STEAKS

Approximately one-third of your order will consist of steaks. You will need to decide how thick you want them and how many per package. Our steaks are usually pretty good-sized. We usually order them 1 inch thick, but if you like a thick steak you can go to 1-1/4 or 1-1/2 inches. The primary cuts are:

Prime Rib

One of the best cuts is the beef rib. You leave the rib whole for a large prime rib roast or you can get it cut into rib steaks. We generally get the rib steaks so it lasts longer. We’ve also done half roast, half steaks.

T-Bone

The smaller side of a T-Bone steak is actually the beef tenderloin or filet mignon. The larger side is the New York Strip. You have your choice of getting the whole T-Bone or having it boned so you get smaller filets and the New York Strip. We usually order the full T-Bone. If you order the filets, they will probably be smaller than you would get at a steakhouse. This is largely due to the age of the cattle when butchered.

Sirloin

These are very large, so we definitely recommend getting one per package. When you grill them, you can cut into two or more smaller steaks.

Sizzler

You will also have the option of having sizzler steaks. These are smaller and a little tougher than the choice steaks above but are still good on the grill or sliced up for fajitas or similar dishes. (Or have them put to ground beef.)

Round Steaks

While these are called steaks, we do not recommend these for grilling like the above steaks because they are a tougher cut. They come from the hind quarter and are VERY large (12” diameter). They come one per package. They are very good for cutting up and slow cooking or oven roasting (beef and noodle dishes or pot roast). They are nice in the crockpot with spaghetti sauce, too! However, we tend to only get one or two and have the rest put into hamburger.

ROASTS

Approximately one-third of your order will consist of roasts. You need to decide how many roasts you want (the remainder goes into hamburger or stew meat) and what size you prefer (e.g., 3-, 4- or 5-pound roasts). Here are some tips:

Chuck Roasts

These come from the front shoulder and are very good for slow cooking in the oven or crockpot. We get as many of these as we can because we love them for pot roast. A 3- to 4-pound roast is usually enough for 4-5 people.

Round Roasts

The round cuts come from the hind quarter. There are numerous cuts, such as eye of round and bottom round. Many people like the round roasts for cooking. We prefer the chuck roasts, so we only get one or two of these and put the rest into burger.

Brisket

his is a very large cut as well if you are getting a half beef. We recommend getting it cut in half (if you ordered a half beef). This is a good cut to barbecue and roast, or you can also try your hand at corning it (easy recipes online).

GROUND BEEF/OTHER CUTS

These make up the remaining one-third of your order.

Stew Meat

If you like to make beef stew, you can request small beef pieces be put into a package for you.

Flank Steak

Each side of beef has one flank steak. These are good grilled, but are often made into beef jerky. The butcher will offer this option to you as well for a small fee.

Beef Ribs

You can have the beef short ribs packaged as well. We like these in the crockpot with barbecue sauce. They are a very fatty cut, however, so if you only like lean cuts, have these boned and added to your hamburger.

Soup Bones

You will have the option of including the soup bones in your order if you like. If another customer sharing your whole beef does not choose to take their soup bones, you may get theirs as well.

Ground Beef

All the meat that is not used for something else goes into hamburger. You choose the size packages you want; 1 lb, 1-1/2 lb, etc. You can also ask the butcher to pre-form patties for you for an extra fee.

NOTES

If you are ordering only a quarter beef, you are not getting a particular quarter (e.g., hind quarter or front shoulder). Rather, the butcher takes a half and does his best to divide it equally. As a result, there can be some variation. For example, there is only one flank steak per half. If the steak is big enough, he will cut it in two. Otherwise, he will put it in one half and try to “offset” that by adding something to the other half. The same is true for the brisket. If you want to make sure you get every available cut on a half of beef, you need to order a full half.

Tips for Ordering Your Beef