Anyone ever buy half a cow?

[Sarajewel]

We have a coworker who has two heifers. If all goes well, we will but half of one - dry weight on the hook for $2 a pound. We will then pay a butcher to break it down into cuts. I really don't know how many pounds of meat this is, but I'm guessing that it is a whole lot... We have a free standing freezer.

Anyone ever do this? How did you decide on cuts? Any suggestions/input it very appreciated!

[skg]

My sister has done this, they did steaks, roasts and had them grind up meat for hamburger. They also had a upright freezer and it fit.

[Meli-Mel]

We buy 1/4 at a time and it fits easily in my chest freezer. Our locker has an on-line form for you to choose your cuts. The butcher should walk you through the process and he'll be able to tell you what's common.

[Tuscanytrace]

Yes, I've done this (and I've posted about it a couple of times recently on how to make LC more affordable/how to make organic eating more affordable.

We usually go in with a group of people and split it up so everyone gets an equal "share" (people can buy more than one share). This way we can buy more frequently and have less freezer burn, while still getting the best price.

I get steaks in the spring and summer; roasts through the winter. We grill the steaks outside (so less heating up the house/having to compensate with the air conditioner) and do long, slow roasts in the winter (helps heat the house).

You can do a Google Image search and find which cuts come from a cow, and where. If two cuts come from the same small part of a cow, for example, you can get just one or the other, usually. You can't cut up the same muscle three ways, unless you want a very small amount of each. If you leave the part in a couple of big roasts that would be the ribeye steaks if you cut it up, for example, you're not going to get any ribeye steaks. A diagram can help you figure it out, but most farmers or butcher can take you through your choices.

Hope this helps!

[Potaty]

Yes, we buy a 1/2 once a year. Our hanging weight is $2.69 per pound which includes the butcher's fees. My husband does the ordering, but we get 1" steaks, tons of roasts, brisket, whole prime rib (we leave it whole and then cut it into ribeyes ourselves so the butcher doesn't take some of the cut for his counter meats), ground beef, round steak (we don't care for it so for this year's order we are having him toss that in with the ground beef), stew meat, etc.

[clutterbug]

We also buy a half once a year. Ours is organic, pasture-fed and it's yummy. We pay 2.06/lb. hanging weight plus a $75 butcher fee. It doesn't quite fill our upright freezer. And this year we ran out of ground beef about half through the year, and to buy ground beef from the same farmer is $4 a lb! Our butcher walks is quite easily through the choices that are available.

Good luck....

[yvonne326]

My parents, being of European descent, would by a 1/2 of a cow and a 1/2 of a pig yearly and my stepdad knew how to butcher so there was plenty of meat... I think it can be very economical if you have the place to store (freezer)... My hubby and I did it once, with another couple, a while ago... If you have the opportunity I would go for it.

[junkfoodmonkey]

Originally Posted by Sarajewel

Anyone ever buy half a cow?

Yeah, but I couldn't quite finish it all and had to keep some leftovers for the day after.

I'm sorry, not helpful, I'm just in a silly mood today. It's not something I could do, I don't have the space, but it sounds like a fantastic money saver. And a freezer crammed with prime beef sounds like my idea of heaven.

[CrazyCat2]

We raise our own beef and pork. It's great...the only thing I end up buying is chicken...(and keilbassi and dogs for the family)

You've been given some good hints...the only other thing I would suggest is this...

We get the sirloin tip roast cut into breakfast steaks...(they are almost like minute steaks..only WAY better)~this is a great timesaver...you can use it for stir-fries....or even steak and eggs!

[hadenuff]

We do it too. It is great! I personally do not like the ribs though so we don't get those anymore. It is the best meat I have ever had! I turn my nose up at steak houses now!

[suzanneyea]

The second we buy a big freezer I want my organic half cow in there.

[CARLINI]

Last year we bought a 3rd and a freezer to hold it. Best thing we ever did.

[SaltyDog]

We're expecting a call any day now telling us that our beef is ready to be picked up - we also bought 1/2 a cow. We pay around $2 a pound and we tell the butcher we want all the best steaks, then roasts (around 3-5 pounds each), boneless stew meat and the rest ground. We get our beef from a good friend of ours who raises them well (and organically) and also butchers them young. There's no comparing what we get to what they sell in the grocery store. I bought some ground beef one time at the store when we ran out and it wasn't fit to eat. I won't be doing that again. We also buy our pork, turkey and chicken this way.

[brittone2]

We did a few months ago. We bought local, 100 percent grass fed, hormone/antibiotic free and paid about 3.75 a lb if I remember correctly (that included all wrapping, butchering, etc. We have quite a few grass fed beef farms in our area of NC, but there is also a pretty large demand, so the price isn't cheap.

[miraclemom]

Man! I want to do this sooo bad but am having such a hard time finding one in my area or even in driving distance. Where on earth are you all finding them?! I am even willing to buy the freezer for it.

[brittone2]

Originally Posted by miraclemom

Man! I want to do this sooo bad but am having such a hard time finding one in my area or even in driving distance. Where on earth are you all finding them?! I am even willing to buy the freezer for it.

You might have already checked here, but just in case, have you looked at the TN listings at eat wild?

Tennessee - Eat Wild

[SashimiMark]

I don't currently own a separate freezer. How much room do you need for half a cow?

[homestretch]

Originally Posted by SashimiMark

I don't currently own a separate freezer. How much room do you need for half a cow?

Depends on the size of the cow. It can vary quite a bit but generally speaking it takes up about 1/3 of my large chest freezer.

[homestretch]

Originally Posted by Sarajewel

We have a coworker who has two heifers. If all goes well, we will but half of one - dry weight on the hook for $2 a pound. We will then pay a butcher to break it down into cuts. I really don't know how many pounds of meat this is, but I'm guessing that it is a whole lot... We have a free standing freezer.

Anyone ever do this? How did you decide on cuts? Any suggestions/input it very appreciated!

A good butcher will go through the parts of the cow and ask you how you want it cut. We have a family of five and I have my hamburger put in 2 pound packages, roasts are 3 pounds and my steaks are cut an inch and a half thick. You are given the choice to get stew meat or have it put into burger which is what I do and you can take or leave your organ meats. How much you get all depends on the weight of the cow, and how much it was fattened before butcher. If a farmer loads a cow up on corn to fatten before butchering you can end up with fatty meat that cooks down to nothing. However, it is standard practice to fatten a cow a bit before butchering. Grass fed beef has very little fat but often is a bit more tough and less flavorful....not knocking it...

[SashimiMark]

I've contacted a farm that's about an hour from me. Waiting for them to get back to me on prices.

[OurLuvsFromAbove]

when I finally get my promotion, and we get a new place to live im deff looking into this.. I could eat beef a good 3-5 times a week! and I know family members who would deff take some off our hands..

[OurLuvsFromAbove]

how many pounds is half a cow? roughly?

[Sarajewel]

I'm guessing 200 pounds roughly....

[homestretch]

Mine was 183 pounds this year. I have had them as big as 240.....I like em big if I can get them....hahaha!

[Rory8343]

Originally Posted by junkfoodmonkey

Yeah, but I couldn't quite finish it all and had to keep some leftovers for the day after.

I'm sorry, not helpful, I'm just in a silly mood today. It's not something I could do, I don't have the space, but it sounds like a fantastic money saver. And a freezer crammed with prime beef sounds like my idea of heaven.

You beat me to it.

Here's a toothpick

[seb]

We bought a quarter cow quite a few years ago and it was wonderful. There was always meat in the freezer and it was delicious; much better than store bought.

You'll really enjoy it, Sara.

[Mommie22boys]

We hemmed and hawed too long this year about whether to get a pig or half a cow or some combination of the two. We ended up getting a whole pig and when it came and we realized we still had room in our huge upright freezer for some cow, we were too late. The farmer we like to get our beef from is done with butchering for the season. We'll have to wait until January to get one of this season's spring cows.

First of all, I highly recommend going in on a pig with someone. . .the bacon is to. die. for. Even the applewood smoked stuff from the store that I used to go ga-ga over doesn't compare. Ham steaks, chops, loins, breakfast sausage, ribs. . .all good stuff.

Second, I really recommend going in on a cow with someone. . .we're already on the January list for a 1/2 cow. They're typically in the 300 pound range. We'll pay $3 a pound, all wrapped and freezer-ready. He practices organic farm-raising with his cows, but does not pay to get the "certified organic" label. It's such good meat. Just talk to the farmer or butcher you're going through, and they'll be happy to help. . .they know what they're doing! Just think about the kinds of cuts you like to get at the store and load up on those. . .if you don't ever make strip steaks, you probably don't need to have any of your cow cut into them. Also, the more ground beef, the better. . .I always think I've gotten a lot, but then end up running out.

In the meantime (til January) I'm buying my grass-fed beef as I need it at the farmer's market on Saturdays. I may do a special order with one of the farmers there so I can get a better price per pound. . .lots of options out there.

Moo!!

[CrazyCat2]

I have to put in a plug for the county fairs. My son is in 4-H...and is raising a pig to sell at the fair. The beef, goat, turkey people also do this....and you can BET that animal has been raised very carefully. We feed the pigs a certain protein pig food~as do all the other market animal kids.

Support your local 4-H...and buy an animal from a child that has raised it. If you have a business...it's a write-off. It's advertising.

so...if your really looking to buy a beef or pig for your freezer..that is what I would suggest. Especially around this time of year...when all the fairs are in full swing. Just find out when the animal market sale is....and you're good to go.

**just a shameless plug for 4-H~it's a great orgainization to get your kids involved in.~and not all clubs raise animals. They have photography....cooking....sewing..just to name a few.***