sides of beef

[Fred]

I'm not really sure if this is the correct topic for this, but it is food related so...
Does buying beef in bulk like a side or a quarter really save you money?
Without going through all the numbers again, so my totals could be off, I bought a quarter for $2.35/lb. The quarter weighed out around 105lbs. which is what I paid for (I didn't know it worked this way). The actual meat I got weighed out around 65-75 lbs which made it come to more like $3.70/lb. I didn't weigh everything separately, but it seems from the numbers that it's more of a convenience than a money saver.
Does anyone have any input or something they can add to this? I saw a receipt and the butcher charged $39 to cut, wrap and freeze.

[egon]

Probably six of one and a dozen of another.

However, by the side or quarter you may get cuts you don't like or want. Time in the freezer may be a factor.

Egon

[Bird]

Maybe I'm just gettin' old and forgetful [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] , 'cause it's been several years since I used to do that, but it seems to me that you came up a little short to only get 65-75 pounds of packaged meat from a 105 pound side. If you were talking about a whole, live animal, I thought they butchered out around 60%, give or take a little. Now of course it depends on how you wanted it cut and how much bone you wanted discarded I guess. Like I said, I may be wrong; maybe it's just my old memory. And the last time I did that, the cutting, wrapping, and freezing was included in the per pound price, instead of being added on.

Many years ago, I think buying a side of beef (or a hog) was a good way to go, but I doubt it now. As has already been said, you may have some cuts you don't really want, and if you just buy the ones you do want when they're on sale in the stores, personally, I think you'd be ahead.

The last time I bought in "bulk" like that was when a neighbor had an older cow to dispose of and we took her to a slaughterhouse and had them make nothing but lean ground beef from the whole cow and the neighbor, one of my brothers, and I split it. We probably only saved a very few cents per pound, but we did have some very good, very lean ground beef, so we were happy with it.

[Chuck52]

Fred,

I think you got took, at least a bit. I recently could have bought a choice side for $1.50 per pound, and that included processing. Now that was probably a good deal, through the local University, but they usually aren't all that much better than can be found locally.

Chuck


Chuck

[Fred]

I believe the cows were around 800 lbs each and I wanted a front quarter which was around 105 lbs. I don't know if rear quarters weigh more, but I would guess they do. The price for processing WAS included in the $2.35/lb, I just threw that in for more info. I got the cuts I wanted, rib eyes, chuck and pot roasts, short ribs and of course burger, though they weren't as prime looking steaks as you see in the butcher case. The meat is very tasty and has some good marbling thru it.
I don't know... that $1.50 price sounds real good and while I don't think I was taken, it just didn't cipher out to all that much of a savings. I suppose it is a wash.

Thanks for the opinions.

Wanted to add: The butcher wasn't my friends first choice. Something could have been "lost" there, too.

[Bird]

Fred, I didn't read your initial post carefully enough. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] I was thinking of a side, not a front quarter. [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

[jsnitzer]

Can't get meat much cheaper than just buying a lot of chuck in the fall when it goes on sale in the supermarket. You can grind it, roast it or cut it up into steaks. Tougher than t-bone, but has good flavor.

I buy a bunch each fall for making jerky, which I give away at Christmas.

[GaryM]

I occasionally make jerky using my dehydrator. Do you have any good marinades? I use sliced beef as well as turkey on occasion. I don't use ground meat and extrude it. Just thinley sliced.

I've experimented with mixtures of soy sauce, garlic, peppers and sugars. Somimes added A-1 Sauce or Worchestor sauce.

Any good ideas?

[Fred]

Mmmm, I love jerky. I tried making it several times using the oven on warm and while it did have good texture, it tasted like ****.
Sure wouldn't mind a good (read "foolproof") recipe.

[Stoneheartfarm]

We can buy from our local vet, hormone and antibiotic free. $1.40 per pound plus .35 cut and wrap. For $1.75 a pound, I can't go to the local store and buy hamburger. We do our splits a little different. A half weighs about 400 pounds and a quarter is half that, we don't do the front/rear thing. You can still have your 200 pounds cut anyway you want. So, you not only get cuts from the front, but from the back of the animal.

Steve