THE BEST GRASS-FED STEAK EVER
It’s a well known fact that grass-fed and grass-finished cattle are happier, healthier and yield more nutritious beef. (This is an important distinction there. All cattle eat grass, but to say a grass-fed animal is “grass-finished” means that it has never been grained; and that it has only eaten grass or hay its entire life…even in the finishing stages.) But because grass-fed and grass-finished beef is more lean than feed-lot or grain finished animals, it may be a little trickier to prepare, but believe me - it will be worth it.
The flavor and tenderness of grass-finished beef is determined primarily by the microscopic fat within the muscle fibers, not necessarily just by the marbling. In order to maintain the flavor and juiciness of a grass-fed steak, you must protect the fat and moisture. Cooking the beef for too long or at too high a temperature destroys the fat and moisture in the meat, and will leave you with a tough, expensive steak.
Yes, you may be able to throw a grain-fed steak on the grill, and with very little experience, come up with a decently tender steak. But I’m going to assume that you’re here because you already understand the benefits to our health, our communities and our world of grass-fed and grass-finished beef. If you are not convinced, you can read about it here.
So I have found that there are five important components of grilling or stove-top cooking a tender and juicy grass-fed beef steak. Here they are:
Bring the steak to room temperature before grilling or stove-top cooking. This gives the meat a head start in reaching the correct temperature without destroying moisture.
Dry-brine the steak. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sea salt per side. Let the steak rest at room temperature for at least one hour (while coming to room temperature.) Rinse the excess salt and pat the steak dry before cooking.
Sear the steak. If you are grilling, use two temp zones - a hot area for searing (2 minutes per side - no more) and a lower temperature for cooking through. If you are cooking on the stove top, heat the cast iron skillet or griddle with duck fat or pork fat and sear for 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet to continue cooking in the oven to your desired temperature / doneness.
Reduce cooking temperature by 10-15%. Grain-fed beef tallow is hard and can withstand high heat. Grass-fed beef is tender and delicate. High heat will destroy the microscopic fat. Treat it gently with a lower temperature than you are used to grilling or cooking at.
Let the steak rest. Tent the steak with foil for at 5 - 7 minutes for the juices to redistribute throughout the meat before cutting or serving.
Give your grass-fed beef the attention it deserves, and it will not disappoint.
Use the following guide for internal temperatures as measured by an instant-read thermometer.
Rare — 120F
Medium Rare — 125F
Medium — 130F
Medium Well — 135F
Well — 140F