We have lots of folks that have never had enough access to premium, grass-fed meats that often have trouble preparing them. We get lots of questions at farmers' markets and delivery points on how to prepare their purchased product. So, I have come up with a few pointers that we have available at markets for folks and I thought I would post them here for you, too.
Grass-fed meats cannot always be cooked like conventional meats. Grass-fed meats are lower in fat and more flavorful than traditional raised meats. If cooked too long or over too high of a heat source, grass-fed meats can quickly become tough. And, by using abundant seasonings, grass-fed meats can also quickly lose their distinctive flavor. Cooking grass-fed meats is not hard, but requires a few basic principles when cooking.
1. Use a lower temperature. In other words, turn down the heat on your stove, oven or grill. Grass-fed meats are generally lower in fat surrounding the muscle, as well as throughout the meat. Cooking at high temperatures causes the fat and natural juices within the meat to melt away and evaporate, causing the proteins within the meat to toughen. Although I'm a huge fan of searing things, totally cooking grass-fed meats at high temperatures can quickly lead to an undesirable meal.
2. Learn which method of cooking is best for each different cut or type of cut of meat. In general, there are two methods of cooking meats: dry-heat and moist-heat. In dry-heat methods, fat and water are cooked out of the meat to the desired doneness, producing a firm, yet still juicy, meat. These meats include cuts from the rib, loin, and sirloin areas of the animal which produce the better cuts of meat. Examples of these cuts are rib eye steaks, porterhouse steaks, t-bone steaks (Taylor's favorite!), chops and tenderloin cuts. Types of dry-heat methods include pan-frying, broiling, roasting, stir-frying, grilling, and sauteing.
Moist-heat methods are used for cuts of meat that come from the muscles that do a lot of work and are generally tougher cuts of meat. Examples of these cuts would be from the shoulder and round parts of the animal: hocks, roasts, shoulder steaks, round steaks, brisket, skirt and flank steaks, as well as ribs. These parts of the animal that work hard develop collagen throughout the muscles, making them naturally tough. When cooking, you want to break down the collagen in order to tenderize that cut of meat. Moist-heat methods include crock-pot cooking, boiling, stewing or braising.
3. Go easy on seasonings and sauces. Grass-fed meats are typically full of natural, intense flavors. Excess seasoning of grass-fed meats can cause them to lose their unique flavors. Grass-fed meats should be seasoned subtly in order to enjoy the robust, natural flavors of the meat. Keep in mind, though, that cuts of meat suited for moist-heat cooking are generally more robust in flavor and can sometimes handle more generous seasonings, though in moderation. 
4. Toss the timer. Because grass-fed meats are so much leaner than conventional store-bought meats, using a timer can be detrimental to cooking grass-fed meats. Instead, get a good, digital (my preference) meat thermometer and be ready to put it to good use. The only way to ensure that grass-fed meats are prepared to your taste is to toss the timer and use a meat thermometer. My friend and grass-fed guru, Shannon Hayes, has a great magnet to aid in cooking grass-fed meats as the ideal internal temperatures are lower than the internal temperatures set forth by the USDA. You can find her Don't Over-Do It! Magnet here.
5. Butter it up! Because grass-fed meats are so much lower in fat, it is a must that you grease the skillet. My preference is butter. Natural butter from unpasteurized raw milk from happy, grass-fed cows. You get the idea. I also use lard recklessly. Lard from our acorn-finished pork. But, as so many may not have access to either of these items, you probably want to keep a good, quality unrefined olive oil to lightly grease your cooking pans prior to cooking your grass-fed meats. This mainly applies to the dry-heat methods of cooking. If you don't, you'll be scraping it off the skillet.Now that you've got your pointers, cooking your grass-fed meats should be easy as pie. Or, steak! Enjoy!
