Going grass-fed? Great! Before you bust out the grill, pan or crockpot, keep in mind that you may have to change up your usual methods to achieve the same great results. Because it’s 100% grass fed and never grain-finished, grass-fed beef tends to be much leaner than conventional beef, which leaves less room for error in the cooking process.

While overcooking can lead to tough meat, such a fate is easily avoidable. Tender cuts of grass-fed beef should be cooked less than their grain-fed counterparts, and tougher cuts lend themselves to low and slow cooking methods. For best results, bring meat to room temperature before cooking, tenderize it with a meat mallet (when possible) and, if you want to add a little extra flavor, marinate beforehand.

Want a few more pointers from the pros? Follow these quick tips from our friends at SunFed Ranch to cook your grass-fed beef to perfection.

• Start high and finish low. Sear your steak at a high temperature, then finish cooking at a much lower temperature.
• Since grass-fed beef is leaner than grain-fed beef, coat meat with a light oil to prevent it from drying and sticking.
• Use tongs to flip your steaks, as forks can pierce the meat and let all the flavorful juices escape.  
• Baste meat to add moisture throughout the grilling process.
• If roasting, reduce the oven temperature to around 275°F or use the lowest heat setting in a crockpot.
• Grass-fed beef requires 30% less cooking time than grain-fed beef and is at its best when rare to medium-rare, so use a meat thermometer to determine doneness and avoid overcooking.
• Let meat rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice thin against the grain.

Find out more about SunFed Ranch grass-fed beef in our Daily Dish blog, A Legacy of Better Beef.