I Bought Half a Cow

[BaxterBaker]

A few months ago I made a major change to my diet and I'm now eating whole foods of very high quality, a higher percentage of calories from high-quality fats, a focus on protein, and moderate carb intake.  

 

Part of this change in strategy includes buying grass-fed beef.  I found a farmer local to me (Wade) who claims to be a regenerative farmer.  He raises cows, pigs, and chickens.  He uses the "Chicken Tractor" method for his chickens, which I think is very clever.  I think it works well as long as he drags the tractors to fresh grass every couple of days.  The pigs are kept only in pens and I'm not sure what he feeds them.  They look well cared for.  I asked why he didn't put them outside and he said they are very destructive and will ruin their enclosure in just a few days.  Too much work.  I've decided not to buy pork from him because I found another farm near me that does keep their pigs outside and I'm more confident that this farmer feeds them better food as well.  I've ordered half a pig from this farmer.  

 

I bought a new 21cf upright freezer for $1,000 in preparation for all this.  I'm fortunate that I've got extra space where I am, due to my business, and I found a perfect place for it inside where it is conditioned space.  

 

I just got the half cow into the freezer.  Wade dropped everything off on his way through from the processor.  The meat was cold but not frozen.  The freezer worked hard for a couple of days getting it all down to temperature.  

 

I started this thread because I hope this information is helpful to those thinking of doing the same and because I have questions for the group.  But I'll wait to ask my questions as this thread develops - this first post is long enough as is.  

 

Here's a breakdown of the order:

 

Processing fee was $434.35

Wade's fee for half cow $1,350

Total $1,784.35

Per Pound of processed meat average $10.64 (not including bones for broth, fat for ??, and kidneys for my dog)

 

In pounds:

Total of everything received = 199.87

Meat other than Ground Beef Total = 75.69

Ground Beef Total = 92

Bones, Fat, Kidneys Total = 32.18

 

Individual cuts, total and breakdown of pieces:

Rib Roast

7.56

 

New York Strip Total = 2.17

1.06

1.11

 

Chuck Roast Total = 14.27

3.95

2.25

4.06

4.01

 

Rib Steak Total = 7.27

1.89

1.91

1.61

1.86

 

Skirt Total = 3.29

1.04

2.25

 

Flat Iron Total = 1.44

.52

.50

.42

 

Flank

1.68

 

Brisket Total = 9.51

4.59

4.92

 

Rump Roast Total = 12.83

2.68

1.69

3.69

2.07

2.70

 

Sirloin Steak Total = 5.45

1.28

1.28

.9

.9

1.09

 

T-Bone Total = 9.63

1.33

1.50

1.04

1.35

1.44

1.43

1.54

 

Filet Total = 2.27

.34

.34

.61

.55

.43

 

Bones Total = 17.68

1.42

2.72

1.65

2.38

.77

1.43

2.36

2.26

1.13

1.56

 

Fat Total = 12.44

2.47

4.99

4.98

 

Kidneys Total = 2.06

1.06

1.0

 

I didn't get the hanging weight of the cow.  

 

 

[Smithy]

Thank you for this detailed description. I'm sure it will generate a lot of good ideas and discussion. I'll start with an idea for the fat: your dog may wish some of it, but I'll also point out that beef fat, rendered to get the tallow, can make an excellent frying medium. It depends on your cooking style, of course. I have no idea how much rendered tallow you would get out of 12.44 pounds of fat; maybe somebody else will know.

[rotuts]

@BaxterBaker

 

thank you for starting this thread .  this is a fine start .

 

when you get to the various cuts , can you post of pic of a few of them ?

 

Id like to see what the cut meat looks like ,  intramuscular fat , etc.

 

and , generally speaking , where are you from ?

 

does this cow have a ' grade ' to it , if that's something in your area ?

[blue_dolphin]

@BaxterBaker, make sure to check out this earlier topic: Buying Half a Cow

[Dr. Teeth]

Looks like they ground most of the braising cuts?  Although it looks like you got a bunch of brisket and chuck.

 

Did you get any short ribs?   Did you get a hanger steak?

 

What’s your plan for the cow and what do you like to cook?

 

Also, I’m curious how the meat goes in the freezer.   Is it vacuum sealed?

[Dr. Teeth]

Hey, another random question.   Has anyone done something like this with another family/cook/carnivore with different  culinary preferences?

[Smithy]

12 minutes ago, Dr. Teeth said:

Hey, another random question.   Has anyone done something like this with another family/cook/carnivore with different  culinary preferences?

 

Please clarify your question. Do you mean, say, two families splitting a cow but asking for different cuts? And do note that BaxterBaker did this on his own, at least this time around.

 

@rotuts, he states in his "introduction" post that he's in Tennessee. But you raise a good question about whether directly-sold, grass-fed cows are graded the way wholesale, standard-commercially-sold cows are. @BaxterBaker, I echo rotuts' request for shots of the meat as you pull it out for cooking. I applaud your paying attention to the treatment and feeding of the animals.

[rotuts]

@BaxterBaker

 

Yes indeed , supporting local , and husbandry id a very fine thing !

 

I know you will truly enjoy every cut , burger , and meatloaf meatloaf.

 

P.S.  who got the tail ?   and cheeks !

 

congratulation on your project .

 

Yum Yum .

 

P.S.:  Id like to hear about that 1/2 ' hog'  ' pig ? '  

 

if you can manage it .

 

Quite some time ago , people who had the land , and , you bet help

 

raised 6 or so pigs .  maybe more , maybe less .  Breed unknown 

 

but this was before attention to breed , over all 

 

so , generic pig.  parts were individually gifted to local friends

 

a rack , loin and tenderloin , fresh , not injected etc , was gifted to friends of ypur

 

' up there ' , and we went over , and had roasted ' straight ' rack of lamb. 

 

I took care of the Jus  and made gravy from it

 

and made Mashed Russets    

 

it was very tasty.    and so very different from pork , in any way 

 

id had in a great great while .  Its a wonderful direction you get to enjoy following.

 

looking forward to it .

Edited 17 hours ago by rotuts (log)

[Dr. Teeth]

16 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

Please clarify your question. Do you mean, say, two families splitting a cow but asking for different cuts? And do note that BaxterBaker did this on his own, at least this time around.

 

@rotuts, he states in his "introduction" post that he's in Tennessee. But you raise a good question about whether directly-sold, grass-fed cows are graded the way wholesale, standard-commercially-sold cows are. @BaxterBaker, I echo rotuts' request for shots of the meat as you pull it out for cooking. I applaud your paying attention to the treatment and feeding of the animals.

My bad.   I was flipping back and forth between the two threads in buying half a cow and put that comment here by mistake.   I’m not offended if you move it to the other thread 

[pastameshugana]

15 hours ago, Smithy said:

I have no idea how much rendered tallow you would get out of 12.44 pounds of fat; maybe somebody else will know.

 

I asked this question to Dia (AI browser) and it gave me:

 

Estimated yield from 12.44 lb of beef fat 

Beef suet is roughly 70 – 80 % pure fat; the balance is mostly moisture and a little connective tissue that cooks away or is strained out. Seasoned Advice’s meat‐science contributors put the average fat fraction at about 75 %. ⁠ Redditors who routinely render at home report getting anywhere from 70 % tallow when they chop coarsely and rush the process to 90 % when the fat is finely ground and rendered low-and-slow.

⁠

Applying the mid-range 75 % figure to your 12.44 lb (5.64 kg) of raw beef fat: 12.44lb x 0.75 = 9.33lb

 

So you can expect roughly 9 lb of finished tallow. If your trim is especially clean and you grind or mince it before a long, gentle render you could see close to 10 lb; if there’s a lot of connective tissue or you hurry the cook, yield might dip toward 7½ lb. ⁠

 

In short, plan on ending up with about 9 lb of shelf-stable, ivory-white tallow from 12.44 lb of beef fat, with a plausible range of 7.5 – 10 lb depending on how meticulously and patiently you render.