Whole Animal Butchered Cuts

[Wrench]

When stepping up to beef, a saw would be great for making fast work. I have been beef free since 93' but once my elk streak finally ends.... I will cut and wrap my own. I enjoy knowing exactly what has happened to my meat.

 

[Poser]

I worked in a butcher shop where we dealt with whole animals, though my specialty was mostly breaking down hogs and making sausage. Did a number of lambs which was basically the same as deer. I worked on some sides of beef, but was never fully trained on it. Its a big chore, for sure. While doable for your experienced wild game DIY butcher, you'd need a lot of time to dedicate to it. A bandsaw would definitley be helpful, too.

 

[TaperPin]

Just bought a full cow, up from a 1/2 cow. Saved me a good bit of money. Came out to about $4.50 # after butcher fees. I'm generally all about getting fun, but useable cuts. I bought from a different farmer this go around. So I got a different butcher, and I wasn't as happy about the cut. Turns out they don't give back the fat, the big bones, heart, liver or tongue unless you specifically request it...... I thought that was standard practice

Still trying to figure out how I want everything cut up. What are some the fun ways of getting your cow? My next go around I'm going to specify i want beef cheek whole, cubed round steak, whole skirt, whole bone in ribeye, short ribs, T-bones, square cut the chuck, cross cut shanks, whole brisket, ox tail, and probably have the remainder ground.

Still burns me they didn't give me any fat back even though i did ask for it.

When I get a whole pig, i get it barely past primals. Picnics whole, shanks ground, bone in chops, rear hams whole, short ribs, whole bellies, whole jowls, grind the rest

It’s funny how over time our tastes change. Through my 30’s keeping the best steaks and everything else into burger seemed ideal. In my 40’s interest in burger went away, but I just never quite enjoyed roasts unless they were cut up for stew. This year I’ve really enjoyed brazing roasts in 2”x2”x4” pieces with a super rich gravy served over mashed potatoes - even our grown boys have requested that over ribeyes, but it takes a lot of work and extra beef scraps for an ideal gravy. I’d have more use for scraps (or call it stew meat) for the gravy pot than burger.

 

[butcherboy]

A bandsaw certainly speeds things up on beef but it’s only necessary if you’re wanting bone in cuts. You can break the primals down with a good 25” breaking saw and then can cut anything you want without the bone. However, some cuts the bone is needed to give the final cooked product more flavor like in an Osso Bucco dish or a bone broth. I like bone in cuts on domestic animals just so I can gnaw on that bone after the steak is eaten or use the bone on a roast for a stew.