Just won a side of beef in a raffle. Processor is asking how I want it portioned. Update!

If you know how to break it down and have the tools, have them divide it into primals. If not, get it in subprimals so you can cut your own custom portion cuts.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about... ask them what they recommend and go with that.

quote:

---

If you know how to break it down and have the tools, have them divide it into primals. If not, get it in subprimals so you can cut your own custom portion cuts.

---

Why would one do this when someone will break it down for free?

I’d ask the processor what he recommends.

I’ve done plenty of deer, and hogs in my day, but an entire side of beef is a bit much, plus the processing was included in the raffle. We eat steaks a lot, roast on occasion when I can find a good deal on one, and lots of hamburger meat. I will throw down some fajitas, or carne asada from time to time.

Problem is the wife and daughters only like filet for steak, but I’ll eat any of them. I don’t have a good enough pit to smoke up brisket, ribs and the like.

Curters are doing the processing. Figure I’ll just talk with them and figure out from there.

quote:

---

Problem is the wife and daughters only like filet for steak

---

So I think I cracked this code with my wife a few weeks ago.

My wife saaays she likes ribeyes because that is what her dad gets. For years when I would cook ribeyes, she would waste tons of it and complain that it was too fatty. What it took me almost 10 years to realize is that she grew up in a small town without easy access to high quality steaks. I always buy choice/prime quality ribeyes that have superior marbling and a good spinalis. The steaks that she grew up on had no marbling and so she had little waste and has always thought that the pretty red steaks are the best.

Fast forward to about a month ago. I found some thick cut ribeyes that were very high grade (probably prime) but there were only two in the case. I ended up buying them and grilling them. I pulled the eyes out of the ribeyes. I cut one in half and split it between two kids. I kept the two spinalises and gave the wife the eye that I had separated and trimmed the fat off of the edges. It looked like a filet and my wife raved for 2 days about how that was the best steak she had ever had.

Try that.

quote:

---

Problem is the wife and daughters only like filet for steak,

---

Their opinions will change after they have a really good ribeye, strip, or anything else.
I have a buddy like this. “My wife and kids only want filet” The wife normally likes filet because at some point she was told it’s the best steak because it costs the most. Then the kids follow momma.
Steak is steak and there are many great cuts and different ways to cook them. Saying you only like one cut of steak tells me that you really don’t even know what you’re talking about.
Feed them a strip and tell them it’s a filet

Ribeyes 1.5 inch
New York strip 1.5 inch
T bone 1.5 inch
Sirloin 0.5 inch
Flank steak yes

Tri tip yes
Chuck roast yes
Brisket yes

Ground meat the rest
Tongue


We get a cow a year, we never eat all of the roasts we think we will. Used to get sirloin tip, rump roast, etc.

Stew meat is a waste, get ground. We always go through the ground meat and steaks the quickest.

ETA: your processor should have a cut sheet for you to fill out. I can post mine from the cow we just got if you want.

quote:

---

Cut 50% into ribeyes and 50% into filets and call it done

---

We got a whole steer done in fillets last year. So good.

quote:

---

Why would one do this

---

quote:

---

I would also be able to keep the bones for stock making and fat for tallow

---

100% this. OP tell them you want all the fat/trimmings and see if they will cut the big bones in half so you can roast and get the marrow out. Not sure what all bones are good for that but I know some are. Render the fat for tallow, make smaller portions of it, vac, freeze for long term use. I use silicon muffin cups.

quote:

---

if he gets t bones he won’t get any fillets and that is what wife wants

---

Get filets and bone in strip loin.