Buying a half a cow

[DntBrnDPig]

I'm going to be buying a half a cow from a local farmer. I've never done this before so I was hoping for some advice from other people who like to BBQ.

Anyone have any suggestions for a BBQ friendly family on requesting cuts? (i.e brisket, beef short ribs (which i think are those thick meaty dino-bones ))
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Backwoods Competitor
Char-Griller Trio
Great Smokey Mountain (gasser)

[davejschultz]

I have a close friend who buys 1/2 cow and whole hog 1x year...be sure to be VERY specific with the cuts that you WANT to have and how you want them packaged (portions per package) or you will find your whole brisket in the form of ground beef.
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If at first you don't succeed...eat the failure, go to the butcher, and try again.

Char-Griller Trio 3030 / Masterbuilt 30 Electric / Webber One Touch Gold / Small BGE

[Beertooth]

Talk to the guy/gal who is going to be doing the cut & wrap for you. Ask any questions you need to. Ask about specific cuts & if they will do them for you. Also they usually give you a "cut sheet" to fill out.
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[Teleking]

There is limited BBQ cuts in a side. I get the whole brisket, hanger steak, flank steak, and skirt steak. Large chuck roasts are good for pulled beef. I get the tenderloin pulled whole and cut other wise it will end up cut into t-bones and porter house. I also ask for jerkey meat cut into strips.

My side is getting delivered this week.
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“Franken Smoker”

“The Bride of Franken Smoker”

[DntBrnDPig]

What about the ribs? How do you get them cut?
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Backwoods Competitor
Char-Griller Trio
Great Smokey Mountain (gasser)

[Teleking]

Ribs left whole uncut. Giant slabs.
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“The Bride of Franken Smoker”

[Kevan]

Chuck roasts
short ribs
All steaks 1 inch thick
T-Bones
Porterhouse
I get bone in rib eyes
Brisket
Sirloin tip roast
flank steaks
The rounds, arm roasts and the like can be saved for jerky, kept whole and cooked rare/med rare or shaved for what they call sandwich meat (what you would make a phili cheese steak with) or ground for burgers. I pretty much grind and get sandwich meat. They will also offer to make burgers for you. Easy to chuck the frozen disks on the grill but they will charge extra and my processor only made quarter pound burgers which I think are too small. I have been raising a couple beef critters a year for the last 15 or so and this is what has worked well for me. Feeds my family of 6 for a year. Works out to about $25 buciks a week for aroung 300 lbs of meat.
Enjoy!

[sixfofalcon]

One small nit to pick... you would NEVER make a real Philly steak with anything short of top sirloin. Ribeye is preferred.

Back to your normal discussion.
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22.5" WSM

[Teleking]

Oh and I forgot to mention that you will loose 40% to 60% of the hanging weight due to bones. You win some / you loose some.
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[DntBrnDPig]

Yeah, I read up on it and knew that hanging weight is about double what you actually take home. So if the hanging weight was 300 lbs you'd take home 150 lbs if you were lucky.

Thanks for your answers on the cuts. I wanted to have some info before i just stumbled into it and had someone smell newbie on me.
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Backwoods Competitor
Char-Griller Trio
Great Smokey Mountain (gasser)

[Harry Nutczak]

a cow?? Or a Steer?

When you say "Cow" I imagine dairy cattle, and that is not something that you want to eat.

Is this side of beef you're getting grass fed, grass finished. grain fed, all these make huge difference in how palatable the meat is.

I would also suggest that you ask for the fat to be left on, especially the tenderloin, and short-loin cuts (t-bone, porters)
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Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down!

[Teleking]

Eating critter Harry;). Picked mine up today and looks like I got lucky on the 40% loss with mine. Cut sheet on the money, grass fed and finished. Tenderloin hot and fast for dinner = awesome. Vac sealed and flash froze with a huge brisket to boot.

Good luck
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