Cattle that have been freely ranging the hills for a few years use their muscles well and this is why free-range beef is tougher than than the younger ‘kraal-fed’ meat available commercially.
This is the reason why free-range beef needs to be cooked differently. It is actually similar to game and should be cooked in the same way – on a medium heat for a longer length of time.
Here are some tips from the free-range connoisseurs:
- Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking to relax the fibers in the meat.
- Massage the steak with oil (free-range beef is generally quite lean and has very little fat), and season it with your favourite seasoning.
- Sear the steak quickly on a higher temperature, turning to sear both sides. Then move the steak away from the heat or turn your pan down so that the rest of the cooking is done on a lower temperature. This prevents the steak from becoming dry and tough.
- Rest the steak for up to 10 minutes after cooking (depending on the thickness) to allow the moisture to re-distribute evenly throughout the steak.