The Perfect Grass-fed Beef Roast

What is the best way to cook a grass-fed beef roast? I get this question a lot. And I understand why. When you go the extra mile to find 100% grass-fed beef, spend a little extra money and drive to the farm to pick it up, the last thing you want is to take it home, cook it wrong and miss out on experiencing just how deliciously flavorful and tender grass-fed roast beef can be.

I have done quite a bit of experimenting with different cooking methods and have found that keeping it simple is the way to go.

All you need is a slow-cooker, a roast (my personal favorite for this method is chuck or sirloin), salt, some water and time. The key is time. You can’t rush grass-fed beef. We don’t rush the cattle when we raise them so don’t rush the meat when you cook it.

I have found that cooking the roast on low for about 10-12 hours gives the best results. I’ve tried cooking it for 4-6 hours and it comes out very tough.

Low cooking temperature is also very important. The enzymes in the meat act as natural tenderizers by breaking down the connective tissue, cooking at a low temperature will allow this to happen.

Another very important step is salting. The salt breaks down proteins which helps tenderize the meat. Use kosher or sea salt. Do not use table salt! Use about 1 teaspoon salt per pound of meat. Sprinkle all sides of roast with salt just before cooking.

I get the best results when I put a still frozen roast into the slow-cooker with about 1 cup of water or broth, sprinkle with some pepper and plenty of good salt, turn my slow-cooker on to it’s lowest setting and let it go for about 12 hours.

It doesn’t get much easier than that and the results are delicious every time!

Slow-Cooker Grass-fed Beef Roast

1 grass-fed beef roast (sirloin roast, chuck, rump)
1 cup water or beef broth
salt and pepper

Place roast in slow-cooker (roast can be thawed or frozen), pour in water or broth, sprinkle both sides of roast with salt and pepper (about 1 tsp salt per side depending on size of roast). Cover and turn slow-cooker on lowest heat setting. Let cook for 10-12 hours. After roast is fully cooked and fork tender, remove meat from slow-cooker, place on a plate, cover and let rest for 10-15 minutes. While meat is resting you can make a gravy from the juices left in the slow-cooker.