Where Should Whole Cuts of Beef Be Stored in a Cooler

Each twelvemonth for the terminal four years, our family has purchased a quarter or half side of beef from a local farmer to fill our freezer. There are so many advantages to ownership beef this mode, but I know information technology's not e'er piece of cake to figure out how to source, buy, store, and use that much beef. In this mail, I promise to provide some helpful guidance and answer common questions so you can feel confident buying a side of beef for your family.

Is Buying a Side of Beef Right for Me?

I believe anyone tin benefit from ownership a side of beef, simply at that place are a few factors to consider before you outset the procedure. Starting time, do you have the space to shop the beef? In my experience, a deep freezer is necessary for this purchase. I'll go into further detail about the amount of beef y'all can look to receive later in the post, but I recommend planning for 175-200 lbs. of take home beefiness in a side, and 80-100 lbs for a quarter.

Secondly, can you beget the up front investment of buying a side of beef? To exist sure, buying beef in bulk can salve you a lot of money in the long run (more on that later), but it definitely requires a substantial up front investment.

Of course, if you don't have the freezer infinite or upfront investment available, y'all can however do good from buying beef in bulk. I definitely recommend rounding upwards a few friends to buy a side together. You'll have to divvy up the meat yourselves, only y'all'll still get all the benefits of buying locally, saving coin, and having some leftover freezer space for those very necessary water ice cream sandwiches. 🙂

How the Process Works

So y'all're fix to buy a side of beef! Wahoo! Here's how the procedure normally works.

1. Research and phone call a few different farmers, and decide on i who fits your values and budget. The farmer will let you know when their adjacent sides will be available for butchering.
2. When cattle are ready for market, it will be taken to a processor or butcher to be harvested and candy into the cuts of meat you're used to seeing at the grocery store. Some farmers might have their ain processors, others might refer you to their favorite processor. The butcher volition hang the carcass to historic period for ten days to two weeks. This aging process helps with tenderness and season. Almost farmers charge past the pound for the hanging weight of the steer, which is usually about 60% of the live weight. For example, if the steer was 1,000 lbs., the full carcass would have a hanging weight of about 600 lbs. or 300 lbs. per side.
3. Most farmers have a standard cost per pound for the hanging weight of the beef, plus a split per pound charge for processing. Some processors might offer special cuts (like pre-made burger patties, for instance) that would incur an actress charge.
4. You volition work with the processor to determine what cuts you would like. Most processors accept a standard club that includes all of the whole cuts (roasts, steaks, short ribs, brisket, etc.) available in a side plus basis beef.  Withal, if at that place is a certain cutting your family doesn't like, you lot tin can opt to take that made into ground beef instead. Some processors will as well permit you lot specify the number of pounds of meat you'd like in a package (two-iii lbs. for roasts, i lb for ground beef, etc), the thickness of your steaks ( we like 3/four inch thickness), and if you'd like burger patties or cube steaks fabricated.
5. Afterwards the beef is candy, your butcher will vacuum seal it or wrap it in freezer newspaper, and so it'due south ready to exist taken home. Depending on your farmer, you may option up the beef direct from the processor, at a local shop, or some might even bring the beefiness to y'all.

Questions to ask your farmer

If you lot're ready to buy a side of beef, information technology's fourth dimension to find a farmer! Hither in Ohio, we're lucky to have 17,000 beef farming families, including many who offer sides of beef for purchase. If you're in Ohio, you can use the Ohio Beefiness Quango's Freezer Beef directory to find a farmer in a county near you. In other states, I would start by googling your land's beefiness council, merely you can also google "freezer beef nearly me" or "buy a side of beef inyour state."

I recommend calling a few unlike farmers to compare prices and make sure yous're getting exactly what you want. Nigh farmers are very happy to talk about their process with you. Here are some questions to get you started.

• Do you offer sides or quarters of beefiness for purchase? If so, when volition the beef be available?
• Can y'all tell me about how your cattle are raised? Are they grass finished or grain finished?
• Do you use any growth hormones?
• What is your toll per pound for hanging weight?
• Do you butcher the cattle yourself or practice you work with a local butcher?
• What is the cost per pound for processing?
• Will you lot deliver the beef or will I demand to selection it up from the butcher?

A Real Life Scenario

Curious how all of this actually plays out? I recently bought a quarter side of beef from Dusty Rose Farms, owned by the Jepsen family unit (pictured above) and located in Fairfield County. I had the pleasance of coming together and touring their farm this bound, and was thrilled to be able to purchase directly from their family. All the pictures you come across in this postal service were taken on their subcontract.

The steer we purchased had a hanging weight of 595 lbs, of which we got one quarter, or 149 lbs. Their price per pound is $2.50, so nosotros paid $372.50. They piece of work with a local processor, Bay'due south Meats, who charges $.65/lb. which price an additional $97 plus a butcher/disposal fee of $15. We besides opted to have some patties made which added $vii.50, for a total cost of $119.50. In total, we paid $492 for our quarter.

The bodily accept dwelling house weight is usually about 60% of the hanging weight. For us, that meant a accept dwelling house weight of most 88 pounds. We opted to go all of the whole cuts we could, which meant a total of 7 roasts, three packages of sirloin steaks, 1 parcel of T-basic, 1 package of porterhouse steaks, 1 package of ribeyes, 2 packages of circular steaks, one package of brim steaks, 1 package of flank steak, three packages of short ribs, ane large brisket,  three packages of stew beefiness, 2 packages of cube steak, one beef liver, and nigh 25 lbs. of basis beef.

For reference, our steer was on the slightly smaller side, and our quarter filled up one and three quarters of ii large breast coolers.

If we have the total toll of $492 and the approximate have domicile weight of 88 lbs, you'll see our price per pound was virtually $5.sixty.

Advantages of ownership beef in majority

Now that you lot've got an idea of the overall procedure, cost, and production you receive from ownership beef in bulk, I'd like to share some of the reasons why nosotros proceed to practice this, year subsequently yr.

• Supporting local farmers- I accept had the pleasance of coming together several beef farmers over the years, and I am always inspired by their honey and treat their animals.  Buying beef this manner reminds me of the incredible amount of free energy and dedication it takes to heighten cattle to provide food for our tables. It is of import piece of work, and I'm so grateful for the farmers who have dedicated their lives to it.
• Get exactly what you want- Buying directly from a farmer ensures the beef yous're consuming was raised in a way that aligns with your values, whether that means it was grass or grain finished, with or without growth hormones, or on a big or small farm.
• Save money- The total cost of a side of beefiness can vary profoundly depending on your state, the farmer's practices, and the butchering options you lot choose. But on the whole, I observe ownership beefiness this fashion to be a big money saver. I did a little comparing shopping at my local grocery stores and found footing beef ranged anywhere from $3.50-$8 (for grass-finished, organic beef), roasts range from $v.fifty-$7/lb. and steaks went from every bit depression equally $v.fifty/lb. for sirloins to equally loftier equally $13/lb. for T-bones. With bulk beef, y'all pay 1 toll for every pound, whether it'southward fabricated into ground beefiness or ribeyes, so while your price may be comparable on basis beef, it'southward outstanding on steaks and other whole cuts.
• It's user-friendly! I just honey knowing I have a freezer full of beef at the ready for easy weeknight meals. I don't even take to remember about comparing prices or seeking out weekly sales at the grocery shop.
• You get some fun extras- I got several packages of soup basic with my order, which will add amazing flavor to recipes like Beef Pho Bo or French Onion Beef Stew. They also make slap-up canis familiaris treats!

I hope this mail service has been helpful every bit you lot consider if and how to buy a side of beefiness. At present if yous're wondering how you'lluse all that yummy beef, stay tuned. I have a collection of recipes coming later this week that will put every concluding bit of it to good apply!

This post is sponsored past Ohio Beef. Every bit always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for your support!

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Source: https://neighborfoodblog.com/buying-a-side-of-beef/