It's what's for dinner. Warning: if you are vegan/vegetarian, this is not the post for you. However, if you are like me and love to indulge in a local, grass-fed, humanely raised ribeye, please read on.
In our house we rarely eat beef, and when we do it is always Hick's Valley Grass-fed Beef from our local Oliver's Market. (Here is an interesting article about the farmer behind Hick's Valley Grass-fed Beef and their partnership with Oliver's Market.) I feel as though when I vote with my dollars by purchasing these products I am saying: I want healthy animals, healthy land, and a healthy body. Not only is grass fed beef better for us, with it's higher ratio of omega-3's, it also (and perhaps most importantly) tastes delicious! And on that note, I'd like to share a simple recipe that really shows off the incredible flavor of grass fed beef.
Pan-Fried Grass Fed Ribeye Steaks
Ingredients
Grass fed ribeye steaks, about one inch thick
Corse salt and pepper
Olive oil
Optional:
Butter
Fresh chives
1. Remove steaks from fridge an hour before cooking so that they will be room temp when you cook them.
Optional: Prepare chive butter by combining 1 tablespoon of softened butter per steak with fresh snipped chives.
2. Pat steaks dry and season very generously with course salt and fresh cracked pepper.
3. Heat a cast iron skillet over high flame until smoking hot, add two glugs of olive oil and the steaks.
4. Cook until you see juices appear in the surface and you've got a nice sear, about 4-6 minutes, flip.
Note: Grass fed beef cooks more quickly than standard corn fed beef. This recipe is for medium rare.
5. Cook other side for about 4 minutes more, or until the steaks have the same feeling as the fleshy part of your palm when your thumb and middle finger are touching (see this explanation). Sometimes I turn the steaks on their sides for a moment to caramelize the fat.
6. Remove steaks to plates and allow to rest. Optional: Top with chive butter (or just a little bit of butter and fresh snipped chives.) Tent with foil.
7. Let rest at least 5 minutes: Serve (may I suggest a simple green salad, nice french bread, and a California Zin?) and enjoy!
