Custom Butchering Explained

The process begins when a live animal is taken to the processor. The animal is then euthanized, and the carcass is hung on a rail for ease of movement within the processing facility.

The initial step involves removing the entrails, skin, head, and hooves, resulting in what is known as the "hanging weight" of the animal. This weight becomes the basis on how you will pay for your order.

To tailor the processing to your preferences, a cut sheet is filled out. This sheet serves as a guide for the butcher, indicating your specifications for individual cuts, such as steak and roast thickness. Specific requests for bone-in or boneless cuts, as well as the total amount of ground meat, can be outlined.

Using the provided cut sheet, the butcher then proceeds to cut the animal into the desired individual cuts.

There is no right and wrong when making your selections however, choices made on the cut sheet impact the final product and overall yield. Leaving bones in cuts results in less trimmings, affecting the total amount of ground meat obtained. There are also considerations of what to do with excess fat trimmings and bones. Generally these “by-products” are discarded, however, fat can be rendered down to produce lard, and bones cut up for pet chews or used in making bone broth.

It's crucial to note that different cuts can be derived from the same portion of meat. For instance, removing the bone from a T-bone steak yields both filet mignon and tenderloin, but not all three simultaneously.

Pricing is determined based on the hanging weight of the animal. You pay for the actual meat and separately compensate the butcher for their labor and the packaging of your customized meat cuts.