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Tips for thawing and cooking your grass fed organic beef, all natural and organic chicken, and wild caught seafood:

 

Thawing:

Refrigerator Thawing:

This is considered the safest method of thawing food because the food will remain at a safe, constant temperature at 40 degrees or below. This method does take planning, though.

Topline Foods organic grass fed steaks and ground beef can be thawed in the refrigerator and it generally takes about 24 hours to completely thaw a steak or a pound of ground beef. When using this method, you can remove your organic steaks from the cryovac packaging and add to a re-sealable plastic bag containing your marinade before placing in the refrigerator to thaw. This tenderizes and enhances the flavor of your organic steaks.

Our grass fed beef bottom round roast may take 2 days or more to thaw completely, however, it can be cooked partially thawed.

Topline Foods all natural and organic chicken breasts and wild caught seafood take 12-24 hours to thaw with this method. Never thaw wild caught shrimp in the refrigerator. See the cold water method below.

Keep in mind there are variables to take into account such as the temperature your refrigerator is set at and the fact that some parts of the refrigerator are warmer than others. Food safety rules recommend placing the frozen item on a plate or other container to catch any juices that may form and defrosting items should be on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator to prevent cross contamination.

After thawing in the refrigerator your organic meats should remain safe and highest quality for an additional day or two before cooking.

Cold Water (or Quick) Thawing:  Buy Grass Fed Steaks

This method is faster than refrigerator thawing and is super convenient for busy weeknights! It does take some attention though. Simply submerge the grass fed organic beef, all natural or organic chicken, or wild caught seafood item in a (clean) sink of cold water. To thaw wild caught shrimp, place them in a bowl filled with cold water. Allow the tap to run a thin stream of cold water over the shrimp constantly until thawed, usually 10 to 15 minutes.

Topline Foods all natural chicken breasts and wild caught seafood take only about 15 minutes to thaw completely using this method. A grass fed beef steak may take about 30 minutes to thaw while a larger, denser package like grass fed ground beef or bone in all natural chicken pieces may take an hour to thaw completely. Topline Foods grass fed pot roast may take 2-3 hours to thaw using this method. Change the water every 30 minutes for these items so they continue to thaw.

Once thawed, the food must be cooked immediately.

When using this method, you can remove your organic beef, all natural or organic chicken and wild caught seafood from the cryovac packaging and add to a re-sealable plastic bag containing your marinade before immersing in the cold water for thawing. This will add fantastic flavor to your meal!

Microwave Thawing:

Topline Foods doesn’t recommend this method of thawing as some areas of the food may become quite hot and partially cooked which damages flavor and quality of your finished dish. However, if you do microwave thaw your organic meats, always cook them immediately.

Cooking Without Thawing:

If you are in a hurry, you can cook your all natural or organic chicken and wild caught seafood from frozen. We don’t recommend cooking any organic steaks from frozen because of a loss in quality. The cooking will take approximately 50% longer than cooking from completely thawed.

What NEVER to do:

Never thaw any food on the counter top! Even though the inside of the product may be frozen, the outer layer of the food may enter the temperature danger zone (40 to 140 degrees) and remain there too long allowing bacteria to grow which could cause food borne illness.

 

Cooking Quick Reference Guide:

All Natural and Organic Chicken:    mixed-grill.jpg

Always rinse raw poultry under cold running water, washing out the cavity of whole birds well, then dry well on kitchen paper.

Cook your chicken at 325 degrees for the following times:

Chicken – Whole for 25 minutes per lb plus 20 minutes

Chicken – Pieces for 35-45 minutes

Chicken – Boneless Breast for 25-30 minutes

Always test your all natural and organic chicken with an instant read thermometer to ensure it reaches the safe temperature of 165 degrees. Take chicken out of the oven a couple of degrees early to allow for carryover cooking which will add about 3 degrees to a boneless chicken breast and 8-10 degrees for a whole chicken.

Grass Fed Organic Meats: 

It is important to cook grass fed beef at a lower than normal temperature and to not overcook or you may end up with a tough, dry piece of meat. A rule of thumb is that if you like your conventionally raised beef cooked to medium, you will like your grass fed steak closer to medium-rare. Don't be afraid to experiment until you find what tastes best to you.

Frying and Grilling-

For small 1-inch thick steaks and medallions

Rare = 3-4 minutes each side

Medium = 5-6 minutes each side

For medium size 1 1/2-inch thick steaks

Rare= 5-6 minutes each side

Medium= 7-8 minutes each side

Roasting-

15-20 minutes per 1lb

As a rule, grass fed beef is leaner than traditionally raised beef so it is advisable to cook your steaks to a lesser degree than you would normally. For example, if you prefer your traditional steaks medium, you may want to try your grass fed organic steak at medium rare.

Wild Caught Seafood: 

Grilling:

Wild caught seafood grills at approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness or 5 minutes per side. If you have marinated your wild caught seafood or it has any moisture on it, pat it dry and then rub with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning. Preheat your grill to medium high to high, depending on your grill. Place your seafood on the grill. If you put the lid down, it will grill faster.

Topline Foods provides a wide variety of wild caught seafood great for grilling such as salmon, halibut, sea bass, tilapia, mahi-mahi and colossal shrimp!

Oven Cooking:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Again, pat dry your seafood, rub with oil and season with salt and pepper or your favorite seasonings. Place on a baking sheet and cook uncovered. A half inch piece of seafood will cook in approximately 8 to 10 minutes without turning. Thicker pieces may take 12 to 18 minutes, again, without turning.

To test seafood for doneness, pierce the middle with the tines of a fork and twist gently to see if the fish flakes. Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon to complement the naturally delicious flavor of your wild caught seafood!

Any Questions?

Please feel free to contact us at info@toplinefoods2u.com if you have any questions on thawing or cooking your delicious Topline Foods! We are happy to assist you in any way we can.



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