OT: Cattle Butcher tips

[BigDawg0074]

I’m getting a cow butchered later this month but I have never done it before and I don’t know exactly what to tell the butcher. I know I want the brisket cut four ways but I don’t know about the rest. I could use some tips if anyone can help.

 

[PineGroveBully]

“I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull's ***, but I'd rather take a butcher's word for it.”

 

[UpTheMiddlex3Punt]

I bought a quarter cow many years ago and the butchering was the most disappointing aspect. Roasts with chips of bone and ribeye steaks that were half inch thick on one end and an inch and a half on the other.

Are you going to get the primal cuts and take them to a real butcher? I highly recommend that.

 

[MeridianDog]

You want the better cuts, steaks, ribs, roasts. You need to decide the thickness you want them cut. If they were mine, I would want 1.5 to 2 inches on all the steaks. I would want 2-3 inches on the porterhouses. I would want the briskets cut whole, but separating them is fine too. You need to discuss with the butcher what you want put into ground beef. Listen to him. 25% fat and 75% beef is the maximum fat content I would want. 80/20 might be better. You want rump roasts, round roasts, chuck roasts. He will have a chart that he uses as his guide to butcher the animal. Sit with him and pick our specifically what you want. That's my opinion.

 

[BigDawg0074]

You want the better cuts, steaks, ribs, roasts. You need to decide the thickness you want them cut. If they were mine, I would want 1.5 to 2 inches on all the steaks. I would want 2-3 inches on the porterhouses. I would want the briskets cut whole, but separating them is fine too. You need to discuss with the butcher what you want put into ground beef. Listen to him. 25% fat and 75% beef is the maximum fat content I would want. 80/20 might be better. You want rump roasts, round roasts, chuck roasts. He will have a chart that he uses as his guide to butcher the animal. Sit with him and pick our specifically what you want. That's my opinion.

I’m thinking 85/15 on the ground meat. 2” sounds good on steaks but I don’t want sirloins at all, would rather have them ground. Thanks for the info.

 

[NWADawg]

I’m getting a cow butchered later this month but I have never done it before and I don’t know exactly what to tell the butcher. I know I want the brisket cut four ways but I don’t know about the rest. I could use some tips if anyone can help.

We've been getting our beef by the half cow for the last 10 years or so. In the beginning, I got lots of steaks cuts. But the reality is we use a lot more ground than anything. So now I get ribeye and loin and have everything else ground.

You may have completely different cooking habits than me but the point is think about how many total pounds you'll be getting and how you typically use beef. Then pick and choose accordingly.

 

[Xenomorph]

This board never disappoints.

 

[Mobile Bay]

We've been getting our beef by the half cow for the last 10 years or so. In the beginning, I got lots of steaks cuts. But the reality is we use a lot more ground than anything. So now I get ribeye and loin and have everything else ground.

You may have completely different cooking habits than me but the point is think about how many total pounds you'll be getting and how you typically use beef. Then pick and choose accordingly.

What's the yeild on that like?

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

If I ever get a half cow butchered that’s what I’m doing. That’s how I get a deer cut up as well. I get backstraps and the loins then everything else is ground up.

 

[Dawgbite]

While I do like a 2” steak from time to time that’s just too thick in my opinion. 1 1/8- 1 1/4 is the sweet spot for rib eyes, T bones and Strips. At that thickness I can cook hot and fast. When you get thicker than 1 1/2 it requires a reverse sear or other method to cook. Filets can go up to 2” or more but they cook better at that thickness than the others.

 

[NWADawg]

What's the yeild on that like?

If you're asking meat to live ratio I don't know exactly. I think 60-65% from live weight is a rule of thumb. I also think that includes some...less popular pieces like tongue, liver, etc.

We have a friend that has them butchered. So we pay per processed pound plus a processing fee.

Steaks (including ribeye and loin)for us are actually slightly cheaper. Price per pound is the same. Processing fee per pound is higher on ground.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

If I ever get a half cow butchered that’s what I’m doing. That’s how I get a deer cut up as well. I get backstraps and the loins then everything else is ground up.

#metoo

 

[MeridianDog]

I like a little more fat - for flavor - in my ground, but that is just my preference. I think a burger tastes better with more fat than 15%. If you don't like sirloin (I never eat a sirloin, so I understand), then have it ground, since that cut tastes good as ground. I like my steaks thick and have no trouble cooking a thick steak, but you know best the thickness you like. If your processor has the capability to make patties, you might consider having them do at least some of the ground as frozen patties. When doing that, i think half pound is a little large, but lots of folks like them that big. For tacos, spaghetti, chili and loose meat stuff like that, I can make a frozen patty work just fine.

 

[jeremyrbrown]

I’m thinking 85/15 on the ground meat. 2” sounds good on steaks but I don’t want sirloins at all, would rather have them ground. Thanks for the info.

Get the top cap of the sirloins removed with the fat cap intact. Google picanha.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

Get a cast iron shallow skillet like for fajitas and you can cook 2+ inch steaks all day long. Start on stove top high heat and sear both sides for a few minutes a side and you can do the edges if there is fat on them. Have the oven set from 450-550, and I use convection much of the time, throw a slab of garlic butter on top and put it in the oven. That will cook it to any doneness you want and it will be delicious.

Just have to play with the time you want for each side and in the oven. Pretty idiot proof.

 

[hailstate19]

**I wouldn’t worry about it anyway. It won’t be held in MS because of politics**

 

[Coast Dawg]

I bought a 650 # cow from Ladner Livestock last spring. It was my first experience with it and will definitely do again. (We still have about 30-40% of the meat in the deep freeze). He set us up with Attala Frozen Foods in Kosciusko for the processing. Overall I was happy with them.

Being a smaller cow. We got all the tenderloin with T-bones. T-bones and ribeyes were cut 1.5” and that was perfect for my family.

Ladner helped us with recommendations and general guidelines of what to expect as well. For instance: live weight was approximately 650#, hanging weight is generally 65% (+/-) of the live weight and the packaged, final yield is approximately 70% (+/-) of the hanging weight. These are rough %’s, probably +/- 5 to 8%.
You want it to hang for minimum 14 days but up to 28 days. I think we went about 20. They recommended getting a roast out of everything you can and we did because you will still get a lot of ground meat. We got all 2 lbs roasts (family of four with a 9 and 3 year old...). I like that size roast and if we entertain, I just cook two.
Do you want short ribs? We did.
Do you want beef tips? We did for beef stew.
Do you want minute steak (aka round steak)? We did and they run them through a tenderizer. For Country fried steak.

All that said, we are running a little low on ground meat. We got 33, 2 lbs packs. I think we have 5 left but still quite a few roasts. I would maybe get a little more ground meat next time and sacrifice a few minute steaks or roasts to get it But the other thought I have for more ground meat is to buy my own grinder. Been looking at a few and seems like some decent quality ones are available for less than $100. I can just take a roast that I have and have fresh ground meat. Haven’t done it yet but supposedly makes a better burger.

One last thing I really liked about Attala. They vacuum sealed everything in individual packages with labels. I think that is much better vs the white butcher paper.