Cooking Articles

Eye of Round, Rump, Sirloin-Tip, Pike's Peak, or Top Round Roasts are boneless roasts for roasting low and slow in the oven.  Use a meat thermometer to be sure they are only cooked to no more than the medium rare point  with an internal temperature of 150^oF for optimum eating enjoyment.  They should be sliced thinnly to serve and the slices should be red and juicy in the middle.  When cooked in a crock pot these roasts can turn out to be like dehydrated presto logs although some people prefer them like that.  A good roasting temperature is 170^oF.  Expect it to take a few hours or more to get the internal temperature up to the 150^oF.

Here's a secret for successful crock pot cooking.  Make sure the lid has a good seal.  I'm not referring to an absolute seal like with a pressure cooker but a seal that doesn't readily allow the steam to escape.  A roast cooked in a dry crock pot will turn out tougher than a boot.

Chuck Roast is an easy to prepare pot roast.  Put it in the crock pot (or a covered pot in the oven) at a maximum temperature of 180^oF.  A little lower is better!  Keep covered and cook for ten hours or more.  Always make sure during the entire cooking period that there is ample juice in the bottom of the pot.  About two to three hours before the roast is finished add in a touch of garlic and maybe a little onion for incredible flavor.  Sometimes folks cut little slits in the roasts before they cook them and put garlic slices in the cuts.  Wow--now that creates a delicious roast!

Pastured Chicken Fryer is smaller than a roaster and is cooked like conventional chicken.  It can be cut up and fried, rotisseried on a grill, baked in an oven like a turkey, or cooked in a pot.

Pastured Chicken Roaster is an older, larger, tougher chicken.  It can be cooked like a conventional roaster chicken by baking in an oven like a pastured turkey.  For turkey cooking instructions see below.  Best of all, roaster chickens are super for chicken soups and similar dishes.

Pastured Heritage Turkeys are the same breeds of birds that were popular between 1850 and 1950.  They are descendants of old original, traditional breeds that used to be universally used for the traditional holiday feast.  They are the same birds you'll will find in the American Book of Standards.  It wasn't until the development of the large breasted supermarket bird of today that the Heritage turkeys declined in popularity.  With that loss also went the pasture raising methods that were responsible for the delicious subtle flavor that all pastured birds provide.

Stew Meat makes for a wonderful, nutritious stew that is good for both winter and summer.  Imagine the carrots, onions, and other really good omega-3 vegetables in the pot stewing along with the great aroma of grass-fed beef.  For a list of which vegetables are best check out my food nutrition data page.

Meaty Soup Bones make for a wonderful, nutritious beef stew that is good for both winter and summer.  Imagine the carrots, onions, garlic, and other vegetables and seasonings in the pot stewing along with the great aroma of grass-fed beef.

Marrow Bones (grass-fed only) are making a comeback in modern cuisine because they contain good fats.  Also,  marrow is supposed to be slightly higher in CLA than the rest of the animal.  Marrow bones may be cooked alone for preparing gravies and sauces, or they may be the base for stews and soups.  Once the marrow is soft it can be dug out of the bones and stirred into stews and soups for boosting the already incredibly great flavor of grass-fed meat dishes.

Short Ribs are powerful flavored and perfect for barbecuing low and slow.  Often we cook these cuts in a covered pan in the oven or a crock pot at about 180ºF for six hours or so.  Leftovers may also be used for making beef soup or beef stew.

Briskets have long been a Barbecue favorite.  They can be marinated over night and then cooked low and slow the next day.  Once again 170-180ºF works wonders.  When served the meat should be sliced thinnly across the grain at an angle.  Briskets are also the cut of choice for making corned beef.  Simply put this means the brisket is pre-soaked in a salt-water brine for up to a week.  You may choose to add bay leaves, cloves, mace, peppercorns, garlic, allspice, and/or honey to the brine. After soaking, wash the meat thoroughly to remove the surface brine.  Then cook low and slow for at least five hours in a crock pot with a little fresh water, cabbage, onions, and herbs.  Serve hot or cold.

Porterhouse Steaks are super-sized T-bones with extra tenderloin!  The New York strip is on one side of the bone and the tenderloin is on the other.  This is a premium grilling steak that should be cooked low and slow to a doneness of no more than medium rare.  Steaks like this should NEVER be cooked in a crock pot.

Boneless Ribeye Steaks are premium, high flavor, relatively tender cuts of meat that are perfect for grilling.  They should be grilled low and slow to a doneness of no more than medium rare.  Steaks like this should NEVER be cooked in a crock pot.

T-Bone Steaks are super steaks.  The New York strip is on one side of the bone and the tenderloin is on the other.  T-Bones are premium grilling steaks that should be cooked low and slow to a doneness of no more than medium rare. Steaks like this should NEVER be cooked in a crock pot.