The great thing about going organic is that you don’t have to give up flavor. In fact, many people find organic meats have a superior taste.  We’ve eaten a LOT of steaks in our day, and we think you can’t go wrong with our organic rib eyes or New York Strips. But it’s important to do a little experimenting to decide whether to order grain-finished or 100 percent grass-fed beef.

Grass-fed, grain-finished organic beef: This is your more traditional marbled, steakhouse-style beef. At Greensbury our beef is always organic, and always vegetarian-fed. The cattle primarily eat grass. But they are fed organic grain as well. 

100% grass-fed beef. The flavor of grass-fed is definitely different. Some people absolutely love its leaner, cleaner taste profile. The health benefits of grass-fed beef make it a great choice if you want to eat beef regularly. Lower in calories and saturated fat than conventional beef, it also has more vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and a number of health-promoting fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and “conjugated linoleic acid” (CLA).

More and more people are making careful choices about the meat they buy and consume. Check out the CHOW blog for an interesting first-person perspective on choosing grass-fed beef.

If you’re planning to fire up the grill this Memorial Day weekend, here are some helpful tips for pleasing a crowd:

What to buy

• Choose organic New York Strips for a festive barbecue. First, it’s easy to grill multiple New York Strips at once. Second, although they have a lot of flavor, they’re not overwhelmingly large or rich, so they’re surefire crowd pleasers.
• Organic top sirloin is budget-conscious alternative with plenty of crowd-pleasing flavor. Try grass-fed sirloin for less saturated fat and healthy omega 3′s. 
• For guests who don’t eat red meat, organic chicken breasts and organic chicken sausages taste great grilled. 
• If you’re cooking out for kids, give them a healthier version of the classic favorites: organic grass-fed hamburgers and organic grass-fed all-beef hotdogs. 

How to grill 

• Let steaks sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before grilling.
• Clean the rack for the grill thoroughly.
• To prepare your charcoal grill, make a medium-hot charcoal fire. You can test it by holding your hand above it. When the coals are hot, enough you will have to move your hand away after 2-3 seconds. (To prepare a gas grill, use a medium-hot temperature, and allow grill to heat up until it passes the above test.)
• Set the rack for the grill 3-4 inches from the fire.
• Pat the steaks dry with paper towels.
• Turn the steaks only once during cooking, to give them time to brown nicely.
• For one-inch medium-rare thick steaks, cook for about 4 minutes per side. Adjust time for size of steak and desired doneness.
• The most foolproof way to test a steak for doneness is to use an instant read thermometer.
• For great marinades, sauces, and techniques, check out a popular grilling cookbook like the one below.

Filet mignon with asparagus

Spring is the perfect time to begin cooking with healthy, organic ingredients. Your supermarket or farmer’s market will start offering more greens, herbs and vegetables at affordable prices.  Whether you’re firing up the grill, heading out to a picnic, or simply looking for more ways to put organic foods on your table, this is the season to experiment with new recipes, fresh-picked flavors, and earth-friendly choices.  

Here’s a simple Greensbury recipe featuring a perennial spring favorite, asparagus, paired with tender organic filet mignon and herb butter. Try it with grass-fed filet to increase the health benefits of this celebratory meal. 

Organic Broiled Filet Mignon with Lemon-Herb Butter and Asparagus

Serves 4

• 4 filet mignon steaks
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• Zest and juice from one lemon
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• One bunch asparagus
• Course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

If you’re buying organic beef for the first time, don’t worry: you don’t have to sacrifice great taste to go organic. But you should keep a few things in mind when you start treating yourself and your family to high-quality organic meats:

Grass-fed or grain-finished beef?  Grain-finished beef has a more traditional marbled look and steakhouse flavor. Grass-fed beef is absolutely delicious, with a leaner taste profile and more “good fats” that benefit your health.

Lean or hearty? If lean is your top priority, consider organic top sirloin. Organic New York Strip is also lean, but with a little more hearty steakhouse flavor, ideal if you’re grilling for a health-conscious crowd. Organic rib eyes and organic Porterhouse or T-bone steaks will satisfy the heartiest appetites.

Casual or elegant? Organic filet mignon makes a truly elegant, unforgettable main course. Meltingly tender and beautifully cut, the filet is a celebration of good taste. We usually recommend organic New York Strips for a festive barbecue. First, it’s easy to grill multiple New York Strips at once. Second, although they have a lot of flavor, they’re not overwhelmingly large or rich, so they’re surefire crowd pleasers.

If you’re a steak lover who’s making the move to organic beef, you should buy the cut of steak you love best. Choose organic beef and you’ll not only get great flavor – you’ll also enjoy peace of mind, knowing you’re making a good choice for your health and the planet.

If the term grass-fed beef has you scratching your head in confusion, you’re not alone. There’s not enough good information out there about what grass-fed beef is – and why you should care. Here’s the Greensbury team’s quick run-down on what you need to know.

What is grass-fed beef, anyway? Grass-fed beef is raised on a grass-only diet. At Greensbury, our grass-fed beef is also certified organic, raised on family farms in free-range pastures.

Don’t all cows eat grass? Yes. But most cattle are raised on a diet enriched with grain, which produces the characteristic marbling and rich taste of steakhouse-style beef.

What are the health benefits of grass-fed beef? Grass-fed beef is rich in “good fats” than can protect against disease. For example, grass-fed beef is slightly higher in omega-3 fatty acids, the healthy fats found in salmon and flaxseed, which studies indicate may help prevent heart disease and bolster the immune system. And grass-fed beef is one of the richest known sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which recent data suggest may help prevent breast cancer, diabetes and other ailments. Plus, grass-fed beef is high in vitamin A and vitamin E, two antioxidants thought to boost resistance to disease. Overall, scientists and health advocates agree that 100% grass-fed beef is the most nutritious choice. The latest research on the health benefits of grass-fed beef is good news for small farmers who raise cattle “the old-fashioned way.” 

Does it matter if grass-fed beef is organic? Yes. Greensbury works only with a select network of organic farmers. Whether you select our grass-fed beef or grain-fed beef, all Greensbury beef is raised sustainably and humanely, free of antibiotics and added hormones. 

Order grass-fed beef online from Greensbury Market.