Cooking with grass-fed beef
With its deliciously pure taste and lean, flavorful texture, grass-fed beef is a natural choice for healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids.
Grass-fed beef takes less time to cook than grain-fed beef because it is leaner and lower in fat. So, pay close attention to your cooking times and watch that your beef does not overcook. Stovetop cooking is perfect for grass-fed beef, because you have more control over the temperature than on the grill.
The grass-fed beef found at PCC Natural Markets is raised with care and respect for nature by Williamson Family Farms in George, Washington. Cattle are allowed to graze naturally on pasture grasses and are not fed anything but grass — absolutely no grain.
Stir-fried basil beef with shiitakes and cashews
(Serves 4)
This recipe was created by PCC Cooks instructor Lynne Vea and was demonstrated to rave reviews at our Issaquah store.
- 1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
- 1 pound grass fed beef, sirloin or top round, cut into thin strips
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 small hot red chile, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne strips
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cane sugar
- 20 Thai or sweet basil leaves
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews or peanuts
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat in a wok or large saute pan. Stir-fry the beef and garlic for 4 minutes and remove from the pan. Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onion, mushrooms, chile and red bell pepper for 2 minutes. Stir in the beef mixture and add the soy sauce, sugar, basil leaves and cashews. Heat through and serve over steamed jasmine rice.
Recipe developed by Lynne Vea, PCC Cooks instructor
Sirloin and Roasted Vegetables
- 1 pound boneless grass-fed beef sirloin steak
Roasted vegetables:
- 1 medium eggplant, cut crosswise into 1-inch thick slices
- 8 large mushrooms
- 1 medium onion, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
- 1 medium red, yellow or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch wide strips
- 1 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1-inch thick slices
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat oven to 425° F. Place vegetables in shallow roasting pan. Combine oil, vinegar, garlic and dried rosemary in small bowl. Drizzle over vegetables and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, as desired. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender, stirring once. Cool slightly.
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet. Cook top-loin steaks 12 to 15 minutes (tenderloin steaks 10 to 13 minutes) for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes.
Carve steaks into thin slices. Arrange beef and vegetables evenly on individual plates. Serve with brown rice.
Recipe from California State University's Grass-fed Beef Educational Project
Sound Consumer, January 2005