New Life on the Farm
It is hard to believe that we are only a few short weeks to the official start of spring. Winter has actually been quite easy to take this year. FOR WHO HAS DESPISED THE DAY OF SMALL BEGINNINGS? ZECHARIAH 4:10A
Author: Sue King
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Are You Absolutely Satisfied with Store-Bought Pork?
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY PORK DISHES ALWAYS HAVE SO MANY SWEET SAUCES ON THEM? For many years this question never crossed my mind. Until we started raising and eating our own pasture-raised pork.
In the Kitchen: How to Cook the Perfect Steak
PAN SEARINGPan-searing is a cooking technique that exposes the surface of meat to a high temperature until a caramelized crust forms. It is essentially the same as browning. It requires that the meat surface must be free of moisture. Pan-searing improves the appearance of meat because of the well-browned crust that is formed. THE BIGGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE WHEN COOKING GRASS-FED BEEF IS OVER COOKING IT. LET’S LOOK AT FIVE TIPS TO ENSURE A PERFECTLY COOKED STEAK EVERY TIME. Lower that cooking temperature. Grass-fed beef is leaner than its grain-fed counterpart. That said, you will need to cook it at a slightly lower temperature for 30 - 50% less time. Otherwise, you cook off the fat and are left with a dry, tough piece of meat. Overcooking grass-fed beef causes many nutrients to be lost, especially Omega 3s.Invest in a meat thermometer. I can’t stress this enough. Because grass-fed beef is leaner, you don’t have the same margin of error that a grain-fed piece of beef has. Your meat thermometer ensures that you cook your meat to the optimum internal temperature. You can get a handy chart here that will help you determine the doneness of your meat.PRO TIP: To achieve the desired temperature, remove your meat from heat when it is about 10F lower then your goal temperature. The residual heat finishes cooking the meat as it rests.Start steaks at room temperature. This is a good rule of thumb for all meats, especially for grass-fed beef. When you start at room temperature it takes less time to reach your ideal internal temperature. By doing this your meat will stay juicy and delicious.DON’T play with your meat. Avoid the temptation to poke steaks or roast with forks or press burgers down with spatulas. This lets all the delicious, nutritious fat to escape, giving you a less juicy end result.Give your meat a rest. When your meat has reached the desired internal temperature, let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing into it. By resting it the juices that have moved to the outside during cooking are reincorporated back into the meat. COOKING STEAK LIKE A PROPreheat pan adding 1 tablespoon of a healthy fat like lard or tallow (I prefer a large cast-iron skillet) for 5 minutes before adding steak Pat dry using paper towels. This ensures a perfect sear and greatly reduces splattering.Season generously just before cooking by sprinkling both sides liberally with salt and pepper. Add steaks and sear on each side for 3 - 4 minutes until a brown curst has formed. Top steak with a pat of butter and minced garlic cloves. Continue cooking, basting with the sauce until your desired doneness is achieved. Remove from heat. Let rest for 10 minutes. (I cover loosely with tin foil or the skillet lid.) You don’t want to cover it tightly.
Are You Getting What You Paid For?
IS YOUR BEEF 100% GRASS-FED? WAS THAT ANIMAL RAISED ON GRASS FOR ITS ENTIRE LIFE? OR WAS IT GRAIN-FED TO GROW RAPIDLY?
In The Kitchen: How to Cook the Perfect Grass-fed Beef Roast
Slow Cooker or Oven: What is the Best Way to Cook a Grassfed Beef Roast?