What to Tell the Butcher When You Order a Half of Beef

Buying a side of beef is a lot of beefiness. So, why practice people practice information technology? And what questions should you ask before purchasing so that you're sure it's worth it. Here's everything you need to know.

What is a side of beefiness (half beef)?

A side of beef is the cuts from one side of a cow. This is too known as a "one-half beef."

How much beef comes with a side of beef?

With a side of beefiness, you will get approximately 220 pounds of beef. Ground beefiness accounts for 100 pounds, and the remainder is from cuts like steaks, roasts, ribs, brisket, and soup bones.

Please note, that these are approximates. All cattle are different. Some may weigh more or less when butchered, which means that at that place may be more than or less beef on them. The numbers given are what we typically meet on our farm.

What cuts come up with a side of beefiness?

• Filet steak
• Ribeye steak
• Sirloin steak
• Strip steak
• Skirt steak
• Flank steak
• Brisket
• Chuck roast
• Sirloin roast
• Arm roast
• Ground beef
• Ribs
• Stew meat
• Kabob meat
• Soup bones
• Organ meat (liver, heart, etc., if desired)

Video: Quarter beef in our refrigerator

How many steaks practise you get with a side of beef?

The number of steaks that come with a one-half beef varies based on how the beef is cutting. For example, steaks cut into a i-inch thickness, result in approximately 12-14 sirloin steaks with a side. Steaks cutting into 1 ½ -2 inches thick, result in about 6-7 sirloin steaks with a side of beefiness. The overall weight of beef is the same, but the quantity is significantly different based upon how the beef is cut.

It's also important to think that some sections of beef can exist cut in multiple ways, and y'all will have to choose how you lot want it cut.

The best example of this is with a T-os steak, which is a strip steak on one side and a tenderloin on the other. If you decide you desire T-bone staks, you won't get tenderloin and strip steaks. If you determine you lot want tenderloin and strip steaks, you won't go T-os steaks. Why? Because it'south the same beef cutting differently and in that location is a limited amount of beef on an animal.

Can the unabridged one-half beefiness be steak?

No. There is a limited amount of beef on a steer. It'southward not all steak. In fact, the bulk of the animal is basis beef.

The USDA divides a cow into eight regions, known as the primal cuts of beef:

• Chuck
• Rib
• Loin
• Circular
• Flank
• Short Plate
• Brisket
• Shank

Numerous different cuts can come from each of these sections.

When purchasing beef at a store, they butcher numerous animals and they do determine how to cut each based on supply and demand. For example, at the grocery store "round" sold equally ground beefiness, round steak, eye of round, tip steak, tip roast, tiptop round and bottom round roasts. When you purchase a side of beef, you wouldn't receive all of these cuts because at that place is a limited amount of beef on each animal.

Is it worth buying a side of beefiness?

Yep! The do good of buying a cow is that yous will save money and go higher quality beef.

Every year, nosotros compare the toll of beefiness from our farm to local St. Louis grocery stores. Depending on where you lot ordinarily shop for groceries, you tin save most $1,900 a yr on beef by purchasing beef in majority.

This chart provides how much yous would salvage on a whole beef, and we walk through this nautical chart in greater particular in this mail service about how to relieve on groceries.

Please note, every subcontract and beef processor prices beef differently. Yous will need to do your own math on determining the price per pound if you're non in the St. Louis area and tin't order from our farm.

Do I need a stand-alone freezer?

Yep. If you're buying a side of beef, y'all'll demand a freezer. The dominion of thumb is 1 cubic foot of freezer space for every 30-35 lbs of cut and wrapped meat.

You can usually go a good deal at a warehouse shop. We have both chest and upright freezers at our house and nosotros like both of them.

A new 9 cubic foot freezer has a ane-time cost of about $400-$450, and its yearly running cost will be approximately $38. Then, equally long as you go on to use your freezer in the future, buying 1 is a good investment.

Be sure that your freezer has a lock and key, or you can also buy an aftermarket lock. A lock is very important. Without a lock, the freezer door tin can become slightly ajar and the beef will be ruined. Second, a physical lock protects little ones. Children take climbed into freezers and suffocated.

How much does a side of beefiness cost?

This is a bully question. In that location are ii basic means that farmers sell beef:

1. Customer works with a farmer who raises beef AND has beefiness processed on the client'due south behalf (i.east., all-inclusive pricing): On our farm, our pricing includes all beefiness, USDA processing fees and free commitment to a specific option-up locations in the St. Louis area. Nosotros piece of work with the USDA-approved beef processor directly and so that our customers don't take to. With this method, our customers know exactly how much they volition pay up front and we guarantee a certain amount of beef. There are no hidden fees or surprises.
   
2. Customer works with a farmer, and the client cordinates their ain beef processing. The client writes 2 checks — one to the farmer and one to the beef processor: When yous buy beef direct from a farmer and you're responsible to find your own beef processor, plan to ask lots of questions and practise lots of math to make sure you know what yous're buying. You'll as well need to learn some agriculture-lingo, like alive-weight and hang-weight (see below).

How to purchase a side of beef?

First, you'll need to find a farmer to purchase from. If you're in the St. Louis area, we hope you accomplish out to united states and we are happy to answer whatsoever questions you take.

If you're not in the St. Louis area, a groovy fashion to find a farmer is to contact your local Extension office or USDA role and ask for a list of those in the area that sell beef directly.

Once you find a farmer, contact them and inquire questions about their cattle and butchering procedure. As you do this, delight go on in mind that agronomics has its ain lingo and you may have to ask lots of questions to fully empathize what you lot're ownership. Most farmers volition be very patient in answering whatsoever questions y'all have considering we have pride in raising the food people eat.

Nosotros've found that 1 of the all-time questions is, "If I were to buy your beefiness at the store, what would the label say?" With this question, you'll larn things like if the beef is "grass fed", "all nautral", "organic", the expected lean ratio (i.eastward., 90/10, 85/15), etc.

Besides, it's important to notation that the packaging on most farm-fresh beef is very plain. The reason for this is because labeling is very regulated by the USDA. Anything "extra" on the label like "grass fed" or a lean ratio, requires additional USDA certification and significant toll to the farmer.

Beefiness packaging

Nigh beefiness processors will give you lot an option betwixt paper, shrink wrapped, or vacuum sealing packaging. Nosotros recommend vacuum sealing because information technology will keep the beefiness fresh for longer. Vacuum sealing does cost a little more, only information technology's worth it so your beef doesn't get freezer burn down. Vacuum sealed beef will last approximately 1-year in the freezer.

What's a cut list?

Once the fauna is at the processor, you may or may not need to think nigh filling out a cutting list.

On our farm, nosotros have a standard cut list we utilize for all quarter and one-half beef orders. For whole beef orders, customers fill out a cust-list and can customize how they want their beef cut.

Depending on the region of the country and the farmer, you lot may be asked to fill out a cut list for a half beef. If so, it can exist a trivial intimidating, but don't panic. The farmer and butcher should be able to assist you so it only takes a few minutes to complete.

Cut list recommendations

Every bit you make full out a cut listing, retrieve, a steer is non all steak. Ground beef makes upward the majority of a steer.

• Steaks: Nosotros like cutting steaks into 1-inch thickness.  If yous decide yous want a thicker steak and your beef processor allows it, proceed in mind you'll be getting fewer steaks. For example, if you lodge a quarter beef, y'all would usually get approximately vi-7 sirloin steaks if they're 1-inch thick. If y'all have them cut to 1 ½ -2 inches thick, you may merely get 3-iv steaks. It's the same weight of beefiness, but how you have it cut makes a big difference on the quantity of steaks.
• Roasts: Arm, Chuck, Circular, Rump cutting into three-4 pound roasts.
• Footing Beef: Packaged in 1 pound packages
• Short Ribs: You could have this ground into hamburger, but nosotros don't recommend it. Short ribs are awesome.
• Stew Meat and/or Kabob Meat: These cuts are typically the trimmings from the steaks.
• Brisket: You could have this basis into ground beef, but delight don't. Brisket is so good and there are lots of ways to cook brisket.
• Soup Bones: Nosotros love soup bones. They make the best bone broth. We highly recommend them.
• Organ meat: This is up to you, but nosotros recommend it, particularly liver.

What is hanging weight?

• Live weight (or "on the hoof") is how much a cow weighs when information technology'south live and walking effectually. This includes meat, basic, blood, etc.
• Hanging weight (or "on the rails") is subsequently the fauna is slaughtered and all the unusable parts are removed (like head, skin and hooves), Hanging weight includes bones and meat. Typically, the hanging weight is about threescore% of the live weight.
• Boxed weight (or packaged weight) is the weight of all the packages of individual cuts of meat that you volition put in your freezer This is typically well-nigh sixty per centum of hanging weight.

So, what does this mean in plain-terms? If you're told information technology's $3.75 per pound hanging weight, then await to pay approximately $6.25 per pound ($iii.75 / 0.60)  PLUS the butchering fee, which is usually well-nigh $600.00 for the entire cow (yous'll split this fee if you're sharing with another family).

Payment, deposit and beef pick-upwardly

How you pay for the beef and pick it up will vary by subcontract. This is a question you'll desire to discuss with your farmer prior to ordering.

On our farm, nosotros provide free delivery to specific locations in the St. Louis area, or home delivery for a small fee. All beef is frozen and boxed, and coolers aren't needed. We crave full payment in accelerate, because we aren't going to butcher an beast that shouldn't be butchered.

On other farms, the client is frequently required to go to the beefiness processor to pick-upwards their beef. If this is the case, be sure to ask if the beefiness will be frozen and boxed. If information technology's not, be sure to bring along coolers to go along the beef cool until you can get it in your freezer.

I more matter

Do you want to learn more about our subcontract and how we raise beefiness? Bring together our weekly e-newsletterwhere we share farm happenings, recipes and beef availability. Or, nosotros have an unabridged ebook nigh beef that goes through purchasing and preparing beef from a cattle farmers perspective.

And hither are a few other blog posts you lot may like:

• What everybody ought to know about beef cuts
• Buying a Cow. How Much Beef Is It?
• Is It Done Yet? The All-time Meat Thermometer
• How We Raise Our Grass Fed Beef

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Source: https://www.clovermeadowsbeef.com/side-of-beef/

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