Grilled Grass-Fed and Aged Beef Ribeye

A friend of mine has quite a large local ranch on which he raises a few cattle for his own use and enjoyment. It is all grass fed. When he decides to slaughter some cattle for meat, the "killer" goes to his ranch to slaughter and dress cattle, and then transports the carcasses to a meat processor. My friend typically has the processor age the meat in the walk-in cooler for three weeks or so, although it can vary depending on circumstances at the processor, and then the processor cuts up and packages the meat. I told my friend some time ago that I would like to try his grass-fed aged beef and he recently brought me some, a package with a ribeye and a filet steak, along with some watusi that a friend had given to him. 

The meat appeared to me to be less tender than store bought grain-fed beef and to have much less fat. I anticipated that if it cooked too long, it would be tough and stringy. So I decided to keep it very rare. I prepared both the filet and ribeye by putting on a light coating of olive oil and then grinding salt and pepper on to both sides and patting it into the meat. I grilled it on our outdoor gas grill and was very surprised by the result. I loved it. It was not fatty at all, but it was still tender, very moist and full of flavor. My friend appeared a little hesitant to eat the meat cooked as little as it was, but then sounded surprised when he commented on the tenderness and good flavor. I've previously grilled commercially raised grain-fed aged ribeye and New York steaks and I felt these were much better. They were certainly better for me. I'd anticipated that the grass-fed beef would have a taste that I would not enjoy as well, but it was pleasantly surprised.  

Rareness of the meat varied by piece. This was one of the more well-cooked pieces.