Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed

Why is grass-fed beef better for us than grain fed beef? Whilst not only tasting better, the fat profile of grass-fed beef is healthier. Most western diets have an average ratio of 16+:1 of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids. A healthy ratio is around 4:1. Grass-fed beef usually averages around 3:1, whilst grain fed can be as high as 20:1 . Put simply, grass fed is the healthier and tastier option.

  • Cows are fundamentally designed to eat grass… not grain
  • Grass-fed beef is naturally leaner than grain-fed beef.
  • Grass-fed beef has the recommended ratio of 3:1 of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fats.
  • A natural diet means grass-fed beef is loaded with more natural minerals and vitamins.
Cooking Tips    Cameron Fenson

Oil the meat, not the grill.

Cooking the perfect steak is easy if you following the tips below.
  • Buy the best meat you can afford. A couple of extra dollars makes a big difference.
  • Leave the fat on when cooking, it’s flavour and keeps the meat moist! You can always cut it off later.
  • Rub oil (olive or canola) on both sides of the steak. Then rub in some cracked pepper and salt. You can be liberal with it, as a lot will burn off during cooking, whilst flavouring the meat.
  • If cooking on the stove invest in a good cast iron griddle pan or skillet. Get it nice and hot, then turn down to a medium heat once you put the steak on.
  • Only turning once is a myth, turn at least twice and rotate 90 degrees to get nice cross grill marks and good caramelisation.
  • LET IT REST! This is the most important part of cooking any type of meat. Allowing the temperature and juices to equalise means the meat will be juicier and tastier, particularly with thicker cuts of meat. Just take it off the heat and cover loosely with foil. For steaks allow a least 5 minutes resting, 10-15 minutes is better. For a roast at least 15-25 minutes, including poultry.
  • Buy a cheap digital thermometer, is an essential tool for thick steaks, roasts and poultry. It’s not cheating, after a while you won’t need it for cooking steaks. Rare=45°-50°, Med/Rare=55°-60°, Med=60°-65°, Med/Well=65°-70°, WellDone=Don’t do it!
Cooking Tips    Cameron Fenson

Get the crackling perfect!

Follow these tips and impress everyone with your crackling!
  • Score the skin about 1 cm apart, diagonally in one direction only. Score deep enough to get through the skin but not into the meat. Your Butcher would normally have already done this for you.
  • Optional* Place in the sink and poor a jug of boiling water on it. This will shrink skin and open up scores ready for salting. Dry the pork thoroughly with a tea towel.
  • Rub a little oil (olive or canola) onto the skin, this will help the salt stick. Sprinkle skin liberally with regular salt or flakes. Use fancy salt if you like. Really work the salt into the skin using your knuckles, pushing parallel along with the score. A white, soapy liquid should start to form. The more time doing this the better the crackle.
  • Optional* Place in a tray and leave uncovered in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight if possible. This helps dry out the skin more.
  • Rub a little oil onto the skin prior to placing in oven. The secret is getting the crackling started before cooking the meat. You can do this by preheating oven to at least 230°C and blasting the roast for 30 mins or until the skin starts to bubble and brown. Then turn the temperature down to 160°C to 180°C.
  • A better way is to start the crackling is under the grill or using the fan grill is even better. This takes a bit of effort and you must watch it so it doesn’t burn. Keep the skin 5-10cms away from the element. You want the skin to bubble and brown and look like its almost done. If cooking a rolled pork, rotate it by propping it up with a fork or skewer so you can get the sides started also. Once you’ve got the crackling started just cook it normally.