Farmfresh
City Biddy
I am a little late to this party.me&thegals said:
In answer to the question YES and NO. When I found out that I am Celiac a couple of years back I suddenly had to forgo any buns. That McDonalds Quarter Pounder with Cheese that I used to CRAVE is now totally inedible. Strange I never noticed that it was a greasy blob of GRAY meat before.
I can still eat Wendy's, Hardee's low carb ANGUS burgers and Backyard Burger which I think is still a pretty local chain. These burgers feature actual meat. That is it. No body else actually has meat in their burger.
All of you out there moaning about no space nor money to buy good meat I have learned the way. First you MUST buy a BIG freezer. That is not an option. Second you must save up some cash. Go meat free for a while if you must, but save save save. Third while you are saving do some research and some networking.
If you look (Craigslist is a good place to start - as is your local 4-H group or FFA chapter. There are some of those in EVERY state) you can always find a small farmer out there somewhere that is doing things right. Sometimes (like with my pig farmer) they are raising animals basically for their own use. (My pig farmer raises a pig for herself and a couple extra that she markets to pay for her pigs feed and keep her pig company.) Sometimes they are just raising a few animals for show (like FFA or 4-H) and eating the cull animals. What ever the case, they are out there raising those animals.
Also if you look there will be a small processor (sometimes these are mobile, sometimes these are just tucked away in the country, sometimes it is just a willing knowledgeable individual). Often your small producer will have already found them for their own use.
Now for that cash. Buy your meat animal live on the hoof directly from the farmer. Usually you can even pick them out. Most farmers really like this because they tend to make more profit selling direct to you than they do running their animal through an auction. Plus if you like the meat you will be back for more, giving them a little extra security in their work. It is NOT cheap to buy a whole beef steer or a whole pig, but buy it you must. UNLESS you can find a friend or two to "go halves-ies" with you!
The farmer will usually haul it to the butcher for you. You may have to pay extra for this, but usually I don't have to. Sometimes they will even make the appointments for you - especially if they have other animals going as well.
Then the butcher shop will take the processing order for your animal. (See you are the owner of a cow now and didn't ever have to house it!) With in a few weeks you have to go, with some more of that cash, and pay the butcher. At this time you will also pick up your meat order, all wrapped and ready to go.
When I pick up my meat I usually weigh each package and mark it accordingly. Then I usually bag it (AGAIN) in a Ziplock freezer bag. (They can be reused) That helps keep my meat from any freezer burn and protects it extra in my chest freezer. Now do the math. I usually pay LESS for my farmer grown, grass fed, gourmet delicious meats than most people pay at the grocery store for that yummy ammonia filled goop. Usually about 80 to 85% of the price.
BUT it is expensive to buy all your meat for a year (or more) at once. AND you have to have a place to keep it.
Also at first it is monotonous. Pork, pork, pork, pork .... So you mix it up over time. A beef will last us about 2 years, unless I buy a yearling (good way to insure it is grass fed and smaller). I usually share beef with my grown kids. A pig lasts a year (and I share with my kids). I buy rabbits from a 4-H girl and process them myself. Same with duck. I buy a sheep a year as well (or two sheep every other year). We grow our own turkeys and chickens with borrowed space at my D1's house AND we fish. So now I always have a wonderful variety of TERRIFIC meat that is cheap. TADA!
