Hogan's Magnolia View Farm Grass Fed Beef

"Enjoy beef again!"

How is Grass-fed Beef different from commercial beef?

What are the health benefits of Grass-fed Beef?

How is Grass-fed Beef different from Organic Beef?

What is Grass Fed Beef?

Grass fed beef is the practice of raising cattle on natural free-range pasture, without the use of antibiotics, hormones or grain. This creates meat that is naturally lean, high in healthy Omega-3 fats and vitamins, and removed from the risks associated with feed-lot beef. The result is a healthy and delicious meat.

How is Grass-fed Beef different from commercial beef? Cattle, as ruminants, naturally eat grasses. The common practice of "finishing" beef in crowded feedlots includes force-feeding the cattle grain, which is not a natural feed for cattle. The cattle must be managed with various feed additives and antibiotics to prevent illness from this unhealthy life. These practices speed the growth of the cattle, adding weight rapidly and marbling fat into the meat. What we have come to understand about this practice is that not only does it dramatically increase the fat in the meat, it actually changes the fat and reduces the amount of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) naturally found in beef.

Total fat graph from different types of beef. Source - eatwild.com

What are the health benefits of Grass-fed Beef? Grass-fed beef is a healthier choice in a number of ways. Grass-fed beef is lower in total fat and calories than commercial beef. Not only is Grass-fed beef lower in fat, but it has higher levels of "healthy" fats including Omega-3 fatty acids and CLA. Vitamin E levels are four times higher than in feedlot beef. The eatwild.com website has more information on the health benefits of Grass-fed beef (the graph to the right is from their website).

An important difference between Hogan's Grass-fed beef and commercial beef is that our meat is from a single, healthy steer. The ground beef is not combined with the meat from any other animal, as is the practice with commercial ground beef. Ground beef found in the stores, even the organic products, can be the product of hundreds of individual animals. This merging of meat dramatically increases your risk of exposure to all sorts of pathogens. Feeding the cattle grain also increases the risk of E.coli contamination as it increases the acidity in the stomach and creates a more hospitable environment for E.coli bacteria. A crowded feedlot magnifies that risk as well. The natural grass diet and clean pasture of Grass-fed beef greatly reduces the risk of contamination.

Our meat also has no artificial coloring or taste enhancers. All Hogan's Grass-fed beef is from beef-breed cattle, and are not culled cows or mixed non-beef breeds. Our cattle are processed at a state-regulated abattoir. Our meat is vacuum-packed in individually wrapped packages. This protects the meat from exposure to air, extending its life in the freezer and preventing "freezer burn".

How is Grass-fed Beef different from Organic Beef? Organic beef has many benefits, including the lack of antibiotics, hormones or other feed additives and recently, required access to pasture. However, many organic beef producers use feedlots to "finish" the cattle, confining them and force feeding them grain or other unnatural food. This practice increases the total fat and dramatically lowers the levels of healthy Omega-3's, CLA and Vitamin E. Also, organic ground meat can be the product of more than one individual animal.
Back to Top

Cooking Grass-fed Beef

Grass-fed beef is leaner than commercial beef and needs to be treated differently. If you cook the meat as you would commercial beef, it may become over-done, tough and chewy. We recommend that you experiment some to find the cooking methods that appeal to you and enhance the natural flavor of the meat.

Steaks: Grass-fed beef steaks should not be overcooked; they will cook in less time and at a lower temperature than steaks from grain-fed beef. They should be "dry" when cooked (i.e. not marinated) and coated with oil and spices. The oil seals in the juices and gives the steak a seared exterior and tender interior. If the steaks are "wet" the meat may stew itself and could be mealy. The meat should be seared initially, but not too hard, and then turned often to keep the heat even. Salt only at the end-if you salt it too early it may draw the moisture out of the meat.
Roasts: Grass-fed beef roasts are very lean and will benefit from cooking in liquid. Brown all surfaces of the roast in a pot with herbs, onion and garlic over medium heat. Then cook very slowly in liquid either in the oven, on the stove, or in a crock pot. Add vegetables as desired to cook with the roast.
"The chemical composition of the fat from cows that eat no grain is different. The fat feels lighter in the mouth and cooks faster because the melting point is lower. The trick…is to cook that steak more gently. Don't sear the meat as hard as you might a grain-fed steak. Don't cook it directly over the highest heat on the grill…Grass-fed beef cooks in about 30 percent less time, and it can overcook before you know it." - Kim Severson, NY Times: July 6, 2005 "A Steak Brought Up Well, Please"
Ground beef: The flavor of the ground beef is wonderful. Remember when cooking it that Grass-fed beef is lower in fat. It may help to add some moisture to the beef such as a small amount of olive oil along with your favorite seasoning. Be sure to cook the meat carefully so that no pink remains.
Cube Steak: Grass-fed beef cube steak is a pleasant surprise. It has wonderful flavor and is very quick to prepare. Cube steak can be somewhat chewy, so it is best to pound the meat briefly before cooking. A meat mallet or just the top of a hammer, work well. Pound the meat briefly, coat with olive oil, garlic and other spices. Pan fry quickly on the stove-do not overcook. Enjoy a quick meal!

Recipes!

Try our delicious recipe for Beef Stew.. Right click on the link and save the Word document to your computer. If you have a recipe you'd like to share, we would love to hear from you! Email us at . Happy cooking and enjoy beef again!

Links for Further Reading

Eat Wild is a great resource for learning about pasture-based farming and the benefits of eating grass fed beef.

The (AGA) American Grassfed Association, "Organized to protect and promote true grassfed producers & grassfed products; as a cooperating multi species entity, that outreaches nationally through Communication, Education, Research and Marketing."

Eating Fresh is "a publishing and information services company and consulting firm that connects home cooks, professional chefs, restaurateurs, food enthusiasts, and consumers to taste, health, and community benefits of locally grown and raised foods."

Eat Well Guide is "a free directory of sustainably-raised meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from stores, farms and restaurants in your area."