Questions about buying a cow or a pig for food?

[dancar3]

I'm trying to find out whether it's worth buying a pig or a cow for meat and then having it processed. I try to find good deals at the stores and normally wait until the meat is getting close to its expiration so it will be marked down. My inlaws had given us some hamburger meat that they had processed and I personally thought it was awful! My dh said he would use it for him (and he did), but I didn't even want it cooking in the house because of the odor. I've heard that meat tastes differently when you process it yourself (and that it is an aquired taste )compared to buying at the stores, but this much? If this is not normal, how do ensure that the meat doesn't taste so different. I'm thinking about buying one, but I just don't want to waste money and also, how much do you acutally save by doing it this way? THanks for any help!

[frugalfarmwife]

Check for local meat processing plants/butchers in the yellow pages. You can call them and they usually have local farmers bringing in cattle and hogs that you can buy 1/2 or a whole for the freezer. You can also have them custom process it to your specifications. We raise our own cattle, ship to slaughter and they call and we discuss cut size and weight for packaging.

As for the taste, it's not in the processing, it's all in what the animal was fed. We raise grass/hay fed cattle with a bit of corn, no hormones or chemicals EXCEPT for basic vaccines and regular deworming. I honestly MUCH prefer the taste of our home grown beef.

You can even ask them to put you in contact directly with local farmers so you could buy direct.

Good luck!

kj

[YankeeMom]

We went in on halves with my parents on a pig. We're hoping to do it again in the spring. All in all we ended up paying less than $2/lb for cuts like pork steaks, pork shoulder, chops, and roasts. No smoked meats like ham or bacon thought, that was the only part I missed.

The only 'fresh' beef I've tried was ground beef & I didn't like it either. I'm sure for me it was more of a mind over matter thing because I was a teenager and very obstinate lol.

[pinetree]

We buy a half cow from a local here, its corn fed, no hormome etc. We get it cut the way we want, & we have ours sealed ,instead of the paper. .Its like using a seal a meal.

The beef usually has a richer taste. If it is too strong maybe you could mix it with ground turkey or something, After you get use to it ,the super market meat doesn't have much flavor.

I'm told it is alot better to eat than the meat with all the medicines in it. We saved a fortune on our meat. I think we would pay about $1.25 a pound, thats live weight, you would have to find out how much to process & wrap.

[frugalfarmwife]

Actually hubby just checked the other day, we don't have any ready to butcher right now and so we're looking to buy, if I remember right he said the price quote he got was $2.10 a pound fully processed from our friend, we'll buy a 1/2, probably about 400 pounds, and that includes everything from T bones to burger.

kj

[IntlMom]

Here in our area, we have a local meat processer that sells half hogs to the public. They have a winter special for 96.00 for 46 pounds (about a half a hog) It's 2.15 a pound out the door.... we get pork tenderloin and chops and bacon and a bunch of other stuff. It's a good deal (not a great deal, but a good deal) - and the meat tastes soooooo much better, specially the bacon!!

[Moor]

every year with our tax refund, we get a whole hog and a 1/2 beef.
i would not do it any other way.
last year, we paid 1.74 a pound for the beef and 2.01 for the pork.
for us, it's a great deal, as we really do not like smoked bacon. we like fresh side. it's better for you. my butchers throws in a couple of bones for the dogs, and also gives me soup bones at no charge, as most people don't use them anymore and i cook them and give them to the dogs. i use the broth for beef stock for soups and such!
also, when we do this, i can cut my grocery money way back. instead of 200 a week, i can get it down to less than 300 a month and that is including paper products and such.
the meat will taste different. but that is only because it is not fed all the chemicals. which we prefer.
if you have the freezer room, then yes do it. you will not believe the savings on your grocery bill!

[julieb]

We buy from a local farmer and have our pork and beef processed. Last Oct we got a split side of beef, 1/2 hog and an extra 40 pounds of hamburger it cost 786.00. I am sorry I don't remember how many pounds it it was. That usually lasts the two of us around 14 months. We also gave porkchops, bacon, beef roast and hamsteak to my brother n law for xmas.
We love the taste of the meat. The pork seems leaner and the beef tastes great. I don't like store bought beef now. We also like that we are buying directly from a farmer. I have been trying to find a farmer that raises chickens so we can buy direct as well.

[frugalfarmwife]

Oh yes the bones, tell them you want them if you have dogs! No extra charge and bones are great for keeping your dogs teeth in shape and keeping them occupied. We get a HUGE box every time we butcher, just throw them in the freezer.

And don't be afraid to try things like ox tail stew either

kj

[freyadog]

We buy local beef that the owner and he takes the cow to the processor. We have never had any problems with odor or taste. To us it is just as cheap and finding sales at the store.

[annymoll]

Actually hubby just checked the other day, we don't have any ready to butcher right now and so we're looking to buy, if I remember right he said the price quote he got was $2.10 a pound fully processed from our friend, we'll buy a 1/2, probably about 400 pounds, and that includes everything from T bones to burger.

kj

This is what we would pay for beef also.The farm behind us does our beef. So it is nothing for me to see our"Baby"down by the fencerow! No hormones, chemicals- grass fed.We trade our meat for a part of certain land rights- they take off the hay and help with upkeep. I never want to touch meat from the store if I do not have to. There is no comparison to us.We get our beef, pork, and chicken.A Muslum family does our lamb.Yummy!

[PurpleSnowflake]

Did the meat taste like liver?

If so they probably tore/cut the bladder while processing and it was not cleaned well.





And natural grass fed, no abx, no grain, no corn/soy, free ranged beef can't be beat!!!!!

[qtkitty]

also make sure the beef was grain finished.... grass fed cows have an orangish fat like deer do and are a little wilder or nuttier as some people call it in taste.. When a cow is finished on grain its fat turns white it is a cheaper way to raise cows.

[dakotadenise]

We get 1/2 a pig from dh's parents twice a year and we get beef from my sister usually once a year. It's much cheaper and farm raised meat is much tastier than store bought!

[momtoadiva]

I agree make sure your calf is grain fed and usually kept in a smaller confined area than a large pasture also the age of the calf...the younger will be smaller but more tender and the more confined it's been kept will also help with the tenderness. Kinda sad but it's the facts.