Why do grass fed steaks taste different that my organic steaks I’m used to buying?
Grass-fed: Grass-fed animals receive a majority of their nutrients from grass throughout their life,
while organic animals’ pasture diet may be supplemented with grain.
At Just Clean Beef; our cattle are never given grain. Some grass fed beef producers finish their cattle
on grain. We do not use grain.
Grass fed beef does have a different taste than the grain fed beef that you are used to buying.
Why is grass fed beef so lean? I’m used to more marbling in my beef.
Cows that are grass-fed and pastured in the true sense of the word are moving around a whole lot
more. Regular exercised muscle is tougher than unused muscle (humans aren’t any different if you
think about it).
That marbling that makes meat tender is from fat in and around the muscle. Since grass-fed and
pastured animals aren’t getting the calorie loaded diets; they don’t always have as much marbling
and they take a lot longer to ‘finish’ (meaning that our cattle are not given any hormones; grain or
fillers; therefore our Dexter Cattle take 3 years from birth to ‘finish’).
Why is grass fed beef more expensive than the average price in the grocery stores?
We understand that grass-fed beef costs a little more than conventionally raised alternatives. People
often ask us why that is. It is simple. We raise our cattle using 100 year-old methods. That means all
the weight-gaining, speed-to-market tools such as feedlots, corn and grain rations, growth
hormones, and antibiotics cannot be used to raise our cattle to provide our customers with Just Clean
Beef. Because that may mean to you that you are paying more than the grocery store, we provide
individually wrapped steaks, and smaller portion sizes. Gentle on the environment and the wallet.
Healthier for you and your family.
What tips can you give me when cooking your beef?
Cooking: Extra care should be taken to avoid over cooking grass fed beef. Avoid using higher
temperatures (as is advised with grain fed meat to help remove fat), as it is un-necessary and may
actually toughen the meat.
Marinades on steaks and roasts; further enhance flavour and add to the tenderness.
Marinades (apple cider vinegar; red wine vinegar; salt; rub). The acid, salt and sugar help
breakdown muscle fibers. Using natural tenderizers such as pineapple, papaya, mango, kiwi, citrus
and honeydew juices; vinegar, wine, yogurt are always great additions to all marinades.
LOW & SLOW
Roasts: Lowering the cooking temperature and lengthening the cooking time can prevent the meat
from drying out; so it stays moist and tender. I like to cook my roasts in the crock pot on low for
several hours. So easy! We all need more time to enjoy spending time on the activities we like to
do.
Grilling/BBQ steaks: The steaks should always be done over a slow, medium fire, meaning not
searing hot.
LET IT SET
Keeping close tabs on the temperature can make a huge difference. Meat continues to raise as much
as ten degrees from the temperature you read in the oven or pan. Take your cuts out ten degrees
before your ideal temperature. Meat thermometers are easy to use. This is also why it’s so important
to let meat rest before you cut it up. That little bit of time lets the juices redistribute throughout the
meat.
We don’t rush the cattle when we raise them; so we can’t rush the cooking process when we
cook the meat.
Grass-fed: Grass-fed animals receive a majority of their nutrients from grass throughout their life,
while organic animals’ pasture diet may be supplemented with grain.
At Just Clean Beef; our cattle are never given grain. Some grass fed beef producers finish their cattle
on grain. We do not use grain.
Grass fed beef does have a different taste than the grain fed beef that you are used to buying.
Why is grass fed beef so lean? I’m used to more marbling in my beef.
Cows that are grass-fed and pastured in the true sense of the word are moving around a whole lot
more. Regular exercised muscle is tougher than unused muscle (humans aren’t any different if you
think about it).
That marbling that makes meat tender is from fat in and around the muscle. Since grass-fed and
pastured animals aren’t getting the calorie loaded diets; they don’t always have as much marbling
and they take a lot longer to ‘finish’ (meaning that our cattle are not given any hormones; grain or
fillers; therefore our Dexter Cattle take 3 years from birth to ‘finish’).
Why is grass fed beef more expensive than the average price in the grocery stores?
We understand that grass-fed beef costs a little more than conventionally raised alternatives. People
often ask us why that is. It is simple. We raise our cattle using 100 year-old methods. That means all
the weight-gaining, speed-to-market tools such as feedlots, corn and grain rations, growth
hormones, and antibiotics cannot be used to raise our cattle to provide our customers with Just Clean
Beef. Because that may mean to you that you are paying more than the grocery store, we provide
individually wrapped steaks, and smaller portion sizes. Gentle on the environment and the wallet.
Healthier for you and your family.
What tips can you give me when cooking your beef?
Cooking: Extra care should be taken to avoid over cooking grass fed beef. Avoid using higher
temperatures (as is advised with grain fed meat to help remove fat), as it is un-necessary and may
actually toughen the meat.
Marinades on steaks and roasts; further enhance flavour and add to the tenderness.
Marinades (apple cider vinegar; red wine vinegar; salt; rub). The acid, salt and sugar help
breakdown muscle fibers. Using natural tenderizers such as pineapple, papaya, mango, kiwi, citrus
and honeydew juices; vinegar, wine, yogurt are always great additions to all marinades.
LOW & SLOW
Roasts: Lowering the cooking temperature and lengthening the cooking time can prevent the meat
from drying out; so it stays moist and tender. I like to cook my roasts in the crock pot on low for
several hours. So easy! We all need more time to enjoy spending time on the activities we like to
do.
Grilling/BBQ steaks: The steaks should always be done over a slow, medium fire, meaning not
searing hot.
LET IT SET
Keeping close tabs on the temperature can make a huge difference. Meat continues to raise as much
as ten degrees from the temperature you read in the oven or pan. Take your cuts out ten degrees
before your ideal temperature. Meat thermometers are easy to use. This is also why it’s so important
to let meat rest before you cut it up. That little bit of time lets the juices redistribute throughout the
meat.
We don’t rush the cattle when we raise them; so we can’t rush the cooking process when we
cook the meat.
