foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

so excited. we finally got our turn at a cow. we ordered 1/8 of a cow from a grass/organic rancher upstate and they want to know how we want it butchered!

in my shoes, what would YOU want?

Hi Jessica,

We’d like to know if you have specific preferences for the cuts you will get in your meat packages. Since the butcher has to cut a side the same way, quarters and eighths aren't ‘cut to order’. We can’t give you everything you like, but if we know it usually helps.

There are 4 questions below – if any of them make a difference to you, please let us know as soon as possible. We need to give the butcher our cut sheets in a few days.

1. Porterhouse and T-Bone OR Filet mignon and NY Strip? (The whole side has to be cut one way or another – with or without bone.)

Do you have a preference?

2. Delmonico (boneless Rib Eye) OR Rib steak (with bone).

Do you have a preference?

3. Roasts/Steaks/Ground beef – We get a combination of roasts, steaks, London Broil and ground beef from the sirloin tip, chuck and round sections. During the summer we usually order more steaks and ground beef, and fewer roasts – 3 or 4 in a quarter, 1 or 2 in an eighth. We usually order some chuck steaks which need a good bit of tenderizing to grill – instead of chuck roasts or ground beef.

Would you prefer more or fewer roasts?
Ground beef or chuck roasts instead of chuck steaks?

4. Special cuts include Flank steak, Skirt steak, Brisket, stew meat cubes, cross-cut shank (soup meat surrounding a marrow bone), minute steaks, short ribs.

Would you like any of these cuts or would you rather have ground beef?

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

I've done this too, twice. FYI, the ground beef had noticeable bone in it . Not sure if its just the guy that butchered it, but I have heard its common.

That said, while I personally prefer boneless cuts, if you're doing this, might as well go whole hog and get the bone-in cuts for maximum flavor. I'd get some ground beef and chuck roasts, I'm not big on the chuck steaks. Definitely see if they can throw in some stew meat (this was fabulous when we got it). We also got a brisket which was amazing in the smoker. But yeah, I'd do more cuts/roasts than ground beef.

Did they tell you how many pounds you will get? We did 1/8 of 800 pounders - we had meat forever . It's pretty cool though...post what you end up getting (and when you cook it!)

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

i was def a ground until last comment.

I would go filet and strip.

delmonico is way too fatty for me and the kids.

i am not sure the price, but if this is something you are going to do often, i would get a meat grinder.
filet burgers are dreamy. crazy delicious.
filet makes a horrible stew meat though...maybe strip would be better in that dept.

we aren't skirt steak fans, but a lot of people are.

sounds like fun!!

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

This is great- is purchasing meat this way a lot more expensive? or because you are buying in bulk- cheaper?

anyway- my choice was also going to be ground beef until i read the op.

i would say filets and chuck steaks..

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

1. Porter and T would be my preference 100%.

2. Rib with Bone.

3. Fewer roasts. Ground beef and Chuck roasts instead of chuck steaks.

4. Short Ribs are amazing braised. Cross cut shank is awesome. The rest you can get in a supermarket at a nominal cost if the mood strikes.


JEALOUS!!

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

1. Filet mignon and NY Strip?

2. Delmonico (boneless Rib Eye)

3. Roasts/Steaks/Ground beef –
I would get more roasts and chuck roast because ground beef is fairly inexpensive to purchase.

4. Special cuts: Skirt steak, Brisket, stew meat cubes, and short ribs.

If you don't mind posting the place you are ordering from...that would be great. Maybe a price too but FM if you would prefer.

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

1. Porterhouse (because you also get the fillet minon)
2. not sure
special cut - french roast. It is an expensive cut that is hard to do, but sooooooo worth it if you can have it.
short ribs - yum!

Message edited 8/16/2010 10:43:25 PM.

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

we just started introducing grass-fed beef into our diets... mmm

i'm so jealous. i'm going to keep my eye on this thread to see what you decide and if you're willling to share the cost. i might just end up doing something like this

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

link to the farm

an 1/8 costs $4.90 of the hanging weight of the quarter.

if you've ever purchased meat in whole foods, you can just imagine the savings.

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

Re: foodies and beef enthusiasts!!! how would you cut your cow?!

Posted by Ophelia

so excited. we finally got our turn at a cow. we ordered 1/8 of a cow from a grass/organic rancher upstate and they want to know how we want it butchered!

in my shoes, what would YOU want?

Hi Jessica,

We’d like to know if you have specific preferences for the cuts you will get in your meat packages. Since the butcher has to cut a side the same way, quarters and eighths aren't ‘cut to order’. We can’t give you everything you like, but if we know it usually helps.

There are 4 questions below – if any of them make a difference to you, please let us know as soon as possible. We need to give the butcher our cut sheets in a few days.

1. Porterhouse and T-Bone OR Filet mignon and NY Strip? (The whole side has to be cut one way or another – with or without bone.)

Do you have a preference?

2. Delmonico (boneless Rib Eye) OR Rib steak (with bone).

Do you have a preference?

3. Roasts/Steaks/Ground beef – We get a combination of roasts, steaks, London Broil and ground beef from the sirloin tip, chuck and round sections. During the summer we usually order more steaks and ground beef, and fewer roasts – 3 or 4 in a quarter, 1 or 2 in an eighth. We usually order some chuck steaks which need a good bit of tenderizing to grill – instead of chuck roasts or ground beef.

Would you prefer more or fewer roasts?
Ground beef or chuck roasts instead of chuck steaks?

4. Special cuts include Flank steak, Skirt steak, Brisket, stew meat cubes, cross-cut shank (soup meat surrounding a marrow bone), minute steaks, short ribs.

Would you like any of these cuts or would you rather have ground beef?