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grass-finished-beef

What does grass-finished beef even mean and why does it matter

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The term “grass-fed,” as it applies to beef, has been in use for quite a while. For most, it elicits the idea of an idyllic cow on the range eating natural grass. It is an image that has been connected to the beef purveyors and ranchers well before the current era of grass-fed being a term of differentiation between pasture-raised cattle and those coming out of the U.S. factory farming system in which the animals are fed grains, corn, and other foods not natural to their diet.

And while grass-fed beef has arisen as a healthier, leaner, and more humane alternative to the standard beef you can find at the grocery store, there is not really a clear understanding — or regulatory oversight — as to what exactly qualifies as 100 percent grass-fed beef. 

Which is why beef that is “grass-finished” importantly comes into play.

We’ve written before about some of the misleading marketing that occurs in the beef industry with the mislabelling of beef as grass-fed, even when it may have been “grain-finished” in a factory-farm.

To us, the only real grass-fed beef is that which has grazed its entire life on pasture, was never fed grain or corn to be fattened up, and which ate real, natural grass its entire life. This is why, at ButcherBox, we emphasize that our meat is grass-fed AND grass-finished. 

The distinction is important. When a consumer buys grass-fed beef, the belief is that the product they are purchasing comes from cattle raised on a pure grass and forage diet. The best way for that to happen is for cattle to graze on pasture. This is a challenge for most areas of North America, and, we worry that we are heading for a future in which cattle are “finished” — fattened — with a grass-based feed, in a similar manner as a factory farm, that is a majority grass in pellet form with the potential for the inclusion of grain, corn, and soy.

For us, we believe that true grass-finishing through grazing not only makes the best tasting, tender beef, but also the most delicious. Grass-fed cattle that eat a diet as nature intended, grazing on bluegrass, orchardgrass, bromegrass, tall fescue and, in some situations, alfalfa, and other forage is the only true grass-fed beef. 

Grass-fed and grass-finished beef comes from animals that have eaten a natural diet, to eat grass and graze on open pastures, and live the majority of their lives out of doors. To us, this is the most humane approach to raising cattle for food. 

Grass-fed beef is also leaner beef, and it keeps the same protein profile as beef with more fat content. The “grain-finishing” that occurs on feedlots adds fatty marbling to beef and is done primarily to “fatten” the cattle for the market quicker than cows eating on pasture can gain weight.

 For all these reasons — the melt-in-your-mouth taste being included — grass-fed AND grass-finished beef has no equal. There is nothing better or more delicious than grilling and then eating a tender, grass-fed and grass-finished New York strip steak

steak

The ultimate guide to steak

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Meaty, beefy, juicy — steak is an American classic. 

With so many varieties and cuts of steak, though, it can be hard to know what sets each cut apart. What’s the difference between top sirloin steak, for example, and NY strip steak? Why are ribeyes and porterhouses so widely regarded in the culinary world? What’s the difference between skirt steak and flank steak, and how do you slice those thinner cuts?

This guide demystifies the world of steak and gives you the knowledge and tools to expertly prepare any kind of steak at home. From Philly cheese steaks whipped up with shaved steak to a decadent sauce-doused filet mignon, you’ll know exactly what you’re doing when preparing either. 

ButcherBox members receive many of these steaks in their monthly box. If you would like to sign up to get grass-fed, grass-finished beef delivered to your door, click here.

Top Sirloin Steak

Cut close to the round primal section of the cow, top sirloin steak is incredibly versatile. It’s rich like a roast but shares the texture and mouthfeel of a steak. You can grill it up to be served on its own or cube it and add it to stews and soups. It’s an economical cut of steak, making it great for everyday meals. Give this jerk-rubbed top sirloin with mofongo a try for a hearty, spicy meal.

Steak Tips

Incredibly tender, premium steak tips can be cut from tri-tip, coulotte, and sirloin. More pedestrian cuts come from various muscles but need a bit more help to be made into tender and juicy meals. They’re robust and meaty, and, at roughly one-inch a square, they make for some delicious hunks of meat. Try these braised in a soup or stew, or as full-flavored kebabs like this Dijon garlic smoked sirloin kebab dish.

Skirt, Bavette, and Flank Steak

Both skirt steak and flank steak are long, flat, and flavorful, while bavette steak is finely textured and flat. True bavette steak is hard meat cut to find in the U.S., despite its popularity across the pond. Flank steak is taken from the flank primal and is generally cut whole, and not divided into smaller portions. Skirt steak packs an even beefier flavor than flank steak, due to its connective tissue and fat content. Skirt steak is the default choice for fajitas, while flank steak responds well to marinating and grilling. Make sure to slice both thinly against the grain. For a good flank steak recipe, give this cilantro lime hickory grilled flank steak a try.

Shaved Steak

Looking to whip up a Philly cheese steak or a stir fry? Shaved steak is the ideal cut. Trimmed from the rib section, shaved steak is tender and full-flavored. It’s quick on the stove due to its thinness and pairs well with robust marinades.

New York Strip Steak

A favorite of steakhouses the world over, the New York strip steak can be cut thin or thick. It’s well-marbled and extremely tender, as it’s cut from the short loin, a rarely used muscle on the cow. The strip steak is a cut of beef that requires little more than a simple seasoning and a solid technique. Grill it, pan-sear it, or roast it—whatever you do, use lots of butter or even garlic butter. Enjoy this coffee-rubbed New York strip steak with berry sauce and parsnip mash for a well-rounded meal.

Ribeye Steak

The ribeye is a ButcherBox member favorite. Cut from the center of the rib section, it is smooth, rich, super beefy, and has significant marbling. Ribeyes respond well to an open flame due to their healthy fat content. Char them lightly and cook them until medium-rare. Here is a simple, sultry pan-seared ribeye recipe.

Ranch Steak

Ranch steaks are very lean—they’re trimmed of virtually all fat and cut from the shoulder muscle. They possess a distinct earthy flavor, in case you needed a reminder that they are indeed grass-fed. Due to the lack of fat, this steak can become tough if overcooked, so it’s best to aim for medium-rare. If you’re in the mood for something different, enjoy the caramelized and salty flavor of these honey and sea salt ranch steaks with rainbow carrots.

Denver Steak

While the term Denver steak has only been applied to this cut in recent years, a similar steak is called the zabuton by the Japanese due to its similarity to a plush seating cushion. It’s extraordinarily marbled and tender, coming from the same muscle section as the ribeye. It responds well to Asian flavors, like in this miso Denver steak recipe.

Filet Mignon

Famously fancy, filet mignon is a buttery, tender cut of beef. They come from the center of the tenderloin and are silky smooth in texture and mild in flavor. Grass-fed cattle are unique in that they produce filets with rich marbling and depth. Given their mild flavor, filet mignons hold up to decadent sauces like cream sauces or balsamic glazes. Date night? Here is the perfect filet mignon meal for two.

Flat Iron Steak

Flat iron steak comes from an area of the cow that is notorious for its tough, sinewy texture. However, researchers discovered a way to access the most tender section for a lean steak with rich marbling. Cut from the shoulder, it’s got a deep, meaty flavor and cooks up quick. Try it with a full-bodied sauce like a red wine glaze. Here’s a tasty pepper crusted flat iron with root vegetable mash.

Porterhouse

The king of T-bones, a porterhouse is actually two steaks in one, consisting of a large NY strip on one side, and a filet mignon on the other. Fun fact: The tenderloin portion must be at least 1 ¼ inches thick to earn its namesake. Given its thickness, a porterhouse should be seasoned liberally, producing a thick crust of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Here’s a recipe for the perfect porterhouse steak with herb butter.

steak

picanha-coulotte

By any name, coulotte or picanha, this is a cut everyone can enjoy

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A hidden delight of being a ButcherBox member is the monthly unpacking. As proof, check out one of the hundreds of videos people have posted online of them opening and discovering the cuts included in each month’s shipment.

One of the reasons the unboxing can be so exciting is that each month we include unique, difficult to find, and often underappreciated cuts of beef, pork, and chicken. 

Some months, members may have come across a slab of beef that they’ve likely never seen at a butcher shop with a name they may not be familiar with: Coulotte, which is also commonly referred to as picanha, as well as fat cap, rump cap, or top sirloin cap by North American butchers.

This cut is derived from the triangular muscle of the top sirloin butt, also known as Biceps femoris. Coulotte is a lean steak that comes from this hindquarter section of the cow, specifically between the loin and the round. Often a couple of inches thick, picanha is usually identified by the thin layer of fat that covers one side of the cut. The fat layer gives the cut much of its flavoring as there is little marbling inherent in coulotte.

An international cut of beef

The name ‘coulotte’ itself has a bit of complicated backstory. There is some confusion over the derivation of the word from the original French. Some believe the word is closest related to ‘culot,’ meaning cap, a reference to the location and thin layer of fat of the top sirloin cut. However, there is also a belief that the name coulotte is derived from the French word ‘cul,’ meaning bottom or, to the dirtier-minded, is slang for the human derriere.  This interpretation is taken from the French word’s relation to the Latin word ‘culus,’ meaning bottom, and refers to the location of the muscle in the cow’s hindquarters or backside.

To complicate matters further, another cut, the ribeye cap, which is very different steak altogether, is known in France as the ‘calotte,’ a name also related to the cap-like nature of that cut.

Most people are first introduced to the top sirloin cap by its Brazilian name, picanha, which is the specialty of churrascarias — Brazilian steakhouses that grill and slice the steak off a skewer. Churrascarias derive their name from the term churrasco, which is Portuguese for barbecue.

“Picanha, or coulotte, is hugely popular in Brazilian BBQ,” our in-house ButcherBox chef Yankel Polak said. “It is a perfect cut to grill.”

One thing is clear, when dry-seasoned and cooked carefully — do not overcook — the coulotte is a delicious steak. The cut is fantastic when cooked on a grill, but it is also has a lot of other uses, including for kabobs, steak sandwiches, stews, stir fry, shredded Mexican-style beef, and more.

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Preparing coulotte/picanha

In the summer, you can grill picanha/coulotte on skewers, Brazilian churrasco-style, over a wood fire or on a charcoal grill. When grilling the steaks outdoors, first score the fat cap, cut into smaller steaks — against the grain — and then season generously with kosher salt or rock salt and fold and skewer. You can also cook directly on a grill; to do that right, first cook with the fat cap down for a few minutes. 

Either way, whether you are in New York or California, grilled picanha will make you feel like you are in Rio de Janeiro in the summer.

“It’s crazy tender with a beautiful fat cap that just melts and crisps as you cook it,” he added. “Sliced thin and against the grain, this hunk of sirloin will literally melt in your mouth when treated properly, which is medium rare or skewered and slow roasted over an open fire.”

Chef Yankel loves a good mole. However, preparing the dish can be time-intensive. “Cheat the system by using mole-inspired flavors — peppers, nuts, spices, and chocolate — as a rub instead of a sauce,” he suggests. “Then top it all off with a spicy tomatillo salsa.”

picanha-coulotte

Chef Yankel has a few delicious coulotte recipes to share. First, check out the video of him demonstrating his “Smoky Chili Rubbed Coulotte with Red Pepper Salsa” recipe in the video below and also find Chef Yankel’s “Mole-Rubbed Coulotte with Tomatillo Salsa” recipe after the video. 

Chef Yankel’s recipe for Mole-Rubbed Coulotte (Picanha/Top Sirloin Cap) with Tomatillo Salsa

Servings:  4    Prep: 10 minutes    Cook: 1½ hours

Ingredients:

  • 1 ButcherBox Coulotte (Top Sirloin Cap)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt
  • ¼ cup pecan
  • ¼ cup almond
  • 1 dried ancho chili
  • 1 dried chipotle chili

Tomatillo Salsa

  • 6 tomatillo, husk removed and rinsed
  • 1 poblano pepper
  • 1 jalapeño pepper
  • 1 serrano pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine kosher salt, cinnamon, cumin, garlic powder, cocoa powder, both chilies, and nuts.

2. Pulse until chilies and nuts are finely chopped.

3. Rub both sides of coulotte roast with the spice rub.

4. Refrigerate for 3 hrs or overnight.

5. Place coulotte on sheet pan and roast in 200℉ oven until internal temperature is 115℉.

6. Remove from oven and sear in a hot pan on all sides, 1½ min per side. Let rest for at least 8 min, then slice thinly against the grain.

Directions:  Tomatillo Salsa

1. Toss tomatillos, garlic, and whole peppers in avocado oil.

2. Place on sheet pan and roast in a 400°F oven for 15 min or until tomatillos and peppers are browned from roasting.

3. Remove from the oven and place items in a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 min.

4. Remove the skin of the tomatillos and peppers and the seeds from the peppers.

5. Place tomatillos, peppers, garlic and the liquid from the mixing bowl in a food processor.

6. Add lime juice and puree.

7. Serve over the coulotte and enjoy!

Cooking music: The key ingredient in our kitchens

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Anyone who considers themselves a cook — whether that be a master chef, a harried mom making dinner for a family of six, or a fan of every cooking show on the planet — has more than a few kitchen idiosyncrasies. It may be a favorite knife, a certain cutting board that has been passed down through generations of family cooks, or a habit of finding a specific place to keep herbs and spices.

One of the more common kitchen traditions — discovered through a highly-scientific process of asking chefs we know and discussing our own experiences — is the practice of needing to cook to a specific and favorite type of music.

Some of the world’s top chefs have been known to be very territorial about not only the genre of music to get the kitchen rocking out to while cooking, but the acceptable artists, volume, and such. 

One famous bit of lore has it that the late Anthony Bourdain viewed playing the wrong type of music sacrilege when he ran his own kitchen. According to an old Entertainment Weekly story, Bourdain number one rule was, ”If you play Elton John, Billy Joel, or the Grateful Dead, you will be fired!”

Bourdain, who grew up in New York during the early days of punk rock spoke about cooking and music a lot on his shows Parts Unknown and No Reservations. If you want a great dive into Bourdain’s punk roots, check out this great podcast he did with Damian Abraham for “Turned Out A Punk.”

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But experiences vary. For some, the type of food one is cooking can dictate the kind of music to play. Jazz music? Louis Armstrong is a favorite for prep work or dinner. Italian music? Motown? Old-school hip-hop? Maybe they’re all a bit cliche, but that doesn’t mean that cooks across the country — professional or not — don’t still crank up their Spotify “Italian Cooking Music” playlist when preparing a bolognese.

We recently asked some of our customers about their kitchen habits, including their favorite cooking music. The responses were wide-ranging: ButcherBox subscribers like to listen to every type of music imaginable — from country to EDM, folk to pop, Christian to death metal, and artists ranging from Springsteen, the Beatles, and Van Morrison to Jack Johnson, Neil Young, The Rolling Stone, Adele and Frank Sinatra.

Our Head ButcherBox Chef, Yankel Polak, has his own rituals for cooking at home and for running a kitchen.

When doing food preparation and cooking at home, the mood or the food might dictate what he plays. For example, Chef Yakel has some strong opinions of what should be played at a Sunday brunch. According to Chef Yankel, Sunday is always a Blues day; so, while making brunch, he might play some Buddy Guy or Stevie or Tab Benoit —  powerful, great music with a positive vibe. “For me, that’s the music that says, ‘Hey, I’ve got all the time in the world, and I’m gonna cook the hell out of this Hollandaise while still in my pajamas,’” says Chef Yankel.

“Event preparation is a totally different animal,” he said. “If it’s an all-day cooking marathon, uplifting electronic is probably the ticket. Something with a driving beat but in the background, so it’s not distracting.”

“You don’t want to miss a detail!” he added.

Weeknight dinners are a bit different according to Chef Yankel. “Those will probably involve something instrumental — classical or jazz music — something to help wind things down from the day. “

But when he ran a kitchen, it was quite a different approach. For Chef Yankel, music served as a way to pump up and speed up the staff as they prepped and anticipated the start of each night’s dinner service.

For example, Chef Yankel said that he used to blast heavy metal or dubstep to get the crew riled up. There was nothing gentle or mellow. “We basically turned the kitchen into a two-minute mosh-pit before a crazy night of service,” he said.

“If you weren’t hyperventilating from sheer panic at the amount of business we were about to do, you weren’t going to move fast enough to get through it. The music reflected that.”

Once service began, the volume got turned down. “The chef’s voice was all the music you needed,” Chef Yankel said.

“But when that last order left the kitchen, the volume got cranked back up to maximum for that second wind needed to clean properly.” In Chef Yankel’s kitchen, that usually entailed the blasting of some Old-School hip-hop or bachata, music to get the crew dancing as they cleaned. Otherwise, as he said, “The end of the night could be a real drag.”

So whether it serves to inspire a passion for cooking, matches the vibe of a meal, or is necessary to pump up a restaurant staff, music is an integral part of most kitchens.

There really is nothing like moving around the kitchen to some great music or standing by a grill rocking out to your favorite Spotify playlist. 

We’d love to hear about your own music-inspired traditions too, so please share in the comments section below.

“cooking-music”

steak marinade

Make a great chicken, pork, or grass-fed steak marinade for a mouthwatering meal

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Quality chicken, pork, and beef can often be thrown directly on the grill without any seasoning — or with just a pinch of kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper — and taste amazing. But, an excellent homemade steak marinade — for instance — can take your meat to the next level.

Many steaks can be immensely improved with a little kitchen creativity and some minced garlic or soy sauce. This is especially true of skirt steak, flank steak, and similar tougher cuts with lots of connective tissues.

But if you really want to pack flavor into a grass-fed, grass-finished steak or some pasture-raised, heritage-breed pork or free-range chicken, a little knowledge of how marinades work and which flavor combinations are best can make a standard weeknight meal into a savory, memorable culinary experience.

Is it necessary to marinate steak, pork, or chicken?

Why marinate, you ask? Marinating before grilling is an excellent way to add additional flavors and to get more tender meat.

Marinades work well because of the natural attributes of beef, chicken, and pork, according to Head ButcherBox Chef Yankel Polak. “The longer you leave a protein in a marinade the more flavor it should absorb,” he explains, “and, what’s more, marinating will tenderize a tougher cut of meat.”

The problem is that, in reality, most marinades only penetrate about 2 millimeters deep. “And, get this,” Chef Yankel says, “it all happens in the first few seconds.”

So, while many people think that marinating meat for extended periods of time, or even overnight, is the key to having meat with fantastic flavor, that’s not actually the case. “While there is nothing wrong with preparing your ingredients the day before, remember that a good marinade only needs minimal contact with your protein to do everything it’s supposed to do,” according to Chef Yankel.

A good marinade enhances flavors

While there are many options for chicken or steak marinades, you can pull right off the shelf of your grocery store to have a pretty good meal, making your own marinades is healthier and leads to more flavorful pork chops or a nice juicy steak.

If you can, try to keep the marinades as natural as possible. It would be foolish to take a nice cut of grass-fed steak or heritage-breed pork and then douse it with some combination of corn syrup and lab-made additives.

Keep in mind that different cuts and types of meat have different flavor profiles. Some flavors will work best with, say, a flank steak more so than a ribeye, and vice versa.

“Think about the item you are cooking, whether that’s chicken, beef, or pork, and use ingredients in your marinade that will complement the flavor,” Chef Yankel says.

Flavor profiles for each type of meat

According to our chef, the best complementary flavor profiles are citrus for chicken, sweet flavors for pork, and marinades that are rich and savory for beef, especially grilled steaks.

This is why lime and lemon juices go great with other spices in chicken marinades; pineapple, brown sugar, and maple are great to have in pork marinades; and balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and mushroom flavors work well as steak marinades.

“While they don’t alter the internal structure of the meat,” Chef Yankel adds, “acidic elements in marinades will certainly give you that extra punch of flavor — the ‘wow’ factor that accompanies that first bite.”

Some flavors that can’t be made from scratch — unless you have time to ferment malt vinegar, molasses, anchovies, and tamarind extract for 18 months. So it is okay to mix some natural ingredients like rosemary or fresh lemon juice with a good soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.

Using a homemade marinade on your grass-fed steak can change a mundane meal into something otherworldly. Experiment and you might discover unexpected flavor combinations that work wonders for your palate.

And, to save you some precious time, now you also know that you don’t even have to marinate for too long to get those flavorful benefits.

Watch Chef Yankel break down his favorite marinades for chicken, pork, and beef here. In the video below check out an easy steak marinade — that has very little prep time —featuring garlic, cilantro, lime zest and olive oil. According to Yankel, that’s all you need for a delicious steak every time.

Also, here is Chef Yankel’s favorite one-hour steak marinade recipe for grilling New York strip steaks:

  • 3 limes, both zest and juice
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 head of minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chives, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons tarragon, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons dill, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
  1. Combine all marinade ingredients in small bowl. Mix well and coat steaks thoroughly.
  2. Allow steaks to marinate in a refrigerator at least one hour, then bring steaks to room temperature before cooking.
  3. Grill the strip steaks over charcoal or an open flame for 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reads 120°F. Rest steak 8 minutes before serving.

You can find more recipes here. Happy eating!