So true, my Grandpa supported 11 children with his butcher shop! I was too young to learn much about his work before he passed, but watching this channel always makes me think of him.
My late husband was a butcher. He learned meatcutting back in the early 70’s when all beef came in on hooks. Watching you guys brings back some good memories. My husband was a terrific cook. Our son is a top notch chef in the Boston area. Your videos bring back some great memories for me.
I am the fifth generation of my families cow herd. We always feed out a couple of steers and haul them to a small third generation slaughter house. I wish I was younger because I think a shop like you kids place would work well around Oklahoma City near where we are. I commend you all for taking such pride in the business. Also you two are great at working behind the camera. I think you’ll never run out of money because few will do what it takes to run a business like you all are. I just hope the government does not get anymore involved with regulating the small independents. Last thing, I have seen a lot of cattle cut up and done a couple years ago myself but I don’t think I have ever seen anyplace do as good of job as you guys do. Way to go bearded brothers. The one thing that goes well with a thick rare ribeye is a single malt scotch. I thank the good Lord there’s still a few like you all left. I have a hunch you also put your family first and maybe even home school you kids. If not you should.
Myself and a buddy have been splitting half a beef for a few years now. His uncle has a Cattle ranch. Great meat. Extremely convenient to stock up and fill a small chest freezer.
10 minutes in and decided this was one of the best Bearded videos if not on whole Internet given current economics! You guys are awesome! When I had growing kids/stepkids, I was fortunate to live in Iowa and worked with farmers and hunters and got our meat this way. Still great knowing feeding and specific locker abilities. Until pandemic I never paid more than $4/lb AVERAGE for any meat which includes, cuts, burger, jerky, sticks, sausage. For laymen, this is fantastic as all your videos are!
My cousin once tried that argument of "I can find ground beef for less than that" which was easily shut down with "Find me a $4 t-bone and stew meat as well.."
@Blue Collar Travel Also a Hawkeye yup we HAVE meat but for past 2 yrs we are having lots of trouble BUYING it. We all kind of understood the problem re packing plants being redone for Covid. Fine. But by now this surely should have been fixed/paid for(by meat packers) and costs dropping back to normal levels. Ain't happening. Many if not all products are priced WAY past the need Covid caused. Shame on em....
I really want to thank you guys for taking me back several years to when my parents used to buy a half a beef for a quarter of a beef. I never planned to be at a point in my life where I couldn't do that or afford that. Disabled veteran didn't retire very well and I'm pretty broke up. When I watch your channel it reminds me of what it was like to have a freezer full of beef and a butcher you could trust and rely on. You guys are so wonderful thank you for keeping that ancient and traditional life alive. I'm real tired of beef under cellophane and over styrofoam but right now I can get some pretty good deals in the day old section and once in a while I can even get a piece of prime meat that way. I wish you guys had an online store where I could buy a quarter from you and I would save my money up and do that if you deliver to Wyomings Southwest. I'd go without for a while to have a freezer full of good actually cut beef. But most importantly thank you guys for what you do and keeping a tradition alive that's dying faster than the honey bees on the farm. Please stay safe and keep up the great work.
I ordered a 1/2 beef from a butcher shop about 15 years ago and was very disappointed. The ground had huge chunks of artery in the meat. I never ordered meat from them again. As a matter of fact, I won’t even set foot in their shop to this day. I ordered the cattleman’s cut and ended up with something unrecognizable. Thankfully I remembered the butcher shop my Grandpa had butcher his beef cattle and they’re the only guys I’ll buy from . Great video guys! Thanks!
Scott and Seth I never thought you could outdo yourselves with your content. All your Vlogs I have watched were great and informative, this one I think is the best. My wife and I have been thinking of buying a 1/4 or 1/2 a cow and this video was extremely helpful in understanding what we will get to put in our freezer. Thanks again for the great content and look forward to more from you guys. In response to your Instagram post this morning, screw the haters. A lot of those people are just ticked off at the world and are only brave behind their screens. Keep up the great content because you guys are offering a great service by your detailed Vlogs on butchering.
Hey guys! I live in a small rural town in North Dakota and my neighbor is a farmer/rancher. I am a city boy but everyone out here has taken my family in with open arms. Last month, I bough a cow from my neighbor (black Angus). He tried to walk me through this process but I wish I would've watched this before. Great info and I know, for people like me, buying a cow can be intimidating. This video is great. If you are considering buying a half cow, quarter, whatever this video is legit. Just copy what they say! Great video boys!
Early last year I bought an angus steer, grass fed, intended to weigh #1000 MOL when loaded onto the trailer for delivery to the butcher. The local farmer & I discussed the genetics of the steers she was raising that season, and what traits she had selected for. The original estimated schedule was for early November completion, but because of a very wet summer and the butchers schedule he stayed on the farm for until December and reached reached a full weight of #1050. After slaughter the hanging weight was #511. I picked up the hide later that day & delivered it to the Sebring Tannery. We had agreed that the carcass would hang and dry age for 40 days, which span over their Christmas/New years shutdown. After pickup I got #265 including liver, heart, tongue, but got gypped out of the cheeks that we had also asked for. #112 lbs of that was ground all in 2# plastic tube-bags. I feel like the butchers destroyed a lot of the value of the purchase. They split the carcass into quarters at some point prior to vacuum packaging the cuts, so there was some dried rind where there should not have been on the subprimals. I also had then set aside the the whole sub-primals for the rib-eye, NY strip, brisket, and tenderloins, so I could dry age them for additional time wrapped in collagen film. I made another trip to the butcher that day to pick them up fresh, the rest of the carcass was processed for freezing as we had agreed. The farmer had assured me that she used ultrasound to monitor the development of the steer, and that he was well marbled. The meat we received is literally the leanest meat I've ever seen! While I have no doubt that the meat I received was aged for the full 40 days, I also suspect that the beef I got was not the animal that I bought. My farmer will no longer do business with the butcher, as she received a number of complaints from her other customers. Something at the butcher changed. My farmer is the president of the "Xxxxxxx County" cattleman's association, so I'm inclined to trust here credentials. I honestly believe that my prime grade grass-fed hormone free animal was 'diverted' to another of the butcher's customers, and that I was given another animal in its place. I literally got less finished weight from a whole beef than you guys got from a half in this video, and my weight included the organs! Sorry for the long post. How about a video on finding a butcher I can trust not to screw me?
@@floydcash1694 Well, that's not particularly helpful. I'm quite certain I was lied to. I think they substituted a smaller carcass after the slaughter, and my animal went to someone else. Of course I have no way to prove that. You are correct, the meat has no appreciable marbling. However, it is not stringy, if you don't care for the 'gamey' (poor choice of words) notes of well aged beef, then this is definitely not for you. It is well aged, and it also exceptionally tender despite the lack of fat. With 40 days of hanging, literally every cut has a pronounced dry-aged rich umami flavour. But that was my goal, so in that aspect the project was a success.
I feel like your producer set your expectations too high. If all the complaints were the same, I tend to lean towards the cattle were not to the standard set. I highly question the ability of a 1,000 grass fed animal to grade prime. Grass fed tends to be lean anyway and at only 1000 pounds, that animal did not have time to reach prime grade from my experience
My family used to do this for a living just like you are showing here. This is the easiest way I have heard this explained to what happens at a processor. Best video on the channel, and timely for today's issues.
My family has been seasonally custom processing beef and pork for 50 years, now in our fourth generation. I have thoroughly enjoyed this channel. It was my Dad's dream to have a retail store like Whitefeather, but that wasn't realized. I am slowly passing the torch to my son to carry on this nearly lost art. I've told him, if I pass from this Earth before he's absorbed it all, refer to this channel.
This brought back a lot of memories. I grew up spending a lot of time in a butcher shop, since my mom was a meat wrapper for 30+ years. Really great looking operation you guys have, and you are so good at it, that you make it look easy.
You guys just keep getting better. Thanks for your skill,your honest straightforward information and your transparency in the way you present your business.There are none better.Period!
City boy here who's beyond grateful for the education inherent in all your videos. Thank you very very much! Incidentally, your Father's amazing teaching skills have inevitably served to educate hundreds of thousands of us for which we're most grateful! Once again, thank you, Bearded one's!
I’ve not ordered bulk before so I would like to ask a few questions to make sure I get it right: 1. Ask when ordering if I’m paying for hot weight, aged weight or end weight and if it includes cutting and packaging. 2. Tell them if I want half of half (half of front and back) or just front or back when ordering a half. 3. Specify if I want organs and off cut bones and fat and how they are priced (I’m assuming it would be good to ask the pricing of those items) 4. If I want bone in or deboned and the price difference 5. How thick I want the cuts. 6. How much I want in hamburger pattys or straight up ground. 7. Is the cow a dairy cow or “Angus”. I watched the video twice and since butcher ordering is new to me, I still feel a bit like when I try to speak “butcherese” I’m going to sound like tourist. Any other questions I should ask that would be important?
I have been buying half steer for years. I have been in the shop while it was being processed, since it was a friend's shop. This is without a doubt the BEST video I have ever seen on what the customer gets when you buy a half steer. I LOVE the fact you showed the NASTIEST job, SCRAPING the cuts of steaks, I usually do this part to help out and save my butcher time. I also help run the grinder and the presser. My personal favorite thing to do is the vacuum sealing!!! With out a doubt the best way to put up ANY type of meat!! Loved how you cut the bone edges to NOT CUT the vacuum seal bag. Now to watch the HOG video!!!
I just want to say thank you guys for all this helpful knowledge! My friend was ripped off last summer by a "friend and dad" when they split the cow "evenly 3 ways". My friend was told the brisket, chuck and fillet were all turned into ground beef...he got a few rib steaks, lower end roast and ground beef. I was able to educate him a little by showing him these vids that his "friend" had probably taken advantage of him by taking all the good cuts and made him pay the same for the less wanted cuts. I am now looking at getting a cow this summer to split between him and i properly.
What a bummer to have a 'friend' like that. I have been splitting an animal with a 3 other people for about 6 years. I have it processed as 2 halves. Then I split the halves into quarters. I have never thought about shorting the others on a cut. If anything, I take the lesser amount. But then, nobody wants the organ meat. So I get to keep that!
Just wanted to say that this was insanely helpful for me. I've been thinking about purchasing bulk meat this way (either half a cow/pig or full) and I wasn't sure how it worked out and what I could get. Now I have a much better idea of what I can get with the money I'd be spending on said purchase!
I love to see this. As a rancher, I try to finish out 10 to 12 animals for friends, family and neighbors. This is the perfect video for anyone wanting to set up a farm to table situation.
@@michaelthurber2660 To bad a shadow gov't is destroying thousands of cattle per year by fire and the 4 major processors are engaged in price manipulation cutting out the smaller ranchers while making laws to corner the market.
You guys are great. I am in Southern Utah and we are losing custom butcher shops like crazy due to owners getting old. I have worked for the County here and gov. my whole life since finishing college. I have always grown up butchering my own game hunting and helping be the friend butcher for others along the way out of my garage. I also brain tan deer hides ( like the traditional native way ). Ive had a lot of local people mention to me since demand is so high here to open a legitimate shop. It never hit me until these last few months to step out of the security of a "check". But I have been traveling to still running shops now and helping while getting time in seeing things that I'd do or change. I am now drawing up plans and deciding to go to what we call custom exempt for now which is a little more laid back but hope to one day transfer in to state or USDA. I appreciate all you do for this. If your ever in southern Utah please look us up. Your welcome here any time- Shawn & Abby Slaugh.
I've been tossing around the same idea. I already (well me and hubby) do our own beef, pork, meat chicken, rabbit, turkey, duck and wild game. I'd love to have a custom shop (exempt) to do others personal animals. So many regulations for USDA but you can charge more and you can sell individual cuts if your USDA. Good luck to you on your adventure!
I’ve been buying my beef in bulk for about 5 years now. Thank you for breaking down in video what I’m actually buying and how it’s processed with cuts and options. I really appreciate your wisdom!
Unreal, how timely you guys are with this subject. I'm in the process of "preparing" to buy a half beef. Frankly, I was PARALYZED with fear of making the wrong decision about what cuts to ask for and the process in general. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
Try to not overthink it. But think about what cuts you like to eat. Also don't be afraid to try a cut you've never tried before. No matter what, it's beef and you will eat it, one way or another. We personally use more burger and steaks so we do most of our cuts that way. We do do some roasts but not a lot. Maybe 10 total on a whole beef. I don't do beef stew cuts cuz I can always make those from a steak or roast. Same with fajita meat. Just think about what you use the most of and remember you can always turn a roast or steak into stew chunks or fajita or canning meat. Good luck and hope your happy with your purchase
@@elizabethjansen2684 It's really easy. Tell the butcher " best cuts" every else grind. Unless you want a brisket. That would be ground if you don't ask for it.
I bought my first 1/2 beef last year and I was that uneducated customer that wastes the butcher’s time filling out the cut sheet. I’m about to order my next 1/2 beef in about a month and thanks to your videos I feel much more confident about my choices. I thank you and I’m sure the butcher taking my order thanks you too.
Although I have been buying beef like this off and on for 20 years, it took me less than 5 minutes the other day. I just do a "standard" order. Almost exactly as they processed it in this video.
I love that you guys have shared a trade that has gotten away from customer detail . Thank you for taking the time to explain everything . You guy are upfront with alot and i wish i lived closer to get your cuts . I have a pretty good butcher and support the local service . I love your seasonings . Keep it up guys and thank you !
Over the years, my family raised Charolais-Angus cross cattle as our 4-H project beef steer's. Our feed conversion was always well below 3-to-1. 3-pounds feed would convert to 1-pound beef weight. The breed was always tops in carcass class post kill My brothers steer once had an 18.5-inch Ribeye, all without any growth hormones. This related to USDA Prime to Prime/Choice levels of quality and a very, very tasty meat.
My apartment neighbor in college had us over for dinner once and they served steak that was from a cow that she had raised. She ate that steak with a tear in her eye, but it was the best damn steak I've ever had. We teased her (friendly and lovingly) that we could taste the love. I've always wanted to buy a half ever since; we will soon.
Crazy to see how y’all have blown up on RUclips. I remember when y’all were just a local to me butcher with 100k subscribers. Happy for all of you, keep up the great work
Thank you guys, for being so transparent with being a butcher. The information you share in all the videos is very understandable. I've had so many questions over the years about the processing side. With just a few of y'all's video's I don't have to wonder now. Keep up the great work guys and girls. Thank you
This information is PRICELESS! I’m a member of several Facebook butchering and DIY processing groups and these kinds of questions are asked daily. This was an EXCELLENT video from start to finish that should help thousands of people. I worked in the meat processing industry 15 years ago and from my experience you guys run a tight ship. You can tell you have the experience from the little things like labeling the boxes with the number of boxes per customer. I have watched most of you videos and you guys are pros. Keep up the great work and awesome content.
I worked for a national grocery supermarket chain. They put me in the meat dept without a real training, the only thing I got from them was a 30 minute online course that told me that knives are dangerous. I have been looking online to get familiarize myself with the different cuts and your channel really helps.
I did a half of a half when I was in North Dakota and cut my cost by 75% across the board… averaged $3.50 perpound (ish) for everything from ground to T-bones.
Once again you guys kill it. Obviously you guys are a wealth of knowledge but the reason I watch is because you both find a way to convey that info in a very easy to understand way. This is a GREAT video
I started buying my beef in bulk 4 years ago when I really started getting into weight lifting, saved me a ton of money. I get 2 hind quarters at a time 3-4 times a year, hinds work out better for what myself and my family eat.
Awesome to see the trade in an honest straightforward depiction as I lived it back in the day . A forgotten prideful vocation, pretty much forgotten with todays boxed beef ! Thanks guys 😎
I am pleased to see that after 20 years of being out of cattle and returning again, the numbers are still close and accurate. Awesome work gents, thank you.
I really cannot say enough about how I I appreciate this video. I have been an amateur butcher for far too long It's time to get serious and really up my skills because the cost of the butchering is amazing and the skill that goes into that cannot be understated
I bought my first half of beef last year. Was the best decision I made, super high quality and turned out quite cheap compared to anything I buy in the store. It hurt to spend the $1600 up front but got tons of great meals from it
@@andyjones9386 that was my experience too. We've got another half in processing now for this year. With meat prices going the way they are I'm happy to lock in my price
Im curious and also think it would give us city folks an incentive to make the investment. $1600 that would be roughly like how much more if one piece buys it at meat dept?? My guess close to 2900?
My dad was a butcher at a meat packing house, from on the hoof to packaged. He taught me how to buy a whole chicken, and break it down, then package and put in the freezer. I saved money while my children were growing up, by breaking down a whole bird myself.
This explains exactly why I usually buy a whole beef and would never buy less than 1/2 a beef. And I always buy a locally grown beef and have it butchered by my local butcher that I know and trust! Build a good relationship with your local butcher and he will hook you up with a good source of quality beef and provide you with excellent cuts of great meat!
Hello to the Bearded Butchers. I appreciate Seth and Scott showing us and explaining to us the ways meat is processed and cut and the work and detail it takes to provide the best quality of meat for their customers. 👍
I work at a local meat locker. We process about 45 custom beef and 40 custom hogs a week. You guys do a great job explaining everything. You left out how physically demanding the job is. Custom processing is the best way to get the most bang for your buck
You guys did a good job on this video! Ive raised or have bought beef for most of my life (and im not a spring chicken) and I know the ways of cutting beef and such but you missed one important thing. Ive sold beef and people always complain I got X amount of pounds but I paid for Z. What people dont understand is you pay the farmer for what is hanging there period, as well as the butcher. If you dont take fat to feed the birds or all the soup bones etc you are still paying for that. I believe it was 68% cut to weight on this thats good and if you took all of those items you could get as high as 75%. All in all I have always said you pay for good beef at the rate of good hamburger but your steaks and roasts cost the same as hamburger at that point. You pay for the waste but $3.50 a pound (as I just bought a half and everyone is paid) is better than paying $4.99 to the store for hamburger :) BEARDED GOOD JOB ON THE VIDEO!
Hi there Darry, great input! Can I ask, who did you buy a half from for $3.50/lb!!!??? I am looking everywhere I can here in Oregon and $4.90 is the best I can find so far.
Getting my half in a couple weeks. This was cool to see how it's done. I pay the farmer for the "on the hoof" weight, and then the butcher for the hanging dried weight. Only additional costs are if we get sausage or patties made.
Thanks guys! I am a dedicated carnivore, so much that I would like to get some land and raise my own! Thanks for the great detail you are showing us. When I was a kid, we raised our own beef and all I knew is it got sent off and it came wrapped in boxes. I never saw all this process. But now am smarter.
This was a great video at the right time with the escalating price of meat. The wife and I have been kicking around the idea of buying a side of beef for a few weeks now and this video definitely helped. I think it would be helpful for some who are still on the fence to also see a video on a the yield after rendering on a side of hog. Thank you for the education in layman’s terms.
I have an amazing butcher here in Pennsy where I live who get their beef from Lancaster county. This is going to be a HUGE help in me deciding what I want in one of their freezer packs.
You guys are nailing it again. Very straightfoward informative with all the necessary details in an understandable and clear vocabulary, I've learned a lot from this one. Keep on the nice work.
Man, thank you guys so much for doing these videos. I love buying pork and beef from local butchers(usually Amish or menonites). Been thinking of doing the raising and butchering myself and your videos help a ton on the butchering end
What a coincidence , my son and I just went halves on a beef and we are sooo disappointed . We would have given up quantity if we could have gotten better quality . We will listen to you guys on how to "NOT" get screwed !
@@alexhtre7500 I'm sure he means the type of beef, such as Angus beef is great quality for eating. My dad bought a Angus calf, put it on his cousin's property who fed and cared for it, and they split the beef. Best tasting beef ever.
This is pretty much how I get my whole beef at my local butcher. They’re raised at a small hobby farm by my friend, and processed at a local butcher shop that’s over a hundred years old. I get all bulk ground beef in 1.5 pound tubes and make my own patty’s at home. Meat all packaged in butcher paper is how all of the butchers around here do it. Then they send it home in banana boxes from the local grocery store.👍🏻
I also arrived here looking for a place to buy some meat for my family because our country is falling apart. I’m very impressed with your operation, your personalities and your work ethics. Keep on feeding us Americans.
@@robschienle2440 I'm in GA as well and I've found many options, even local ones. Pricing is nearly as crazy as the grocery stores though. $4500+ for a whole.
Almost perfect. Me, like several others that have commented here, would love to see that cut sheet that had the counts/sizes/info you used for this example so that we can match it against what was on the table. So close! I snipped the pic of it, but it came out blurry when stretching it. I've spent multiple hours building out a spreadsheet trying to replicate it. I have half a notion to put a team together and build a small app that would guide people thru all the choices, then market it to butchers to list available options & prices. Good side job when I retire and fish aren't biting.
In the 15+ years I have been buying beef from a butcher, I have never seen a "cut sheet". I always go with " best steaks and roasts. Grind the rest". From that the butcher asked if I want round steaks, and then if I want them tenderized. Also, if I want a brisket. Then, how big the roasts, 2-3lb, how thick the steaks, and size of the ground beef packages. I take about 2 minutes on the phone if that. I take the heart, liver and tongue.
Really appreciate y'all breaking this down in explanation. I bought a half earlier in the year for the first time ever but y'all explained it so much better . Not to mention the packaging looks so much better ( vacuumed sealed ) !! I mean it's all good & I pretty much got all the cuts you explained but will definitely have it vacuumed sealed next time . I did however rotate all my packaged cuts & grind( butchers paper) throughout the freeze process . Thanks again for the content !!
As someone who is obviously not a butcher nor works in meat cutting, but a person who loves to grill. I enjoy your guys channel and I learn a lot from it as well as relearn what I knew from my uncles who are butchers. I just want to say thank you for the amazing content!
My local university teaches Retail Meat Cutting so we have access to cheaper meat as the students learn. Right now we can get it at $4.65, cut, wrapped, and frozen. The beef are local raised as well.
Great video. Excellent butchering guide. 1. What about oxtails? 2. Can leg bones be cracked for making stocks or are they sold separately as morrow bones? 3. Neck bones are used in stocks. Are they normally discarded? 4. Is any beef tallow saved and renderred?
Phenomenal video guys! Absolutely outstanding information. Seeing the front and hind quarters laid out in their respective cuts at the end was most impressive and really provides a great visual for folks to see and understand the cuts they would be choosing as well as the freezer space required. Thank you for this video.
As a rule of thumb here I have learned all these years you can expect to loose 60% of live wait due to hide bones guts etc. So if all bones are removed & most fat removed you basically end up wit’s approx 40% you guys are awesome !
I appreciate your videos, I'm a seasoned big game hunter out in Oregon. I've killed and butchered dozens of deer and elk. Now we're raising her own beef on the family farm. I don't care what the cut is. Ham steak steak back strap tenderloin.... After all I got to eat the whole thing. I'm not like at the store I can pick and choose . Unfortunately, some of the family want their sirloins or their tri-tips so I have to learn the different beef cuts now. So I really appreciate these educational videos.
Well, this video answers a lot of questions. We have a family of 4 generations equalling 9 people living together. Only one is a child. I have pondered if a half would feed us for long. Also if we would need two freezers for a half order. Thanks so much for this amazingly informative video.
Beef shares are something I only learned about in the past 2 years and have still yet to purchase. Your video definitely helped educate on the process and what to expect regarding weight loss, cuts, etc. Great job.
Extremely helpful, guys. I have my first quarter arriving tomorrow, and I just couldn’t envision how much freezer space would be needed. My cut sheet was pretty similar, so seeing what mixing the front and back with the other buyer will yield is great. Excellent video, and I thank you!
If it wasn’t for you guys I would have been completely clueless when purchasing and ordering my first round of beef for the freezer. Thank You for the education. Keep ‘em coming !!
Buying from a farmer is the best way to go! I only started doing it a couple years ago but the quality is way better than store bought meat! Great video guys!
Wonderful video! I might point out that some customers might want all the fat trimmings, like me. All that fat can be put in the oven at low and rendered.. the oil that separates is fantastic for all cooking purposes ( as is bear fat). The crisps left after rendering are ideal as supplement for dog food too. Heart and liver and tongue are superb eating.. The skull has some really fine meat to take off.. cheek meat is among the very best on the entire animal, and the yield is very low.. a true delicacy. If you have dogs have the tripe washed and saved as well. It has little flavor and is tough but it is excellent nutrient for the dogs. In Asia, the tripe is served with flavor dense soups, and well cooked to tenderize. I often order it at authentic Chinese Hot Pot.. but it is difficult for most western cooks to use, but easily prepared for the dogs. Trotters are often overlooked. Boned and slow cooked, they offer another opportunity to increase your percentage with excellent meat. The raw bones, if not saw split to bake for marrow, and if large enough, are all good with the dogs as teeth cleaning chew toys.
I know with rise in prices, this question is moot, but at the time of making this video... How much would those 5 boxes had cost the customer? This includes hanging weight and processing. Pretty much: If I had money that day and wanted half of that cow, how much would it had cost me, roughly? Love you guys. I think young butchers have no idea how much of a treasure your channel is.
There's many variables to it, but VERY roughly, around $1400-1600. Depending on how much you agreed to pay per LB(I've never actually tried haggling with a farmer about it, either Yes or No thank you.) the weight of the animal, and how much the butcher charges to process. Personally, I've never paid more than $4.00lb and $200 for processing, but i've turned down $5.00/lb in my current living area. I've also driven 6 hours to return to a farmer that I've bought from before at less than $3.00/lb.(Grain fed, usually cheaper, but still high quality)
@@josephschulte1073 Genuine thank you. I was expecting this to easily be $2500+ but it's a relief to know I could, theoretically, stock up on food for god knows how long that is with something close to my budget. I'll speak to my local butcher about this.
Half of a 4h cow I’m in about 1100 live weight was around 1300. We get the cow from the farmer so it’s live weight but it’s well worth it. Just make sure u got plenty of deep freezers
I recently bought half of a cow I paid 1300$ for a half. Price is definitely going to vary by weight location and the quality of the cow you buy half of.
I just paid approx $700 for a mixed quarter and about 130lbs packaged and frozen. Great description on the give and take of the cuts. People don’t realize that you don’t get a lot of steaks but they only cost $5.50 a lb.
I must admit this was by far the best video i have ever watched for education on beef either by the bearded butchers or other. These guys and yes i mean u dudes are the best end to end instructors of beef. I would call u guys ambassadors of beef land, or the ministers of meat!! Wow u an so blown away by this video. Thank u guys very much and keep up the damn good ministering.. i will watch almost all ur stuff now. Some i cud care less about but this was epic!!
Excellent video. We raise and sell grass fed beef in Alberta Canada. The biggest issue is explaining how the breakdown works. HHW to freezer weight etc. I will be using your video to educate customers. Especially coming from the bearded butchers. Thanks.
I've been splitting a half with the old boy next door for the last few years. This year I took the road trip to PEI to help with the cut/wrap/pack process. It was super interesting to watch the boys cut the meat. Bonus was that I got to specify the cuts I wanted and they were super accommodating. Also got them to peel out several briskets for me (all told we brought back 4.5 beef for a bunch of people). So I ended up making out really well.
I cannot express just how much I appreciate all of your videos. I love that you are a family business, and how honest you are. Your success is MUCH deserved!
My dad worked at a packing house- he would butcher the cow. I remember our freezer was FULL of meat- all kinds of cuts. My aunt took cow eyes for her science experiment. That was 50 years ago. Great video!
This is the only way that my parents ever bought beef or pork so I knew pretty well what to expect they always said that the meat was so much better buying it like this instead of out of the grocery store which we know is true I still like watching this cuz it's very interesting and informative thanks guys!!👍😋♥️
I have seen a hell of a lot of the videos on this channel over the past 2 years and I am yet to find one that is boring in any way. I have never watched half a video. I am fully interested from start to finish with every single video. Great work guys and great video.
First off I love all your videos and they always make me hungry secondly I've had butchered beef and it is far better than what you get at the grocery store. And while it's true you can save a lot of money by buying a quarter cow half cow or full cow per piece. The problem I have is they're just isn't enough savings to make it worth it and here's why. And I know your video was not about savings. I love meat every kind. However if I had a freezer full of meat I would eat a lot more of it than I do because it's already there. And basically if I eat a lot more than I normally do it costs a lot more. Sure you got it and it's already paid for but while the savings are there you use a lot more of a product if you already have a lot more of a product. Maybe not everybody but that's how I am. If I have a fuel tank on my property with a thousand gallons of diesel fuel or gasoline I am going to go willy-nilly on road trips and everything else because it's already bought and paid for but if I have to pay for it at the pump every week knowing I'm paying more I simply won't use as much. If I've got one case of beer and every case cost me $25 I'm not going to drink as much versus if I owned a brewery and it was endless. LOL I think you get my point. Love the videos keep them up
If you didn't have the meat in the freezer, what would you be eating? Would you not be buying beef, or pork/chicken/fish at the store? Sure you might not eat as much beef, but you would still be buying "something".
The best way to buy meat is you go out and buy what you want when you want it.when you add up the cost of buying bulk meat and storing it until you cook it.I Don't see the savings..now if you raise the meat you want it your way.
I bought 1/2 an Angus over 18 months ago. We are finally to our last couple cuts of beef. Best thing I’ve ever done. $1500 total. More than enough meat. I live in the Texas Panhandle so not an issue of finding a source and a processor. Only complaint I had was they did not process my steaks thick enough. They were what I would call thin sliced. Otherwise, better flavor, better value, and you’re supporting beef from the source by cutting out the middle man (supermarkets).
Your butcher should be able to walk you through it with ease. I was on the phone for less than 5 minutes yesterday. I just use the "house standard". Almost exactly as they showed in this video.
Thanks man I just found this video and u took me back to the 70s. I was a teenager and my boss and his neighbor would go in on a side . Had a friend who owned a place like yours called Reeds Meat Locker in Victorville ca. Plus back then we would get alot of free stuff. The beef always tasted great. And the burgers didn't shrink. Thanks u really brought back some great memories.
We always have chuck steaks cut not a huge roast fan and it can be one of the best steaks in my opinion. Awesome video and thanks for all of them I used the one in hog cutting to learn to do our own. Thanks again
This is fantastic! Thank you so much for making this video, it's so informative! I'm getting ready to purchase a show steer from an FFA student and this helps me know what to expect.
Love this stuff. We found a local ranch that sells bulk grass fed and finished beef. And they sell it all, nose to tail. Liver, bones marrow, tongue and of course beef cuts.
Thank y'all for all this great info. You boys were the last push I needed to go and buy 1/8 of a cow and I would buy more but I'm in nyc not that much rm for a dedicated meat freezer... better quality and WAY CHEAPER ✨️ 🙏🏼🙏🏼
@@daryenmirabal2656 How much did you spend and what weight was it? Would like to buy bulk since prices in places like Costco are so expensive for beef.
Fantastic video, thank you so much for the knowledge!! Could you possibly do a video on bulk pork? I personally would like to know the pros, cons and potential yields. And again Thank you!!!
Thanks so much guys for you videos. Very informative and enjoy the way you explain and do all this. Also..thanks for your spices. I bought the set and love them all. Keep doing what you do..take care
I purchased half a beef a few months ago. Just received it. Hanging weight was 325lb and got 140.4lbs or 43%. I was told that's normal. Glad you made this video. All the butchers around here tell me I should have gotten around 60%. My bill for that is $2000canadian Unfortunately for me. I work with the farmer and work with the butcher's dad. Cant even get them to lower the price.
Being a butcher back in the day was such a prestigious and highly regarded profession. Thanks for bringing that back
So true, my Grandpa supported 11 children with his butcher shop! I was too young to learn much about his work before he passed, but watching this channel always makes me think of him.
My late husband was a butcher. He learned meatcutting back in the early 70’s when all beef came in on hooks. Watching you guys brings back some good memories. My husband was a terrific cook. Our son is a top notch chef in the Boston area. Your videos bring back some great memories for me.
What restaurant is your son at is love to try it out
RUclipsr Acre Homestead suggested your channel for meat cuts. I learned A LOT. THANKS FOR SHARING!!!
I’m here from acre too!
Yep, that’s how I ended up here!
I came here for the same reason
Same here
I am the fifth generation of my families cow herd. We always feed out a couple of steers and haul them to a small third generation slaughter house. I wish I was younger because I think a shop like you kids place would work well around Oklahoma City near where we are. I commend you all for taking such pride in the business. Also you two are great at working behind the camera. I think you’ll never run out of money because few will do what it takes to run a business like you all are. I just hope the government does not get anymore involved with regulating the small independents. Last thing, I have seen a lot of cattle cut up and done a couple years ago myself but I don’t think I have ever seen anyplace do as good of job as you guys do. Way to go bearded brothers.
The one thing that goes well with a thick rare ribeye is a single malt scotch.
I thank the good Lord there’s still a few like you all left. I have a hunch you also put your family first and maybe even home school you kids. If not you should.
Myself and a buddy have been splitting half a beef for a few years now.
His uncle has a Cattle ranch.
Great meat. Extremely convenient to stock up and fill a small chest freezer.
Best “public service” video in these hard economic times. Totally informative and educational. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
When were times not hard economically? 😂😂
10 minutes in and decided this was one of the best Bearded videos if not on whole Internet given current economics! You guys are awesome! When I had growing kids/stepkids, I was fortunate to live in Iowa and worked with farmers and hunters and got our meat this way. Still great knowing feeding and specific locker abilities. Until pandemic I never paid more than $4/lb AVERAGE for any meat which includes, cuts, burger, jerky, sticks, sausage. For laymen, this is fantastic as all your videos are!
My cousin once tried that argument of "I can find ground beef for less than that" which was easily shut down with "Find me a $4 t-bone and stew meat as well.."
I concur.
5.50 lb right now in Central Cal
@Blue Collar Travel Also a Hawkeye yup we HAVE meat but for past 2 yrs we are having lots of trouble BUYING it. We all kind of understood the problem re packing plants being redone for Covid.
Fine. But by now this surely should have been fixed/paid for(by meat packers) and costs dropping back to normal levels. Ain't happening. Many if not all products are priced WAY past the need Covid caused. Shame on em....
I said the same thing!
I really want to thank you guys for taking me back several years to when my parents used to buy a half a beef for a quarter of a beef. I never planned to be at a point in my life where I couldn't do that or afford that. Disabled veteran didn't retire very well and I'm pretty broke up. When I watch your channel it reminds me of what it was like to have a freezer full of beef and a butcher you could trust and rely on. You guys are so wonderful thank you for keeping that ancient and traditional life alive. I'm real tired of beef under cellophane and over styrofoam but right now I can get some pretty good deals in the day old section and once in a while I can even get a piece of prime meat that way. I wish you guys had an online store where I could buy a quarter from you and I would save my money up and do that if you deliver to Wyomings Southwest. I'd go without for a while to have a freezer full of good actually cut beef. But most importantly thank you guys for what you do and keeping a tradition alive that's dying faster than the honey bees on the farm. Please stay safe and keep up the great work.
Thank you so much for sharing this and for your service, Jeff. 🙏 We appreciate the heart-felt comment.
@@TheBeardedButchers What doesn't impact your profit margins much will mean the world to that man. Create an order for him
@@GregoryEsman I'd gladly chip in to help with the cost. I'm sure others would also.
@@TheBeardedButchers send him a little care package
@@colliecoform4854 I, too, would contribute.
I ordered a 1/2 beef from a butcher shop about 15 years ago and was very disappointed. The ground had huge chunks of artery in the meat. I never ordered meat from them again. As a matter of fact, I won’t even set foot in their shop to this day. I ordered the cattleman’s cut and ended up with something unrecognizable. Thankfully I remembered the butcher shop my Grandpa had butcher his beef cattle and they’re the only guys I’ll buy from .
Great video guys! Thanks!
Scott and Seth I never thought you could outdo yourselves with your content. All your Vlogs I have watched were great and informative, this one I think is the best. My wife and I have been thinking of buying a 1/4 or 1/2 a cow and this video was extremely helpful in understanding what we will get to put in our freezer. Thanks again for the great content and look forward to more from you guys. In response to your Instagram post this morning, screw the haters. A lot of those people are just ticked off at the world and are only brave behind their screens. Keep up the great content because you guys are offering a great service by your detailed Vlogs on butchering.
Right on, Brian! Thank you for the empowering comment. We're really glad our video can help you and your wife in making a well-informed purchase 🙏
If you can afford it get half or full
@@gregrupar135 Thanks, we were leaning more towards a half.
@@TheBeardedButchers I want to be brave like I was may I work for you for free please 🙏. Also do you just sell the FAT
@@TheBeardedButchers good 👍 work . Inshallah sacsecful I'm a Muslim p.r.h Mohammad Sallallahualehe Wassallam 🇸🇦🇸🇦 India from 🥰🥰
Hey guys! I live in a small rural town in North Dakota and my neighbor is a farmer/rancher. I am a city boy but everyone out here has taken my family in with open arms. Last month, I bough a cow from my neighbor (black Angus). He tried to walk me through this process but I wish I would've watched this before. Great info and I know, for people like me, buying a cow can be intimidating. This video is great. If you are considering buying a half cow, quarter, whatever this video is legit. Just copy what they say! Great video boys!
Early last year I bought an angus steer, grass fed, intended to weigh #1000 MOL when loaded onto the trailer for delivery to the butcher. The local farmer & I discussed the genetics of the steers she was raising that season, and what traits she had selected for. The original estimated schedule was for early November completion, but because of a very wet summer and the butchers schedule he stayed on the farm for until December and reached reached a full weight of #1050. After slaughter the hanging weight was #511. I picked up the hide later that day & delivered it to the Sebring Tannery. We had agreed that the carcass would hang and dry age for 40 days, which span over their Christmas/New years shutdown. After pickup I got #265 including liver, heart, tongue, but got gypped out of the cheeks that we had also asked for. #112 lbs of that was ground all in 2# plastic tube-bags.
I feel like the butchers destroyed a lot of the value of the purchase. They split the carcass into quarters at some point prior to vacuum packaging the cuts, so there was some dried rind where there should not have been on the subprimals. I also had then set aside the the whole sub-primals for the rib-eye, NY strip, brisket, and tenderloins, so I could dry age them for additional time wrapped in collagen film. I made another trip to the butcher that day to pick them up fresh, the rest of the carcass was processed for freezing as we had agreed.
The farmer had assured me that she used ultrasound to monitor the development of the steer, and that he was well marbled. The meat we received is literally the leanest meat I've ever seen! While I have no doubt that the meat I received was aged for the full 40 days, I also suspect that the beef I got was not the animal that I bought.
My farmer will no longer do business with the butcher, as she received a number of complaints from her other customers. Something at the butcher changed. My farmer is the president of the "Xxxxxxx County" cattleman's association, so I'm inclined to trust here credentials.
I honestly believe that my prime grade grass-fed hormone free animal was 'diverted' to another of the butcher's customers, and that I was given another animal in its place.
I literally got less finished weight from a whole beef than you guys got from a half in this video, and my weight included the organs!
Sorry for the long post. How about a video on finding a butcher I can trust not to screw me?
Grass fed has no marbling usually stringy and gamey taste to me. U got lied to.
@@floydcash1694 Well, that's not particularly helpful. I'm quite certain I was lied to. I think they substituted a smaller carcass after the slaughter, and my animal went to someone else. Of course I have no way to prove that.
You are correct, the meat has no appreciable marbling. However, it is not stringy, if you don't care for the 'gamey' (poor choice of words) notes of well aged beef, then this is definitely not for you. It is well aged, and it also exceptionally tender despite the lack of fat. With 40 days of hanging, literally every cut has a pronounced dry-aged rich umami flavour. But that was my goal, so in that aspect the project was a success.
I'm still learning/researching stage but I'm curious why you accepted the order given it was well below the yield amount that you paid for.
@@AB-ol5uz Because I didn't know the weight until I got the meat home.
I feel like your producer set your expectations too high. If all the complaints were the same, I tend to lean towards the cattle were not to the standard set. I highly question the ability of a 1,000 grass fed animal to grade prime. Grass fed tends to be lean anyway and at only 1000 pounds, that animal did not have time to reach prime grade from my experience
My family used to do this for a living just like you are showing here. This is the easiest way I have heard this explained to what happens at a processor. Best video on the channel, and timely for today's issues.
My family has been seasonally custom processing beef and pork for 50 years, now in our fourth generation. I have thoroughly enjoyed this channel. It was my Dad's dream to have a retail store like Whitefeather, but that wasn't realized. I am slowly passing the torch to my son to carry on this nearly lost art. I've told him, if I pass from this Earth before he's absorbed it all, refer to this channel.
I realized we’re in our fourth generation, edited the comment and lost the highlight. Sorry about that.
This brought back a lot of memories. I grew up spending a lot of time in a butcher shop, since my mom was a meat wrapper for 30+ years. Really great looking operation you guys have, and you are so good at it, that you make it look easy.
Very cool!
You guys just keep getting better. Thanks for your skill,your honest straightforward information and your transparency in the way you present your business.There are none better.Period!
City boy here who's beyond grateful for the education inherent in all your videos. Thank you very very much! Incidentally, your Father's amazing teaching skills have inevitably served to educate hundreds of thousands of us for which we're most grateful! Once again, thank you, Bearded one's!
Much appreciated, Patrick! We owe it all to our father! 💪
I’ve not ordered bulk before so I would like to ask a few questions to make sure I get it right:
1. Ask when ordering if I’m paying for hot weight, aged weight or end weight and if it includes cutting and packaging.
2. Tell them if I want half of half (half of front and back) or just front or back when ordering a half.
3. Specify if I want organs and off cut bones and fat and how they are priced (I’m assuming it would be good to ask the pricing of those items)
4. If I want bone in or deboned and the price difference
5. How thick I want the cuts.
6. How much I want in hamburger pattys or straight up ground.
7. Is the cow a dairy cow or “Angus”.
I watched the video twice and since butcher ordering is new to me, I still feel a bit like when I try to speak “butcherese” I’m going to sound like tourist.
Any other questions I should ask that would be important?
Hello not being rude but he liteallly answered all your questions specific prices will depend on butcher and area ofc he cant give his prices
@@GopherYourself-qd5dr it actually is rude. There is nothing wrong with asking clarifying questions
All are questions that you should ask for the best experience with bulk beef.
@Laurence O'Connor and it doesn’t pay as well as retail does it?
Who sells dairy cow meat?
I have been buying half steer for years. I have been in the shop while it was being processed, since it was a friend's shop.
This is without a doubt the BEST video I have ever seen on what the customer gets when you buy a half steer.
I LOVE the fact you showed the NASTIEST job, SCRAPING the cuts of steaks, I usually do this part to help out and save my butcher time. I also help run the grinder and the presser. My personal favorite thing to do is the vacuum sealing!!! With out a doubt the best way to put up ANY type of meat!!
Loved how you cut the bone edges to NOT CUT the vacuum seal bag.
Now to watch the HOG video!!!
That is just wonderful. We appreciate your sharing!
I just want to say thank you guys for all this helpful knowledge! My friend was ripped off last summer by a "friend and dad" when they split the cow "evenly 3 ways". My friend was told the brisket, chuck and fillet were all turned into ground beef...he got a few rib steaks, lower end roast and ground beef. I was able to educate him a little by showing him these vids that his "friend" had probably taken advantage of him by taking all the good cuts and made him pay the same for the less wanted cuts. I am now looking at getting a cow this summer to split between him and i properly.
What a bummer to have a 'friend' like that.
I have been splitting an animal with a 3 other people for about 6 years. I have it processed as 2 halves. Then I split the halves into quarters. I have never thought about shorting the others on a cut. If anything, I take the lesser amount. But then, nobody wants the organ meat. So I get to keep that!
I am in Texas and looking for a few people to do this with. I hope I do not get played
Just wanted to say that this was insanely helpful for me. I've been thinking about purchasing bulk meat this way (either half a cow/pig or full) and I wasn't sure how it worked out and what I could get. Now I have a much better idea of what I can get with the money I'd be spending on said purchase!
I love to see this. As a rancher, I try to finish out 10 to 12 animals for friends, family and neighbors. This is the perfect video for anyone wanting to set up a farm to table situation.
Hello I'd love to get a grill that pre sears before it comes to table for your orders. Thank you 🙏
Farmers are the salt of this earth. They are the creators of sustenance for us all. Bless a farmer....
@@michaelthurber2660 To bad a shadow gov't is destroying thousands of cattle per year by fire and the 4 major processors are engaged in price manipulation cutting out the smaller ranchers while making laws to corner the market.
You guys are great. I am in Southern Utah and we are losing custom butcher shops like crazy due to owners getting old. I have worked for the County here and gov. my whole life since finishing college. I have always grown up butchering my own game hunting and helping be the friend butcher for others along the way out of my garage. I also brain tan deer hides ( like the traditional native way ). Ive had a lot of local people mention to me since demand is so high here to open a legitimate shop. It never hit me until these last few months to step out of the security of a "check". But I have been traveling to still running shops now and helping while getting time in seeing things that I'd do or change. I am now drawing up plans and deciding to go to what we call custom exempt for now which is a little more laid back but hope to one day transfer in to state or USDA. I appreciate all you do for this. If your ever in southern Utah please look us up. Your welcome here any time- Shawn & Abby Slaugh.
I've been tossing around the same idea. I already (well me and hubby) do our own beef, pork, meat chicken, rabbit, turkey, duck and wild game. I'd love to have a custom shop (exempt) to do others personal animals. So many regulations for USDA but you can charge more and you can sell individual cuts if your USDA. Good luck to you on your adventure!
Where in Southern Utah?
@@christophersaucier928 it is going to be in cedar city ut
May your venture be fulfilling.
We need more local shops.
@Repent or you will likewise perish. LOL fake Roman religion of Christianity, Romans also made Islam another awful fake religion
I’ve been buying my beef in bulk for about 5 years now. Thank you for breaking down in video what I’m actually buying and how it’s processed with cuts and options. I really appreciate your wisdom!
Unreal, how timely you guys are with this subject. I'm in the process of "preparing" to buy a half beef. Frankly, I was PARALYZED with fear of making the wrong decision about what cuts to ask for and the process in general. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
We read your mind, Diane 😉
It's beef, it's not a life decision :)
@@shouse94 it's also money, you're not thinking
Try to not overthink it. But think about what cuts you like to eat. Also don't be afraid to try a cut you've never tried before. No matter what, it's beef and you will eat it, one way or another. We personally use more burger and steaks so we do most of our cuts that way. We do do some roasts but not a lot. Maybe 10 total on a whole beef. I don't do beef stew cuts cuz I can always make those from a steak or roast. Same with fajita meat. Just think about what you use the most of and remember you can always turn a roast or steak into stew chunks or fajita or canning meat. Good luck and hope your happy with your purchase
@@elizabethjansen2684
It's really easy. Tell the butcher " best cuts" every else grind.
Unless you want a brisket. That would be ground if you don't ask for it.
I bought my first 1/2 beef last year and I was that uneducated customer that wastes the butcher’s time filling out the cut sheet. I’m about to order my next 1/2 beef in about a month and thanks to your videos I feel much more confident about my choices. I thank you and I’m sure the butcher taking my order thanks you too.
Although I have been buying beef like this off and on for 20 years, it took me less than 5 minutes the other day. I just do a "standard" order. Almost exactly as they processed it in this video.
I love that you guys have shared a trade that has gotten away from customer detail . Thank you for taking the time to explain everything . You guy are upfront with alot and i wish i lived closer to get your cuts . I have a pretty good butcher and support the local service . I love your seasonings . Keep it up guys and thank you !
Thank you so much, have a great week!
Over the years, my family raised Charolais-Angus cross cattle as our 4-H project beef steer's. Our feed conversion was always well below 3-to-1. 3-pounds feed would convert to 1-pound beef weight. The breed was always tops in carcass class post kill My brothers steer once had an 18.5-inch Ribeye, all without any growth hormones. This related to USDA Prime to Prime/Choice levels of quality and a very, very tasty meat.
You’re right! This is an excellent cross!
@@juancontreras4914 Yep, the hair may look like smoke stained white, but as they say. Don't judge a book by it's cover, or hide.
My apartment neighbor in college had us over for dinner once and they served steak that was from a cow that she had raised. She ate that steak with a tear in her eye, but it was the best damn steak I've ever had. We teased her (friendly and lovingly) that we could taste the love. I've always wanted to buy a half ever since; we will soon.
Crazy to see how y’all have blown up on RUclips. I remember when y’all were just a local to me butcher with 100k subscribers. Happy for all of you, keep up the great work
Appreciate that!
@@TheBeardedButchers hello I will drive your meat tell me when or where
Thank you guys, for being so transparent with being a butcher. The information you share in all the videos is very understandable. I've had so many questions over the years about the processing side. With just a few of y'all's video's I don't have to wonder now. Keep up the great work guys and girls. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
This information is PRICELESS! I’m a member of several Facebook butchering and DIY processing groups and these kinds of questions are asked daily. This was an EXCELLENT video from start to finish that should help thousands of people. I worked in the meat processing industry 15 years ago and from my experience you guys run a tight ship. You can tell you have the experience from the little things like labeling the boxes with the number of boxes per customer. I have watched most of you videos and you guys are pros. Keep up the great work and awesome content.
Really honored for such praises, John! 🙏
I worked for a national grocery supermarket chain. They put me in the meat dept without a real training, the only thing I got from them was a 30 minute online course that told me that knives are dangerous. I have been looking online to get familiarize myself with the different cuts and your channel really helps.
😂😂🤣
Sounds like the same amount of training I received from Walmart. "Never leave your mop bucket in the middle of the aisle."
'Don't use a chair as a stool or ladder.'
I did a half of a half when I was in North Dakota and cut my cost by 75% across the board… averaged $3.50 perpound (ish) for everything from ground to T-bones.
Once again you guys kill it. Obviously you guys are a wealth of knowledge but the reason I watch is because you both find a way to convey that info in a very easy to understand way. This is a GREAT video
This means a lot - we're honored! 🙏
I started buying my beef in bulk 4 years ago when I really started getting into weight lifting, saved me a ton of money. I get 2 hind quarters at a time 3-4 times a year, hinds work out better for what myself and my family eat.
Awesome to see the trade in an honest straightforward depiction as I lived it back in the day . A forgotten prideful vocation, pretty much forgotten with todays boxed beef ! Thanks guys 😎
I wish these places were everywhere such quality and pride in what you do.
I love this content. Super informative thanks
Appreciate the kind comment, Camille 🙏
I am pleased to see that after 20 years of being out of cattle and returning again, the numbers are still close and accurate. Awesome work gents, thank you.
I really cannot say enough about how I I appreciate this video. I have been an amateur butcher for far too long It's time to get serious and really up my skills because the cost of the butchering is amazing and the skill that goes into that cannot be understated
You're very welcome!
I bought my first half of beef last year. Was the best decision I made, super high quality and turned out quite cheap compared to anything I buy in the store. It hurt to spend the $1600 up front but got tons of great meals from it
That's nice to hear, Darin. Can really save you a lot!
Same here.The meat was wonderful and I'll certainly do it again.Better quality and a much better price.
@@andyjones9386 that was my experience too. We've got another half in processing now for this year. With meat prices going the way they are I'm happy to lock in my price
Im curious and also think it would give us city folks an incentive to make the investment. $1600 that would be roughly like how much more if one piece buys it at meat dept?? My guess close to 2900?
@@albertoramon226 Honestly this doesn't seem worth it. Just go to the store and buy some meat.
My father was a ‘meat cutter’ for local grocery stores. Hardly the same as what you all do, but nevertheless, I appreciate it. All of it. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Sam! We're sure your dad has crazy knife-skills too! 💪
My dad was a butcher at a meat packing house, from on the hoof to packaged. He taught me how to buy a whole chicken, and break it down, then package and put in the freezer. I saved money while my children were growing up, by breaking down a whole bird myself.
This explains exactly why I usually buy a whole beef and would never buy less than 1/2 a beef. And I always buy a locally grown beef and have it butchered by my local butcher that I know and trust! Build a good relationship with your local butcher and he will hook you up with a good source of quality beef and provide you with excellent cuts of great meat!
Hello to the Bearded Butchers. I appreciate Seth and Scott showing us and explaining to us the ways meat is processed and cut and the work and detail it takes to provide the best quality of meat for their customers. 👍
I work at a local meat locker. We process about 45 custom beef and 40 custom hogs a week. You guys do a great job explaining everything. You left out how physically demanding the job is. Custom processing is the best way to get the most bang for your buck
Thanks for the nice comment, Nathan! As someone working on the same trade, do you have any tips you can share? 😁
You guys did a good job on this video! Ive raised or have bought beef for most of my life (and im not a spring chicken) and I know the ways of cutting beef and such but you missed one important thing. Ive sold beef and people always complain I got X amount of pounds but I paid for Z. What people dont understand is you pay the farmer for what is hanging there period, as well as the butcher. If you dont take fat to feed the birds or all the soup bones etc you are still paying for that. I believe it was 68% cut to weight on this thats good and if you took all of those items you could get as high as 75%. All in all I have always said you pay for good beef at the rate of good hamburger but your steaks and roasts cost the same as hamburger at that point. You pay for the waste but $3.50 a pound (as I just bought a half and everyone is paid) is better than paying $4.99 to the store for hamburger :) BEARDED GOOD JOB ON THE VIDEO!
Hi there Darry, great input! Can I ask, who did you buy a half from for $3.50/lb!!!??? I am looking everywhere I can here in Oregon and $4.90 is the best I can find so far.
Getting my half in a couple weeks. This was cool to see how it's done. I pay the farmer for the "on the hoof" weight, and then the butcher for the hanging dried weight. Only additional costs are if we get sausage or patties made.
Thanks guys! I am a dedicated carnivore, so much that I would like to get some land and raise my own! Thanks for the great detail you are showing us. When I was a kid, we raised our own beef and all I knew is it got sent off and it came wrapped in boxes. I never saw all this process. But now am smarter.
This was a great video at the right time with the escalating price of meat. The wife and I have been kicking around the idea of buying a side of beef for a few weeks now and this video definitely helped.
I think it would be helpful for some who are still on the fence to also see a video on a the yield after rendering on a side of hog.
Thank you for the education in layman’s terms.
Good stuff! Glad you found your way to our video, then! 🙏
Arrived here by mistake, stayed, and subscribed for the education. Outstanding channel.
Alpha draco reptilian psycho race impersonating mankind...
That it is. There is one problem though. I want knives that they have.
I have an amazing butcher here in Pennsy where I live who get their beef from Lancaster county. This is going to be a HUGE help in me deciding what I want in one of their freezer packs.
You guys are nailing it again. Very straightfoward informative with all the necessary details in an understandable and clear vocabulary, I've learned a lot from this one. Keep on the nice work.
I've learned more about beef in just a few of your videos than I ever thought could be known about beef. I love it even more now.
We all love beef more now 🍖
As a chef based in the UK, love the videos you guys make, the ideas that come to mind just by looking at the cuts
Man, thank you guys so much for doing these videos. I love buying pork and beef from local butchers(usually Amish or menonites). Been thinking of doing the raising and butchering myself and your videos help a ton on the butchering end
What a coincidence , my son and I just went halves on a beef and we are sooo disappointed . We would have given up quantity if we could have gotten better quality . We will listen to you guys on how to "NOT" get screwed !
What exactly was the issues
What was wrong with your quality? I'm curious on how a butcher screws up quality?
Angus is great beef.
@@alexhtre7500 I'm sure he means the type of beef, such as Angus beef is great quality for eating. My dad bought a Angus calf, put it on his cousin's property who fed and cared for it, and they split the beef. Best tasting beef ever.
This is pretty much how I get my whole beef at my local butcher. They’re raised at a small hobby farm by my friend, and processed at a local butcher shop that’s over a hundred years old. I get all bulk ground beef in 1.5 pound tubes and make my own patty’s at home. Meat all packaged in butcher paper is how all of the butchers around here do it. Then they send it home in banana boxes from the local grocery store.👍🏻
Lol , I was going to say , you must live around Hillary Florida. I picked up many of banana boxes full of meat. Thanks for the memories.
Kbi tere ma bap ko b kha nich
@@joseortiz5965 I like to use apple boxes. :)
Typically how many lbs of ground beef do you take home?
@@jeraldsikes6186 around 500 I think. Last one was 712 hanging
I also arrived here looking for a place to buy some meat for my family because our country is falling apart. I’m very impressed with your operation, your personalities and your work ethics. Keep on feeding us Americans.
Welcome newbie
Where do you live? I run a small operation. I could be just the guy you need. 😊
@@Mike45-47QI live in GA are you close?
@@robschienle2440 Nope... Indiana haha
@@robschienle2440 I'm in GA as well and I've found many options, even local ones. Pricing is nearly as crazy as the grocery stores though. $4500+ for a whole.
Almost perfect. Me, like several others that have commented here, would love to see that cut sheet that had the counts/sizes/info you used for this example so that we can match it against what was on the table. So close! I snipped the pic of it, but it came out blurry when stretching it. I've spent multiple hours building out a spreadsheet trying to replicate it. I have half a notion to put a team together and build a small app that would guide people thru all the choices, then market it to butchers to list available options & prices. Good side job when I retire and fish aren't biting.
In the 15+ years I have been buying beef from a butcher, I have never seen a "cut sheet". I always go with " best steaks and roasts. Grind the rest".
From that the butcher asked if I want round steaks, and then if I want them tenderized. Also, if I want a brisket.
Then, how big the roasts, 2-3lb, how thick the steaks, and size of the ground beef packages.
I take about 2 minutes on the phone if that.
I take the heart, liver and tongue.
It would have been nice to know the end Dollar Amount to give people a god idea of what you'll be spending. So close!😉
Really appreciate y'all breaking this down in explanation. I bought a half earlier in the year for the first time ever but y'all explained it so much better . Not to mention the packaging looks so much better ( vacuumed sealed ) !! I mean it's all good & I pretty much got all the cuts you explained but will definitely have it vacuumed sealed next time . I did however rotate all my packaged cuts & grind( butchers paper) throughout the freeze process .
Thanks again for the content !!
As someone who is obviously not a butcher nor works in meat cutting, but a person who loves to grill. I enjoy your guys channel and I learn a lot from it as well as relearn what I knew from my uncles who are butchers. I just want to say thank you for the amazing content!
Love how well you educate your viewers! You all Rock!
My local university teaches Retail Meat Cutting so we have access to cheaper meat as the students learn. Right now we can get it at $4.65, cut, wrapped, and frozen. The beef are local raised as well.
Where would this be? I .ight be willing to travel for those prices.
@@whachonameisman8759 sorry, that’s in Western Canada
@@whachonameisman8759 Contact your State university system. If the have an Agriculture program, they may have a butcher class also.
Great video. Excellent butchering guide.
1. What about oxtails?
2. Can leg bones be cracked for making stocks or are they sold separately as morrow bones?
3. Neck bones are used in stocks. Are they normally discarded?
4. Is any beef tallow saved and renderred?
Phenomenal video guys! Absolutely outstanding information. Seeing the front and hind quarters laid out in their respective cuts at the end was most impressive and really provides a great visual for folks to see and understand the cuts they would be choosing as well as the freezer space required. Thank you for this video.
So the real question is when can we buy a half of beef online from you? That just looks amazing!! Great stuff!
As a rule of thumb here I have learned all these years you can expect to loose 60% of live wait due to hide bones guts etc. So if all bones are removed & most fat removed you basically end up wit’s approx 40% you guys are awesome !
Glad to help share knowledge!
Very informative for a city man. I’ve wondered for years how it works. Thank you so much
I cant explain how helpful and how many questions i have had over the years. I have learned so much from you guys over the last few years. Thank you!
Glad we can help, thank you!!
I appreciate your videos, I'm a seasoned big game hunter out in Oregon. I've killed and butchered dozens of deer and elk. Now we're raising her own beef on the family farm. I don't care what the cut is. Ham steak steak back strap tenderloin.... After all I got to eat the whole thing. I'm not like at the store I can pick and choose .
Unfortunately, some of the family want their sirloins or their tri-tips so I have to learn the different beef cuts now. So I really appreciate these educational videos.
This is what is needed in hour crountry . This is THE USA. NABERHOOD MEAT MARKIT . LOVE IT . THANKS YOU GUYS
Well, this video answers a lot of questions. We have a family of 4 generations equalling 9 people living together. Only one is a child. I have pondered if a half would feed us for long. Also if we would need two freezers for a half order. Thanks so much for this amazingly informative video.
Beef shares are something I only learned about in the past 2 years and have still yet to purchase.
Your video definitely helped educate on the process and what to expect regarding weight loss, cuts, etc.
Great job.
Extremely helpful, guys. I have my first quarter arriving tomorrow, and I just couldn’t envision how much freezer space would be needed. My cut sheet was pretty similar, so seeing what mixing the front and back with the other buyer will yield is great. Excellent video, and I thank you!
If it wasn’t for you guys I would have been completely clueless when purchasing and ordering my first round of beef for the freezer. Thank You for the education. Keep ‘em coming !!
Buying from a farmer is the best way to go! I only started doing it a couple years ago but the quality is way better than store bought meat! Great video guys!
Very true!
Wonderful video! I might point out that some customers might want all the fat trimmings, like me. All that fat can be put in the oven at low and rendered.. the oil that separates is fantastic for all cooking purposes ( as is bear fat). The crisps left after rendering are ideal as supplement for dog food too. Heart and liver and tongue are superb eating.. The skull has some really fine meat to take off.. cheek meat is among the very best on the entire animal, and the yield is very low.. a true delicacy. If you have dogs have the tripe washed and saved as well. It has little flavor and is tough but it is excellent nutrient for the dogs. In Asia, the tripe is served with flavor dense soups, and well cooked to tenderize. I often order it at authentic Chinese Hot Pot.. but it is difficult for most western cooks to use, but easily prepared for the dogs. Trotters are often overlooked. Boned and slow cooked, they offer another opportunity to increase your percentage with excellent meat. The raw bones, if not saw split to bake for marrow, and if large enough, are all good with the dogs as teeth cleaning chew toys.
I know with rise in prices, this question is moot, but at the time of making this video...
How much would those 5 boxes had cost the customer? This includes hanging weight and processing.
Pretty much: If I had money that day and wanted half of that cow, how much would it had cost me, roughly?
Love you guys. I think young butchers have no idea how much of a treasure your channel is.
There's many variables to it, but VERY roughly, around $1400-1600. Depending on how much you agreed to pay per LB(I've never actually tried haggling with a farmer about it, either Yes or No thank you.) the weight of the animal, and how much the butcher charges to process.
Personally, I've never paid more than $4.00lb and $200 for processing, but i've turned down $5.00/lb in my current living area. I've also driven 6 hours to return to a farmer that I've bought from before at less than $3.00/lb.(Grain fed, usually cheaper, but still high quality)
@@josephschulte1073 Genuine thank you. I was expecting this to easily be $2500+ but it's a relief to know I could, theoretically, stock up on food for god knows how long that is with something close to my budget.
I'll speak to my local butcher about this.
Half of a 4h cow I’m in about 1100 live weight was around 1300. We get the cow from the farmer so it’s live weight but it’s well worth it. Just make sure u got plenty of deep freezers
I recently bought half of a cow I paid 1300$ for a half. Price is definitely going to vary by weight location and the quality of the cow you buy half of.
I just paid approx $700 for a mixed quarter and about 130lbs packaged and frozen. Great description on the give and take of the cuts. People don’t realize that you don’t get a lot of steaks but they only cost $5.50 a lb.
I must admit this was by far the best video i have ever watched for education on beef either by the bearded butchers or other. These guys and yes i mean u dudes are the best end to end instructors of beef. I would call u guys ambassadors of beef land, or the ministers of meat!! Wow u an so blown away by this video. Thank u guys very much and keep up the damn good ministering.. i will watch almost all ur stuff now. Some i cud care less about but this was epic!!
Excellent video. We raise and sell grass fed beef in Alberta Canada. The biggest issue is explaining how the breakdown works. HHW to freezer weight etc. I will be using your video to educate customers.
Especially coming from the bearded butchers. Thanks.
I've been splitting a half with the old boy next door for the last few years. This year I took the road trip to PEI to help with the cut/wrap/pack process. It was super interesting to watch the boys cut the meat. Bonus was that I got to specify the cuts I wanted and they were super accommodating. Also got them to peel out several briskets for me (all told we brought back 4.5 beef for a bunch of people). So I ended up making out really well.
@@benparry5318 hey Ben if your in need of Angus grass fed beef we process every October. Always remember beef it’s what’s for dinner.
I cannot express just how much I appreciate all of your videos. I love that you are a family business, and how honest you are. Your success is MUCH deserved!
My dad worked at a packing house- he would butcher the cow. I remember our freezer was FULL of meat- all kinds of cuts. My aunt took cow eyes for her science experiment. That was 50 years ago. Great video!
Thank you for being honest and passing this knowledge on to others.
This is the only way that my parents ever bought beef or pork so I knew pretty well what to expect they always said that the meat was so much better buying it like this instead of out of the grocery store which we know is true I still like watching this cuz it's very interesting and informative thanks guys!!👍😋♥️
Awesome! Do you maybe have any tips we didn't cover? 😉
@@TheBeardedButchers Can't think of one you guys got it covered good.
I have seen a hell of a lot of the videos on this channel over the past 2 years and I am yet to find one that is boring in any way. I have never watched half a video. I am fully interested from start to finish with every single video. Great work guys and great video.
First off I love all your videos and they always make me hungry secondly I've had butchered beef and it is far better than what you get at the grocery store. And while it's true you can save a lot of money by buying a quarter cow half cow or full cow per piece. The problem I have is they're just isn't enough savings to make it worth it and here's why. And I know your video was not about savings. I love meat every kind. However if I had a freezer full of meat I would eat a lot more of it than I do because it's already there. And basically if I eat a lot more than I normally do it costs a lot more. Sure you got it and it's already paid for but while the savings are there you use a lot more of a product if you already have a lot more of a product. Maybe not everybody but that's how I am. If I have a fuel tank on my property with a thousand gallons of diesel fuel or gasoline I am going to go willy-nilly on road trips and everything else because it's already bought and paid for but if I have to pay for it at the pump every week knowing I'm paying more I simply won't use as much. If I've got one case of beer and every case cost me $25 I'm not going to drink as much versus if I owned a brewery and it was endless. LOL I think you get my point. Love the videos keep them up
If you didn't have the meat in the freezer, what would you be eating? Would you not be buying beef, or pork/chicken/fish at the store? Sure you might not eat as much beef, but you would still be buying "something".
The best way to buy meat is you go out and buy what you want when you want it.when you add up the cost of buying bulk meat and storing it until you cook it.I Don't see the savings..now if you raise the meat you want it your way.
I bought 1/2 an Angus over 18 months ago. We are finally to our last couple cuts of beef. Best thing I’ve ever done. $1500 total. More than enough meat. I live in the Texas Panhandle so not an issue of finding a source and a processor. Only complaint I had was they did not process my steaks thick enough. They were what I would call thin sliced. Otherwise, better flavor, better value, and you’re supporting beef from the source by cutting out the middle man (supermarkets).
I would never have known any of this, we are wanting to buy a half a beef and had no clue how to even get started. Thank you for this video
Now you do, Mike! And that's exactly our goal - to share our knowledge with the crowd! 🙏
Helped me too !
Your butcher should be able to walk you through it with ease. I was on the phone for less than 5 minutes yesterday. I just use the "house standard". Almost exactly as they showed in this video.
You guys are awesome and very informative. Just put my half beef in the freezer yesterday 👍👍
Thanks man I just found this video and u took me back to the 70s. I was a teenager and my boss and his neighbor would go in on a side . Had a friend who owned a place like yours called Reeds Meat Locker in Victorville ca. Plus back then we would get alot of free stuff. The beef always tasted great. And the burgers didn't shrink. Thanks u really brought back some great memories.
We always have chuck steaks cut not a huge roast fan and it can be one of the best steaks in my opinion. Awesome video and thanks for all of them I used the one in hog cutting to learn to do our own. Thanks again
This is fantastic! Thank you so much for making this video, it's so informative! I'm getting ready to purchase a show steer from an FFA student and this helps me know what to expect.
Love this stuff. We found a local ranch that sells bulk grass fed and finished beef. And they sell it all, nose to tail. Liver, bones marrow, tongue and of course beef cuts.
Thank y'all for all this great info. You boys were the last push I needed to go and buy 1/8 of a cow and I would buy more but I'm in nyc not that much rm for a dedicated meat freezer... better quality and WAY CHEAPER ✨️ 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Enjoy, Daryen!
Where do you buy 1/8 of a cow in NYC? I am from Brooklyn.
@@donnasmith9942 first time i went to a spot in PA and and the last time a spot in nys .both are 3 hrs away
@@daryenmirabal2656 How much did you spend and what weight was it? Would like to buy bulk since prices in places like Costco are so expensive for beef.
It was $350 and about 70lbs . It filled my 5cf deep frozen If I remember right . I can ask my girl I'm sure she remember.
Fantastic video, thank you so much for the knowledge!! Could you possibly do a video on bulk pork? I personally would like to know the pros, cons and potential yields. And again Thank you!!!
My dad was a meat cutter at a grocery store 55 years ago. Back when meat cutters actually butchered and broke down sides of beef, etc.. Good channel.
Thanks so much guys for you videos. Very informative and enjoy the way you explain and do all this. Also..thanks for your spices. I bought the set and love them all. Keep doing what you do..take care
God Bless the Bearded Butchers !
I purchased half a beef a few months ago. Just received it. Hanging weight was 325lb and got 140.4lbs or 43%. I was told that's normal. Glad you made this video. All the butchers around here tell
me I should have gotten around 60%. My bill for that is $2000canadian Unfortunately for me. I work with the farmer and work with the butcher's dad. Cant even get them to lower the price.
You guys just explained everything I try to tell folks on animals!!! Love it