If you purchase beef by the half (qtr/whole)

We have an empty, unplugged stand-up freezer and have considered heavily buying half a cow like you have. I am really sorry this happened. This is not something I would have even considered happening. I think sending an email would be best, because then you have a good record of correspondence as this is worked out.

I do have a question for those who have done this before: how well does the meat last in regards to time in the freezer and freezer-burn?

A friend does this and always has a "list" for the butcher.

We raise and process our own beef, in fact just put one in the freezer last week. Does the butcher who processed the beef do other butchering too?
If so, are you sure you got your beef/order? I can't imagine a butcher knowingly putting a large portion of a top beef into hamburger, unless the owner specifically requested it. I would make sure and call or go into the butcher, tell him your concern, and ask if there is a chance that you got someone else's order.

And for the pp who inquired about how long beef will keep its quality in a freezer, we have beef that is over a year old that still tastes great and has no freezer burn. But our freezer is good, and the meat is properly processed and wrapped.

When we get a calf butchered, we give the butcher a list of what we want and how many in a package for each thing. Did they give you the option to do this?

If you keep it frozen at 0 degrees it should stay edible for a long time. I've used beef (ground and otherwise) that was in the freezer for 2-3 yrs and it was fine.

eta: Just read again and see that you did give them a list. I would definitely ask them to swap out ground beef for cuts that you're missing, but they may not be allowed to take meat back that has been out of the facility.

We share one with my parents every year, and we always give the butcher a list of what we need, and the rest goes into ground beef. Hope you're able to figure things out!

Then they should have contacted you to see if you wanted to chance it it go with the burger.

They probably can't "swap" meat - not legally any way. The meat you are having processed is not inspected. The locker can not sell this meat. You are actually buying the meat on the hoof.

I had a dark cutter (locker called me to let me know, but I suspected it before butchering) - so I had it all ground. 600 pounds of hamburger! Holy Shit. I am still using it from 2012! LOL


I can sell beef on the hoof - but I cannot legally sell any process meat (I am a beef producer) unless that beef is USDA inspected. The actual carcass has to be inspected.



What kind of freezer do you have? If it is "frost free" you are not going to have good luck with long term storage (over 6 months at the most). Frost Free freezers are in a constant heat/freeze cycle to keep the frost out of the appliance. NEVER purchase a frost free for storage purposes. It's fine for freezer/fridge combo - but not for a chest or upright type of freezer.

If your freezer has been unplugged and not working for a while, I would plug it in and let it run to see if it is still working. Often when freezers are unplugged and left, they no longer work or not for long.

We've had beef butchered for years and never once has the butcher not asked what cuts we want. You said your in-laws bought part - did they talk to the butcher either?  Did they get the same cuts?

I thought 600 lbs was about average hanging weight for a steer. How could that be too small for butchering into the different cuts requested? Someone either screwed up the butchering, or they are pulling a bait-and-switch and selling your prime cuts and have given you another cow/steer's ground beef in its place.

If it was young - it is possible that it doesn't have a good marble, but I am guessing by the weight, it wasn't super young.

We do not implant. The only way you can get a market weight animal in 9 months is to implant and that will reduce the quality of the meat. It is a proven fact that implanted beef grades at a lower quality. That doesn't mean you won't get a good beef, but you do run the change of NOT getting a good beef if you are getting it from someone who implants and feeds a really hot ration.

Our beef is feed without any hormone implants and it takes about 18 months to get a market weight steer. None of this goes to the grocery store, I can guarantee that. It all goes to European export. We get a hefty premium for feeding this way. Our beef has a much deeper marbling that implanted and quickly fattened beef.

Ask your producer if he feeds DDGs (distillers grain - byproduct of the ethanol industry) - if his ration is based around it, I personally feel that the meat quality is greatly diminished.

The processor isn't responsible for the "grade" of the product. His job is to process, cut and package your beef under sanitary conditions to your specifications. It is not his job to determine the grade of the beef. He certainly could have called and discussed his opinion, to see how you wanted him to proceed, but I think he screwed up and doesn't want to admit it. Bad business practice on his part.