Need someone that can do beef math for me (price of beef)

[DoubleJ]

So, if I buy all of my beef for the year at once from Cash and Carry, I can spend approx. $400 and get 5 chuck rolls or roughly 120lbs of trimmed beef.  The way I butcher them, this will yield:

10-12 chuck roasts (36lbs) Good for one pot roast per month
8-10 2 person packages of chuck eye steaks (20lb) Good for a nice steak dinner for my wife and I about once a month
4 packages of stew meat (8lbs) Winter months food
4 packages of chili meat (8lbs) Winter months food
30 packages of burger (45lbs) We use burger the most.  This is about 18-20 meals worth, maybe twice a month

So basically I'm looking at about 5-6 beef meals per month for the whole year, most of which will have leftovers.




Now my question is, how much is the avg. side of beef and how many lbs of trimmed meat would I get for that price?  I understand on a side of beef, I get some better cuts but honestly, better cuts aren't as valuable to me as just basic, rustic beef dinners. 

In your opinion, would it be better to buy 5 chuck rolls or a side of beef (price depending)?  I'm not even sure how much a side of beef costs.

Thanks

[Timberstalker]

Here's rough costs for a side (1/2) of beef:

Hanging 1/2 - Figure 400lb @ $2.50/lb = $1,000
Cut & Wrap .45/lb. @ 400lb = $180

Grand Total = $1,180.

YMMV on the Per Pound cost of meat, but that's a rough figure.

[Timberstalker]

Bear in mind, you aren't getting 400lbs of meat from that 1/2.

You'll probably yield 300 lbs.

So $1,180/300 = $3.93/lb

[Timberstalker]

So if your $400/120# = $3.33/lb

You are paying 0.60 more for the 1/2 beef, but you will likely get better meat, and more selections of cuts.

[Blacklab]

Shouldn't you add a kill fee? $75-$100.

[Timberstalker]

Shouldn't you add a kill fee? $75-$100.

That's included in the hanging price.

[quadrafire]

Double I'm not going to comment on the math. But I bought a side 2 yrs ago and got a bunch of stuff I didn't even recognize and/or was crappy.
I'm not sure I'll do another half unless I can get a better handle on the butcher.
I know you already love the Chuck, so I'd probably stick with that and you know what you are getting and in exactly the amounts.
As an example on my last mystery package I opened was short ribs. 95% fat I paid for. Just an example

[Timberstalker]

For the record, I think your chuck rolls are a good deal. They give you multiple options as well.

[DoubleJ]

For the record, I think your chuck rolls are a good deal. They give you multiple options as well.

That's what I was thinking too but I just wanted to know what I might be missing out on.  Besides, when I catch it on sale, I can get strip loins for $4.25/lb there too for when I want something more fancy

[quadrafire]

Only downside is you don't know the source. Sides are usually locally sourced and support the local farming  community.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Shouldn't you add a kill fee? $75-$100.

That's included in the hanging price.

Not all butchers add that in. Mine charges kill fee, plus cut and wrap.

[Boss .300 winmag]

I raise my own beef, with all that goes into it I wouldn't sell for less than $5 a pound, and you pay for cut and wrap, plus your part of the kill fee.

[Timberstalker]

Shouldn't you add a kill fee? $75-$100.

That's included in the hanging price.

Not all butchers add that in. Mine charges kill fee, plus cut and wrap.

That's a price I've charged in that past. When you're killing 20 a year, the kill man cuts you a deal.

[Timberstalker]

For the record, I think your chuck rolls are a good deal. They give you multiple options as well.

That's what I was thinking too but I just wanted to know what I might be missing out on.  Besides, when I catch it on sale, I can get strip loins for $4.25/lb there too for when I want something more fancy

I'm not sure you can really beat what you doing, DoubleJ.

[DoubleJ]

I wish there was a way I could buy a cow, or half a cow, have the carcass loaded into my truck, and let me cut it up myself at home for a lower price