USDA Certified Organic Beef Shanks
Our USDA certified organic, 100% grass-fed and finished beef shanks are cut from the legs, just above the hock (knee). Since the legs are such a heavily used muscle, beef shanks are generally known for their powerful flavor, and are best cooked using a slow braising method that allows the connective tissue to break down over time. The bone that the beef surrounds is a great source for bone marrow, which not only renders down into the perfect base for your stew, but also comes with some pretty great health benefits, too! Bone marrow is proven to include ingredients that promote healthy skin, bones, and joints. As always, all Oreganic Beef products are sourced from our family ranch (Rocker 3 Ranch) located in Madras, Oregon.
**2 shanks per pack. Weights are displayed as total package weight between both shanks.**
Price range: $18.00 through $30.00
Cooking Tips
There’s no real secret to cooking our beef, however it is important to know that the American Grassfed Association says this: “Grass-fed beef cooks about 30 percent faster than grain fed beef. Use a thermometer to test for doneness and watch the temperature carefully. You can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in less than a minute. The meat will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat, so when it reaches a temperature ten degrees LOWER than the desired temperature, it’s done.”
| Steak Doneness | Remove from grill temp. | Final cooked temp. |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 125ºF | 130ºF – 135ºF |
| Medium-rare | 130ºF | 135ºF – 140ºF |
| Medium | 145ºF | 155ºF |
| Well-done | 155ºF | 165ºF |
Health Benefits
100% grass-fed and finished beef is a red meat that is considered one of the best protein foods around. According to a study at California State University’s College of Agriculture, 100% grass-fed and finished beef nutrition includes significantly more omega-3 fatty acids and more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than grain-fed beef. It’s also higher in precursors for vitamin A and E and cancer-fighting antioxidants compared to grain-fed beef. (1)
If you haven’t heard of CLA yet, it’s a powerful polyunsaturated fatty acid we must obtain from our diets (such as a Paleo or ketogenic diet) that’s been shown to help fight cancer, discourage weight gain and build muscle. High-quality grass-fed beef from healthy, grass-fed cows is the top source of CLA. (1)
There are actually 16 different types of CLA, each providing a unique and highly important health benefit. CLA has been shown in numerous animal studies since 1994 to promote health and fight disease. From cancer fighting to weight loss, CLA is being touted worldwide as a “must have” in your diet for optimal health today and into tomorrow. Conjugated linoleic acids have been studied for their ability to prevent and treat cancer as well as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. (3)
CLA sources have proved their ability as cancer-fighting foods in multiple animal studies. As a study published in the journal of Cancer pointed out, CLA is unique in the fact that it comes from animal source since the majority of natural, anticancer substances are of plant origin. (2)
In 2000, a Finnish study published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer demonstrated that there may also be anticarcinogenic effects of CLA for humans. In this study, women who had the highest levels of CLA in their diets had a lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest levels of CLA. Conjugated Linoleic Acid’s anticarcinogenic effects are still being observed, but the early results are very promising. (5)
While CLA is certainly one of the highlights of 100% grass-fed and finished beef, the list definitely doesn’t stop there. 100% grass-fed and finished beef has many heart health benefits. Some of those benefits are:
• Anywhere from 1/3 to ½ the amount of overall fat and unhealthy fats than grain-fed beef.
• 20-40% lower levels of dietary cholesterol than grain-fed beef.
• 2-6 times higher levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed beef.
• 2-3 times the amount of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) than grain-fed beef.
• Up to 4 times more heart disease-fighting antioxidant vitamins (such as vitamin E) than grain-fed beef. (4)
It shouldn’t be too surprising that an animal whose diet is exactly the way nature intended is healthier for you than the animal that was fed a diet specifically meant to add fat in the shortest amount of time possible. For example, one lean 100% grass-fed & finished strip steak (214 grams) contains about:
Daily Value (DV) is based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
• 250 calories (12.5% DV)
• 49.4 grams protein (99% DV)
• 5.8 grams fat (9% DV)
• 14.3 milligrams niacin (72% DV)
• 1.4 milligrams vitamin B6 (70% DV)
• 45.1 micrograms selenium (64% DV)
• 7.7 milligrams zinc (52% DV)
• 454 milligrams phosphorus (45% DV)
• 2.7 micrograms vitamin B12 (45% DV)
• 4 milligrams iron (22% DV)
• 732 milligrams potassium (21% DV)
• 1.5 milligrams pantothenic acid (15% DV)
• 49.2 milligrams magnesium (12% DV)
• 0.1 milligram thiamin (7% DV)
• 27.8 micrograms folate (7% DV)
• 0.1 milligram copper (7% DV) (6)
Sources
(1) Price, Annie. “6 Grass-Fed Beef Nutrition Benefits That May Surprise You.” Dr. Axe, 6 Mar. 2020, draxe.com/nutrition/grass-fed-beef-nutrition/
(2) Gunnars, Kris. “Grass-Fed Vs. Grain-Fed Beef, What’s the Difference?” Healthline, 4 Dec, 2019, healthline.com/nutrition/grass-fed-vs-grain-fed-beef
(3) Sass, Cynthia. “Is Grass-Fed Beef Really Healthier? Here’s Everything You Need to Know.” Health, 23 Aug, 2016, health.com/nutrition/grass-fed-beef-tips
(4) Mac, Lorenz. “The 7 Benefits of Grass Fed Beef: The Nutritional Powerhouse.” PerfectKeto, 27 Feb, 2020, perfectketo.com/benefits-of-grass-fed-beef/
(5) Provenza, Frederick. Kronberg, Scott. Gregorini, Pablo. “Is Grassfed Meat and Dairy Better for Human and Environmental Health?” NCBI, 19 Mar, 2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6434678/
(6) Smith, Stephen. “Ground Beef From Grass-Fed and Grain-Fed Cattle: Does it Matter?” TAMU, 7 Dec, 2013, animalscience.tamu.edu/2013/12/07/ground-beef-from-grass-fed-and-grain-fed-cattle-does-it-matter/
Packaging
- Oreganic Beef Co. steaks, roasts, and ground beef are vacuum-sealed in airtight packaging and then individually quick frozen to ensure you’re receiving a product of the highest possible quality.
- Our products ship in an innovative new insulated container that uses efficient and sustainable materials. The entire container is curbside recyclable. Upon delivery, it is the customers’ responsibility to move the product from our containers into a refrigerator or freezer. (Use product within 7 days of refrigeration.)
- Oreganic Beef Co. products are packed to stay frozen until 5:00 PM on the date of delivery—after that it is the customer’s responsibility to make sure the perishable items are moved to a refrigerator or freezer in a timely manner. (Use product within 7 days of refrigeration.)
- It is very common for the dry ice to have dissipated upon arrival, as long as your product is cold to the touch, the quality has not been diminished.
