Buying the whole cow

(Kristin ) #1

So, my family has not made the switch yet to grass fed meat products - because they are friggin expensive. Now, there is a farm that ships free (it’s so close we could probably pick it up) which averages out at 10bucks/lb (packed).

I have questions maybe some of you might know the answer to-
how long does it keep in a freezer?
is it worth it to eat grass fed/finished?
Is that a decent price (we live in southern california)?
Maybe I should start with a 1/4 cow (doesn’t seem like a ton of meat to be honest… for someone who is keto)?

(Carol E. ) #2

I do not have experience in this area but will be curious to read responses from those who have purchased beef in bulk. Depending on your experience with preparing different cuts of grass fed beef, you may want to begin with 1/4 cow to get a feel for it.

I have considered buying 1/4 of a cow from my farmer but I have not pulled the trigger and still buy specific cuts. Perhaps I will given the next opportunity to do so.

This website give a good visual on how much meat it translates into.

This link is to a a PDF of excerpts from a oldie but goodie cookbook that I use named The Grassfed Gourmet by Shannon Hayes.

(Ken) #3

Guys, rather than rehashing the whole grass fed issue, I suggest you read the thread “No, grass fed is not a keto rule” and make your own decision about buying it. Myself, I consider grass fed to be “Nutty Keto” as the minor benefits in lipid profile (less than 10%) in no way justifies the large difference in cost. Besides, you get much fattier meat from normally finished beef.

One nice thing about buying beef this way is that you can specify your hamburger to be 65/35% fat to protein, so it’s ready made for keto.

(Tom) #4

Sounds amazing, I’d do it if I had space in my freezer. I like grassfed beef (like! not arguing its merits other than I like the taste… see No, grass fed is not a keto rule) plus you’re supporting a local farmer directly. Win win, yum yum! :slight_smile:

Having said that, check out what cuts you’re getting though. In the picture @replay posted it seems there’s an awful lot of minced beef.

(Carol E. ) #5

Well, I posted that link as a reference to provide a visual idea of how much room buying in bulk translates into for anyone new to the idea that may be reading this post. I suppose much of the final product is unique to where your purchase and the options they offer regarding processing.

I do not believe this thread is rehashing or suggesting that grassfed is best but more so about the actual process of buying in bulk.

Hopefully this thread will get some replies from those who have actually gone through the process.

(Chris Robertson) #6

It depends on a few factors. How cold is the freezer, how often do you open the freezer, is the meat vacuum sealed, and how quickly was it frozen to begin with. When I was a kid we raised our own cattle. It was vacuum sealed and quickly frozen at -40 and then stored at -20 Celsius. Once a month we would pull a months worth of meat from the deep freeze and put it in the household freezer. Meat in the deep freeze could be kept for about 2 year before it would have any noticeable effect on flavor. Meat in the kitchen freezer only lasted about 3 months. On the rare occasion that we butchered our own cows and initially froze them at -20 the shelf life was only about a year in the deep freeze.

(Kristin ) #7

Thanks for this! I wish I could buy a bulk grain fed cow lol. It’d be super cheapahaha

(Jason Christianson) #8

10 bucks a pound?!? Holy cow!! You are really getting ripped off.
I buy a half cow, grass fed, for about 4 bucks a pound. The farmer charges about 3 bucks a pound and I pay under a buck a pound for butchering.

As far as longevity, I’ve found steaks in the back of my freezer from a few years ago that are fine. You need to make sure you are storing in a non-frost free freezer. The defrost cycles if your normal fridge freezer combo ruins meat.

I hate when I run out now and have to buy meat from the grocery store. Compared to the cow I buy, it’s flavorless.

(Ken) #9

Processing is really up to you. Virtually all cuts can be made into roasts or steaks rather than burger. If going that route, just make sure the butcher doesn’t trim what he considers excess fat off them, leaving enough fat for it to be one third of the cut’s weight. Have him save the cavity fat as well, freeze in large chunks. If you have dogs, the organs are real treats for’em. Nothing like a nice chunk of lung to make a dog happy.

(Ken) #10

Sounds like you could compared to what you’d pay for GF.

(karen) #11

Two questions: One, is this entirely muscle and fat, or does that $10 per pound include a lot of bone and organ meat. (and if it’s the latter, will you use that?) Two, is it packaged for long term freezer storage or will you have to get a seal-a-meal or something and repackage it? I’d say compared to grocery store if you’re going to use everything and it’s packaged to last, $10 isn’t amazing savings but it’s a reasonable price. OTOH if it’s half “scrap” and you have to repackage it, probably not worth it.

I actually have a #3. For me, grass-finished means happier cows living out their lives in cow-like fashion, ideally on rotated pasture, and humanely butchered at the end. That’s what makes it worth paying more IMO, and if that’s not the case … well anyway, YMMV, but if I were making a big investment, I think I’d verify that with a visit to the farm.

(Ken) #12

Here in Iowa, you can buy an entire steer, including processing, for less than $4 per pound. Processors usually wrap first in plastic, then in freezer paper. It’s expected to last at least a year in a deep freezer. Usually folks deal directly with the farmer, who sets things up with the processor.

Kern County is a major cattle producing area. It might be worth a trip up to talk to a small farmer about a steer. If you’re near San Diego, Imperial County would be about the same. Farmers are generally happy to sell privately, they usually get a little more than if they sell it to the big processors. You just have to find a farmer who has a finishing operation, as around two thirds of cattle born in CA go out of State for finishing and slaughter.

(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!) #13

This is an old post but I’m revisiting it. We are considering buying pasture farmed 1/4 cow or a whole forested pig. We are just starting to qualify farmers at this point. Will buy in late August or September.