Where’s the Beef!

[Ruger#3]

I did this for a side business for a few years. Had a local processor that could seal and flash freeze. I always asked customers how lean or marbled they wanted the beef. If you wanted it well marbled, juicy, I grain fed it longer. How long you grain feed them after they been on grass makes a difference.

 

[Gator89]

I have been feeding animals all of my life. First 28 years on family farms, baling hay in the summer, feeding cows in the winter. The past 34 years I have worked in the commercial feed industry.

I ain't scared of grain fed beef and refuse to buy grass fed only.

At 62, I am not changing now.

 

[crackerdave]

Word gets around when somebody is selling good beef.

Also bad.

 

[notnksnemor]

I tell the locker I'm ready for a 1/2 at least 90 days before I need it.
They contact the farmer and he starts one on grain.
I get a kill date, I age mine 3 weeks, custom cut, double wrapped in butchers paper, labeled and frozen.
And the freezer looks like this:

 

[Duff]

Never thought there would be that much of a difference. Learn something new everyday. That stinks jbogg. Hope you find a way to make it tasty

 

[jbogg]

I talked to the farmer. He recommended wet aging it in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. The processor uses a heavy duty plastic to vacuum seal with, so I know it’s airtight. Steven Rinella with meat eater wrote a short article regarding wet aging wild game, and three weeks seemed to be the sweet spot.

 

[Doug B.]

I talked to the farmer. He recommended wet aging it in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. The processor uses a heavy duty plastic to vacuum seal with, so I know it’s airtight. Steven Rinella with meat eater wrote a short article regarding wet aging wild game, and three weeks seemed to be the sweet spot.

That's all well and fine ........if it works. I buy a half of beef every year. I can take any cut of this beef straight out of the freezer and cook it into some of the best eating you will put in your mouth. I have never found any store bought beef that is as good as this. It sounds like a lesson learned and from now on buy quality meat instead of "healthy ".
One other little secret here.........grain fed beef will not hurt you!!!!!

 

[pjciii]

"baling hay in the summer" Did you have to throw them up on a flatbed trailer?

@Gator89

 

[Crakajak]

You could always make different varieties of jerky.

 

[Gator89]

"baling hay in the summer" Did you have to throw them up on a flatbed trailer?

@Gator89

Some square bales, but the majority was put up in round bales and handled with loaders and tractors.

 

[kmckinnie]

Have u seen his cows. What color are they if u did.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

A buddy of mine and I recently split a half a side of beef. We both received around 80 pounds apiece. Myself and the family have been dabbling in keto for the past few months, and as a result, we are eating a lot of beef. Trying to be health conscious I wanted to find some grass fed grass finished without hormones or anabiotic‘s. Through a referral I was told about a local guy only 25 minutes from me that has been doing this for a couple of years.

This local farmer also uses the same processor for his steers and pork that I do for my wild game. Everything is usually trimmed nicely and vacuum sealed in a heavy duty wrap.

I just picked up the beef within the last week, and I am severely disappointed. The ribeyes and strip steaks were so tough we literally almost could not chew it, and the ground beef, which was supposed to be 80/20 was so full of hard gristle that it was not good when made into hamburgers. I’m curious if this is typical of grass fed grass finished? I was expecting for there to be reduced flavor due to the leaner meat, but I did not think there would be such a drastic difference in tenderness. I plan on talking to the farmer about this, but wanted to benefit from others experience before doing so.

Wife has a friend that grass feeds on an organic farm and then gets UGA to process the beef. The ground is not bad but the steaks are dry and tough IMO. The roasts all go in the crock pot.

I'd pick another source for my beef but see above.

 

[jbogg]

Have u seen his cows. What color are they if u did.

His cows are a Hereford/Angus cross.

 

[notnksnemor]

Have u seen his cows. What color are they if u did.

I only get to see the inside of them.
They're all red.

 

[Spotlite]

A lot to be taken into consideration including the age of cow you bought, how long did it hang, type of beef. Cooking - low and slow.

If you’re wanting tender grass fed you need to buy one 12 to 14 months old.

I grain feed mine 6 weeks before slaughter.,

 

[notnksnemor]

Only steers for me.

 

[DannyW]

Aaron Franklin is in the steak business now, even wrote a book on it. He contends that the best beef comes from cattle that are grass-fed, and 6-10 years old.

According to him, grass-fed gets a bad name because they are processed too young. Grass-fed beef don't start the marbling process until they are around 5 years old. He also believes that it doesn't cost any/much more to raise a grass-fed beef to 8 YO than a grain-fed beef for 2 YO, and it's noticeably more flavorful and tender.

Don't claim to be an expert on this subject myself but his theory sounds credible and is backed up by some of the finest steakhouses in the world.

Thoughts?

 

[Nicodemus]

I get a half beef from Jones Country Meats every year. Paid $3.99 a pound for the one I got last month. Cut to my specs and double wrapped in white butcher paper.