How to Cook Grass-Fed Beef
How to Cook Grass-Fed Beef
Grass-fed beef behaves differently in the pan or on the grill compared to grain-fed. Understanding a few key differences will help you get the best result from every cut.
What to Expect with Fat
Grass-fed beef is naturally leaner than grain-fed. You'll notice less marbling through the muscle and a firmer, more yellow-tinted fat cap — that's a sign of a natural pasture diet. Because there's less intramuscular fat to act as a buffer, grass-fed beef can go from perfectly cooked to tough very quickly if overcooked. The good news: cook it right and the flavour is fuller and beefier.
Internal Temperature Targets by Cut
Use a meat thermometer and pull the beef 5°C before your target — it will continue to rise while resting.
| Cut | Rare | Medium Rare | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenderloin / Eye Fillet | 52°C | 55°C | 60°C |
| Porterhouse / Striploin | 52°C | 55°C | 60°C |
| Scotch Cube Roll / Ribeye | 52°C | 55–57°C | 60°C |
| Rump / Rump Cap | 54°C | 57°C | 62°C |
| Rostbiff (roasted) | 54°C | 57°C | 62°C |
Food safe minimum for whole-muscle beef cuts: 63°C (145°F) with a 3-minute rest, per Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
Resting is Non-Negotiable
Always rest grass-fed beef after cooking. A good rule of thumb is to rest for roughly half the cooking time — at minimum, 5 minutes for steaks and 15–20 minutes for roasts. Resting lets the muscle fibres relax and the juices redistribute, keeping the meat moist when you cut into it. Tent loosely with foil; do not wrap tightly or you'll trap steam and soften the crust.
Slicing Across the Grain
This is especially important for leaner, harder-working cuts like rump, rump cap, and rostbiff. Look at the direction the muscle fibres run, then cut perpendicular to them. Slicing across the grain shortens the fibres in each piece, which makes chewing dramatically easier and the meat feel more tender on the plate.
Tips for Leaner Cuts
Tenderloin & Eye Fillet
The most tender cut on the animal, but also the leanest — there's very little fat to forgive overcooking. Keep the heat high, cook quickly, and pull it at medium-rare (55°C) for best results. A quick sear in a hot cast-iron pan with a knob of butter, garlic, and thyme is all it needs.
Grass-Fed Wagyu
Grass-fed Wagyu (such as our Roam MB2-3+ range) carries more marbling than standard grass-fed beef, but less than full grain-finished Wagyu. This makes it more forgiving than a lean eye fillet, but you still want to avoid going past medium. Cook it as you would a premium scotch or porterhouse — high heat, short time, long rest. The flavour is exceptional at medium-rare.
General Cooking Tips
- Bring to room temperature first. Take steaks out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before cooking. A cold centre leads to uneven cooking.
- Pat dry before searing. Surface moisture creates steam, not crust. Pat with paper towel for a better sear.
- Use moderate to high heat. Grass-fed beef responds well to a hot pan or grill — get it screaming hot before the meat goes on.
- Don't overcook. Aim for medium-rare on most cuts. Going beyond medium on lean grass-fed cuts risks a tough, dry result.
- Season simply. Good salt and freshly cracked pepper is all most grass-fed cuts need to shine.