How to Cook Grass-fed Beef

#1 - Never use the microwave to thaw frozen meat! The best way to thaw frozen meat is in the refrigerator. If you need to thaw the meat more quickly you can place it in a bowl of warm (not hot) water turning it occasionally until thawed. It is best if the meat thaws out slowly.

#2 - Lower the cooking temperature. Because grass-fed beef is leaner you need to cook it at a slightly lower temperature for less time. You should lower the temperature by about 50 degrees and shorten the cooking time by about 30 percent. Grass-fed beef is best when cooked rare to medium rare. It's a good idea to use a meat thermometer, especially if you are new to cooking grass-fed beef. The desired internal temperatures are:

Rare 120 - 125 degrees

Medium-rare 130 - 135 degrees

Medium 140 - 145 degrees

Medium-well 150 - 155 degrees (Not recommended for grass-fed beef)

Well done 160 degrees and above (definitely not recommended for grass-fed beef)

#3 - Don't poke your meat! Do not use a fork to turn your steaks, instead gently turn them with a set of tongs. Piercing the meat will cause the precious juices and fat to run out resulting in dryness. Also, do not pat your burgers down with the spatula. It's best to just just leave the meat alone, turn it gently only when needed and then don't touch it again until you’re ready to check for doneness. The more you poke, flip or squeeze the meat, the more of those precious juices you will lose.

#4 - Give it a rest! When the meat is done remove it from heat, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for at least 10 minutes, if it's a larger piece of meat such as a roast I recommend letting it rest for about 20 minutes. This time of rest will allow the juices to be absorbed back into the meat rather than run out all over your plate. The meat will continue to cook as it rests. The internal temperature will rise by about 10 degrees so remember to take that into account when checking for doneness.