Today we picked up our freezer meat from the
Meat Chop and it was like Christmas unpacking the box! There
were so many steaks, some roasts and interesting cuts like
short ribs that we can’t wait to use. We needed something that
would thaw quickly so we used Minute Steaks and made
Weiner Schnitzel – yum! We used short ribs to make a
nutritious and delicious vegetable
soup. Beef Guinness Pie is a favourite - here's the recipe.
A thought on pasture-raised beef from and article last year in the Guardian newspaper (Clare Finney, The Guardian International November 20, 2019: To Eat or Not To Eat: 10 of the World's Most Controversial Foods)
"According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), cattle are the animal species responsible for the most emmisions; yet this dismal statistic hides a wide variation in production practices and thus emission intensity, as the FAO acknowledges. There's a big difference between intensive beef production and pasture raised beef. 'There is no convincing evidence that rearing cattle in regenerative, pasture-based systems is bad for the environment; on the contrary, these permanent pastures act as carbon sinks.'"
We are pleased to offer a small number of beef packages from our herd of Highland and Highland-cross cattle.
The Highland cross offers a superior-tasting well-marbled beef. There are well-researched health benefits to the Highland meat, including lower cholesterol levels and higher protein and iron content. We don't use any hormones and our grass is natural - no fertilizers or pesticides are used anywhere on our farm.
When you’re buying a side of beef you have almost unlimited possibilities for your choices: paper versus plastic vacuum packaging, thickness of steaks, sizes of roasts, breakfast sausages, hamburger patties, beef jerky, plus special requests are accommodated if possible (full brisket, for example). The processor we use is the Meat Chop and they’re just a 10-minute drive from our farm – very easy on the animals.
There is variability each year in the size of the live animals, but we aim for about 280 pounds of freezer beef per animal, or about 140 pounds per side. Last year’s animals gave 60% steaks and roasts, and 40% ground beef.
The cost of a side of beef is very reasonable. We charge $900 per side of beef, and the Meat Chop charges a flat fee plus a wrapping and processing fee. The average cost per pound in 2020 was $8.00/pound in the freezer, and there were lots of interesting choices of processing – you should absolutely get what you want when ordering.
Please
let us know if you’re interested in buying a side of beef.
Reviews
"the beef has been excellent. My parents from B.C. took 1/4 and couldn't be happier, they seem to mention it almost every time we talk on the phone!" Kirby H., Calgary, AB
"Just wanted to say thanks a lot for the beef. I made one of the chuck roasts in the pressure cooker last night and it was amazing. We will be eating like kings all year!" Rob K., Calgary, AB
"Meat turned out really well, great marbling. Dad and I are enjoying it (as is the dog). I think it takes Dad back to his day on the farm. Made some jerky and it was awesome." Jason T., Calgary, AB
Lorraine & Kevin Bannister
35540
RR12
Red Deer County, AB
T4G 0M9
403-506-2129
farm@garlicgoodness.ca
