Cooking Grass Fed Beef
September 12, 2012
Cooking Grass Fed Beef
Why purchase grass fed beef?
Photo credit: Koallah Farm/Simply Free Range
Earlier this year my family started a challenge with Trish at Little Eco Footprints to Skip the Supermarket. As part of that we changed the way that we shop for food. One of the changes that we have made was to start to buy beef and lamb direct from a local farm. We discovered Koallah FarmGrass Fed Beef and Lamb (now renamed Simply Free Range) and I have to say that from day dot, it was love! I love their meat so much that I convinced them to spend some time here on the blog by advertising in my side-bar. They were lovely enough to agree and to also agree to offer a fabulous package of their meat for a reader to try (if you win the competition, if not go and order some and taste the difference for yourself !) Read on….
I wrote a post a little while back about buying meat from the farm. I assumed it would be expensive but we have not found that to be the case, you can read more about that here. I looked at the cost per meal and found it to be very economical if you plan your meals.
I have learned from cooking and eating grass fed meat:
1. It tastes different (better) and I could not return to buying non grass fed meat again
2. Home delivery adds an element of convenience to my busy life style that I appreciate. I can be cooking it rather than at the butchers trying to navigate the product selection and determine what is a good choice for my family and budget. The meat is vacuumed packed. It stores flat taking up minimal space and lasts for weeks in the fridge.
3. I like to be able to ask questions of those who feed my family. The customer service I have received from Koallah Farm has been outstanding. I can email, questions, telephone or check their web site for information
4. You can use less meat in a meal and still make a satisfying, filling meal for your family (of large eaters – Mr Fresh!)
5. Cooking time is greatly reduced. I find that the meat falls off the bone and is tender well before the expected time to cook the same piece of meat purchased elsewhere
6. How to cook many new cuts of meat. I have tried many new cheaper cuts of meat that I would never have purchased from a butcher. Now I purchase them on a regular basis
Some new recipes I have recently created from cooking with these different cuts of meat include:
Our new found love of meat from the farm led me to investigate the difference between grass and grain fed meat.
I spoke to the owners of Koallah Farm about how they raise the animals and asked what makes grass fed different.
I am a little embarrassed to say that I did ask Steven (one of the owners of Koallah Farm) “Can you tell me what the day in the life of one of your cows is?” I wanted to try to understand what sort of life they led.
Steven very patiently explained to me that the cows are left to be cows – I love it!
The well-being of the animals is monitored but they are not on any sort of time-table. The farming techniques are “old fashioned”. No hormones, antibiotics, feed-lotting or growth program is assigned to the animals. They are free to roam. The calves are left with their mums, not separated to be fattened up. They are fed with farm grown hay as required. They grow at a natural pace. They are not exposed to any stresses and are healthy and happy.
Photo credit: Koallah Farm
Koallah Farm is located on more than 500 acres of land and the animals are stocked at low level as you will see from the picture, they have plenty of space! Even the chooks on the property get the enjoy the lush pastures 🙂 The chooks also produce some of the yellowest yolk lovely eggs I have ever tasted. They give the name free- range an alternate meaning. After trying them I stopped buying eggs from other places as the quality difference astounded me (except from our own eggs since our chooks started laying).
Photo credit: Koallah Farm
In addition to talking directly to the owners of Koallah Farm about their practices I also did some reading.
Here are some more reasons to add grass fed meat to your menu if you have not already.
- The meat has a higher nutritional value than grain fed
- There is a higher level of Vitamins E, C, Omega 3 fatty acids, and less total fat, cholesterol and calories
- Synthetic fertilisers and pesticides are not required to grow the pasture
- Waste from grass fed animals is spread over a vast space and acts as a welcome fertiliser rather than a waste
- Animals have a healthy, natural lifestyle. They are exposed to sun, fresh air, exercise and are less likely to require antibiotics
- Grass is not resource intensive, unlike grain
- Grass fed meat is often local meat – this equates to less food miles and support for your local community farmers
If you have not tried grass fed beef or lamb what are you waiting for?? I could keep raving on here for hours about how impressed I am about the quality of the meat, but you can try it for yourself.
Competition Entry: ENTRIES HAVE NOW CLOSED.
Thank you to everyone who entered for your great entries. The lucky winner will be announced Monday 24/09/12
Win a Premium Beef Pack
The Premium Beef Pack contains a 4 kg selection of the highest grade steaks including: Rib Eye, Eye Fillet and Scotch Fillet. It is valued at $129.00
Please support this local family owned business to continue to produce and supply their high quality products –
“Like” Koallah Farm on Face Book to follow their news and specials if you are based in Melbourne and surrounds.
- Entry is open to Australian residents who live in Melbourne or Geelong (the delivery area of the farm). The winner will liaise with Koallah Farm directly to organise delivery
- Competition is open from 12/09/12 and closes on 20/09/12 at 5 pm
- The winner will be announced on the blog on Monday 24/09/12
To enter:
Leave a comment below. Tell me your favourite cut of beef and how you like to cook it.
I will choose the top 3 entries and a representative from Koallah Farm will select the winning entry.
Don’t forget to Like Koallah Farm on Facebook to stay up to date with news and specials, or create a free account via their web site to be emailed a regular newsletter
Note:
The winner , as announced on 24/09/12 here on the home page- will have 48 hours to respond by providing me with their contact details before a new winner is selected.
*This is a Sponsored Post. Koallah Farm is an advertiser on this site. I purchase products from the Farm on a regular basis at my cost. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by compensation. Please note that Koallah Farm is responsible for prize fulfillment. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase is necessary. Facebook and Twitter are in no way associated with this giveaway.
References and further reading:
The Omnivores Dilemma – Michael Pollan, Peguin, New York, 2009
The Conscious Kitchen – Alexandra Zissu, Clarkson Potter, New York, 2010
“Grass Fed Basics” – Jo Robinson 2007 http://eatwild.com
Read more about Koallah Farm here:
Good Luck! I am looking forward to reading your entries and getting some new recipe ideas. Don’t forget to come back Monday 24/09/12 to find out who the lucky winner is.
Inspiring families to grow at least one fresh food item at home to experience the benefits of fresh food.
Minced beef! I know you can’t believe it but Jules from stonesoup turns this cut into delicious, simple, love, in her salt crusted burgers with mashy peas… Yumm
I am fond of any braised meat – secondary cuts. Chuck is a good one :). I love cooking a beef ragu with it in a slow cooker. After many hours super tender beef! Yum 🙂
Sounds awesome! I’m dissapointed I don’t live in their delivery area!
Sirloin, grilled to perfection. And it has to be well done, I can’t eat it while it’s still mooing!!
Like you on FB and I live in Melbourne 🙂
FB liker, in Melb too!
Chuck steak/beef, cooked slowly in a melt in the mouth casserole, with lots of champignons, red peppers and a tiny hint of chilli.
Any cheaper cut of meat cooked with fresh chilli, garlic, coriander, cumin, oregano and lots of black pepper and then fork shredded to make delish Mexican meat for tacos, burritos etc. YUM!
I’m a simple girl.. eye fillet sizzled in butter and garlic…slightly more than rare, the knife just sliding through…mmm
Recent sunny days have me looking towards Summer and the return of BBQ’ing! I adore a good Scotch Fillet cooked by my hubbie on the BBQ (medium) with a rocket salad and a roast potato with sour cream. Simple, summer fare and nothing like a flame grill to appreciate the flavour of the beef.
I love a good, rare steak with mushroom sauce.
I cook a lot of stir fries so I love to use rump steak for those – it cooks perfectly and is lovely and tender. I have recently got a pressure cooker, so I am loving experimenting with cheaper cuts like chuck and creating delicious slow cooked delights!
I have just discovered the best way to do corned beef – in the slow cooker! I always loved my nans corned beef. As kids we enjoyed it as a treat on school holidays when staying with her and my granddad on their farm. I also love that the left overs make fabulous sandwiches the next day. Perfect!
A nice simple steak cooked on the barby! That’s my fave at the moment. We have really discovered the importance of resting your meat in our journey to getting it right :)))) win or lose – I’m definitely trying this meat, sounds amazing!!
For me – I love a scotch filet steak, mushroom sauce and pototoes mashed with herbs and butter – oh and a glass of red!!!
*that would be potatoes!! …and I like the steak grilled on the bbq medium rare if you’re going to pop around to cook it please : )
Skirt steak is my favorite, great for stir fries and slow cooked for stews, casseroles and meat pies, my ony compliant is that it is difficult to obtain.
I am not a big meat eater, but after reading your review with these benefits of grass fed beef, I really would give it a try. Especially for the fussy children I am bringing up. At the moment the best selection in our house is mince meat. It goes into evrything, bolognes, hamburgers for the bbq and chilli con carne..I try to buy the organic one. But sometimes don’t believe all that I read. Where as the grass fed beef sounds so much more organic and natural. I especially like the idea of them being exposed to the sun and having fresh air, added bonus is the healthier vitamins they carry.
Thanks so much for this report, I have got so much out of your article.
My favourite beef cut is rib eye steak
Served with potatoes, which I bake
A marinade used for lots of flavour
Ensures this dish is one I savour
Lemon, herbs, garlic, seasonings too
Cooked on a hot grill, well done thankyou!
PS I’ve liked the FB page and I reside in Melbourne
Eye fillet for me, roasted in the oven then thinly sliced. Minced beef for the kids, turned into mini meatballs also roasted in the oven. Can you tell I don’t like cleaning frypans?
Scotch Fillet , pan seared with a Diane sauce.
My favourite cut of beef is silverside in the slow cooker. Perfect in winter, pop in the slow cooker before you go to work and when you get home it’s done. Also great cos if there’s any left can have in a sandwich for work.
My favourite cut of beef is beef ribs to make “Barbecue-Braised Vietnamese Short Ribs with Sweet Vinegar Glaze”. Yummy!
Scotch fillet steak. Cooked, Medium… just no blood… with a nice peppercorn sauce.. and vegies a plenty…mmmmm
I could just marry you 🙂
As long as the steak is close to central heating I’m happy. If you have to, walk it pass the radiator on the way to my plate where a homemade béarnaise to go with it is, and I am actually as close to heaven someone can be.
But since I live in SA, I might just go back to bed 🙁
Good luck to the rest of you guys!
I love a big, fat T-Bone. I like to pan fry until it it starts to bleed and then turn it once & cook till medium rare.
x Marnie
~C~ubed gravy beef! Can’t go past,
~U~ncomplicated cooking when harassed.
~R~ight for pressure cooker too. Fast!
~R~ice alongside, warming: leftovers don’t last…
~Y~es! Love MASSAMAN CURRY… UNSURPASSED!!!
I love chuck steak, dice it up, pop it in the slow cooker with carrots, potatoes, beans, corn, curry sauce and leave it all day long slowly simmering away until so tender it falls apart!
As a special treat hubby and I love a Rib eye, I like it simple, BBQ till medium and I make a garlic butter and parsley sauce, add a glass of Red and its a perfect night!
My favourite is Sirloin, yum!!! Congratulations on discovering grass-fed, it’s so much better tasting, better for you and better for the animal 🙂
I usually go for chuck steak or other cheaper meaty cuts for making a slow cooked beef tagine, flavoured with orange juice, dried apricots and sultanas and served with cous cous.
You have inspired me to try some new cuts/recipes too….
I like the T-bone BBQed by brother in law Jay, slow and over coals! It tastes like candy! 🙂
I love a T-bone steak sliced 2 1/2 inches thick salted and grilled to medium rear on a coal BBQ, shared between two people with horseradish and mustard on the side of course it must be grass fed!