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Half a beef

Started by Jeff, January 23, 2020, 06:09:38 PM

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Jeff

We were interested, because the beef in all the stores around here are so full of something. You try to brown ground beef and you have to cook the water out of it.
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doc henderson

that is why we do it.  Our friend Dallas works with ranchers (spreads manure)  and knows the conditions in which the the beef is raised.  we make all the ground beef 90/10 so not too much fat.  when he does it, he gets 5 or 6 head.  the meat processor calls us and asks how we want it done.  In a few weeks we get a call and Dallas drops off about 5 big grain bags of frozen solid meat.  we save money and always have meat in the freezer, but it is a chunk of change and takes up a whole smaller chest freezer. 
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Al_Smith

They say it's done by grinding ice which hydrates the meat .Some say it's illegal some say not .What isn't illegal is grinding up to 30 percentage  fat .You make a nice big patty but once it is cooked it will fit on a dinner roll . Maybe that's where White Castle got it's start ?

thecfarm

I like a BIG burger. Most times the burger buns are not used at my house. We buy the deli sized ones.  ;D  
We went to a church cook out. I was cooking my size burgers and looked at all the others. Mine out weighted them all.  :(  :)  I know when I would bring them to work, I would hear the comment, now that's a burger. What I start with in size, is just about what I finish with.
We was buying so called grass fed beef. I say so called grass fed, because you never know for sure. But it's packaged in a small place. We use mostly hambug, not really much steak. We buy the hamburg not frozen and than we would come home and make patties out of most of it.  
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Al_Smith

Not a derail just something I found out  by accident .I actually like to cook but didn't do much until my wife passed on almost 6 years ago .I found out a meat loaf is not that easy to make  .Too much grease and the danged thing falls apart if you do it in a loaf pan .
Aha a brain storm .Bake it on a broiler pan grill and the grease drips out of it .Nice firm meat loaf after all .Funny thing is my fair lady ,who I went to school with never heard of it and neither had I . :)

doc henderson

It is true that people who die of carbon monoxide poisoning, continue to have an "good color"  since the CO binds more strongly to hemoglobin, and it remains saturated.  think of your pulse ox O2 saturation used at the ER/doctors office.  It actually reads % of saturated hemoglobin and cannot differentiate what it is saturated with.  So even the machine is fooled.  CO binds 200 times stronger than O2 to hemoglobin, so in a high CO environment, the CO sticks stronger than O2 and you die from asphyxiation.  pulse ox still reads 100%  CO is volatile and flammable, as it is gas produced by incomplete burning of fuel.  so it should not harm a person after meat is cooked.  it is present in nature, and we produce some of it in metabolism.  Car exhaust produces increased basal amounts in then environment.  so normal level in humans is up to 5% in non smokers, 5 - 10% in smokers.  50% levels are often lethal.  the antidote is high concentration O2.  so take a deep breath and eat your meat! :)
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samandothers

Quote from: doc henderson on January 26, 2020, 09:35:40 AM
  the antidote is high concentration O2.  so take a deep breath and eat your meat! :)
:D

Mooseherder

I would invest in a small Meat Grinder instead.  Get one that has a stainless steel hopper and head.  They come with 2 plates.  One chili size and one fine grind.  There are some out there with Chinese Pot metal.  Stay away from them, they leach out IMO.  Buy Chuck Roasts or Stew Meat that is on sale at a Retailer around you.  I usually time it with a Steak sale but that isn't necessary.  Trim some steak trimmings off the edges and grind with the rest of roasts or stew.  That enhances the flavor profile. Grind once with the chili plate then a second time with the fine plate.  You will notice a big difference in taste and texture. There are Markets out there with tremendous value on their Meat Prices.  I spent 5 months in Northern Maine last Summer.  The Meat prices around the towns sale ads were unreal and quality meats.  The following week the price goes up.  Move on to the next market where the item is on sale. We don't have a grinder up there so I buy Hamburger from the market who sells the most steaks because that is where the best hamburger is. You can tell by the amount of steaks on display.  It is usually called Market Trim or In-Store Market Ground.  The rest of the grinds in the case are usually pre-pack or processed from 10 pound tube grinds that come into the store pre-ground with a chili plate at the processor.  Garbage in my book with no flavor.  When I do grind it is for the day I am going to use it and 2 packages get frozen for 2 other meals.  Then you feel better about what your eating. The cleanup is a 5 minute deal.  You'll still see water coming out when you're cooking but that is a natural thing.  The Pumped meat that is pre-packed has a declaration amount of 4-8 % saline solution depending on what item.  Think Walmart Meat. You end up with a plate full of water with your meal.

Corley5

We trade firewood for a whole beef every third year.  Have it vacuum packed and it keeps just fine.  Works for us.  Vacuum packing is key.  Pork especially doesn't keep well if just paper wrapped.
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Chuck White

When I order a front quarter, I just tell them to get what they can for steaks, I want about a 4-5 lb primerib, the rest into burger, and 1/3 of the burger into 1/4 lb patties, and the bulk burger into 1 lb pkgs!

Never been dissatisfied!
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TKehl

When we sell beef, a lot of people only want a quarter.  Our butchers want each half cut the same, and no customer yet wants to give up the steaks.   :D
 
Our solution is that the butcher will separate into mixed quarters, as long as the half is cut the same.  So we have a standard cut we go with to keep the butchers happy and that is agreeable for most of our customers. 
 
If the customer wants something special (thickness, steaks per package, etc.), we let them know we can do that, but they have to order a half or go in with someone else that wants it cut the same.  We have played beef matchmaker before to. (LOL)  But, that is an exception, not the rule.  ;)

Having burgers that don't shrink is also one of my favorite parts.   ;D
In the long run, you make your own luck – good, bad, or indifferent. Loretta Lynn

Stoneyacrefarm

Beef out our way sells for $3-$3.50# hanginging weight and you pay the butcher cost. 
Which is .85 - $1 a pound. 
Hanging weights are usually between 550 & 700 pounds. 
Some of the places even charge a kill fee on top of the butcher costs. 
That is anywhere from $90-$150. 
Work hard. Be rewarded.

Al_Smith

The prices have slowly went trough the roof since the ethanol craze took over .This I do remember from my FFA days .A beef with a steady rate of gain as a rule will be a leaner beef developing  muscle not fat .Once that rate drops it usually doesn't produce as good of meat .So in the case the market drops often the feed lots try to hold them some until the price rises again .
It's really something to have hamburger priced higher that T-bone steaks not that long ago .As I said rather than even fool with it I usually get the steak dinner out .Don't buy much beef any more but will add the meat loaf I made over the week end turned out great . :) 

millwright

Had to put a milk cow down because of an injury. Had it processed at a local butcher , mostly into hamburger. Was very good and really lean. 

scsmith42

Jeff, that's a great price for 1/2 a cow.  Ditto the other's advice for storing in a chest type freezer with no defrost and vacuum bagging.  It should last for 1-2  years at least and save you 2X to 3X from what you'd buy in the store.
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SawyerTed

We used to finish a steer and butcher it every year for our own use.  The value was good and the meat was good.  But we had 10 people eating beef then.  The economics of it just pushed us to quit.  There was just too much meat for two of us.  Emily and I eat much more venison, chicken and fish now than beef.  Three or four deer a year lasts us all year.  

For us, we get high quality fresh cuts of beef from the Mt. Airy Meat Market when we want something other than burger.  When we want to use burger we just use venison burger.
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Sedgehammer

Quote from: Jeff on January 23, 2020, 09:52:17 PM
Id vacuum pack it. That is a lot of meat, and we usually dont eat much beef because we cant afford to frankly. We eat a lot of chicken and pork and a steakbor burgers are a treat. We like to make a pot roast with a roast, then turn the left overs into soup. I like tacos and chili and Spanish rice and meatloaf  and other burger ingredient dishes. We dont have any venison this year. Currently i am being officially warned to eat less. Im two days without coke. That should help.
First time to click on the food section and found this thread. Jeff, stopping the coke will really help the bottom line. That ADMIN LANGUAGE EDIT is expensive I'm told..... ;D
Grass fed beef is like eating wild salmon. The grass changes the fat content. It creates conjugated linoleic acid and it is actually healthy for you. Grain fed is terrible for your health.
Vacuumed packed will last up to 4 years so far. Wife found some in one of our big chest freezers a while back. We usually raise a hog or 2 on our pastures and she found some meat .
If it's a dairy beef, preferably a jersey. The higher the fat content of the milk, typically the better marbling of the meat.
We also usually raise a beef or 2. Bought a jersey heifer breed to a black angus last week. Due to calf in a few weeks. So will raise the calf to butcher and will have grass fed fresh milk and butter.
Necessity is the engine of drive

sawguy21

We have always considered grain fed our best beef, grass fed was fine for the gringos south of the border. ;D It is becoming more common in the stores but to be quite honest I don't care for it as much. It must be terrible being a vegetarian or vegan, they miss out on so many good meals.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Sedgehammer

Quote from: sawguy21 on April 28, 2020, 02:46:16 PM
We have always considered grain fed our best beef, grass fed was fine for the gringos south of the border. ;D It is becoming more common in the stores but to be quite honest I don't care for it as much. It must be terrible being a vegetarian or vegan, they miss out on so many good meals.
Then you haven't had good grass fed beef. South of the border grass fed is typically 3 or 4 years old and till not 'finished' due to having to scavenge for their food and not the best ground. Properly raised grass finished beef not only tastes better, it is actually healthy for you, as the conjugated linoleic acid content is same as cold water fish. The steaks we raise/grill are the best we've eatin anywhere and we've eatin a bunch. Several of our friends whom typically eat at the best steaks house in our area and they also agree that ours are better. But even a good grain fed steak is still petty good. 
Necessity is the engine of drive

Corley5

I grew up on grass fed beef we raised ourselves.  I've tried the much touted grass fed/finished beef of today.  Grain fed is much better IMHO.  A steak that tastes like corn is what I want.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

doc henderson

we have a half beef coming at the end of the month.  I think buying private and being processed by a local meat processor may become more prevalent.  It is kind of nice to know it was raised and processed by neighbors.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

stavebuyer

I think your right and will have excellent results especially if you can get it finished and processed to your tastes.  8)

Don P

I'm curious about different states in that regard. For a legal sale here the initial slaughter and processing has to be done in a USDA facility. A state certified facility can only do that for personal use. I think I've been in places in the Midwest that must be operating under different rules. For us the closest USDA slaughterhouses are about 3 hrs away, there is a state certified one just over the hill but it can't be sold.

WV Sawmiller

   I have not checked and could easily be wrong but I thought in cases like this you were buying the animal or half the animal from the owner and the processing plant was just processing your animal for you and USDA, et. al. regulations for sale did not apply. You are just paying the slaughter and processing fees not buying the meat.
Howard Green
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doc henderson

my buddy Dallas know the ranchers, he secures the sale, and the animals (usually about 4 cows) go to the meat locker/local processor.  several small towns have them, and I am sure they comply with licensing.  one at Yoder does a tone.  they sell it, they do my deer for me,  they do about 30 lambs a month.  they produced for the local Amish restaurant.  I will try to find out.  first class operations.  I write him a check, usually about 600 buck for everything including the cow and processing.  usually about a 1.60 a pound for everything, steaks and all.
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

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