On the farm, we are big fans of slow cooked roasts. Here is an easy way to prepare our grass-fed roasts to ensure a flavorful and tender end product.
Step 1: Thawing
There are slow and quick methods to thawing meat. With grass-fed meat, the slower the thaw the better. If you bring the meat to room temperature right before cooking, you are a grass-fed champion and will get the juiciest prize of all.
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Slow thaw: Put your cut in the fridge. A 1-2 lb roast will take about 2-3 days in the fridge to thaw. A 2-4 lb roast will take about 4-5 days. Once thawed, set on your counter for about 30 to an hour to bring to room temperature, then cook!
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Quick thaw: We all do it- forget to plan ahead, and need a quick protein rich meal. In these instances, a quick thaw is appropriate, and the meat will still be delicious, I promise! To thaw your meat quickly (really only works for thinner cuts, not thick roasts) put the unopened package in a bowl and run room temp water over it. You can also put slightly hotter water in the bowl and let it sit, then change the water once the water gets cold. This will have your meat ready to cook in under 45 minutes.
Step 2: Searing
Searing your meat adds a great crisp texture and keeps the juicy flavors in the meat.
First heat up a little bit of oil in a pan. Wait until the pan is REALLY hot, but don't burn the oil. Then, place your roast in the pan. You should hear a sizzle if the pan is hot enough. If the roast is still sticking to the pan, it is not done searing. Once you can move the roast without it sticking, flip it over and sear the other side.
Once both (or all) sides of the roast is seared you can transfer to a baking dish, or whatever you are using to bake in the oven. It should look similar to this photo.
Cooking
When the roast is done searing you can lather it in some herbs and spices. For this chuck roast, I combined salt, pepper, rosemary, and olive oil and applied to all sides. A general rule of thumb we use on the farm is cook low and slow. For this 3.5 lb roast pictured, we cooked it at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours. After a few hours it was bathed in its own juice and super tender.
Cooking a 3-5 lb roast at 300 for 3-5 hours is also a good rule of thumb. 2-3 hours will probably do for a 2-3 lb roast. Make sure to cover the roasts when you put it in. This will keep in all the juices. You can't really overcook with this method, it just gets more and more tender.
Of course you can always just throw it in a slow cooker for several hours and call it a meal!
Good luck and don't overthink it!
Ready to start receiving the highest quality grassfed beef in Tennessee? Join our CSA in Nashville today!