Pasture Beef: A Chef's Perspective

As a Chef, I often get asked why I like using grass-fed beef. Actually, I use both grass-fed and grain-finished styles of beef in cooking for my family and clients. What is important for me is that it's all local, pastured beef, meaning it was raised nearby on grass pasture, not in a feedlot. Beef raised this way is far lower in fat, calories, and cholesterol than the "conventional" beef you get in the store. It also contains far more nutrients, including Omega fatty acids and cancer-fighting CLAs. Grass fed beef, raised on strictly grasses it's entire life, can have about the same amount of fat as boneless, skinless chicken breast. On average, a person can lose 6-12 pounds a year simply by switching from conventional to grass-fed beef! Free choice grain-finished (which means the cows are given grain for several months, but allowed to remain on the pasture to eat grass) will be slightly higher in fats, but still has the excellent nutritional benefits.

Another important reason I like pastured beef is the animals are allowed to graze freely. Conventional beef, even most Certified Organic beef, is raised in inhumanely tight conditions, and is often force-fed corn to speed up fat gain. I like knowing that the beef I am eating lived a more natural, less stressful life. It's important to realize there is currently no legal definition for "Free-range," or "pastured" beef, so make sure you talk to your farmer and ask questions about how their cows are raised.

Talking to people about pastured beef I often hear things like, "But it's so tough!" Or, "It's flavor is too strong!" These are my tip offs that the person has had it poorly prepared, or that they are used to the bland, tasteless cuts of meat from the store. Pastured beef, like many fine ingredients, needs the right preparation to bring out it's best qualities. It does have a stronger flavor than conventional beef, but this is what beef is supposed to taste like. Conventional beef lacks flavor because it is fed almost solely on corn to fatten it up.

So, what's the secret to enjoying pastured beef? It's simple: cooking pastured beef requires lower temperatures than conventional beef. It's best at medium or medium rare, but you can cook it to well-done if you are patient! The only cut this isn't true for is burger, which can be cooked just like you would cook regular ground beef. Move steaks off to the side of the grill or use a lower flame. For roasts and broils, sear briefly on the stove top, then pop it in the oven at about 25-50 degrees lower than you would cook your conventional beef. Slow cookers are perfect for pastured beef. There's nothing like a hearty, tender chuck roast to welcome you home from a long day!

If you want more ideas for cooking your beef, the local farms where you purchase your pastured meat are great resources. Find them on localharvest.org or eatwild.com. You can also check out local farmer's markets, and the "Buy Fresh, Buy Local," guide at buylocalvirginia.org.

Resources:
Eatwild.com
Buylocalvirginia.org
localharvest.org