Bulk Meat Buying
Ordering pork and beef in bulk from a local farmer is a great way to know where and how your food was raised, and to save money! When you buy pork or beef this way, you have the opportunity to work directly with a butcher to ensure you get exactly the kind of cuts you want and that makes sense for both the size and cooking style of your family.
How to buy?
Terminology to know
Hanging Weight - Bulk meat farmers sell bulk meat by Hanging Weight. Hanging weight (also known as “on the rail”) and refers to the weight of the beef as it hangs in the butcher’s cooler once the head, hide, feet, organs and blood are removed. If you think of any movie with a butcher shop scene where there are sides of beef hanging from hooks on the ceiling, that is what “on the rail” means. Since most every butcher bases the processing fees on the hanging weight, it is the most widely used measurement by direct to market farmers.
Packaged Weight The hanging weight is the weight of your hog or beef before it is cut up and wrapped into meal size packages. It is important to know the difference between the hanging weight and the final total weight of cut and wrapped meat you will be receiving. The cut and wrap yield (or package weight) refers to the actual weight of all the packages of individual cuts of meat that you will put in your freezer. When the carcass is broken down into recognizable cuts, there is some loss when cuts are deboned and fat is trimmed away. The carcass yield will also depend on the types of cuts you selected for your side (especially the number of boneless cuts you choose).
Processor – The inspected facility that butchers the live animal into packaged cuts of meat.
Custom Processed – When you purchase bulk meat directly from a farm and have it cut/packaged into the cuts/size/quantities you want. These facilities are at minimum state inspected, some of them are federally inspected by the USDA.
Retail Processed – In order to buy packaged meat that is less than ¼, ½, or whole (i.e. individual steaks, pork chops, sausage) US law requires that the facility AND animal be inspected by the USDA. This adds added cost of processing and delays in processing time.
Who do I pay? – For Custom Bulk Meat purchases you pay the farmer directly based on the hanging weight and then the processor for your fees based on hanging weight, cuts, packaging, and any additional services (i.e. cured hams, bacon, sausage).
Cut Sheet – Before your purchase can be butchered into the cuts and packaging that suits your family you’ll complete a cut sheet. The cut sheet shows the butcher exactly how to cut your meat. Do you want bone-in pork chops or boneless? Do you want them .75” thick or 1.5” thick? Do want porterhouse steaks or NY Strip/Filets? Do you want a 3lb roast or 5lb roast? This can be intimidating the first time you do it, but have no fear Clarabelle Lane Farm is here to help you every step of the way.
Points to consider
The size and eating habits of your family will greatly dictate how you want your meat cut and packaged. Consider how much you typically eat per meal and whether or not you typically cook with leftovers in mind. For example, empty nesters or families with only toddlers in the house might want roasts cut in 2-3 pound portions where larger families or those who frequently entertain will want 4-5 pound roasts.
Our beef is sold as whole, half, or quarters and pork as whole or half. Chickens are sold as whole. If this is too much for your family, consider going in with a friend to purchase. We are not legally able to sell individual cuts of meat that are not USDA processed.
About Bulk Pork
Typically the hanging weight of one of our hogs ends up being around 200 pounds. This will yield about 165lbs of packaged weight. Learn more about what you get from bulk pork here.
About Bulk Beef
Typically the hanging weight of one of our beef ends up being around 600-700 pounds (therefore a 1/4 would weigh approx 150-175 pounds). Grain finished beef tends to have a slightly lower carcass yield than grass fed due to excess fat being trimmed away. The carcass yield can vary greatly but a good average for percent cutability (carcass yield as a percentage of the hanging weight) is 75%. Learn more about what you get from bulk beef here.
How Much Freezer Space Do I Need?
