Locally raised meat is what should be for dinner, say the folks at the Downtown Lawrence Farmers’ Market.

From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, the market will do a cooking demonstration using locally raised meat called “Local Meat: It’s What’s for Dinner” at the market’s space in the public parking lot on New Hampshire Street between Eighth and Ninth streets.

The event is free and will include a chef demonstration by Hilary Brown of Local Burger. Brown will demonstrate how to prepare the lean meats that are offered by several vendors at the market.

“Grass-fed meats are leaner, which means you have to cook it less,” says market coordinator Mercedes Taylor-Puckett. “Hilary is extremely knowledgeable about how to prepare lean meats.”

The event, which is in its third year, is popular, says Taylor-Puckett, because customers enjoy the combination of learning how to best prepare local lean meat while getting to sample it. She gives the example of elk as a meat customers may be unsure of how to truly enjoy. She says that when sampling Brown’s preparation, customers will learn that elk is at its best if not overcooked.

“Elk it so lean that if it is cooked well-done, it dries out and it’s just not that appetizing,” she says.

In addition to elk, samples will include locally raised beef, bison, chicken, emu, goat, lamb and pork.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to come down and sample local meats that they may not have tried,” says Terri Gibbs of Lone Star Lake Bison Ranch. “Hilary from Local Burger just does an awesome job.”