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2013 Newsletter

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Cooking Tips for
Pasture Raised Meats

• Thaw your meat in the refrigerator for a day or two, or place your package of meat in a bowl or sink of water for a few hours.

• Bring your grass-fed meat to room temperature before cooking.....do not cook it cold straight from the refrigerator.

• Turn down the heat.  Get a good meat thermometer.  (As we Bechards say, "cook it LOW and SLOW")

• Pre-heat your oven, pan, or grill before cooking your grass-fed meats.

• Ease up on the seasonings and sauces.  Grass-fed meats should be seasoned delicately so as not to mask or compromise their true flavor.

• Less tender cuts of meat can be marinated to tenderize and add flavor.  A tenderizing marinade must contain an acid ingredient such as lemon juice, vinegar, yogurt, or wine.

• Marinades without an acid can be used to flavor tender cuts.

• Always marinate in the refrigerator, turning several times to coat evenly.  Less tender cuts need 6-24 hours to tenderize.  Marinating longer than 24 hours will result in a mushy surface texture.

• Choose a recipe that doesn't mask the delicate flavor of grass-fed meat but enhances the moisture content.

• A "rub" (as in some of our recipes) is a blend of seasonings, such as fresh or dried herbs or spices, applied to the surface of uncooked cuts.

• "Rubs"  add a burst of flavor to the meat but do not tenderize.

• Learn which cuts need dry-heat cooking and which need moist-heat cooking.  Choose the appropriate cooking method for the cut you've selected.

• Tender cuts can be cooked using dry-heat methods such as broiling, grilling, pan-broiling, pan-frying, roasting, and stir-frying.

• Less tender cuts need to be cooked slowly using moist-heat methods such as braising and cooking in liquid.

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DON'T !!

• Don't thaw or defrost your meats in the microwave.  Grass-fed meats are more lean than grocery-store meats and microwave use can cause the the meat to be tough and reduce the overall tenderness of your meat.

• Don't cook frozen or partially-frozen grass-fed meats - it causes the meat to be tough and dry.

• Don't over cook your meat.

• Don't cook your meat in the microwave.  It can change the texture and flavor of your meat.

• Don't follow the USDA temperature guidelines for times and temperatures when cooking your grass-fed meats  Their temperatures are too high for the leanness of grass-fed meats.

• Never use a fork to turn your meat....precious juices will be lost.  Always use tongs.

• Did we mention to NEVER thaw or defrost your meats in the microwave???

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By following these cooking tips, you will enjoy the most delicious and nutritious meat you've ever eaten!

Enjoy!