Brother in law had a bull come up lame, but only part of the time. Instead of sending through the sale ring, we turned it into hamburger. 5 of us that were pretty handy with knives, all experienced putting up multiple deer/antelope/elk/hogs a year, started in on that thing. Had 2 3/4 ho grinders and a 1 HP grinder going.
The lesson learned, an Angus bull is a whole different animal than a deer or elk. And that was just turning into burger. Everything is simply bigger. And harder to handle.
Is it doable? Sure. But you better be set up for it.
Big job if you have never done it. Ever butcher other stuff on your own? Deer, sheep, hogs? If not, a beef you paid quite a bit of money for is not the place to start. Handling, hoisting, gutting and skinning a 1000+ pound dead critter is not a job for beginners.
Additionally, beef really ought to hang in pretty specific conditions for a couple weeks to get the best results. Unless you have a walk in cooler, that is hard to do.
Once all the other ducks are in a row, you have to know the cuts and how to make them when you start breaking the beef down. That is no small skill.
There is a ton of work and knowledge that lands a ribeye on your grill. There are good reasons why butchers exist, and farmers and ranchers prefer to use them. I have butchered beef for the family in the past, largely because we did not have the money to pay a processor. All of us worked it, and we got it done. Since it was an old cow, we made most into burger, which negated needing to know the cuts. Still, it was a ton of work, and only worth it because we had mouths to feed and little money. A fella used to USDA Choice beef might be less than thrilled with the results of his own butchering, if he is new to the game.
This...๐
completely concur......also the U-tube posted earlier is a darn good assist.
I'd find a local pro who will take a bit extra to show you the ropes before I'd jump in.
I've cut up a ton of primals cuts into roasts, steaks , and grind trim. That isn't near the challenge of dealing with a 3/4 ton of dead schit laying on the ground.
If I was going try, I'd have a way to hoist several cuts off the ground and keep them hung and cool. One or two hooks isn't going to do it. Plan on four quarters, a place to hang them cold and clean, and a few big tubs for miscellaneous trim and guts.
Speaking of guts.....a 1500 pound steer has a lot of them. Plus skin, head, feet, etc..... It ain't a deer or even an elk.
I want to cut my own one of these years but it definitely takes some planning.
โLife is life and fun is fun, but it's all so quiet when the goldfish die.โ
Thanks gents. Good stuff as always and I do appreciate it. I've done elk, deer, pigs, lambs, bears, antelope etc. and I enjoy the process. Have access to a very large walk in cooler to hang. Have the knives and saws, etc.. I'll watch the linked YouTube video, thanks for that. Sam I appreciate your input, having been there/done that. Dan
You don't have to butcher a 3 year old 800 lb steer on your first try, just saying and around here the end of October will be as cold as it needs to be, we've been killing and cutting them as long as I remember and it ain't all that hard, don't be skeared and just do it !
For 50 bucks and the hide most places will kill it and split it for you, you can do the rest .
We lived near a dairy for a while growing up. Every once in a while a moble butcher truck would show up and take care of some old Holstein that was having problems or something. The guy would kill it on the spot, hoist it up on a hoist sticking out of the back of the truck, gut it, skin it, quarter it, and then haul the quarters to a cooler somewhere.
Lots of good advice on this thread. When we were kids we always had cattle for the milk (my older brothers milked them every day twice a day), and for the beef. Everyone pitched in to help with the butchering and it was a chore even with a bunch of us helping... If you haven't done one before, ask someone to help you figure it out while you do the work so you learn it well or there will be a lot of lost money on the deal. And when you get to figuring out how much your price on the hoof ends up costing you once it is packaged and in the freezer, it may or may not seem like as good a deal as you originally thought...
As important as the butchering is knowing how a cow is finished off before butchering time. How much grain and how long was it finished with? What were the conditions while it was being finished? Was it led up to the slaughter and killed quickly or chased around the field all day to try to corral it? It may seem silly to some who have been around cattle all their lives, but a lot of guys don't realize how much this stuff affects the taste of the meat.... finishing is a skill, butchering is a skill but also just plain hard work if you haven't done it before...
Never underestimate your ability to overestimate your ability.
That Dexter boning knife in the photo is about the most useful knife for many tasks. Both the 6" and 8" models are invaluable. Those carbon steel models are easy to sharpen and hold an edge very well.
That Dexter is a very good knife and all that one would need for boning, but the Chicago Cutlery boner laying inside above the saw blade is the one I use the most. I used a knife like that for 24yr doing commercial work. The blades are stiff and replaceable. The Dexter came to me as found in the local refinery where I now work. It was covering in rust and in hard shape. The insulators there used them for cutting hard piping insulation and left it behind in the weather. They are not expensive, but as you mention a very good knife for it's intended task.
Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Lets see, you have a Worksharp knife sharpener with several spare belts, a battery Sawzall, several cordless powered knives....
I have used a Worksharp for years, but don't own one. The meat saw in the pic will do everything I need breaking down moose, but a good recip saw is a good choice for splitting backbones. I leave back intact and just bone the muscle from both sides. Not sure I've ever seen a cordless knife other than the one my grandfather used to carb the roast beast.
This young bull came home with me from Newfoundland last fall completely boneless except the side ribs. It is the finest eating moose we've ever had.
Raised my own beef for the last 12 years. I buy 3-4 in early May and butcher them in early November. I always send them to be processed. 3 years ago, against my better judgment I took an 800 pound steer that was especially wild. Usually if you lock them up in the stall for a week and feed them grain they will settle down and start to feel at home. This one decided he was never going to stay and broke out and ran for the hills. Long story short he caught a bullet between the eyes. I had to butcher it on my own because of the circumstances. He was only 800 pounds( usually more like 1200 when they go) and I have processed all my big game since I was a kid and I still donโt think I want to tackle that again. Used a tractor to hang it, knives and sawzall to cut it and I have my own grinder. If youโre used to cutting up meat( I usually do at least 5 or six deer a year) itโs something I wouldnโt be afraid to try but itโs still a pain in the but because of the size of the animal. Heck the hide is tough to deal with. I did it on my own but if you had a couple extra guys helping it wouldnโt be too bad. Watch a YouTube video or two and get out your 22mag. Those guts are fun to deal with too!!
Tell me the odds of putting grease on the same pancake? I Know they are there, well ice and house slippers. -Kawi
I have done a few,but would not attempt without help . I have a tractor to hang them, access to a cooler,grinder,knives,meat band saw. No though, I have rancher friend that has complete set up including a tenderizer and grinder with a 6" throat.
Cutting one up into specific cuts is no big deal.
If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles
Was it led up to the slaughter and killed quickly or chased around the field all day to try to corral it?.
Put me in mind of a episode years agoโฆ neighbor asked if I wanted to come down Saturday morning and help kill a steer. Sure, why not? Well, the steer in question was still on pasture and a bit of a wild one. The plan was for us to go out with an 8N and a wood wagon, his oldest boy would put it down with his .30-30, weโd hoist it with the tractorโs front loader, gut it, put it in the wagon and take it back to the house to cut up. As it turns out, the boy with the .30-30 was no marksman. The first attempt, at about 50 yards ended up with a solid gut shot and it was off to the races. The steer sustained a couple more bad hits before the old man took the rifle away from the kid and put the poor steer down with a head shot. Fast forward, they gave me a couple packages of steaks. They werenโt very good, but I had about a dozen running hounds at the timeโฆ
No one mentioned doing it the Indian way? The men would kill the buffalo. Then the women would move in for the butchering while the men partied. There's lots to be said about the old ways.
โIn a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.โ โ George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
You don't have to butcher a 3 year old 800 lb steer on your first try,, we've been killing and cutting them as long as I remember.
sounds like you have some real experience cutting up miniature cattle...... Hereabouts, a yearling will weigh from 900 to 1200. No need to wait 3 frigging years for them to get to 800.......
I live on a farm that used to be a dairy. Several years ago had to take care of a 4 year old holstein who got injured. It was very warm, I killed her standing , only way a butcher will take em around here! I used the skidsteer to field dress her and quarter her. Nephew was a rookie, so not much help! Taking care of that cow about killed me ! Without a walk in , I would not even attempt it again and I ain't no slouch when it comes to such things!