Tips for Cooking Your Grass-Fed Lamb

1. The main reason for tough grass-fed lamb is overcooking. This lamb is intended for rare to medium cooking. If you like well-done lamb, then cook grass-fed lamb cut in smaller pieces at very low temperatures in a sauce to add moisture.
   
   
2. Since grass-fed lamb is low in fat, coat with virgin olive oil, truffle oil or a favorite light oil for flavor enhancement and easy browning. The oil will also prevent drying and sticking.
   
   
3. You may wish to marinate your lamb before cooking. A favorite marinade using lemon, vinegar, wine, beer or bourbon is a great choice. Some people use their favorite Italian salad dressing. If you choose to use bourbon, beer or vinegar, use slightly less than you would use for grain-fed lamb. Grass-fed lamb cooks more quickly so the liquor or vinegar won't have as much time to cook off. For safe handling, always marinate in the refrigerator.
   
   
4. Stovetop cooking is great for any type of steak or chop! You have more control over the temperature than on the grill. You can use butter in the final minutes when the heat is low to carry the taste of fresh garlic through the meat as steak chefs do.
   
   
5. Grass-fed lamb has high protein and moderate fat levels. The lamb usually will require 30% less cooking time and will continue to cook when removed from heat. For this reason, remove the lamb from your heat source about 10 degrees before it reaches the desired temperature.
   
   
6. If you use a thermometer to test for doneness, watch the thermometer carefully. Since grass-fed lamb cooks so quickly, your lamb can go from perfectly cooked to overcooked in less than a minute.
   
   
7. Always use tongs to turn your lamb... never use a fork! Precious juices will be lost.
   
   
8. If roasting, reduce the temperature of your grain-fed lamb recipes by 50 degrees. This usually means around 250 degrees for roasting, or at the lowest heat setting in a crock pot. The cooking time will still be the same or slightly shorter, even at the lower temperature. Again, watch your meat thermometer and don't overcook your meat. Use moisture from sauces to add to the tenderness when cooking your roast.
   
   
9. Never use a microwave to thaw your grass-fed meat.
   
   
10. If time allows, bring your grass-fed meat to room temperature before cooking. Do not cook it cold straight from the refrigerator.
    
    
11. Always pre-heat your oven, pan or grill before cooking grass-fed lamb.
    
    
12. When grilling, sear the meat quickly over a high heat on each side to seal in its natural juices and then reduce the heat to a medium or low to finish the cooking process. Also, baste to add moisture throughout the grilling process. Don't forget grass-fed lamb requires 30% less cooking time so don't leave your steaks unattended.
    
    
13. When roasting, sear the lamb to lock in the juices and then place it in a pre-heated oven. Save your leftovers... roasted grass-fed lamb slices make good, healthy, luncheon meats instead of processed "lunch-meats".

Grilled, Broiled Steaks, Chops and Stir- Fried, Kabob pieces of Steaks or Roasts
To season the meat, rub the meat surface with your favorite herb combinations or insert garlic cloves in slices cut in the meat. You can also marinate the meat in your favorite flavors for at least a couple of hours before cooking. The grassfed meat is leaner than typical grocery store cuts so be sure not to overcook.

Shoulder Roasts and Legs
These roasts can be marinated but may require at least overnight marinating to fully absorb the flavors. To begin cooking, use an uncovered pan with 1 to 2 cups of liquid in the pan. Brown the roast to seal in the juices and cook on lower heat 250 to 300 until meat thermometer reads 130 degrees for medium rare and 135 degrees for medium. Slice at a right angle to the grain of the meat.
ENJOY!