Where's the Beef

Norm · September 04, 2004, 03:47:24 PM

A couple of years ago we decided that since we were already doing our own processing of pork and venison that we'd give doing a steer a try. The local locker puts it down and quarters it for us and we break it down and package it. Each year we've done it the easier it gets. This year I bought pro knives and a good sharpener and it has really helped make it go faster. I slice it up and Patty wraps. Takes one day going at an easy pace to do the steaks and roasts and another to grind everything else into hamburger.

As you can see I make Patty do all the heavy lifting. ;D

Well I did help out some. :D

I figured out the costs per pound and it came out to something like a $1.50 per pound on average plus the steer comes from a buddy of mine that doesn't add anything to his feed or inject a pellet in them. Good stuff.

Kirk_Allen · September 04, 2004, 03:58:10 PM

Looks good Norm.

I too process my own meat. Each year we will butcher at least on hog and usually 3 deer.

I have done a couple of steer's several years ago but with the abundance of deer meat we haven't gotten any beef in a few years.

We usually make burger, breakfast sausage, deer sticks, italian sausage, and summer sausage.

Cant wait! Deer season is October 1st! 8) 8) 8) 8)

Roxie · September 04, 2004, 05:05:58 PM

That is a LOT of work! You are saving a LOT of money that way though. We raise a steer every year for our own consumption....they live good lives....happy in the pasture with the heifers. No growth hormone, no antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. A Holstein steer is better than Angus meat from the market when it's raised right. What kind of steer have you got there? What's the hanging weight, and what did it dress down too? We (very glady) let the Amish butcher put our steers down and do the fixings.

EZ · September 04, 2004, 05:53:40 PM

Its really nice to know people who dont mind getting there hands alittle dirty or bloody. ;D
My dad was a butcher and a meat cutter for 40 years, so I guess I can say I know what I'm doing when it comes to meat.
Like your wife, Norm, mine also will dig right in there and help. Ain't it Great.
EZ

OneWithWood · September 04, 2004, 06:39:42 PM

A good set of knives is a must. We process at least two deer a year to supplement the beef in the freezer.

Buzz-sawyer · September 04, 2004, 08:25:04 PM

A lot of holstien around here ....dairies....I have heard dairy steers have less meat to bone ratio....but i wanna get one.....how old do you kill them? ???

Linda · September 04, 2004, 08:45:34 PM

Now there's something I've never tried that I'd like to do! Maybe we'll have to bribe Norm and Patty to come over and show us how it's done. ;) Unfortunately, we just ordered a side of beef from a local farmer and it's already being processed at the nearby locker. We have ordered a side every year for the last 5-6 years. Good beef too, Corn fed only and no antibiotics!

I use to participate in the chicken processing at my Grandparents farm when I was little. I just remember plucking the feathers after a boiling water bath (and the smell of course). :

The farm was always my favorite place to be!

Roxie · September 05, 2004, 03:01:34 AM

Buzzsawyer, we drop our Holstein steers between 12 and 18 months. We've also raised 'freemorgan' (can't breed) Holstein heifers on occassion and they do real nice too. We get them just weaned and they stay in the stall barn with the regular heifers on grain and hay until they're six months, then it's out to pasture with supplemental grain and hay. We treat the steers as pets, getting them accustomed to petting and they come when we call.....that way.....all the heifers follow them to the barn, and the dog is out of work. :D

Ianab · September 05, 2004, 03:34:30 AM

My freezer currently has a 2 yr old Hereford X Holstien heifer residing in it

All cattle in NZ are grass fed only which gives nice lean meat. The Holstien steers seem to grow big, but not fat like the beef breeds, still a big hunk of nice lean beef. A lot of our beef is Holstien dairy cows X with Hereford or Angus. Any cows not bred for replacements are usually AI or run with a beef bull to give decent beef calves.
We have local contractors that will come to your farm, kill the beast and haul the carcass back to his shop, chill, hang, then butcher it properly, pack it and blast freeze.

Jeff · September 05, 2004, 07:05:02 AM

I hope ya dont mean hes been in the freezer for 2years! I woulda had him gone in 6 weeks. ;)

Patty · September 05, 2004, 07:21:17 AM

Our friend raises an Angus cross. They get up to about 1 to 1 1/2 years old before he takes them into the butcher. He said this year they averaged about 1150 pounds. We usually take home the smallest out of the bunch, ours dressed out at 620 pounds. Scott the butcher chunks it up into 6 pieces, and I throw them into the back of my Suburban for the trip home. We let most of it age for about a week in the cooler, and the steaks for two weeks or so. We would let it age longer, but the butcher only kills on Mondays, and due to our day job, we have to process on the weekends. Yesterday we boned it out and wrapped the roasts and odd cuts; I like to get creative with the descriptions. My boys get a real kick out of rumaging through the freezer, (we send meat home with our youngest) ...the steaks are "big steaks, huge steaks, gigantic steaks, super duper steaks, ....of course he is partial to the super duper steaks! :D
Today we'll grind the hamburger and package it as well. Having done deer, pigs, chickens and a few ducks for several years and now beef for two years we are starting to get the right equipment on hand. It really makes a huge difference. Having the cooler that is large enough takes the pressure off of having to work so quickly.
Elmer the pig is next on the list. Norm got him from a farmer down the road that raises hogs in confinement. Elmer is the strangest pig we have ever raised. Usually the pigs we raise get real friendly and like to be scratched and played with, but not Elmer...he is as skittish as the day we got him. I thought it may be due to Norm having to chase him down and tackle him in the cemetary,

, but we mentioned that to the farmer and he said this last batch of his were all strange like Elmer. Maybe they are all to inbred or something. Anyway Elmer is one pig who will not be missed, hopefully he tastes good. ;D
Linda, I sure wish I had known you wanted to learn this fine art of butchering...I would have gladly let you come and help! Next year I'll call you, and you and Al can come over and help...I mean learn :D

Linda · September 05, 2004, 08:52:35 AM

Helping/Learning, same thing. I always told my kids that "hands on" learning is the best learning.

Back before I became so allergic to petroleum products, I took Marine and Small Engine Mechanics and Automotive Technology at our community college. I was a high honor student, getting A's on most of the book work and tests, but all the books did was give me a general knowledge. Before I could fix anything, I had to actually do the work physically to really know how.

Then again, I'm one of those people that has to know "WHY" something is what they say it is. :

Look out when there is a DANGER or WARNING sign, I've always had to find out "WHY"? :-/ My dad's famous last words were "Dumb kids"! ;D I suppose he thought we should just take someone elses word for it! :D OOPS!

By the way, thanks for the invite Patty. We'll have to consider that in the future.

Patty · September 05, 2004, 09:51:50 AM

EZ, butchering skills are turning into a lost art for sure. You are a lucky man to have a dad that taught those. Norm & I have learned through trial & error. We bought a couple books to try to learn what cuts are where on a beef, but for thee most part we have learned through just doing it. As Linda says, the hands on teaching is the best way to learn. ;)

Norm · September 05, 2004, 10:14:57 AM

I wish I could work with your Dad for a couple of days EZ, some things you just can't learn from a book. All in all thou we have done much better slicing this one up. Far fewer packages that say mystery cut. :D

Today is boning and grinding day.

Paul_H · September 05, 2004, 11:14:21 AM

Norm&Patty,
It looks like you have a nice setup for cutting up the beef.Are you cooking and sampling as you go?

I first saw this thread around supper time last night and I got a chuckle out of that wheelbarrow load of beef :D

It was sort of like going with my dad when he grocery shopped when I was a kid.Lots of steaks,roasts and candy bars.He wasn't sent very often.

Roxie · September 05, 2004, 04:08:02 PM

May I warn anyone that wants to raise an Angus crossed with anything.....the whole 'pet' concept is OFF! :D Those guys, even as steers, are some mean and ornery critters! We had to haul a very alive and active 1500 lb. Angus to the beef auction last week, and I asked my fella "How do you get him to load?" He said, "Anyway he wants to go and we'll wait as long as he wants to wait." :D That Angus just walked onto the trailer like not a thing in the world was wrong. We were lucky, because if he didn't want to go....we sure weren't making him.

EZ · September 05, 2004, 08:23:42 PM

Not many really good meat cutters out there any more, my dad was one of the best, but I guess after 40 years he should have been.
Norm, my dad would of loved to show you all about it. Only problem was that he was mean and very serious of his work. My oldest brother and I first started working in the slaughter house when I was 12 and I saw a side of my dad that I never would have beleave.
Know matter what, he was my dad and I loved him dearly. I'm glad I learned what he showed me cause it sure comes in handy.
EZ

Percy · September 07, 2004, 11:05:46 PM

QuoteMay I warn anyone that wants to raise an Angus crossed with anything.....the whole 'pet' concept is OFF! :D Those guys, even as steers, are some mean and ornery critters! We had to haul a very alive and active 1500 lb. Angus to the beef auction last week, and I asked my fella "How do you get him to load?" He said, "Anyway he wants to go and we'll wait as long as he wants to wait." :D That Angus just walked onto the trailer like not a thing in the world was wrong. We were lucky, because if he didn't want to go....we sure weren't making him.

When I was a kid, I remember a dog we had..Blackie. Was real freindly....to people. But he had a thing about cattle, looked for any reason to bite some cowbutt. All dad had to do was get Blackie and the cows were movin where they was supposed to. Neighbours used to get Dad to bring him over when they were loadin ornery bulls etc. Dad won quite a few bets with that dog ;D ;D

Roxie · September 08, 2004, 12:30:56 AM

Nothing beats watching a good cow dog do his stuff.

I wonder what breed was Blackie? We are raising an Austrailian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler), but he's just a pup and we've got him working the smaller heifers. The above mentioned angus was one of the reasons we decided to get us a dog partner. It takes a whole lot of heart and courage for a 40 lb dog to boss a 2000 lb bull.