The 44 Magnum Sear
The 7 S’s
Grass-fed can be dry and gamey or jucie and succulent. Here are few cooking tricks that make grass-fed meat savory and eye popping every time.
Sit
Start by removing thawed meat from the fridge and let it sit on the countertop and come up to room temperature (about 1 hr).
Salt
Coat meat entirely with a layer of heavy kosher salt. (For thin steaks I do a thin layer, and for roasts I do a thick layer.)
Sit
Allow meat to sit at room temperature (covered with plastic wrap or a lid) for one hour. Salt is a drying agent and will pull the juices from the meat. As the meat sits for the full hour it will draw the juices back in and take the salt with it - tenderizing throughout. (I also adjust the time a little according to size of the cut of meat. For a thin steak I may let it sit for 45 min, whereas a roast will require an additional 20-25 min.)
Sluice
Sluice with cool water to remove excess salt. Then pat dry with a paper towel. Water on the meat will prevent the next step. Water will cause the outside of the meat to steam instead of sear. So, dry well.
Sear
Putting a nice sear crust on the meat will enhance the flavor, visual appeal, and lock in all the delicious juices. To get a nice sear, start with a nice hot cast-iron skillet. Grape seed oil is a favorite for this step due to its high smoke point. This step can also be done with lard or bacon grease- be careful and have a lid handy though, fat is highly flammable. Place meat in the smoking hot skillet and give a good sear to all 6 sides. Each side will need to sear for at least 2 min per side without being disturbed. (The more the meat is checked the less of a sear it will get, it will cook without searing. So, just let it be for a few minuets per side.)
At this point, if cooking a roast, place it in your slow cooker with desired veggies, spices, broth and slow cook until tender. If cooking a steak, drop the heat to low and cook gently, with lid on, until internal meat temperature has your reached desired temp, I always remove around 136-138 for medium rare (for perfect steak every time a meat thermometer is a necessity.)
Sit
Let the meat rest, covered with tin foil, on a warm plate for 5 minuets. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise to 5 min. So a steak removed at 138 degrees will finish around 144 degrees. If you were to serve the steak before resting and cut into the steak right away, the rising temperature would push our all your delicious juices you have worked so hard to encapsulate and preserve. Resting on a warm plate will keep the steak at a perfect temperature for serving without sacrificing any juicyness!
Savor
Finally, enjoy the best grass-feed cut of meat you have ever had!