# Just bought half beef, no clue what cuts to order



## cdennis (Nov 4, 2010)

Can anyone help. I just ordered a half grass fed beef. But this is my first time and I want to make sure I get my money worth. What cuts should I ask for?


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## ksalvagno (Nov 4, 2010)

I would talk to the butcher. They can be a great help. We had no clue and our butcher was happy to walk us through it and help us get the most of the beef we got.


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## jhm47 (Nov 4, 2010)

There's really not much choice in the matter.  You will receive steaks from the loin and round.  I would suggest that you have the round steaks tenderized if that's an option.  Roasts come from various parts of the animal, and basically the rest if ground into burger.  Of course theres the heart, tongue and liver, and some people don't eat them.  You should have the choice of how large you want your roasts cut.  Some with large families have 3 - 4 lb ones, and small families have 1 lb.  Same with the steaks.  You should have the option of how many steaks to a package, and how thick you want them.  Since the animal is grassfed, and might be a bit older than a corn fed, I'd opt for thinner steaks, 3/4 inch or less.  Hope you enjoy your fresh beef.


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## herfrds (Nov 4, 2010)

I agree with jhm for the most part except for the steak thickness. Our grass finished beef we get it cut to 1" thickness.

Also how much burger per package.
Family of 4 we go with 2 pounds.
Can get 1 pound and up.

Don't forget stew meat. Soup bones (If you make soup)


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## cdennis (Nov 4, 2010)

Thanks everyone.


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## Bossroo (Nov 4, 2010)

Since it is a grassfed only beef, it will be much tougher than one that had the benefit of 90-120 days in the feed lot. I would recommend that you have the butcher hang the beef in his cooler for at least 21 days. This will greatly help to tenderize the meat and improve it's flavor.


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## Beekissed (Nov 4, 2010)

Don't forget the tenderloin and sweetmeats.  If you don't specifically ask for them~and I would ask for them uncut so you can actually SEE if you get the whole thing~they will often tell you they are "in another cut" but will not tell you which one.  

I suspicion that a lot of butchers keep that loin and sell it to the restuarants for filet mignon.


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## GBov (Dec 28, 2010)

Grass fed beef is MUCH tastier than feed lot beef!!!

We use to get it by the side and would ask for the ground to be 2 pound to the packet, roasts to be four pounds as we like cold roast beef, and steaks four to the packet.  We also asked for T-bone steaks instead of strip loin steaks and fillet steak but you can go either way.  What you cant do is get both, with those cuts its either or, not both.    

If you like to corn your own beef - really easy and oh so tasty - get the brisket in one piece.  That way you can cut it into the size pieces you like.

The ribs are good and with grass fed wont be greasy like feed lot beef.  Cant even eat them from the supermarket after having grass fed.

Oh, and if you can get them, the heart, liver and tongue are wonderful bits of meat.  Heart is a strong meat and tongue is very VERY rich if simmered till tender and then skinned.

You will find your meat isnt as fatty because the animal lived a proper life.  I never found it tough or dry but it some people do say they find it so.  What it IS is different to shop bought!  

Am really envying you your beef lol.


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## herfrds (Dec 28, 2010)

Our recent steer was finished on grass alone and is not tough.


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## Royd Wood (Dec 29, 2010)

Bossroo said:
			
		

> Since it is a grassfed only beef, it will be much tougher than one that had the benefit of 90-120 days in the feed lot. I would recommend that you have the butcher hang the beef in his cooler for at least 21 days. This will greatly help to tenderize the meat and improve it's flavor.


Hey Bossroo

Sorry but - Thats just not true
Our strictly grass fed Galloway is the most tender beef I have ever had and our customers agree. Because its grass fed only we hang it for a maximum of 14 days and the bucher cut one at only 12 days recently which was amazingly tender and tasty. A truly grass fed animal will tend to deteriorate if hung too long esp 21 days. Our beef goes at around the 26 to 28 month age and in the fall / early winter or June / July time - this all helps with taste and tenderness.
cdennis
Yes to soup bones and burgers and maybe try for a few packs of beef sausage which is a good option to too much ground mince but most of all ENJOY your healthy grass fed beef which should be high in omega 3 and low in omega 6


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## Bossroo (Dec 31, 2010)

Royd Wood said:
			
		

> Bossroo said:
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Yup, it is VERY TRUE in the arrid West where the grass is a sceanic  golden brown for about 7 months of the year. Irrigation water is rationed ( less than 1/2of normal  in recent drought years)and at a pretty penny at that. If the beef isn't finished in a feed lot, it is as tough as shoe leather. My neighbor just a mere mile from my house has a 5,000 acre ranch and can manage to run 100 beef cows on it with the help of supplemented alfalfa hay.  They have a feed lot to finish their own beef + other neighbors' beef. They keep several alfalfa hay, corn, wheat, oat, and barley farmers in business.  I am sure that you know that they don't call California "the golden State" for it's gold!!!


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## herfrds (Dec 31, 2010)

Why don't you tell us where you are Bossroo because we almost lost our whole herd in 2001 to a drought. No grass and ran out of hay and we couldn't afford the $200 a ton that was being asked.
Our meat was tender.

Yeah we feed our steers during the winter, so when we have a foot + snow on the ground they have the feed to stay warm. Works on our bred cows too.
Meats still tender.

We do not pour grain to them like crazy even when they are being fed hay and never when they are out on pasture.
Good marbling and still tender.

Guess it is just the genetics that makes our so tender.


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## cutechick2010 (Jan 17, 2011)

Wow, I really wish I had the land available to grow beef on grass. I only have about three acres available once you count buildings and the like on our property, and a good part of that is trees.
  I am planning to raise my own steer (once my husband and I am working again and can afford to buy/raise one-anyone need any farm help??) but it will have to be on a good part grain. At least I will KNOW what it is eating, any medicines it had, etc.


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## Ariel301 (Jan 18, 2011)

I butchered a whole grass-fed Brahma steer a couple months ago. He was about 2 years old and ate nothing but pasture and hay. The steaks are so tender they can't sit in a marinade very long or they begin to fall apart. Cooked, they are incredible, melt in your mouth tender. You don't even need a steak knife. And we did not age the meat at all, the steer went from live to packaged in my freezer all in one day. There was a LOT of fat on that animal too. We also butchered his half-sister last year and she was the same, but fatter. Not a tough piece of meat on those cows. Grass fed beef is NOT necessarily tough.


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## cdennis (Jan 20, 2011)

Mine is also tender, Of course some cuts are more tough than others but that's the nature of the cow. This was my first time w/ a grass fed cow and it was amazing. I need to get my pasture set up to raise my own.


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