Prepping Your Paleo Protein

This topic comes from a suggestion from a reader; and what a good one it is!

Here’s what he had to say: 

“I eat my fair share of wild salmon raw with avocado on top on the weekly basis, however, I do consume a lot of organic free-range chicken breast tenderloins and turkey breast cutlets, of which I grill in the warmer months, and bake or broil when its not grilling season. I eat OG grass fed bison too, but I just barely cook that and like it pink inside. Grilling and broiling seem the most primitive to me; like roasting meat on a stick. However, there are critics saying it produces harmful chemical by-products.   Could you list the best ways to cook my Paleo Proteins?“

I compiled the following brief list of some viable, modern day options that would appeal to the masses.  Based entirely on what clients  have reported to me as well as my own cooking experience, and not scientific experimentation as to which is the riskiest or which denatures protein the most, it’s merely a user friendly reference:

• RAW This would be the most Paleo.  Hunt it/catch it/eat it; can’t really get more authentic than this!  Practically speaking, for most, this would be an option for sashimi grade fish and local, fresh eggs and for some, grass fed beef.  I, for one, love a nice steak tartar or carpaccio, however, I would not recommend popping into just any random grocery, buying red meat and eating it, as is.  Make sure you know your sources for everything you’re eating!
• COOKED OVER A FIRE  Yes, there are indeed downsides to this method, especially if you’re doing it too often, as smoke is undoubtedly a source of potent carcinogens.  Does that mean you should never use your barbecue?  I don’t think so.  Rather, use it sometimes and vary your cooking methods just as  much as you vary your protein choices.
• BROILED I’ll use broiling quite often- for both proteins and veg.  It’s an easy way to prep fish, meat and poultry, and also something you can do year round, whereas many parts of the world are not conducive to an outdoor cookathon in January.
• SAUTEED Make sure you choose your oils wisely.  The higher the temp, the more you should opt for coconut oil, while olive oil is better used at lower temps, or post cooking.