OT: Anyone of you Butcher Your Own Beef?

[Joel]

I have a choice of a Head or Hindquarter, want to cut and wrap myself. I have done countless deer and antelope, never a beef. A local Meat locker will let me hang, take out a chunk at a time. Any advice? Pretty sure I want the headquarter.


I have a commercial grinder and a vacuum packer. Good set of knives.

[Don McDowell]

The tbones,sirloins and New York strips come off the hindquarters. Along with the roundsteaks, rump roast and pikes peak.
Not much different that cutting a deer or elk except shouldn't have any bullet holes and blood shot meat to deal with.

[Joel]

The tbones,sirloins and New York strips come off the hindquarters. Along with the roundsteaks, rump roast and pikes peak.
Not much different that cutting a deer or elk except shouldn't have any bullet holes and blood shot meat to deal with.

Thanks Don. So, are you saying I should opt for the hind? I like ribeyes, but if there are more steaks suitable for grilling in the rear, i'd take it.

[Don McDowell]

Well no if you want grilling stuff the front quarter is the place to go. There you get the ribeyes, chucks and ribs. You can take the trim from the neck and shoulder for burger.
The hind quarter will give you the most pounds of actual meat. The front while having some dang good meat on it has the major skeletal parts so lots of good chewin for the dogs afterwards.

[Hobie]

or maybe this helps you more...

[Joel]

Thanks Hobie, will print that out

[HEAD0001]

We do some butchering. But we never split it in the front vs. the rear half. We cut it straight down the middle and cut the beef exactly in half. That way when we split a beef both persons get the exact same thing. So then I guess it just depends on whether the steer was right or left hoofed(handed). . Then we just hang them to cool in halves. Can't say I ever watched any one cut a steer between front and hind quarters. The guy with the front would get less beef.

The only way a guy with the front half would get a fair share of beef is if you were butchering a bull that went at least 2,000#. We have butchered two bulls that went over 2,000#. However we just ground them up 100% into hamburger. So that was easy to split. Tom.

[AJMD429]

Thanks Hobie, will print that out

+1...!

[TedH]

never split it in the front vs. the rear half. We cut it straight down the middle and cut the beef exactly in half.

+1
I haven't been in on a beef in quite a while, but that's how we do the hogs too.

[madman4570]

Thanks Hobie, will print that out

+1...!

+2

[Borregos]

Thanks Hobie, will print that out

+1...!

+2

+ another 1

[Hobie]

The lady who rents Mom's pasture fattened 5 steers that are going to the butcher in June. This for her family and farm worker. Each family is getting a WHOLE steer! That ought to feed a few people for a while.

[ndcowboy]

We butcher several beef a year and just like a poster earlier said, we split ours down the middle and somebody takes an entire half so they get the best of both worlds. If I had to choose, however, I would take the hind quarter every time.
The work isn't that bad if you are set up for it and have a working knowledge. I know of a family that lives in town that somebody gave a deer to a few years ago, and they cut the whole thing up with fillet knives and really had no idea what they were doing. The wife told me she would never, ever do that again.
The biggest thing to remember is if you screw something up, just make hamburger out of it. Nothing is wasted.

[Joel]

The reason I am only taking a quarter, is that's all I have room for. So pops said to choose between a front or hind quarter.

Will def take a hind. Though I do like rib steaks.

[41 Redhawk]

What if it's not an Angus?????

[.45colt]

Joel, I don't know where You live,but after You said You have done alot of antalope I think You are west of the Mississippi. If You are in N/E Ohio I will cut it up for the price of a couple of shots and beers. . The rib from the front 1/4 and the bone in sirloins from the hind 1/4 are my favorite cuts from the beef. I sure miss hanging Beef.

[Joel]

Joel, I don't know where You live,but after You said You have done alot of antalope I think You are west of the Mississippi. If You are in N/E Ohio I will cut it up for the price of a couple of shots and beers. . The rib from the front 1/4 and the bone in sirloins from the hind 1/4 are my favorite cuts from the beef. I sure miss hanging Beef.

Yessir, I'm in California now, killed the antelope while living in Montana. I much appreciate your offer, shots and beers is a very fair price, considering the local meat thieves want 100s of dollars. I do want to try it on my own anyway, I used to be a chef, still am I guess, still fairly adequate with a knife anyway.

Thanks

Joel