100% Organic Grass-fed Greensbury Beef

Don’t overcook! That’s usually the big headline when it comes to cooking flavorful meat. Because 100% grass-fed beef is lower in fat content than conventional beef, you should take special care not to overcook it. Whether you’re choosing grass-fed beef for your own health, the health of the environment, or the happiness of the free-ranging cattle (or all three), you may find that you have to adjust some of your favorite recipes to get the best results.

What makes grass-fed so special?

Before we talk about cooking with it, here’s a quick primer on why grass-fed beef is different.  Cattle that are truly grass-fed spend their entire lives in pastures eating grass, rather than being “fattened up” on grain in order to produce the more conventional American style of beef and marbled steak. That’s good news for the cows, because grass is their natural diet and best for their health.

When you buy 100% grass-fed beef (rather than grass-fed beef that is grain finished), you get many nutritional and health benefits. Its lower saturated fat content is good for heart health. Grass-fed meats can have up to one third less fat as a similar cut from a grain-fed animal.

Additionally, grass-fed beef contains Omega-3 fatty acids. People with ample amounts of omega-3s in their diets are less likely to have high blood pressure and 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack. Omega-3s are essential for proper brain functioning and may reduce the risk of cancer.

Grass-fed meats are also one of the richest sources of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs). CLAs may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer. A Finnish researcher showed women with the highest level of CLA in their diets had a 60% lower risk of breast cancer than those with lower levels. Compared to grain-fed cattle, meat from grass-fed cattle contains three to five times more CLA products.

How to get the best results in your kitchen

1. 1. Experiment with lower temperatures. Try cooking your steaks at a lower temperature, to prevent moisture loss and toughness. A grass-fed steak tastes better when it’s on the rarer side, since it will retain better flavor and more of its nutritional content if it’s not too well done.
2. Try shorter cooking times. Generally grass-fed beef cooks faster. Assume a 20-30% reduction in cooking times, and use a meet thermometer to prevent overcooking, which leads to point number three…
3. Use a meat thermometer.  If you’re shooting for medium rare, you will want a temperature of 125 degrees. But remember:  your meat’s temperature will rise at least 5-10 degrees after you remove it from the heat source. So, if you’re pan-frying a grass-fed sirloin steak, for example, you may want to take it off the stove at 115.
4. Slow cook. You can get great results from grass-fed beef by using a slow cooker, since you aren’t as likely to overcook.
5. Marinate overnight. Give the meat plenty of time to soak in the flavor.

Watching what you eat has become a big part of American life, with more and more people trying to make healthy choices or lose weight. The food industry has spent the last decade marketing all kinds of products to health-conscious and weight-conscious consumers – and “low fat” has become synonymous with healthy.

Fat is bad for you, right? That’s the common wisdom. But the truth is that the latest research shows that fats aren’t all bad. In fact, some fats are so good for you, you can’t live without them!

Among these good fats are omega-3 fatty acids. Foods high in omega-3s include walnuts, flax seeds, dark green leafy vegetables, and coldwater fish such as herring, mackerel, sturgeon, and anchovies. And here’s a surprise: omega-3s are also found in grass-fed beef.

Omega 3s: the secret healthy ingredient in grass-fed beef

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, and dry aged for 21 days for maximum tenderness and flavor.

If you’re asking yourself whether most cows eat grass, the answer is yes. But most cattle are raised on a diet enriched with grain, which produces the characteristic marbling and rich taste of steakhouse-style beef.

So why choose grass-fed beef? It’s good for the environment, and it’s good for the animals, which are naturally grass-only eaters. But grass-fed beef is also good for your health. Grass-fed beef is slightly higher in omega-3 fatty acids, 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.

Benefits of Omega 3s

Omega-3s improve health by encouraging the production of body chemicals that help control inflammation in the joints, the bloodstream, and the tissues. The benefits of omega-3s include:

• reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke
• helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• helping to reduce joint pain and other rheumatoid problems
• potentially boosting the immune system and helping protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease.

Cooking with Omega 3s

If you want to create a meal truly rich in omega 3s, consider serving the following with your grass-fed beef:

• spinach salad with walnuts and dried cranberries
• whole grain bread enriched with flaxseed
• appetizer of smoked salmon or seared tuna
• anything made with eggs rich in omega 3s

Looking for a dessert that packs a healthy punch?  Try a Walnut Torte With Coffee Whipped Cream, made with a minimal number of ingredients…and lots of walnuts.

Grass-fed cattle

There’s beef. Then there’s organic beef. And then there’s truly superior grass-fed organic beef – the kind that is only raised by a select group of American family farms. Does the difference really matter? If you want a choice that’s good for you, good for the planet, and good for your taste buds, here’s a quick primer on what separates the best from the rest.

1.     Raised right.  The best beef comes from happy cows. If you think that sounds crazy, you haven’t visited a small organic farm specializing in grass-fed beef. The cattle spend most of their lives roaming free on beautiful rolling pastures, eating high-quality, pesticide-free grass. Cattle that are humanely treated, unstressed and healthy (and free of added hormones or antibiotics) produce a higher standard of beef. Not only is this beef delicious, but also better for you, with less saturated fat and more beneficial Omega-3s and CLAs.

2.     Dry aged. Few people do it well, and almost nobody does it for grass-fed organic beef. But once you taste juicy grass-fed ribeyes, tenderloins and other steakhouse favorites that have been dry aged for 14-21 days to tenderize the beef and enhance the flavor, you’ll never want to go back to wet-aged cuts, which have become the industry norm. Wet aging is easier and less expensive. It tenderizes the beef, but it doesn’t concentrate the flavor. Dry-aged organic beef must be kept in a temperature-controlled, closely watched, refrigerated environment for at least 14 days. The difference between wet aging and dry aging is widely recognized – and dry aging is usually reserved for only the highest quality beef.

3. Expertly butchered. Once upon a time, everyone had a neighborhood butcher. Today, butchering is a disappearing art…but there are still experts, many of whom learned their skills from fathers or grandfathers. The best organic beef recalls the days when skilled butchers took pride in knowing how to achieve the best taste and texture with the perfect cut.

The grass-fed difference

Grass-fed ranchers feed their animals only pasture grass, as well as some legumes and hay – never grain, which is not part of a cow’s natural diet.

Only a decade ago, few consumers were aware of the distinction between grass-fed and grain-finished beef. But a series of disease scares – including the late 2003 discovery of a “mad” cow in the U.S. that led to the destruction of hundreds of animals – has helped spark greater interest in grass-fed beef.

Today, there is more and more interest in grass-fed beef’s health benefits. For example, although grass-fed meat is low in “bad” fat (including saturated fat), it gives you two to six times more of a type of “good” fat called “omega-3 fatty acids.” Read the PBS story “Green Beef Catches On” for more about the grass-fed revolution.

Better quality, better taste

The best beef comes from farms that are certified organic. But for beef that’s truly a cut above, look for sources that are also personally committed to practices that result in exceptionally high-quality, good-tasting meats.

At Greensbury, we love visiting our network of trusted family farms, because we’re reminded with every visit how much they care about preserving traditional farming methods and caring for their animals.  Certified organic beef with no antibiotics, no added hormones, no pesticides, and no herbicides if a great choice for you and the environment.  When you choose organic grass-fed beef that has been raised on a nurturing farm, dry-aged and expertly butchered, you’re treating your body and palate to a true American classic.

There’s nothing wrong with cooking a steak or hamburger inside the house, using your stove. But let’s face it: summertime is grilling time, and there’s nothing quite like the taste of juicy organic beef that’s been grilled to perfection in the great outdoors.

We sometimes get asked whether there’s a special technique for grilling organic grass-fed beef, as opposed to conventional beef. The answer is no. But you should be prepared for a steak that looks and tastes different than what you may be used to.

High-quality grain-fed steaks have the abundant white marbling you may associate with a classic steakhouse meal. Grass-fed beef is much less marbled. It’s also lower in saturated fat and higher in healthy omega-3 fatty acids (which are also found in fish such as tuna and salmon). While marbling has traditionally been the sign of a superior steak, we think you’ll be surprised by how fantastic grass-fed steaks taste. Many people find grass-fed beef especially full of flavor, and they love the health benefits. Others prefer organic beef that has been grain-finished.

Whether you opt for grass-fed or not, following these simple guidelines for grilling will help you avoid turning a good steak or burger into a flavorless meal…every backyard cook’s worst nightmare!

1)    CHOOSE THE BEST BEEF! We can’t stress this enough. Meat is our business, and we can tell you that an inferior product makes an inferior meal. And grilled steak generally shows no mercy, since you can’t “bury” the taste under a bunch of other ingredients. Organic beef sustainably raised on family farms is not only a delicious choice, but also an environmentally friendly one.

2)    Heat, clean and oil your grill.  The grill needs to be HOT. If you’re using charcoal, that means you shouldn’t be able to hold your hand over it for more than 2 to 3 seconds.  On a gas grill, use medium high heat. Ideally, use a stiff wire brush to scrub away any leftovers from your last grilling adventure when the grill is hot, and oil the rack using tongs and a folded paper towel.  For more about the finer points of grilling, direct heat, indirect heat, charcoal versus gas, etcetera, visit the Barbecue Bible website.

3)    Bring your meat to room temperature. Let them sit on your kitchen counter for about 20 minutes. This will help your hamburgers or steak cook more evenly and faster.

4)    Season. Salt and pepper is all you really need for great hamburgers and steaks. But of course there are endless choices if you want to get creative: rosemary or thyme, hot peppers, whatever you like!

5)    Cook. Turn the meat once during cooking. Adjust time for size of steak or burger and desired doneness. The most foolproof way to test a steak for doneness is to use an instant read thermometer. The internal temperature for rare beef is about 120 degrees; medium-rare is between 125 and 130 degrees; and medium is 135 to 140 degrees. With practice, you’ll learn how to tell doneness visually and through touch (with a “poke test“).

6)    Let the meat rest.  The meat will continue to cook for a few minutes after you remove it from the grill, and will be juicy and ready to eat after about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Bobby Flay's L.A. Burger

The 4th of July is a great excuse for a burger, in our opinion. Whether you indulge at a community picnic, a backyard cookout, or an urban rooftop barbecue with view of the fireworks, why not start your own American tradition and go organic this 4th? Here are some hamburger recipes that will taste even better made with organic grass-fed beef and organic produce. 

ORGANIC HAMBURGERS

To spice it up, try Chef Bobby Flay’s Spanish-style hamburger, the Bolo Burger. Or add a little West Coast flair to your grill with Flay’s avocado-topped L.A. Burger. If you’re in the mood for a smokier flavor, Chipotle Burgers bring on the heat. An open-faced Chili burger will keep even the hungriest eater busy. For more traditional burgers, stick with our Greensbury chef’s grilled basic organic burgers. 

SIDE DISHES

Onion Strings make a fun, flavorful accompaniment to any burger. Have you jumped on the slow cooking trend? Try these slow-cooked baked beans. And it wouldn’t be 4th of July without a potato salad; choose a classic German potato salad or go a little wild with this Fingerling Potato Salad with Chili-Cilantro Salad.

Heading to the beach sometime this summer? Here’s a tip from our Greensbury team: when you’re packing your car full of boogie boards and frisbees and such, leave room for a cooler packed with ice and frozen organic meats and grass-fed beef.

No need to waste precious vacation time searching out speciality markets or butchers. Whether you’re staying for a long weekend, a week, or more, you can make the good times even better by making sure you have all the ingredients for some great nights of grilling. Even if all you need is burgers and hotdogs, why not enjoy the peace of mind you get from serving your family all-organic meat? 

Here’s a surefire recipe for making delicious organic grass-fed hotdogs on the grill, along with a crowd-pleasing potato salad:

• 4 hotdogs
• 4 hotdog buns
• 2 pounds small or medium red potatoes
• cup or more mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• cup minced sweet onion
• 1/3 cup finely diced celery
• 3 tablespoons minced parsley
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 all-beef hotdogs
• 4 hotdog buns
• Ketchup, mustard and relish
• Course sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

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

There are lots of great reasons to go organic. For many people, good health is at the top of the list. When you choose organic meat, it’s reassuring to know there are no added hormones or pesticides on your plate. And it feels good to know that the animals are raised in a healthy environment, where they range freely and have access sunshine, fresh air and organic vegetarian feed.

If you’re concerned about healthy cooking, here are some tips:

• Include whole grains and nutrient-rich organic fruits and vegetables in your meals.
• Learn about the health benefits of grass-fed beef.  
• Experiment with new recipes featuring a variety of organic beef, pork and chicken — plus some interesting veggies, herbs and spices, nuts, grains, and other good-for-you ingredients.   

Here’s a great, healthy recipe from Greensbury Market featuring delicious organic chicken sausage, fresh spinach, and pasta. Enjoy it in good health!

Chicken Sausage with Ravioli

Organic Chicken Sausage with Ravioli, Spinach and Toasted Pine Nuts

• 4 sausages, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound baby spinach
• 1 pound fresh raviolini, or ravioli
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Shaved parmesan
• Red pepper flakes, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a large skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage slices and sauté until nicely browned. Remove and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-low and add pine nuts. Cook until the nuts are golden brown, stirring often. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from heat.

Put the ravioli in the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain and return it to the pot. Stir in the sausage mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss gently.

To serve, divide among 4 rimmed bowls and pass Parmesan and red pepper flakes for sprinkling.

Check out more healthy recipes from Greensbury Market.