My mother in law lives most of the year in Virginia. Her and her son buy a side of beef every year and have it cut up different ways. She says it`s cheaper than buying beef in the store. I`ve never done this. Anyone else?

I used to live on a farm, and we raised our own beef. Sometimes people would buy a side from us.

I'd say that unless you get a price that's too high for the side of beef, chances are you will save money over the long run.

Obviously it could be a disaster if the freezer it was stored in lost power.

These days, we just have the freezer section of the fridge to store meat in the condo.

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Ya thats great a idea , I haven't tried this yet , but I will surely try it in the mere future. Buying huge reserves of meat and storing them on the freezer is a good idea, but everything goes wrong if there happens to be a power failure as ricardo says. At such time the generator will serve as god!!!

There are companies out there, and you can do an internet search that allows you to buy either a whole or side. They keep it at their freezer with backup power generators. On average the cost per pound is about 1.28( that's local here) you get roasts, hamburger, ribs steaks etc.
Its worth it if you eat allot of beef, and many companies supplement the side weight with chicken and assorted other items. Make sure its what you want. And lock a low price in.

There are a few companies that charge per month, some that have a full price upon purchase, others have a set unit weight price. read the contract.

It is a great way for piece of mind for food.

julie

Thats a good and a cheap idea. Most people doesn't think of buying the side and go for the main parts. I guess there are companies which deals with side beef meat.

Everyone agrees that you need a good dentist, a good mechanic, and at times a good lawyer.... yet we just go to the grocery store and pick up meat off the shelf. I contend we need a good slaughterhouse. I get meat through my local family owned and operated slaughterhouse. They are certified to process organic and halaal and kosher. We buy an organically raised cow (the cow is bought from a farmer, but the slaughterhouse arranges it since they know all the local farmers) and arrange to have it slaughtered halaal. We usually divide the meat among three or four families so we just tell the slaughterhouse to divide the cuts equally in three portions and they do it for us.

My husband is a butcher and he will tell you this is the way to go. We have done this only a couple of times in the past. We always buy with someone too and then just split the beef and the price. Our neighbors just bought a pig and had it butchered. We have never done that.

For those of you in the northern states would you be able to put your beef in the snow if the power was off ? Would that be cold enough?

Beef is cheaper when bought in bulk just about anywhere, I mean compared to amount. You guys know what I mean, glad this thread is here.