Grassfed is Different – Here’s How to Cook it

Grassfed beef (in fact all pastured meat) cooks differently than conventionally raised beef. Here’s how we cook our freezer full of NNBeef. These methods produce fantastic results!

For starters: Defrost your NNBeef cuts and ground in fridge about 24 hours (best to set it in a container to catch any drips in case the package has even a pin- prick). Open package & set out on counter about an hour to remove the chill and allow it to “bloom” or re-oxygenate. Salt & pepper to taste. That’s it for seasoning here at the ranch! Trust us!

Grilling Burgers and Steaks: Low and slow, then hot and fast.

Generally, Nitschke Natural Beef grills 25-30% faster than conventionally- raised feedlot beef. So take care! If you are a new NNBeefer, we encourage you to grill some of our amazing Ground before you grill a steak to get a feel for the difference in cooking times.

Using a good instant read thermometer is very important. We really like this one.

In general: Fire your grill to a low temperature (about 200 degrees), add your meat, then pull the meat off the fire before it’s completely done. Now increase the intensity of the fire and finish over low flames or very hot coals.

Burgers: Assuming burger patties are 1/4 to 1/3 of a lb, about 3/4 in. thick, put on your 200 degree grill for 5 or 6 minutes per side. Pull patties off – temperature should be 115-120 degrees. No need to cover or tent them. Heat up the coals or turn up the flames if using a gas grill. Then put the patties back on the fire, 25 to 30 seconds per side for 2 rounds. 25+25+25+25. This caramelizes the surface without overcooking the interior. These times produce a delicious medium rare burger you can enjoy like a steak, or with buns and all the fixin’s!

Steaks: Same process and temperatures apply but cooking times vary. Try 7 minutes per side at 200, remove steaks, heat up the fire, then finish 35-40 seconds per side for 2 rounds. 35+35+35+35.

Again, we season only with salt and pepper but will sometimes put a stick or 2 of dry oak or pecan wood on the charcoal or even across the gas burners. Yep, right out of your yard!

If you’re too hungry to take that much time to grill burgers, another method is to get a 350 degree fire and cook for 75-90 seconds per side for 2 rounds. 75+75+75+75. Then let them rest for 3-5 minutes before eating. Note: do not cook to DONE temperature on grill! Internal temperature will continue to rise after removing from fire! This method yields more of a crusty exterior if you prefer that.

Roasts – Low and slow method*

Defrost any roast in fridge at least 24 hours in a drip-catch vessel. Open package & set out about an hour to remove the chill and allow it to “bloom” or re-oxygenate. Salt & pepper generously to taste, then sear all sides in hot coconut oil (high smoke point, and so good for you). Remove to crock pot (or if you prefer, Dutch oven for oven cooking), then deglaze pan with 1/2 C red wine or broth. Pour over roast. Repeat with 1/4 C or so of water to get up all those bits, add to pot and cook, covered, about 6 hours on low (300 degrees for oven). Done when a fork easily pulls up fibers.

* Note: Top Sirloin Roasts are really a big steak and should be cooked as such. I’ve had great success searing them in a hot cast iron skillet in a little coconut oil, then resting in a very low temperature oven until time to slice and serve.

Short Ribs take really well to a slow cooker method as well, but no need to sear first! Here’s our favorite recipe for Korean Style Short Ribs. Delicious!

Enjoy!