Laura's Kitchen: How to Cook Pastured Meats from Our Farm
posted on
April 1, 2024
Have you ever had the opportunity to taste Laura's cooking? If you have, you know she's someone worth learning from in the kitchen.
Laura rarely uses a recipe. Instead, she relies on instinct, intuition, and quality ingredients to create clean, wholesome, tasty meals.
How about you? Are you an intuitive cook?
We know that for many people, step-by-step instructions with exact amounts & temperatures can be a huge help!
So we wanted to offer you a few simple guidelines for cooking the tender and flavorful pasture-raised meats we raise on our farm.
What questions do you have about cooking the meats you buy from us?
We'd love to hear about it.
How to Cook Pastured Meats From Our Farm
1. Forested Heritage-Breed Pork
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
*The USDA recommended serving temperature for raw pork cuts and roasts is 145°F.
*To avoid overcooking and preserve our pork's meaty tenderness and natural depth of flavor, we recommend removing pork cuts and roasts from heat as soon as they reach an internal temperature of 145°F as measured by a good digital meat thermometer. Then allow to rest in a warm spot for 3 minutes, which allows juices to redistribute for perfect results.
*Ground pork, ground pork mixtures (meatloaf, beef & sausage burgers, sausages), and organ meats should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F.
Note: To obtain an accurate reading, a food thermometer should always be placed in the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, fat or gristle.
[ Source ]
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPECIFIC CUTS:
CHOPS
*Allow bone-in or boneless chops to come to room temperature (30 min).
*Preheat pan or grill to medium heat. Melt lard or bacon fat in pan, or brush on grill, to prevent sticking.
*Cook over medium to medium-high heat for approximately 3-7 minutes per side depending on thickness.
*Do not overcook! Pull from heat as soon as digital thermometer measures 145°F and allow to rest in a warm spot for 3 minutes.
* * *
ROASTS
Pastured pork roasts don't get dry when they cook longer — they get better! A pastured roast is truly done (and most delicious) when it's falling apart.
*Suggested oven temperature: 325°F.
*Cooking time: Cover with foil and bake approx 40-45 minutes per pound.
*Recommended internal temp before serving: 145°F at the center.
Our roast recipes:
Orange Pecan Glazed Pork Loin Roast
Pork Loin Roast with Rosemary-Balsamic Marinade
Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork *Note special cook times and temps
Sweet & Sour Pork - Save time with pre-cut Pork Stew Meat!
* * *
SMOKED HAM
Simply heat and serve (it's truly delicious as-is), or add a homemade glaze with wholesome ingredients you already have on hand.
*Suggested oven temperature: Preheat to 325-350°F depending on your oven. The goal is to warm the roast thoroughly without drying it out, so lower temps are best.
*Cooking prep: Place ham cut-side down in a baking dish or shallow roasting pan. Optionally, add a small amount of water to prevent scorching. Cover with foil.
*Cooking time: approx. 20 minutes per pound, or until heated through.
*If glazing: Pull ham from oven about 30 minutes from expected end time. Remove from pan any remaining water and brush ham with glaze. Remove foil if you wish to caramelize the glaze. Return ham to oven.
*Recommended internal temp before serving: 145°F at the center. Pull ham from oven as soon as internal temperature reaches 145°F, then allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Find complete instructions and a printable PDF here.
* * *
SPARE RIBS/BACKBONE
*For the simplest preparation, place in an oven-safe baking dish. Pour on your favorite BBQ sauce, and leave overnight in the fridge.
*Slow-cook in the oven at 325°F for several hours. The meat will be most tender when the internal temp reaches 195-200°F and the meat is falling apart.
*Remember, to obtain an accurate reading, a food thermometer should be placed in the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, fat or gristle.
For another option, treat yourself to Laura's delicious recipes for homemade Orange Pork Ribs or BBQ Pork Backbone, below.
Our spare ribs/backbone recipes:
* * *
GROUND PORK / LOOSE SAUSAGE
Super versatile and simple to prepare!
*Brown meat or cook burgers to an internal temp of 160°F to reach the recommended temperature while preserving our pork's meaty tenderness and natural depth of flavor.
Our ground pork/loose sausage recipes:
Forested Sausage Zuppa Toscana
Laura's Texas BBQ Burgers (Beef/Sausage Mix)
* * *
BRATWURST & LINK SAUSAGES
*On the stovetop, preheat a nonstick or cast iron pan on medium heat. For cast iron, melt a small amount of pork lard or bacon fat to prevent sticking.
*Space sausages in pan and cook according to the following table:
- 1oz and 2oz links: 3 to 5 minutes per side or until internal temp of 160°F; remove from heat and allow to rest 2-3 minutes before serving.
- 4oz links and bratwurst: approx 10 minutes per side or until internal temp of 160°F; remove from heat and allow to rest 2-3 minutes before serving.
*In the oven, bake our 1oz and 2oz links from frozen in a Pyrex dish @ 375°F for an hour, or until the internal temperature measures 160°F.
*For 4oz links and bratwurst, thaw in refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Cook in a Pyrex dish at 375°F until the internal temperature measures 160°F (approx 30-45 minutes).
Serve links or bratwurst hot-dog style, or as your main course meat alongside eggs, veggies and/or whole grain sides.
Tip: Freeze cooked links in a Ziploc and pull one out anytime to quickly reheat for a fast meal. Or chop cooked links into bite-sized pieces before freezing to top pizza and add to casseroles, quiche, and stir-fry dishes on busy nights.
* * * * *
2. Pasture-Raised Chicken
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
*The USDA recommended internal temperature for poultry (ground or whole) is 165° F as measured by a reliable food thermometer.
*To obtain an accurate reading, a food thermometer should be placed in the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, fat or gristle.
[ Source ]
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPECIFIC CUTS:
BREASTS
*We LOVE our chicken breast sprinkled with seasoning (like curry dry rub) and put in the air fryer for about 25 minutes. Cook 15 minutes on one side, flip, sprinkle with a little more seasoning, and air fry the second side for about 10 minutes.
*Chicken breast is also great on a grill. Grill until almost done and then smother with bbq sauce at the end and let that get a little crispy before pulling off and serving.
*Another suggestion is to slice the chicken breast with a high-quality knife into thin strips (cut against the grain) or into cubes. Tip: Cutting raw chicken breast when it is still partially frozen makes this step surprisingly easy. Cook slices or cubes in a cast iron pan, with onions and garlic if desired. Add fresh vegetables of your choosing and cook for a few minutes until veggies are slightly soft to enjoy a stir fry! Serve over rice if desired.
*Here are a few additional tips:
- Allow breasts to come to room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before cooking. This means less time on the heat to reach the desired internal temperature.
- If you want to get the thicker part of the breast thinner, hold the breast on the side and filet in half (our meat knife is highly recommended if you don't have a good sharp knife). Pull the tender off first (the little piece of chicken under the breast) before cutting in half.
- Don't overcook! Remove from the heat as soon as the breasts reach 165°F.
Our chicken breast recipes:
* * *
DRUMSTICKS / THIGHS
*Drumsticks (legs) and thighs are delicious cooked in the air fryer following the same instructions described in the chicken breast section above. Likewise for the grilling suggestings offered in the chicken breast section - drumsticks/thighs are incredibly tasty cooked this way!
*To bake in the oven, place drumsticks (or chicken thighs, skin side up) in a greased baking pan. Add sauce or seasonings. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temp reaches 165°F. If you've added a sauce, baste every 15 minutes by spooning the sauce over the chicken.
*You can also line a 9x13 pan with foil, cover in chicken drumsticks or thighs, and bake at 300°F for 3 hours. Pull the meat off the bone and save the juice, which is now your chicken broth.
*Drumsticks and thighs are both wonderful cooked in the smoker. They are both bone-in and can go low and slow.
Our recipe for chicken drumsticks (great for thighs, too):
* * *
WINGS
*Spread wings on a baking tray (use parchment paper for easier cleanup).
*Brush with barbecue sauce or dust generously with your favorite dry rub on both sides.
*Bake in the oven at 400°F uncovered for about 40 minutes (adjust as needed to reach 165°F internal temp).
*Chicken skin will be crispy and the meat will be tender and falling off the bone.
Our recipe for wings:
Crispy Curry Chicken Wings
* * *
*Use one of the methods here to get tender, cooked chicken to eat as-is next to your favorite veggies and sides, or to shred and use in a variety of recipes like chicken soup, chicken pot pie, or enchiladas. The options are endless.
Helpful tip: Once you're done cooking the chicken, don't forget to save the carcass and make chicken bone broth to get the most out of your chicken! Bone broth instructions here.
Our guide to cooking a whole chicken & making bone broth:
How to Cook a Whole Chicken Broiler
Our recipes using pulled chicken from a whole broiler:
Save time with our pre-made Pulled Chicken!
* * *
3. Grass-Fed and Finished Beef
Guidelines coming soon!
