Nice meat

Lately, grass-fed beef is the thing to look for, and a branded style from Uruguay—Estancia—has hit the Sacramento area. South America is known for its great meat, and grass-fed beef is a lot better for you than its fatty grain-fed counterpart, boasting healthier fats (and fewer of them). Several area restaurants are serving the beef, including Supper Club, Mason’s and Tucos Wine Market and Cafe. You don’t have to go out to sample it, though. I picked up my steak—a rib-eye, cut for me—at Taylor’s Market (it’s also available at Corti Brothers). The butcher advised me to cook it at a slightly lower temperature than conventional steak; it’s leaner and thus prone to overcooking. We grilled it over medium heat, with nothing more than salt and pepper and a film of olive oil, until it was still pretty rare inside, and it was wonderfully beefy, with a nice, chewy but not tough texture—just what a steak should be.