Steak Recipes

Steak labels

• Grass Fed: this label means that the animal grazed on grass after being weaned from mother’s milk. It should be noted that beef cattle all graze in pastures for some duration of their lives. However, for a variety of economic, environmental, and production reasons, most are transitioned to grain and roughage diets for several months while they are finishing coming to market weight. Curious about grain fed vs. grass finished? Check this article out.
•  No Antibiotics: The No Antibiotics label means that the animal was never administered antibiotics, and the producer must provide paperwork to the USDA to prove this. Regardless of administration of antibiotics or not, all beef is tested to ensure safety. Antibiotics are used to treat sick animals on an individual basis by trained veterinarians and staff to ensure the quality of life for the animal and the safety of the final product. Animals that have been treated are monitored for recovery and, with growing food safety standards, It is required that any animal that has been treated with antibiotics be held a standard withdrawal period, showing no trace of the antibiotic in the animal’s system, before going to processing.
• No Hormones: This label means the animal was never administered additional growth hormones, though all animals naturally produce hormones. Additional paperwork is required to prove this to the USDA. For a quick visual to compare the estrogen levels click here.
• Organic: USDA Organic Beef must follow the USDA National Organic Program, be fed only an organic diet, and have not been treated with hormones. The exact text from the USDA site reads, “regulations require that animals are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.” Check the USDA page for more information on USDA Organic Beef here.

Steak Grading

Prime, Choice, and Select = Quality of the beef cut. When you see Prime, Choice, or Select on your beef, you are essentially reading the ‘grades’ of meat. It is a system that has been standardized and is in common practice regulated by the USDA. Each cut will be graded depending on the marbling, age of the animal, and other critical features for the tenderness and flavor of the meat. All of these choices make for quality cuts of beef to be used in your kitchen, and we bounce back and forth depending on our budget and needs.

What to serve with steaks

Steaks are best served with side dishes that complement and balance its taste. Try smoked mushrooms to deepen the umami flavor, a sharp homemade cranberry sauce to cut through the fat, or indulgent creamed spinach to indulge. Add layers with condiments like herbaceous cilantro chimichurri or compound butters for even richer umami flavor.