook Less | Cook 30% less time. The best steaks are cooked rare to medium rare, about 135 degrees - the longer it’s cooked, the tougher it will be.
Thermometer | Don’t rely on eye balling it (which is totally my default, ha!). Remove your steak from the heat source when it’s 5 degrees F below your desired temperature as it’ll continue to cook after it’s removed from the heat.
Roast: Low & Slow | Lower the temperature by 50 degrees F and increase the roasting time (250 degrees F for 4-6 hrs or in a slow cooker all day).
No Forks! | I know it’s tempting, but resist the urge to poke or turn meat with a knife or fork. Each time you do, you’ll lost more moisture from the meat. Tongs work great for flipping.
Rest | Once cooked, let it rest for 8-10 minutes before cutting to let the juices redistribute.
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