Butchering a Cow with @shalomacres
Butchering
Last year around this time I had the opportunity to get together with @shalomacres, @randomstuff and @mericanhomestead and help/learn how to butcher a cow. It was a great learning experience. @beatitudes8 has butchered their share of deer, but never anything as large as a cow.
This year it was time do butcher one of our own cows. A two year old jersey steer. It was the first cow we raised for the freezer so we were very excited about it. @shalomacres arranged time out of his busy schedule to help us butcher our cow at his place using his setup (which is extremely functional and easy).
The first thing we had to do was get the steer to @shalomacres place, and for that we turned to another friend @mountainmamma who generously let us borrow their trailer.
After we arrived at @shalomacres we dispatched the steer and dressed it out. Then hung it from a heavy duty frame using a 2ton block and tackle.
The choice cuts we kept were the back-straps(loins) used for steaks a few roast out of the back quarters(back legs) and the tenderloins. The front shoulders, neck ,rib meat and everything else we used to make ground beef, and a lot of summer sausage.
@shalomacres was prepared and ready to go when we got there that morning there is more to the prep work then you would think he made a short post on it. I'll link it here--> preparing for butchering
It only took us about four hours from start until we had all the meat on ice in coolers. Not bad if you ask me, but we didn't stop there instead of waiting until the following day to grind the meat and also make @shalomacres famous summer sausage(for REAL it is FAMOUS)its Delicious!
We went ahead and finished it all that night. It turned out to be a very long night not finishing until around 2am, but well worth it!
I'll make another post about the summer sausage soon. HERE it is!
Thanks again to @randomstuff , @shalomacres, and his family for everything!
If you have never checked out @shalomacres please do so.
He is one of the most knowledgeable homesteaders/people out there no joke! (don't tell him I said that though).
He also has a extensive video list on youtube and an amazing how to DIY Root Cellar series.
On farm butchery is a big key to success. Quite a lot of money can be saved by doing it yourself!
Great post!
Did you save the hide?
We had plans to but unfortunately with everything else going on we ended up not saving it.
Looks like you had enough to get done anyway.
They're kind of a pain in the butt.
Thanks for the kind words but it took all of us to make the day/evening a success. We even had a little laughter and become closer as friends. We look forward to our next project together soon!
Did Captain America join you? That's how ya'll got through so fast!!
No Really, That's super exciting and something we hope to be doing one of these days! @shalomacres has a nice setup for this! Maybe he's the real Captain America!?
Four hours! Imagine trying to do that alone! It takes me long enough to prep a chicken, so I was curious to know what something as big as a cow entailed.
Ironically, although we live in the suburbs surrounded by people, I feel we're quite isolated in regards to having assistance to be able to do this sort of thing. Hubby recently took days to butcher a ram on his own.
Yes it’s funny how you can be surrounded by people and feel isolated. People have a complete disconnect from their food today. Most would never even comprehend butchering/raising their own food.
The four hours was just disassembling the steer into cuts of meat. Not having it all ready for the freezer.
I bet when you do finally get to eat some of that meat you will praise the Father first of course but then also be thankful because you knew what that animal ate and how it was cared for! Also how much meat, pound wise, were you able to get?
We had hamburgers the night we butchered and they were delicious! Not sure on the exact count just yet a lot of it is still on ice.
This is great to learn...and something I need to learn more about. My ex is a butcher, and if SHTF he will probably come out here to stay with all of us. But I should still learn in case he doesn't make it here.
I wish I had learned while we lived with him, but work and kids...
I have never seen a cow butchered before, Thanks for sharing your experience
Your welcome I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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