8 replies to this topic

[melkor]

I'm in the process of buying 1/4 of a grass fed steer from a local rancher. Do you have any advice on what cuts to select in addition to what I've already picked (short loin, brisket, and plate)?. The ranch is willing to let me select my cuts from whatever part of the carcass I want, but I'm not sure I know enough to make an informed decision.

Other than the usual steaks, roasts, and stews, I'll be curing the brisket and plate to make pastrami, and I'm planning to make sausages and hotdogs from the enevitable pile of scraps that will be left. Any additional ideas would be great also.

Thanks much,
melkor

[Mister_Cutlets]

I would suggest getting as much chuck as you can. Chances are the "hamburg" they will sell you will be composed of scraps. Get
chuck and grind it or grill it yourself. This is a tough question!
You can have anything you want? Why aren't you getting
some of the rib? In order of preference, I would ask for

1. Rib steaks / standing rib roast (your preference)
2. Hangar steak
3. Skirt steak
4. Flanken (chuck ribs)
5. flank steak
6. Skirt steak

If I were you, I would try to get at least one or two different sections
beside the short loin. It's rare that you can buy good artinisal beef, and
it's a waste to only have porterhouses to taste, as good as they are. (I doubt I would bother with the filet at all, but that's just me.)

Yours,
Mr. Cutlets

[melkor]

I would suggest getting as much chuck as you can.  Chances are the "hamburg" they will sell you will be composed of scraps.  Get
chuck and grind it or grill it yourself.  This is a tough question!
You can have anything you want?  Why aren't you getting
some of the rib?  In order of preference, I would ask for

I'm being offered 1/4th of a cow by weight, I haven't ruled out ribs but I have decided I want a strip loin. I have the option of having them to butcher the larger loin cuts into steaks but I'd rather give that a try myself, so the meat that will end up ground is the trim from my cutting and however much chuck I top off the order with.

1.  Rib steaks  / standing rib roast (your preference)
2.  Hangar steak
3.  Skirt steak
4.  Flanken (chuck ribs)
5.  flank steak
6.  Skirt steak

I'm comfortable with the individual steaks but I'm lost on the larger loin cuts, the flank/hangar/skirt steaks are not part of larger cuts and I'll be sure to include some of each in my order. What larger cuts do parts like short-ribs, tri-tips and flatiron come from? Anything in particular I should be getting to support my sausage making adventure?


Thanks much for all the advice.

[Mister_Cutlets]

I'm comfortable with the individual steaks but I'm lost on the larger loin cuts, the flank/hangar/skirt steaks are not part of larger cuts and I'll be sure to include some of each in my order. What larger cuts do parts like short-ribs, tri-tips and flatiron come from? Anything in particular I should be getting to support my sausage making adventure?

The hangar is not part of a larger section, but the others are part of the breast / flank area, as are short ribs. Tri-tips are from the sirloin (which is not part of the short loin, but is far below, closer to the animal's hip.) Flatiron is a top blade steak, which is from the chuck and is quite tender, though withou any fat at all. (Which is why it is now fashionable.) For your sausage, I would suggest getting scraps from the toughest areas of the animal, which often have some of the most tubular tastes in the animal. (rump, tail, heart, etc.). The site I linked to in the sausage thread should prove useful.

Don't know what you mean about the big loin cuts.

yours,
Mr. Cutlets

[Chad]

Melkor, this might help: Alton Brown's Critter Map.

It shows where all the primals are located and which cuts come from them.

Chad

[Suzanne F]

Melkor, this might help: Alton Brown's Critter Map.

It shows where all the primals are located and which cuts come from them.

Chad

That is so neat! Does he have them for other animals?

[Chad]

Melkor, this might help: Alton Brown's Critter Map.

It shows where all the primals are located and which cuts come from them.

Chad

That is so neat! Does he have them for other animals?

It is pretty neat, isn't it? That's the only one I know of online. He does have a less detailed pig map in his book I'm Just Here for the Food.

Chad

[wesza]

I would suggest getting as much chuck as you can.  Chances are the "hamburg" they will sell you will be composed of scraps.  Get
chuck and grind it or grill it yourself.  This is a tough question!
You can have anything you want?  Why aren't you getting
some of the rib?  In order of preference, I would ask for

I'm being offered 1/4th of a cow by weight, I haven't ruled out ribs but I have decided I want a strip loin. I have the option of having them to butcher the larger loin cuts into steaks but I'd rather give that a try myself, so the meat that will end up ground is the trim from my cutting and however much chuck I top off the order with.

1.  Rib steaks  / standing rib roast (your preference)
2.  Hangar steak
3.  Skirt steak
4.  Flanken (chuck ribs)
5.  flank steak
6.  Skirt steak

I'm comfortable with the individual steaks but I'm lost on the larger loin cuts, the flank/hangar/skirt steaks are not part of larger cuts and I'll be sure to include some of each in my order. What larger cuts do parts like short-ribs, tri-tips and flatiron come from? Anything in particular I should be getting to support my sausage making adventure?


Thanks much for all the advice.

Melkor: I've been associated with the meat business for many years.

I have never heard of any butcher selling you 1/4 of a carcass, with your choice of items or cuts. Beef is almost always sold by either a Hindquarter or a Forequarter, never mixed together. Especially sine Hind cuts are always higher priced the Fore Cuts, with the exception of Kosher Beef that generally only utilizes the Fore Quarter.

The Hindquarter may be broken and sold as Full Loin, Short Loin or Round or into Boxed Cuts.

The Forequarter may be broken and sold as Full Rib, Primal Rib, Prime Rib, Short Ribs, Full Plate, Brisket, Navel, Chuck, Shoulder, Shin or Boxed Cuts and Diaphram.

I'm pretty sure that your supplier would only limit you to the revelent cuts from the quarter or parts of the quarter your purchasing. Once the 1/4 is broken each section sells for different retail prices.

When your purchasing a 1/4 of beef you should anticipate that the actual weight of meat that will be delived to you will reflect a minimum weight loss of 1/3 of the gross weight that you've purchased due to trimming, sawing and butchering loss. That means that you'll be expecting to pay for 100 pounds gross and will be getting around 67 pounds net weight for your order.

Even then if your able to utilize all the cuts received there will besome savings in price with the quality you purchased. If you wish to have your Quarter of Beef, Dry Aged your tenderness will improve but so will your shrinkage at least a additional 6/8 %.

Please post and let us know about your order, cause if this supplier will go for the kind of deal you've posted about, others sure would be interested in ordering unless his selling price covers all the additional costs involved.

Irwin

[melkor]

Melkor: I've been associated with the meat business for many years.

I have never heard of any butcher selling you 1/4 of a carcass, with your choice of items or cuts. Beef is almost always sold by either a Hindquarter or a Forequarter, never mixed together. Especially sine Hind cuts are always higher priced the Fore Cuts, with the exception of Kosher Beef that generally only utilizes the Fore Quarter.

The Hindquarter may be broken and sold as Full Loin, Short Loin or Round or into Boxed Cuts.

The Forequarter may be broken and sold as Full Rib, Primal Rib, Prime Rib, Short Ribs, Full Plate, Brisket, Navel, Chuck, Shoulder, Shin or Boxed Cuts and Diaphram.

I'm pretty sure that your supplier would only limit you to the revelent cuts from the quarter or parts of the quarter your purchasing. Once the 1/4 is broken each section sells for different retail prices.

When your purchasing a 1/4 of beef you should anticipate that the actual weight of meat that will be delived to you will reflect a minimum weight loss of 1/3 of the gross weight that you've purchased due to trimming, sawing and butchering loss. That means that you'll be expecting to pay for 100 pounds gross and will be getting around 67 pounds net weight for your order.

Even then if your able to utilize all the cuts received there will besome savings in price with the quality you purchased. If you wish to have your Quarter of Beef, Dry Aged your tenderness will improve but so will your shrinkage at least a additional 6/8 %.

Please post and let us know about your order, cause if this supplier will go for the kind of deal you've posted about, others sure would be interested in ordering unless his selling price covers all the additional costs involved.

Irwin

The source is a local rancher, from the conversations I've had with them they offer mixed quarters, half, and whole carcassas. I'll be working out my final order with them on friday and I'll be certain to post whatever the outcome.