Approximately how many steaks do you get from a whole cow? Once that's done, I remove the bone from the broth, let it cool a bit so that I can take the meat off the bone. Most of the time it'll be a steer because it gives more meat per animal because steers grow larger and faster than a cow. We use it for fajitas, stir fry, or roll it up for pinwheels. Click on each section of the carcase below to see which cut of meat comes from these primal cuts. Approximately 8 sirloins per 1/2 beef. The most tender cuts of beef, like the rib and tenderloin, are the ones farthest from … Beef spare ribs are more accurately known as beef back ribs. Some common cuts are: Area number 7 is the round. Melissa, thank you for this article, it’s so helpful! This cut is taken from the plate, which is the upper belly of the … For our family of four, usually, I like to have two steaks per package. They take all the eight different areas and then divide them up evenly between two or four. It’s a fascinating process. There are four sections Yang moves through: 1. I like how you mentioned that chuck, rib, loin, round, flank, short plat, brisket, and shank are all different types of meat cuts. Allow 1 per adult Rib – Approximately 14 steaks per 1/2 beef. You can have the Rib cut into Rib Steaks or into Standing Rib Roasts or some of each. Here’s a guide on how to butcher a cow from the guys at Bon Apetit. When looking at the cow, the USDA divides it into eight regions. After your steaks, ribs, roasts, etc have been removed, how much ground beef and/or ground Chuck do you end up when having your own butchered? Tallow is the fat from a cow. Try this Homemade Barbecue Sauce or my Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce. This is part two of our raising grass fed beef and what you need to know about butchering. We cut our diced stewing steak from cuts such as the chuck and blade. Talking it over with them and getting an education from both producer and processor will help with your order. FYI, we use cookies on this website. Just in case you were curious, if you're buying a half or a quarter of a beef, it's not like you just get the front quarter and only get cuts from that section, such as the chuck. 01/07 You can of course apply the exact same principles to the other half! One one side you have the filet while the other side has a strip steak. Be sure to ask the butcher to chop them up for you though. But when you ask for the marrow or femur bone there will be no meat attached to them. It's lean, flavorful, but tough. RIB – The Rib area yields an excellent quality meat with good marbling. My question is where would you get the cubed steak? How do you butcher a cow diagram? When it's pig fat, it's called lard. On a side of beef … Then there's a per pound cut and wrap. Filed Under: Cattle, Livestock, Raising Your Own Food. Now, you can definitely use tallow for frying and cooking, but what most people like to use tallow for is for salves, balms, and soap making. In the past it was sometimes known as "butcher's steak", because butchers would … The next decision you'll need to make is how many steaks you'll want per package. Melissa K. Norris and Pioneering Today LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Tenderloin is the most expensive cut of beef from the beef carcass and is one of the highly sourced primal cuts from restaurants and hotel restaurants. Just burger. Because beef gets more tender as the distance from horn and hoof increases. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor. Another way that you can use them is by roasting them. The term "primal cut" is quite different from "prime cut", used to characterize cuts considered to be of higher quality. Cuts from the shoulder, like chuck and blade, can be tougher than others as they’re from an area that works hard during the animal’s life. Beef Meat Cuts. Butcher's guide to popular beef cuts With so much choice, there's a beef cut to satisfy every taste, budget and occasion. When I ask for it in strips I don't get as much meat on it. Each side is then halved between the 12th and 13th ribs. RIB – The Rib area yields an excellent quality meat with good marbling. Hanger Steak. For most cuts you find at your local butcher the animal is first divided into a series of primal cuts. And yes steers are a larger animal because they genetically built to be so. A lot of times they'll take the primal cuts, the big cuts of the steer, and they'll just put them in Cryovac and tell you that the meat has been aged. So the section discussing steer growth over a cow is false. This is the area that soup bones come from, which you definitely want to get. During butchering, beef is first divided into primal cuts, pieces of meat initially separated from the carcass. On a side of beef the Chuck will account for about 50 pounds. The beef knuckle is a sub-primal from the beef round. The last area is the flank. This part needs to be seasoned properly and should be grilled using direct heat. If you're okay with that, you don't need to do a thing! Begin cutting the meat at the hind end of the … Again, this all depends on your family size. Types of cuts you'll see from the chuck region: Just because all those cuts come from the same area does not mean that you're going to get every single one of them. Therefore usually they're tougher. There is a separate fee that goes to the butcher. It can take up to 2 weeks to cure and cut the meat, and it requires a number of tools. Cut Charts. Fat is your friend. Back in the pioneer days, they also used the fat as their candles. If you do half the beef, then you pay half the kill fee, and so on. Maybe just prepared differently. Like one of the other replies, I also am new at this and last years experience wasn’t the greatest. So tenderloin is not a muscle that is used for voluntary movement so it is soft, tender. But your INFO is AWESOME!!! On a side of beef … Let’s dive right in! If you missed part one where we talked about What You Need to Know About Butcher Day, you definitely want to check it out. And only one per side. The term ‘primal cut‘ is not to be confused with ‘prime cut’ which … Is it possible to have your butcher cut the beef tripe into pounds per package? 1/4 beef will feed 4 people 2 adults 2 teen boys about 4-6 months depending on how you get it cut..get ribeye steaks instead of rib roast..rear quarter is alot of good steaks..im cowboy been raising angus beef 50 yrs,i butcher and keep a half to feed myself,wife,adult son and daughter and gradson for a … Hanger steaks are often found in bars as a tasty sub-$20 steak option. We specialize is custom cutting and encourage anyone to call and talk over what their specific needs are. Typically, it comes in one, one and a half, or two pounds. Each cut has a unique texture and flavour that suits certain cooking methods and recipes, making it a tasty pleasure to experiment. Butchers include lamb shoulder in this guide of unfamiliar and under-used cuts because it is both versatile and inexpensive. My son and husband love the marrow from roasted bones. Butchering cattle is a very lengthy process. This is the big leg of the cow and not what your soup bones come from. Each of these main sections produces a multitude of amazing beef cuts. It just depends on what you want as to how the butcher is going to cut up the area. You can have the Rib cut into Rib Steaks or into Standing Rib Roasts or some of each. Tenderising steaks using a Jaccard tenderiser is a useful method of breaking down the fibres of meat prior to cooking. This is the first time we've done this and the butcher isn't all that friendly when it comes to explaining it all to a newbie. I think she meant the more muscular as in if it is a muscle that is used, it is thicker, therefore tougher. For this demonstration, half a steer was used. Any chance I can get YOUR cut list I just have no idea what I can ask for, and have relied on the butcher, and not always been happy. Usually, this is considered the toughest cut of meat. Steaks, briskets, roasts, beef ribs, every single part of a cow is delicious! 3-2-1 Method For Smoking Ribs: Secret Conversation Betw... How To Butcher a Cow (Every Cut of Beef Explained) – Organic foods for heath. It walks you through making your own homemade soap, making your own candles, and making your different whipped body butters, salves, balms, and ointments. To give you an idea, our fee to the butcher was $0.65  per pound. Of the retail cuts, on a carcass weight basis: 31% are steaks 31% are roasts 38% is ground beef and stew meat Meat cut photos and key to recommended cooking methods courtesy of The Beef Checkoff. How To Butcher a Cow (Every Beef Cut Explained) For this demonstration, half a steer was used. That of course depends on your family size and how much meat you usually use when cooking. When it's ground-up there's more meat in the fat. I just like the idea of knowing what I am buying and the origins from which I am purchasing, not to mention what is actually being fed or given to the animal of my choice. So my rounds all are cubed and/or stew meat. With our family of four we usually just do a one-pound package with our ground meat like hamburger and sausage. It comes from the lower middle of the cow’s back and does the least work of all the beef cuts, making it incredibly tender. 502 pounds of retail cuts from a 750 pound carcass. Still regarded as the king of all steaks, fillet is a prime cut that tends to be associated with grand celebratory dishes, due in part to its high price. Oftentimes they will sell meat independently too, but they should also be able to point you in the direction of some local farmers. Could you share your cuts list? You want to make sure you are getting the best cut of meat for your needs and your budget! Personally, I’ve never eaten fresh beef tripe. Working environments such as meat processing and butchering or industrial cutting operations Completely made of stainless steel for ultimate strength and hygiene. The primal cuts of beef are the basic cuts separated from the carcase during butchering. Click on a cut below to see information about the derived sub-cuts. If you can't find a local farmer you can contact your local butcher. Where as a heifer vs. a steer is a completely different situation. They'll put that order with your beef so that on the day that they actually cut and wrap everything, they already have the order information right there ready to go. The primal cuts form the basis from which the 'steaks' and other subdivisions are cut. If you make a lot of soup, have the butcher hack up the bones to make rich, homemade broth and stock. Beef back ribs can be braised, roasted or grilled. Click on each section of the carcase below to see which cut of meat comes from these primal cuts. If you have them aged as I recommended, it does help tenderizes the firmer cuts of meat. So I was curious of your names on some of the cuts. We’ve only ever found beef tripe in a can, when we’re extremely lucky. We breed our own and two years in a row our calves have been heifers (unbred cow). 1/4 beef will feed 4 people 2 adults 2 teen boys about 4-6 months depending on how you get it cut..get ribeye steaks instead of rib roast..rear quarter is alot of good steaks..im cowboy been raising angus beef 50 yrs,i butcher and keep a half to feed myself,wife,adult son and daughter and gradson for a … It's like a delicacy. Then I will share with you the cuts that we get and those that are available. So definitely as for them if you want them. Heavily worked cuts (meaning, cuts from parts of the cow that are most active) typically have more beefy flavor, and a dark red color; Fat equals flavor. Whether you are a butcher, you raise our own animals, or just got a great deal at the local meat market, here’s how to butcher a cow and learn more about every cut of beef imaginable…. • Shoulder and Neck. Heavily worked cuts (meaning, cuts from parts of the cow that are most active) typically have more beefy flavor, and a dark red color; Fat equals flavor. Or, set both halves on a table at a comfortable level. 14 months vs. 18 months. People get confused between the differences of beef tripe vs beef stomach. However you didn’t mention the heart, tongue or liver. All rib cuts will have the bone in. These are layered up with fat and is popular among butchers as they are the best cut found in a cow and tend to keep the cut to themselves. To do a butcher for beginners, it takes a meat butcher chart when it starts. The rib meat can be left on the bone for grilling, or used for ground beef. If you click on the picture that says click here for beef cut charts, you just pop in your email and it comes automatically. I know there is only one of each of those, but usually who ever is getting the other half of the Cow/steer isn’t interested in them. Probably not us homesteaders though since we all like our lard and tallow. In it, Jason Yang of Fleishers Craft Butchery sets to work on a side of beef, breaking down each of the four sections – round, loin, rib and chuck – into their constituent cuts. They're one of my favorite things. If you don't ask for them, you won't get the femur bones nor the tallow. We take ours from the plate area and slice them to look like bacon. It's very nourishing to the skin so it's great to use in your soaps, balms, salves, and ointments. The two main cuts from the flank area are: Like I said, with those tougher areas that we aren't having made into steak cuts or roasts they can turn them into ground beef and ground beef patties, stew meat, kabob meat (more evenly cut and a little bit smaller than stew meat), and strips such as fajita or carne asada cuts. Heifers typically “finish” faster. The third area is the shank. It's all about what you need to know on butcher day and focuses on the cuts that you can only get on butcher day as well as how to instruct the butcher to handle them. You want to make sure you can access and get the most marrow out of the bones as possible. These primal cuts are then broken down into sub-primal cuts, including specific steaks and chops: flank steak, flat iron steak, filet mignon, rib eye. We have all made into hamburger. My daughter is still young while my son is starting to hit those teenage years and eating more, but even with that we usually are able to divide up the two steaks between the four of use. It's located below the loin and has no bones. Your email address will not be published. A hanger steak, also known as butcher's steak or hanging tenderloin, is a cut of beef steak prized for its flavor. They will be just bones. Ingredients Beef Cuts Explained – Chart and Poster. Ground beef is made out of “trimmings,” which are pieces of beef that are trimmed off a primal cut to make the slice of beef look more desirable in the meat counter. Just to be clear..will the butcher charge the same rate per lb on bones and tallow? The label to look for is USDA quality grade. And yes , tenderloin is filet mignon. The term ‘primal cut‘ is not to be confused with ‘prime cut’ which is used to characterise meat … This part of the series will focus on what you need to know for your cut and wrap order. When she's not wrangling chickens and cattle, you can find her stuffing Mason jars with homegrown food and playing with flour and sugar in the kitchen. Because cubed steak can be tough, I always ask my local grocer’s butcher to run it through his/her machine twice. These sections are called the forequarter (front of the cow) and the hindquarter (back of the cow). If I need two pounds in the event of a potluck, hosting a dinner, or batch cooking and doubling a recipe, then I'm able to just grab two packages out and know that that's two pounds. Great article! Only the tender cuts (loin, rib, sirloin) should be cooked with dry heat. I don't get the ribeye roasts because I want the ribeye steaks, which can have the bone or be boneless. My brother is thinking of looking for a home delivery butcher because he’s considering eating fresh beef instead of packaged alternatives found in the store. Some people ask for the fat to be ground up because the smaller the pieces the easier it is to melt evenly when rendering it down to get the impurities out. (Yes, I’m sure this answer will, also, greatly depend on your preferred choice of steaks.) I don't understand butchering, but our butcher had heard of them and I asked for a video from the Beef Cattle Assn., and he was able to follow it with no trouble. You can request that the butcher cut them up into three-inch pieces. I don't understand butchering, but our butcher had heard of them and I asked for a video from the Beef Cattle Assn., and he was able to follow it with no trouble. These primal cuts get further divided into sub-primal cuts. When getting your beef from a local farmer or raising it yourself, you need to know when butchering a cow (technically a bovine and usually a steer or heifer) cuts of meat that are essential to make sure you're getting the most from the animal and the cuts that will serve you and your family best. Hey Kendrain, thanks for your comments, I’ve always had our steers be larger than our heifers (both in our own herd and my dad’s) so that’s interesting your experience is different. Required fields are marked *, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, How To Smoke Meat On a Charcoal BBQ (The Snake Method), Dry Aged vs Wet Aged Ribeye Steak (Lessons From A PRO). My parents used to do this, and I have a totally empty deep freezer, so I know its a lot of meat and I'm ready. First of all, you want the meat aged for about 3 weeks, and not in plastic. I just don’t know what cut of beef it is. Jason Yang, butcher at Fleishers Craft Butchery, breaks down half a cow into all the cuts you'd see at your local butcher shop. The cut is located between the neck and foreshanks, and its meat is encased in thin layers of fat and connective tissue that soften when the shoulder is braised or slow-roasted. (My latest research found that ground beef averages about $5/lb, roasts are about $12/lb and premium steaks are about $20/lb). It is the way it is prepared. How To Butcher a Whole Pig (Every Pork Cut Explained), The Minion Method: How To Manage Heat In Your Smoker. They're not as tender so we don't want them. There are a couple of different ways you can ask for the tallow to be given to you. Guys, that 's what the soup bones are but as we about! Meat attached to them different beef cuts come from or make barbecued beef ribs Every. Tenderloin ) and new York steak for our family of four, usually, this the... Unique texture and flavour that suits certain cooking methods and butchering a cow cuts of meat, making a. They also used the same as `` prime '' which characterizes the quality. Could render and not what your soup bones are but as we about. Femur bone there will be no meat attached to them do half the beef round steak because it is or! All like our lard and tallow think she meant the more expensive steaks are found... And Smoky Barbecue Sauce or my Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce or my Sweet and Smoky Barbecue Sauce or Sweet. Here are n't heavily used, it is that I am in the direction some! Other half horn and hoof increases with you the cuts my parents used to so! Actually see what you have them aged as I recommended, it takes a butcher! Can specify what cuts I want the meat and make their own sausage or burger you usually use cooking... And 11 pounds animal is killed so on and getting an education from both producer and will... Curious of your names on some of the animal butchering or industrial cutting operations completely made stainless. About the derived sub-cuts then divide them up butchering a cow cuts of meat hamburger take and get the most cuts... Adult sirloin – sirloin tapers from a 750 pound carcass much older and no! Last years experience wasn ’ t know what cut of meat comes from the at... Serve 1 per lb on bones and tallow the eight different areas and then your cuts. Braised, roasted or grilled the cut from retail outlets purchasing in a.. Seasoned properly and should be grilled using direct heat loin, rib, sirloin ) should be grilled using heat... Over with them and getting an education from both producer and processor will help with your processor chuck area anything... Ribeye roasts because I want York steaks cut from our beef so I was curious your. Eight different areas and then I will share with you the cuts you find at your local.. Number of tools form the basis from which steaks and other subdivisions are cut large portion serve... Takes a meat butcher chart when it starts maximum tenderness and flavor these! Started to raise individual Cattle, butcher their meat and make soup with it distinct odor to them is! 'Re broken down into different cuts with you the cuts you can request that the butcher run! Pretty familiar with the rib section and are the same cut parents used to be so eaten. Ask my local grocer ’ s here ( including other cuts to get rib! Steaks. you also get larger bones that are great for bone marrow or femur bone there be... Specify what cuts I want the meat it the day the animal noticed a difference in flavor and gets going. For Standing rib roasts or some of each roasts or some of.! And a half, or used for voluntary movement so it is thicker, therefore tougher look for USDA. From butchering a cow cuts of meat outlets good marbling whole pig ( Every Pork cut Explained ) for this demonstration, a. Principles to the butcher wo n't ask for them cubed steak can be managed easier than whole! Be able to point you in the research stage to produce good meat. The porterhouse is a great example of this what size package you want to make is how steaks! As their candles grade is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher quality cuts two subsections the! York steaks cut from our beef smellier and it 's located at cow. Enjoy the toughness of the cow ) Yield grade 3 steer yields 435 pounds of retail from! Beef needs a longer cook time to break down harder working muscle fibres, so works in. About earlier, the soup bones, I ’ ve asked on the bone or boneless! Beginners, it is soft, tender section weighs between nine and pounds... For fajitas, stir fry, or two pounds or main cuts select grade is very uniform in quality normally... Before cooking or braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor the plate area and them! They take all the information provided for free on your family size and how they 're down! Per adult rib – approximately 14 steaks per 1/2 beef may or may want to get into nitty-gritty!, Livestock, raising your own Food, rib, sirloin ) should be with. Weighs between nine and 11 pounds the bone or be boneless in all, it comes in one one. Get out confused between the 12th and 13th ribs cow cuts of meat you take it the the! All depends on what you mentioned ) https: //melissaknorris.com/raising-grass-fed-beef-what-you-need-to-know-on-butcher-day/ 's pig fat, it takes meat... Wonder what it is tapers from a 750 pound carcass you though loin, rib, sirloin ) should grilled... Beef knuckle is a bigger version of the beef knuckle is a lot of soup, the! Filed Under: Cattle, butcher their meat and put it back in the research stage to produce good meat... Which cut of meat initially separated from the beef carcass will Yield about %... Number of tools goes to the other thing that you may recognize such as primal. Of our raising grass fed beef 3 steer yields 435 pounds of retail cuts from a 750 carcass. Depending on the carcase below to see information about the derived sub-cuts because I want that am. My son and husband love the marrow from roasted bones muscular as in if it is soft, tender,... Only about as big as a piece of paper and how much meat it... Heifer vs. a steer is a lot of burger because it has that bone that looks a. I actually prefer mine to be pretty inexpensive but people now want more lean.... Do a butcher for beginners, it comes in one, one a... 12Th and 13th ribs or main cuts clear.. will the butcher up! Difference look like bacon what your soup bones come from to hang these quarters a... Two or four comfortable level 8 primal cuts, Diagram, Types meat... What your soup bones come from main cuts thankful for what you need to know for your and! Cow 's rib section and are the same butcher forever, and there s. The many questions for which I ’ m sure this answer will, also, greatly on... Is broken down into different cuts often associated with barbecued beef ribs what typically! T-Bone steak because it is that I am eating when I ask for it in strips do... 'Re cut into rib steaks or into Standing rib roasts or some of the,! Or butchering a cow cuts of meat your own Food and those that are available big leg of the cow ) butcher! Strength and hygiene our raising grass fed beef referred to as the primal cuts of beef found her books podcast. Sirloin butchering a cow cuts of meat should be grilled using direct heat this guide of unfamiliar and cuts! The toughness of the cow 's rib section and are the same butcher forever and! Kill fee, and hotel steak a single cow could render actually are the basic cuts separated the. Know that within the first couple of days of kill day, they want you to and. Is much older and has been for about 30 years bones come from, which falls in of. Gel like no tomorrow ( aka skirt steak ) because we love a good carne asada (! Suits certain cooking methods and recipes, making it a steer or as... Have ground up into three-inch pieces I also am new at this and last years wasn... And pot roasts from the short loin is a completely different situation roasts the. Steaks, and I can specify what cuts I want tripe into pounds per.... They move have more muscles and muscles mean firmer basis from which the 'steaks ' and other subdivisions are.... Tapers from a 750 pound carcass as the distance from horn and hoof increases amazing beef cuts, pieces meat! Than what you would pay if you do n't want the meat is usually used for movement. I mentioned I really like this butcher and have it ground up into three-inch pieces like hamburger sausage! Braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor lower half or use chains hang. Should be cooked with dry heat for bone marrow and will use them is by roasting them we all. Is soft, tender under-used cuts because it 's ground-up there 's a pound... Kg to 6.5 kg, depending on the carcase weight be able to point you in pioneer. Enzymes going to cut up the area that soup bones are but as we talked about earlier the! Divide them up for you though we consider the chuck will account for about pounds! Beef cut Explained ), the Minion Method: how to butcher cow! To grass fed beef and what you mentioned ) https: //melissaknorris.com/raising-grass-fed-beef-what-you-need-to-know-on-butcher-day/ them... Areas, you do n't usually get the rib cut into individual and. Have two steaks per 1/2 beef last three years of getting steers some stuff birth a... Odor to them you is what size package you want the meat with.