Do you think this is more of a processing issue or quality when it comes to steaks specifically??
In my limited experience, the biggest thing is if they are grain finished or not. Without grain finishing they tend to be leaner and tougher. And then it just depends on breed and individual cow, some are definitely better than others, even from the same lot and breed.
That’s about right Werm. I’m in the cattle biz and the fed cattle market is at an all time high. Wednesday at the fat cattle auction in Lanesboro,Mn the top 1400-1600 lb steers brought $195-202/lb live. By the time you add trucking to the slaughter house, processing and freight back to the grocer it adds up.
BW’s counts above look pretty accurate. I should’ve clarified above that our 190lbs for $700 was pre-processing weight. I looked at my invoice and we ended up with 52# of ground. Going by Jeremy’s 40% rule we ended up with a total of 115# with steaks and roasts which sounds about right. Comes to $6.08/lb which isn’t bad in my book. Best part, when you do this you are typically directly supporting a small family farm and a small business butcher.
I always laugh at the people that go on and on about how much better grass fed beef tastes.
In my limited experience, the biggest thing is if they are grain finished or not. Without grain finishing they tend to be leaner[/quote]
Right again Werm ! Corn fed makes marbling. That is the fat specks you see before you put that steak on the grill. Marbling makes your meat more tender and adds flavor. I wouldn’t eat a grass fed beef if you gave it to me. It’s a tree-hugger scam to make you think cow farts are destroying the planet
grain fed is the best, period!!!
I got a Front 1/4 this past spring, estimate on the phone was $800ish, bill was $1000 but the total weight of what I brought home was higher that they quoted. Brought home around 180lbs of meat between burger, chuck roasts, ribeyes, short ribs and shoulder roasts
It certainly tastes better then meat from our local big box store and the price is right in line
Someone mentioned quality . Years ago went in on a 1/2 . Steaks were tough . Was not impressed at all . Grocery store is the same can be good or bad . No guarantee quality is better just cause it was grown locally .
My in-laws are farmers and they used to buy a quarter (or half) and give us beef. The ground and the roasts were awesome but I was never impressed with the steaks.
Do you think this is more of a processing issue or quality when it comes to steaks specifically??
Breed and how it was fed out. The best cattle we ever raised for steaks was white face/jersy mix. Very odd cross – neighborhoods bull got out and bred a few of our whites. Anyways, the marbling was perfect. But the roasts seemed too fatty and unless seasoned heavy were very blah.
Also, just my personal opinion, if the steaks are thin, they get overcooked too easy
front quarter, beef stock, grain finished, (grass fed beef is tough as hell) hung for no less than 10 days before cutting. small shops that do on site kill are the best.
My in-laws are frugal so I’m guessing the beef was not grain fed. On top of that their T Bones were always thin.
I like mine about 1.5 inches thick.
When I hunt in SD I always order a box of beef. Most are bone-in Cowboy cut ribeyes that are 2 inches thick. Not cheap but they are big enough to share.
Anyone know where you can purchase 1/4 beef grain fed preferable north metro?
How the carcass is cut up matters too.A bad butcher can ruin the best steer on earth.
for as loong as i can remember our family has bought 1/2 or 1/4 of beef from out local meat locker plant in Richmond. it was good meat, still is.
i’ve been told length of hang time has alot to do with the quality of meat.
a year ago we got some beef from a new place. small butcher shop. it was good. they pack it different so it took a bit to get used to. this year my brother and i went in and bought beef from the same place. bought a whole cow. he took 1/4 and had 1/4 to each his kids for christmas. i took the other 1/4. think it was about $825.00 for my portion. good beef. we checked the 2 other small butcher shops in town..they were 6 months out. this place, Homegrown meats, just south of Richmond was 1 month out!!!!
This place gives you a freezer if you buy a whole or half. Gotta be in the NE but that’s a good way to get past the “I don’t have freezer space” objection.
10-14 days is customary hang time for beef carcasses. That allows the natural bacteria and enzymes to break down the muscle fiber making it more tender. Most small butchers do this. Big packing plants don’t because it ties up their money too long and it won’t be “cherry red” in the display case. More attractive to the average shopper. Aged beef has a darker color.
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