Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire beef review..4 legged kind ...jim conard

Say....Gruff.

Your meat is in my freezer.

Uhhh......

Did someone say, beef?

I’ve only done it for the last three years, so really ain’t got much of a clue.

We’ve purchased steers between 800-1000 pounds in April and feed them spent brewing grain until late Nov/early Dec. Small pasture but it’s a creek bottom and grows all summer so they have plenty of grass to graze. We also buy about 1k pounds of cattle grower feed to mix in.

The spent grain is about 80% malted barley, 17-18% malted wheat, and 2-3% rye and oats. After the grain is used for brewing much of the sugars are leached out along with a good bit of protein. I don’t recall the typical analysis but it’s readily available on the innerwebs if you’re curious.

We free feed the spent grain. 4 steers go through about a 35 gallon tote of it a day.

Our results have varied.
First years beef was outstanding. Bought the steers from a local guy we supply spent grain to. They were Herefords. He puts a lot of effort into his cows and breeding. Hung the carcass for 20 days. Some of the best beef I’ve had.

Second year we bought black Angus steers from a rancher on the east side. They gained well and the carcasses looked good. The butcher apparently had cooler issues. Meat came back wit a bit of funk to it. Wasn’t off putting, but could tell it was there. Wasn’t as tender as year one. Hung 16 days.

Last year we bout charolais/angus cross steers from a different eastern WA rancher. Again, they gained well and produced a good looking carcass. New butcher did a great job. Meat is good, but not as marbled or tender as year one. Definitely better than Y2. Hung for 13 or 14 days.



I think Y1 turned out so well because of how the steers were raised. Locally here on the west side on fresh pasture and spent grain. They simply had a head start compared to what I assume were range cows from the much drier E side.

Age time might of been a small factor, but I doubt it.


No steers this year.

Have enough beef Mooner?

Sounds like Big Jim is trying to get his meat in Mooner.

Be careful Jim.
You're big,
He is wiry.

you are welcome.....really liked being able to buy direct and support mt ranchers and family? butcher shop......bob

Jim

That’s what we used to do as well.

We , sometimes, would go grass to whole oats and hay , then to ground barley.

Like you said, raised it all ourselves......

That’s doing it right

pm sent

So I got to meet the man, myth, and legend in person. He's real, and looks remarkable like the pics he's posted even!

Cooked up a steak last night, having another one for lunch today. I can honestly say I don't think I've ever had better. It is amazing. Wife's tossing a roast in the crockpot today I think for supper. Can't wait for that!

My review of Jim's meat is 5 star, two thumbs up, and highly recommended.

Lickin' my lips just thinking about it.

This! The folks we sell to for the first time are always raving about how great our beef tastes.

I sell mine probably too cheap, $2.50/lb on the hanging weight.

Pretty close estimates I use:

Hanging weight will be 65% of live weight.

Cut and wrapped weight will be 65% of hanging weight.

So a 1300lb steer will hang at +/- 845# and will wrap up at +/- 550#

I just drop them off at the locker and they then belong to the buyer. I think they get about $0.65/hanging weight to cut.

So it probably works out to just under $5/lb for cut and wrapped meat from me.

I hear of guys charging $3.50+ for their steers, $750 for a quarter of beef just sounds crazy, but some folks pay it.

How do you cook your steak?

On a hot cast iron skillet on the stove. Even left it a little bloody in the middle. Some worcestershire and chicago steak on it while it cooks.

Fugkin a that was a good steak.

I thought you were a well done guy?

I'm coming around. Hard to change but Im getting there. Realized how much better my venison was when I didn't burn it, easing my toe into the less cooked beef world.

Pork gets burned though.

Sounds like somebody don't like the pink.

As long as it's hot, and the fat has rendered I'm happy. I can't do the cold in the middle thing.

Thanks very much Gruff.


I was worried....I always worry. Very happy you are satisfied.



I enjoyed meeting you. Both literally....and figuratively? Yeah?

So much for me getting beef from Big Jim.