buying 1/2 a side of beef

[Jim Jensen]

I read all of the posts here and what I didn't see anyone comment on was taste. For me there is no comparison in taste between buying your beef from a farm and from the local store. Possibly the out state area is different but in the metro area the beef is very bland tasting. I bought beef from, I think it was call the Fox Farm in the Hastings area and had the meat processed by Greg's Meat in Hampton. When I picked it up I left payment for the farm and paid seperate for the processing. It has been a while since I have bought beef so I don't remember the price but I am pretty sure it was hanging weight and not on the hoof. I like the fact that I called the farm and talked to the person that was raising the beef I was going to eat.

[RK]

Hiya -

It's partly due to my having grown up on a cattle farm, but I *cannot stand* grocery store beef. I haven't bought any in 20 years. Corn diet stockyard beef tastes like the foam trays in comes in, IMHO.

Just to add a couple thoughts to the already good advice given:

- Find a good butcher. A shop that ages meat correctly and cuts and packages it well is worth a drive.

- Often the cheapest route is to go directly to the farmer. Arrange a hanging weight price with them, then you pay the farmer for the beef and the locker plant for the cutting and processing.

- Consider dairy beef. I grew up on a dairy farm and still buy a side from my family every year, so dairy beef is what I'm used to, but it can often be a lot more economical. Most dairy farmers keep a steer or two to sell, and if they don't they can tell you who they sell their steers to. Dairy beef is leaner than beef cattle but tastes fantastic. And dairy steers from small family farms are often grass fed grazers, which I think taste vastly superior to feed lot cattle.

- When figuring cost on this stuff, as others have mentioned the price/lb is hanging weight more often than not. Figure 15% or so loss to bones and trimming as a rule of thumb. Loss will be somewhat less on dairy beef (less fat and lighter boned), somewhat higher on beef breeds.

Good luck. Find a good source and you'll never go back to the grocery store for beef. I've had many friends over the years who have started buying beef from our family farm after eating it at my house. Between the quality and the cost savings, it's a no brainer.

[Moke]

Hi all. I work at Isanti Custom Meats and if you are interested in buying a side of beef or a hog and you dont know a farmer, you can call us and we have many farmers that we deal with regularly and know they have well fed quality animals. Beef is $1.85 per pound on the hanging weight to the farmer, Pork is .80 per pound on the live weight to the farmer. Our customers are always pleased with the processing. And our prices have been the same for over 5 years. Isanti Retail Meats has all of the USDA cut meats and they also make custom orders and catering.

Hopefully nobody will have to drive to Iowa anymore!

[1johntimm]

I have had meat processed at Isanti Custom meats before and they do a great job! Good eats that's for sure!