Because grass-fed meats are naturally lean, they are best when cooked low and slow. If you toss a grass-fed rib-eye on the grill in the same manner as you would the typical "grocery store variety", you will not get your desired results. If overcooked, you will end up with tough meat. If you have any more questions on how to properly cook the cut you ordered, please email us at info@plumrichbeef.com. Bon Appetit!
The Fundamentals of Cooking Steaks and Roasts
First and of Utmost Importance, when I speak of low and slow cooking, what I am trying to do is warm up the inside of a steak or roast without overcooking the outside. This can only be done with low heat and a longer cooking period. Grass-fed meats are best when raw (steak tartar from a washed steak or boneless roast) and rare or medium rare when cooked. Many people have the idea that meat must be cooked until it turns brown on the inside. That is absolute nonsense. Please do not approach grass-fed meats that way.
Also, if the meat is still juicy after you have cooked it, you cooked it correctly. Cooking meat until "no blood runs" is another one of those idiotic things people do to ruin a good meal. Meat is 70% water and, yes, the water will have some blood cells in it. But it is not anything like blood from a major vein. So don't get the willies when the juice is a little red. When the water is gone (no juice) you have jerky. I hope you understand what that means.
As I said, all meats are 70% water. When steaks and boneless roasting roasts are cooked beyond medium rare they are being dried out excessively. Once again, this is how you make jerky. Jerky is merely dehydrated meat. Jerky is tough and, without spices, not very palatable. So we highly recommend against overcooking grass-fed meats.
Rare or Medium Rare cannot be determined by the "redness" of the meat. Rare and Medium Rare are internal temperatures of the meat. A Medium Rare steak is cooked to an internal temperature of 150 degrees and is limber when removed from the grill. Rare is 140 degrees and quite limber. Sometimes it takes us 25 minutes to warm a steak up to rare. This is low and slow cooking at its best. Always keep in mind that grass-fed steaks will still be red inside when well done. A well done steak is dry and extremely tough. It makes good shoe leather.
When I fire up my gas grill I immediately set the knobs on their lowest settings. At the same time I put the steaks on the cold grill. I call that "cooking." The grill warms up slowly, but "slowly" depends on the ambient temperature. My first turn may be in 7 minutes. The "hot" side of the steak will still look just like it did when I put it on the grill. My next turn may be in another 7 minutes. This time the steak looks like it is starting to "cook." If the temperature inside my grill is pushing much above 200 degrees F, I shut down the burners. I want a 200 degree grill -- no more. Depending on various factors (steak thickness, winter or summer grilling, the wind, fresh gas tank or nearly empty gas tank) it may take another 10 to 20 minutes or more to finish warming up the steaks. (Do not use my timing methods unless you KNOW your grill is not very hot. Most grills will "toast" a steak in 15 minutes.) After the second turn I turn the steaks more frequently for two reasons.
First I do not want the side facing the fire to get too hot. Better yet, I turn the burner off that's directly below the meat. Secondly, by turning the steaks over I can check them for limberness. A limber steak is a tender palatable steak. A stiff steak has been "killed."
Slow-Roasted Steak
INGREDIENTS: (Serves two)
1 rib eye steak, 12 to 16 ounces (350-500g)
Sprig fresh thyme
Sprig fresh rosemary
Salt
Black pepper
1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon (15g) butter
PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat the oven to a slow 300F (150C).
2. Chop the thyme and rosemary - you should end up with about 1 tablespoon of chopped herbs. Salt and pepper the steak.
3. Put the olive oil in an iron skillet and put it over medium heat for just a minute or so ... counter-intuitively, you do not want to sear the meat. In fact, writes Schlow, "it shouldn't even sizzle." Put in the seasoned steak, and cook it gently for just one minute on each side. Sprinkle on about half the herbs, melt the butter in the pan, and turn the steak once or twice, adding the rest of the herbs, until it's nicely coated on both sides with butter and herbs.
4. Put the steak on a wire rack in a shallow roasting pan. If there's any butter and herbs remaining in the skillet, pour them on top of the steak. Roast at 300F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the temperature at the center of the steak reads 120F (50C); it should feel very soft to a finger touch. Remove it from the oven and allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving; the temperature will rise with carry-over heating to a perfect rare.
Fajitas
3 PlumRich Sirloin Tip Steaks
2t. garlic powder
1 t. dried cilantro leaves
2T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
Couple dashes of smoked paprika
1/2 t. salt (you may want to add more later to the meat per your taste)
1/2 cup water or beef broth
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place raw steaks on a wire rack in a shallow roasting pan, and cook for 20 minutes. Steaks should still be rare.
Remove steaks from the oven, and slice into 1/4 pieces, being sure to trim out any cartilage etc.
Heat 2T. olive or coconut oil in a larget skillet, add peppers and onions, and saute until slightly soft--about 3 minutes. Add beef slices, water and spices. Stir to combine. Simmer on low, uncovered, until water has evaporated.
Be very careful not to overcook the steak!
Serve with or without flour totillias, garnish with sour cream, guacamole, and pico.
Roast :(any cut)
Crock-Pot Method:
Place roast in the crockpot with desired seasonings, and cook on the lowest setting for about 6-8 hours. Since every crockpot cooks differently be sure and check the roast at 6 to make sure it isn't drying out.
Oven Method:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place thawed roast in a foil-lined baking pan (making sure not to poke a hole in the foil). Pour in about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup liqued. (water, beef broth, chicken broth)and desired seasonings. Wrap tightly in foil, and roast in oven for 5 hours.
Barbequed Beef:
1 Roast (chuck or arm)
Dry Rub:
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. paprika
1 1/2 t. coarse salt
3/4 t. ground cayenne
Liquid smoke
Carolina-Style Barbecue Sauce
1/2 C. apple cider vinegar
3 T. ketchup
1 t. brown sugar, or to taste
1/4 t. salt, or to taste
To make the dry rub, in a small bowl, combine all of the rub ingredients and mix well.
Quickly rinse the roast under cold running wtaer and pat dry with paper toweling. Place on a work surface and rub all over with the dry rub. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to 24 hours: return to room temperature shortly before cooking.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
Wrap roast tightly in foil and set in baking pan. Cook at 500 degrees for 30 minutes.
Turn oven temperature down to 300 degrees, and cook for an additional 5 hours or until meat is very tender.
When roast is done and cooled slightly, shred with two forks, and place in a bowl.
Combine all barbecue sauce ingredients, and mix with beef.
Serve on buns, in corn totillias, or just plain!