# Do-it-yourself meat question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803 "2020-05-14T20:37:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/1 "2020-05-14T20:37:31Z")
Approximately how much would it cost to buy a steer from a rancher, deliver it to a butcher, and have her cut it up and package it for you? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/2 "2020-05-14T20:47:35Z")
$1202.50 for half a steer [http://www.blueroosterfarm.com/purchase-a-whole-half-or-quarter-beef](http://www.blueroosterfarm.com/purchase-a-whole-half-or-quarter-beef) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/3 "2020-05-14T21:01:40Z")
Probably varies locally. Don’t forget the cost of the extra freezer, and the cost of cleaning up the mess if that freezer fails. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/4 "2020-05-14T21:11:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Approximately how much would it cost to buy a steer from a rancher, deliver it to a butcher, and have her cut it up and package it for you? If you buy a live steer and trailer it to a butcher, once the butcher starts butchering the steer is gonna resist. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/5 "2020-05-14T21:11:45Z")
And take into account the current waiting list. The ones around here are booked into 2021. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/6 "2020-05-14T21:20:47Z")
Is there a bargain price for just grinding the whole thing to hamburger? Terrible waste of tasty steaks and such. Probably best to keep ribs as separate cuts. But would you get a much cheaper butchering cost if you said, just grind it all up? ( meat, not bones ) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/7 "2020-05-14T21:57:33Z")
I doubt it - the carcass still has be to be cleaned, disarticulated, and if you’re going to grind everything you’ll have to de-bone the meat prior to the grinding. ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/8 "2020-05-14T22:00:23Z")
This place will kill it, gut it, cut it and package to your specifications. [http://www.fauquiersfinest.com/rates-and-services](http://www.fauquiersfinest.com/rates-and-services) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/9 "2020-05-14T22:00:43Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > And take into account the current waiting list. The ones around here are booked into 2021. Deep freezers are also hard to get now. I just checked Home Depot’s website, and the one listed as a best seller is back ordered until August. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/10 "2020-05-14T22:08:55Z")
> [@Kedikat](#): > > Is there a bargain price for just grinding the whole thing to hamburger? > > Terrible waste of tasty steaks and such. Probably best to keep ribs as separate cuts. But would you get a much cheaper butchering cost if you said, just grind it all up? ( meat, not bones ) Cheaper? No. You are paying a premium price for hamburger that way, Getting patties the last time we did cost extra. Can save a few pennies per pound by wrapping it yourself but usually isn’t worth the few dollars in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/11 "2020-05-14T22:43:26Z")
Not really practical. A deer carcass butchered and packaged take a bunch of space in a chest freezer. A 1/2 steer would fill it up. Small protein sources, like rabbit, chickens, fish and, if you’re game: squirrel and opossum, take up less room. Defrost, cook, eat, and replace daily. Or go strictly for canned meat. If the s\*\*t really hits the fan about meat shortages it’s really gonna be bad, folks. Start buying now. I don’t plan on eating Cat soup. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/12 "2020-05-14T22:47:16Z")
If the shit really hits the fan with meat shortages: 1. canned meat 2. hunt your own small game 3. get a fishing pole 4. backyard hens 5. beans ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/13 "2020-05-14T23:21:32Z")
Actually, if you are really worried about meat shortages, you can start raising chickens, crayfish, or if you really want to be ahead of the curve, [crickets and caterpillars](http://www.fao.org/edible-insects/en/). All of these are much better for the environment than cows, sheep, and pigs, and probably better for you as well. The current centralized meat production and processing industry has been problematic in a number of ways; with the lower costs come environmental impacts, increases in meat-borne pathogenic disease, the exploitation of immigrant workers, and of course the vulnerability we are now seeing when even a few major plants are impacted. And as much as I hate to say it because like meat and hate beans, but with the right dietary balance you can get away with a minimum of animal products (or none) in your diet without any serious health complications, and possibly even significant improvements when it comes to eliminating highly processed meat products. I’m still holding out for good vat-grown meat, though. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/14 "2020-05-14T23:33:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Approximately how much would it cost to buy a steer from a rancher, deliver it to a butcher, and have her cut it up and package it for you? Not much more than ordering that much meat directly from your butcher. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/15 "2020-05-14T23:38:40Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Not much more than ordering that much meat directly from your butcher. Still impractical if you don’t have freezer space. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/16 "2020-05-14T23:41:11Z")
Soylent green? Ewwwww! I can go a long time without Animal protein. Not sure about the rest of my family. I’m afraid we’d devolve into a Donner party pretty quick. (I’m kidding, I ain’t eating peoples) The problem with small game for urban people, if you don’t have a place to hunt you’ll be out of luck. When town squirrels and birds get eaten urbanites will be moving further and further out. If you’re armed and know how to hunt then you’ll run into others doing the same thing. Or landowners who won’t appreciate you taking their game. That’s not a sustainable food source, at all. If you live through the hunt you’re still not gonna get much meat like that. One squirrel is 1/2 the size of a chicken. Squirrel are surprisingly hard to hunt.(I don’t care how easy Daryl makes it look on the Walking dead, it’s got to be a head shot or lose a lot of the meat) Get that canned hash bought. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/17 "2020-05-14T23:43:46Z")
Moved to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/18 "2020-05-14T23:46:02Z")
Markets and restaurants are starting to report meat supply chain issues, and consequent price mark-ups. ISTM that the meat on the hoof is still out there, but the mass production processing part is disrupted? Ugh. Maybe we will be seeing an increase in a more direct supply chain with local butchers becoming more in demand. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/19 "2020-05-14T23:48:39Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Moved to Cafe Society. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator I’ve got no beef with that. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803/20 "2020-05-14T23:53:31Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Markets and restaurants are starting to report meat supply chain issues, and consequent price mark-ups. ISTM that the meat on the hoof is still out there, but the mass production processing part is disrupted? Ugh. Maybe we will be seeing an increase in a more direct supply chain with local butchers becoming more in demand. Local butchers of that sort already exist but I think in many areas, they’re aimed at kosher or halal buyers. Mostly the system is currently set up for large slaughterhouses which then distribute packaged meat to food distributors and supermarkets. I don’t see that changing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-it-yourself-meat-question/853803.md?page=2)