Butcher Shop Price differences?

[LDennis24]

Anyone have a 2nd freezer in an apartment? That's the issue I have. I just don't have the freedom like people in houses to have multiple fridges, no bbq, no smoking, no fire. 😕

Back in the day I lived in a apartment for about a year and I found a small chest freezer that fit in the walk in closet. Not ideal but it was out of the way. If that won’t work just replace a table or tv stand with a Chest freezer. Unless of course your married, don’t think the wife would be down with the decor and hiding it in a closet or bedroom might be a better option

Nothing a tablecloth can't hide!

[jrebel]

Anyone have a 2nd freezer in an apartment? That's the issue I have. I just don't have the freedom like people in houses to have multiple fridges, no bbq, no smoking, no fire. 😕

Back in the day I lived in a apartment for about a year and I found a small chest freezer that fit in the walk in closet. Not ideal but it was out of the way. If that won’t work just replace a table or tv stand with a Chest freezer. Unless of course your married, don’t think the wife would be down with the decor and hiding it in a closet or bedroom might be a better option

Do you have friends or family remotely close that can store a freezer?  They you can retrieve 10-15 lbs at a time and keep it in your house freezer.  Throw the friend or family member a case of beer or couple steaks for helping you out.  Another option would be looking into a small storage unit locally that has an outlet.  $35 dollars a month for extra storage and a freezer spot could be well worth it. 

Just a couple thoughts. 

As for cooking....I tried moose steaks in the air fryer last night and was shocked at how good they turned out.  I will be doing it again.  It is super easy, cooked to the perfect temp and was easy clean up.  Probably the best moose steak I have ever done.   
Nothing a tablecloth can't hide!

[luvmystang67]

My elk is still $537.23/lb and that price is going up about 20% per year as I age.

In all seriousness, the QUALITY vs PRICE at Costco is really tough to beat.  You might find cuts elsewhere, but Costco is great stuff.

Like many others have suggested, buy a half of a beef and toss it in a freezer, just get good at cooking burger recipes.

Also, I want that diet... usually when I diet I cut ribeyes out!

[LDennis24]

Never ever buy meat from a grocery store, lord only knows where that garbage came from (foreign countries), you might as well eat Spam or vienna sausage. 

If you are looking for "Grass Fed", look for a "Grass Finished" animal.  A grass fed animal is likely finished on grain a "Grass Finished" animal has only eaten grass.  It takes at least two years to finish an animal on grass, you cannot finish an animal on grass in 18 months, you have to take the animal over two winters so you should pay more. 

You are looking for a smaller framed animal on an operation that is irrigated and moves their animal's frequently, once a day.  You want the brisket to be filled out to at least a volleyball or a girls basketball.  You want three wrinkles on the tail head.  You want to see a "ball sack" bulge on a steer and a braided rope like line on a heifer from the girl parts running between her "cheeks".

You should not be giving up any marbling on a grass finished animal.  If you are, its an animal that isn't finished.  It should have a slightly "beefier" taste (unlike a grain finished animal that doesn't have any flavor or very mild flavor) if it is gamey or has a strong flavor, the animal was on bad grass, bad forage, likely unirrigated continuous grazing.  A grass finished animal should be butchered June-August (irrigated).  Do not buy a grass animal butchered in October on.  Be careful in September.           

It's a marketing trick with grass fed vs grass finished, that's correct. I would agree with most of what you said. Practically all of it. I don't believe you could ever get as good of marbling on a grass finished animal as you can a grain finished one though. I've never seen it or heard it from anyone who does it. I run my cows for myself exactly as you have stated. My cattle are a cross of my own making. Great for small acreage and easy to work with. They are Lowline/Aberdeen Angus crossed with White park Galloway. Small framed animals and they finish well on grass due to the Galloway being an ancient grass fed breed from Scotland. My ground is green all year, although not irrigated it's sub irrigated and always stays green. In fact I hate mowing my lawn because of it! Lol I had 2x two year old bulls butchered last year and they turned out great for me. The only thing is the marbling is less than grain fed or finished. The taste is different but since everyone on here eats game it's not gonna bother you. Here is my bull Earl.

[toothfangclaw]

Anyone have a 2nd freezer in an apartment? That's the issue I have. I just don't have the freedom like people in houses to have multiple fridges, no bbq, no smoking, no fire. 😕

Back in the day I lived in a apartment for about a year and I found a small chest freezer that fit in the walk in closet. Not ideal but it was out of the way. If that won’t work just replace a table or tv stand with a Chest freezer. Unless of course your married, don’t think the wife would be down with the decor and hiding it in a closet or bedroom might be a better option

Nothing a tablecloth can't hide!

 

[toothfangclaw]

Never ever buy meat from a grocery store, lord only knows where that garbage came from (foreign countries), you might as well eat Spam or vienna sausage. 

If you are looking for "Grass Fed", look for a "Grass Finished" animal.  A grass fed animal is likely finished on grain a "Grass Finished" animal has only eaten grass.  It takes at least two years to finish an animal on grass, you cannot finish an animal on grass in 18 months, you have to take the animal over two winters so you should pay more. 

You are looking for a smaller framed animal on an operation that is irrigated and moves their animal's frequently, once a day.  You want the brisket to be filled out to at least a volleyball or a girls basketball.  You want three wrinkles on the tail head.  You want to see a "ball sack" bulge on a steer and a braided rope like line on a heifer from the girl parts running between her "cheeks".

You should not be giving up any marbling on a grass finished animal.  If you are, its an animal that isn't finished.  It should have a slightly "beefier" taste (unlike a grain finished animal that doesn't have any flavor or very mild flavor) if it is gamey or has a strong flavor, the animal was on bad grass, bad forage, likely unirrigated continuous grazing.  A grass finished animal should be butchered June-August (irrigated).  Do not buy a grass animal butchered in October on.  Be careful in September.           

It's a marketing trick with grass fed vs grass finished, that's correct. I would agree with most of what you said. Practically all of it. I don't believe you could ever get as good of marbling on a grass finished animal as you can a grain finished one though. I've never seen it or heard it from anyone who does it. I run my cows for myself exactly as you have stated. My cattle are a cross of my own making. Great for small acreage and easy to work with. They are Lowline/Aberdeen Angus crossed with White park Galloway. Small framed animals and they finish well on grass due to the Galloway being an ancient grass fed breed from Scotland. My ground is green all year, although not irrigated it's sub irrigated and always stays green. In fact I hate mowing my lawn because of it! Lol I had 2x two year old bulls butchered last year and they turned out great for me. The only thing is the marbling is less than grain fed or finished. The taste is different but since everyone on here eats game it's not gonna bother you. Here is my bull Earl.

Great info guys!


I would say I haven't had the best experience with grass-finished beef yet. The only ones I've had, tasted fishie taste to it, which is not a flavor I was expecting or enjoying from steak. If I wanted that, I would have a salmon.

[300rum]

They may have given it dried Kelp which is a pretty common mineral supplement.  I have heard that it can make the meat taste "fishy" but have never noticed it myself.  I have kelp out free choice and haven't had a problem. 

Great info guys!


I would say I haven't had the best experience with grass-finished beef yet. The only ones I've had, tasted fishie taste to it, which is not a flavor I was expecting or enjoying from steak. If I wanted that, I would have a salmon.

[LDennis24]

@300rum where do you get your dried kelp from? Thorvin organic? What's the price per lb? I use it for my Icelandic sheep but not my cattle. Never really thought about it. It should benefit them greatly but I don't know that it should give it a fishy taste? That's strange. Do you blend it also? With basic minerals?

[toothfangclaw]

If I were to buy half a cow. How big of a chest freezer would I need? Would a 4 CF work?

[Caseyd]

If I were to buy half a cow. How big of a chest freezer would I need? Would a 4 CF work?

21+

[jrebel]

If I were to buy half a cow. How big of a chest freezer would I need? Would a 4 CF work?

8 would be the minimum for a half cow.....and that would fill it right up depending on the cows size.  10-12 would be about right. 

21 is a big freezer.  I run two 21's and two 16's....and the 16 will fit a full grown moose packed to the brim. 

[Mudman]

5ft wide (CF?) chest freezer holds most whole beef cut.  I just did half beef.  406lb hang weight cut wrapped is about half my chest freezer of 5ft wide.  Grass fed, finished grain.  Low fat, beef flavor.  Half pig coming next.  A half of beef n pork is perfect for this size freezer imop.  But bigger is better as it easier to pick through meats for specific package.   Bear in Morton was about .75-.80cent lb cut charge for us but that was 2 beef and 2 hogs combined.  Ok I checked. 15cf whirlpool.

[toothfangclaw]

5ft wide (CF?) chest freezer holds most whole beef cut.  I just did half beef.  406lb hang weight cut wrapped is about half my chest freezer of 5ft wide.  Grass fed, finished grain.  Low fat, beef flavor.  Half pig coming next.  A half of beef n pork is perfect for this size freezer imop.  But bigger is better as it easier to pick through meats for specific package.   Bear in Morton was about .75-.80cent lb cut charge for us but that was 2 beef and 2 hogs combined.

5 cubic feet freezer. It's small enough I could fit in my apartment.

[toothfangclaw]

If I were to buy half a cow. How big of a chest freezer would I need? Would a 4 CF work?

8 would be the minimum for a half cow.....and that would fill it right up depending on the cows size.  10-12 would be about right. 

21 is a big freezer.  I run two 21's and two 16's....and the 16 will fit a full grown moose packed to the brim.

Hmm, I might be able to make a 8 work.


How much should I budget for a half cow? Yes, I know lots of variables of course. I am just looking for like $500, $700, $1000?


Thanks guys!

[Mudman]

  Mine is 15CF, 5ft wide.  I think 8CF will hold Half beef but tight.  It depends on the beef size.  A Holstein half or a midget hereford?