Cut to your sheet
Grass fed steaks from cattle finished on grass.
A grass finished steak tastes like the pasture it came from, which is the point. It is leaner than grain finished beef and it rewards a hot pan and a short cook.
Are grass fed steaks better?
They are different, and whether different is better depends on what you want from a steak.
Grass finished beef is leaner, the fat is yellower from beta carotene in the grass, and the flavor is stronger and more mineral. Grain finished beef is milder, sweeter and more marbled, which is why it is more forgiving to cook and why the whole industry is built around it.
If you want the most tender, mildest steak per dollar, grain finished wins and we will not pretend otherwise. If you want beef that tastes like a place, this is the trade.
Which steaks come off one animal
| Ribeye | The one people plan an evening around. Marbled, forgiving, best hot and fast. |
|---|---|
| Sirloin | Leaner, cheaper per pound, and the everyday steak in most houses. |
| Flat iron | Tender, underrated, and excellent value off a grass finished animal. |
| Skirt and flank | Marinate, sear hard, slice against the grain. Best steak per dollar there is. |
| Round | Lean and firm. Slice thin or braise it. |
| T-bone and porterhouse | Two steaks on one bone. Ask for them and you lose strip and tenderloin elsewhere. |
The exact list depends on how you fill out the cut sheet. Ask for thicker ribeyes and you get fewer of them. Ask for T-bones and you are choosing not to have separate strips and tenderloins. That trade is yours to make, not ours.
How to cook a grass finished steak
The single biggest mistake is treating it like grain finished beef and leaving it on too long.
- Take it out of the fridge properly ahead of time. Cold steak cooks unevenly.
- Dry the surface. Wet meat steams instead of searing.
- High heat, short time. Less fat means a shorter window between right and overdone.
- Rest it as long as you cooked it. This is not optional on lean beef.
It is beef that wants a little less heat and a little less time.
The value cuts are the ones worth learning
Everyone knows what to do with a ribeye. The cuts that reward attention on a grass finished animal are the flat iron, the skirt and the flank. They are tender, they carry the most flavor, and they cost a fraction of the premium cuts off the same animal.
If you are buying a half or a quarter, these are the cuts to ask for more of.
Where we deliver
Within about 300 miles of Heber Springs, which covers most of Arkansas plus Memphis, Springfield and Tulsa. See the delivery area.
Questions we get
Are grass fed steaks better?
Different, and whether that is better is personal. Grass finished steak is leaner, more mineral and tastes more like where it came from. Grain finished is milder, sweeter and more marbled. Plenty of people prefer grain finished and there is nothing wrong with that.
How do I cook a grass finished steak?
Room temperature first, high heat, short time, then rest it properly. There is less fat to buffer the heat so the window between right and overdone is shorter than you are used to.
Which steaks come off one animal?
It depends on the animal and your cut sheet, but usually ribeye, sirloin, flat iron, skirt and flank, plus round steaks. Ask for thicker cuts and you get fewer of them.
What is the best value steak?
Flat iron and the skirt and flank cuts. They are tender, full flavored and cost a fraction of a ribeye off the same animal.
Can I choose the thickness?
Yes, on the cut sheet if you are buying a share. Tell us what you want and the processor cuts to it.
Tell me when steaks are ready
Steak counts are limited by the animal. The list hears first.
We will tell you when beef is ready. Nothing else.