How to process 1/2 beef

Larry Sellers

So, I've decided to buy my first 1/2 beef, and am looking for any suggestions on how to have it processed. Is there anything out of the ordinary that any out there might suggest? The locker will process on a custom basis, so I'd like to maybe test them a little.

thirdeye

Whoa pardner, let's start at the beginning. Is this finished beef, as in off a feed lot? What are they telling you the hoof weight is? Will it be graded? Did they give you a cut sheet to fill out?

Hoss

Careful CUZ!!! You need a real butcher for that!NOT a MEATCUTTER!Like Thirdeye said there are several things to consider before goin there.A lot of meatsellers are worse than used car salesmen and Realtors!!!

Buster Dog BBQ

I watched a guy here do a demo on 1/2 a cow. It had to hang in the locker like two weeks prior to butchering, then it came to him wrapped in plastic. We had a few guys from the Iowa State Meat Lab show how to properly butcher the meat. About 3 hours later before we were done. Lots of cuts available and dont be dissapointed if you think you're going to get a ton of steaks. I think that only produced 20 strips.

deerbutcher

Whenever I butcher a freezer calf for a customer, I list everything I can get out of it and ask them what do they want me to keep as steaks and roast. If they don't eat a certain cut, it will get ground into burger. Make sure to tell the butcher how big to cut the roast and how thick or thin you want your steaks and what size family the meat will be packaged for.

fishlessman

ive never done it but ive looked into it before, most of the cut sheets dont list the cuts im looking for. look at the list below, wheres the tritip, the full chuck roll or shoulder clod, im guessing they grind alot of cuts im looking for. wheres the big meaty beef ribs. like thirdeye mentioned theres alot of other things to consider. one thing ive thought about is splitting the whole thing with someone else instead, i like a lot of the cheaper parts and would have no problem giving up a prime rib for a brisket, chuck roll and tritip. having an egg has changed what i want out of my beef choices and someone else might think they stole the best parts from me. whoever is doing the cutting probably has their own cut sheet, see if you can get a copy before committing

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BEEF CUT LIST
CUSTOMER NAME: ____________________________________ Date in: _______________
Address: _________________________________City____________________State___ ___Zip______
Home Phone: ______________________Work OR Cell Phone: _______________________________
CLERK: ________ kill date: ____________ STORE TAG # __________ Deposit: _________
LIVE WT_______________________________
SIDE A HANGING WT (front)_______________(rear)___________ SIDE B HANGING WT (front)_______________(rear)___________

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS

(HQ) Flank Steak Yes ___ No____ ***any of the items to the LEFT you do not
(FQ) Short Ribs Yes ___ No ___ desire will be deboned and put into
(HQ/FQ) Stew Meat Yes ___ No ____ hamburger ***
(FQ) Brisket Yes ___ No____
(HQ/FQ) Soup Bones Yes ___ No ____


Steak Thickness ____________ Roast size in POUNDS _______Hamburger pkg size _______

FRONT QUARTER:
Rib Section: Rib Steak ____ Rib Roast _____ Delmonico (optional) _____

Chuck Section: Chuck Roast _____ Chuck Steaks ______ OR Burger _____

HIND QUARTER:
Loin: ____ Standard Cut (T-Bone, Porterhouse, Sirloin Steaks)
OR ____ Optional Cut (Remove loin for filet Mignon leaving a NY Strip Steak)

Round: ____Eye Round Roast &/OR _____Steak
____Top Round Roast &/OR _____Steak
____Bottom Round Roast &/OR _____Steak
____Sirloin Tip Roast &/OR _____Steak

MISC.: Tongue ______ Heart _______ Liver________ Tail __________

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: Whole:________ Half: Split:____________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ ___________________
_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

deerbutcher

The Tri-tip comes from the sirloin tip which is one of four major muscles the Round(back leg) can be divided into: Top Round(inside round), Bottom Round, Eye of Round, and Sirloin Tip. You can also get a Gooseneck round which is the bottom and eye still attached along with the heel of the round.
As far as the Chuck Roll and Shoulder Clod, these are names for boneless primals to reduce the trim at the supermarkets. If you ask for boneless chucks or boneless shoulder cuts, you will be getting your Roll & Clod.

thirdeye

You're absolutely right. Some processors have way too many "standard packages" or try to convince you that custom butchering is cutting steaks the thickness you want. LOL.

That cut sheet you posted is not bad, but you know the basic geography of a steer before looking at a cut sheet, most folks don't. Asking for specific items that are not shown (like flat irons, hanging tender and the tri-tip you mentioned)is no big deal. Ground beef is my pet peeve....I can buy chuck rolls any day of the week and grind my own. Instead, I'd rather have the processor give me stew meat or a few bags of scraps for jerky.

fishlessman

and theres the trick, finding that butcher that knows enough to give you what you want, they really want to cut every side of beef the same way as its fastest to do standard packages.

stike

i called blood farm in groton. they do whole hog and beef (1/2). i got a "kid" who answered the fone and i was wondering how good the conversation was going to go.

he had no trouble answering my questions, and said that i could talk to whoever i wanted to if i had any other questions. said all you need to do is call, and they will do whatever you need to to make you happy. i had asked about fresh hams, availability, etc. whatever he couldn't answer he said there was someone there he could get for me to talk to.

i haven't been there, and i don't know too much more about them, but the feeling i got from them was that if you knew what you wanted, they would get it for you.

meaning, if you know enough to ask about saving the stuff they usually grind into burger, or if you want the offal or even the intestine for sausages (easier to buy them already cleaned...), they would do it for you. certainly you could tell them you want primals, and that you'll cut them into steaks yourself, etc. etc.

very promising, but i haven't followed through (i need a freezer, for one thing)

fishlessman

been trying to get my friend to fix the fence in his yard, old farm house. told him i would buy the first if he raised it and then we could split it up. i remember my dad buying a half once, it was really standard packaged stuff, lots of thin chuck steaks, i really think its best to get the primals and cut exactly what you want, even when im standing in front of the butcher and hes cutting the steak, his idea of 2 inch thick is less than mine, they get so used to cutting for the average griller that they seem to gravitate to what sells. i should look into that shop in groton, would like to try the whole pig again, my first attempt was less than good back in college days.

stike

my wife went to the meat house in salem for when fidel came up. asked for "inch and a half to inch and three quarter" steaks. i swear the things were an inch at best. what a kick in the brah-shoons.

i would ask for the primals myself. steaks and roasts by the pound? no thanks. can i just get the two tenderloins (or rib eyes, etc.)?

i called primarily about pork belly, and fresh hams.

see http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/382673

Essex County

We drove out there on the Saturday after you first told me about it. Maybe a 35 minute drive. I got there at 2:30 but they closed at 2! Oh well, We bought a couple of grass-fed angus steaks from a little farm store on the way back. Cooked the first one, it was pretty lean but very flavorful. Kinda like my father-in-law's devons.

stike

A. emailed us about the trip out to groton. bummer that it was closed....

that christmas wellington was a grass fed tenderloin. even leaner than regular tenderloin (i don't think it was grain finished), but very flavorful. just not flavor from beef fat. it was very good.

Ripnem

When is the last time someone stumped you with a question? :huh: I had a buddy start telling me about you the other day, until I started laughing and said "Yup if you get into bbq/grillin fairly hardcore you are bound to bump into him." Pretty darn funny.

Keep it up

emilluca

DON'T BUY IT. It is better to buy what you like when it is on sale then a 1/2 and get cuts you will never eat or know how to cook.
You will have more Ground Beef then you know what to do with. You will get only 14 or so Rib steaks 8 Sirloin 4 Porterhouse 8 TBone and 2 Ny strips if cut 1 inch thick.