If you order 1/2 or 1/4 cow...

GRKaters

for your family, and had the option of a "front" or "hind" portion, which would you choose and why?

 

uncannycanuck

Hind will have larger cuts, but more of the better cuts. Front has smaller cuts, but more of the shoulder cuts.

Some farmers just give you a mix that has a weight = to 1/4, not literally one quarter of the cow.

WendyGR

we've thought about this too :-) It's a tough decision. Byron Center has a sale every so often, unfortunately it seems like it's always when we're short on cash. 

GRKaters

WendyGR:

we've thought about this too :-) It's a tough decision. Byron Center has a sale every so often, unfortunately it seems like it's always when we're short on cash. 

The ones I'm looking at are from Heffron Farms Market right now. I think it's something I'd like to do for the winter.

 

CharlottesWeb

We get a 1/4 from a farm that mixes cuts from front and back.

srs5624

Ask if they'll be giving you literally 1/4 of the steer or if they'll be giving you an equivalent of 1/4 of the weight.

My dad (he has a butcher shop) lets you pick what cuts of beef and how much weight (1/4, 1/2, etc) you want, and then he picks and chooses from the steer to get the appropriate cuts. Occasionally a person comes in and just wants hamburger, so they get mostly front quarter/half. The rear half has the best steaks and roasts.

hollyfp

CharlottesWeb:

We get a 1/4 from a farm that mixes cuts from front and back.

Same.  We like some ground, some roasts, some steaks, etc. 

GRKaters

srs5624:

Ask if they'll be giving you literally 1/4 of the steer or if they'll be giving you an equivalent of 1/4 of the weight.

My dad (he has a butcher shop) lets you pick what cuts of beef and how much weight (1/4, 1/2, etc) you want, and then he picks and chooses from the steer to get the appropriate cuts. Occasionally a person comes in and just wants hamburger, so they get mostly front quarter/half. The rear half has the best steaks and roasts.

The website says "1/4 - front (approx X pounds)" and "1/4 - hind (approx X pounds)" and the same for 1/2 poundage. So I have to specify which area, and then they'd give me the equivalent weight.

 

krystlr

from a lurker- we just put in an order to split a cow with DH's parents (last of the family cattle) and we took cuts from front and back depending on what we liked and cooked the most.

srs5624

GRKaters:

srs5624:

Ask if they'll be giving you literally 1/4 of the steer or if they'll be giving you an equivalent of 1/4 of the weight.

My dad (he has a butcher shop) lets you pick what cuts of beef and how much weight (1/4, 1/2, etc) you want, and then he picks and chooses from the steer to get the appropriate cuts. Occasionally a person comes in and just wants hamburger, so they get mostly front quarter/half. The rear half has the best steaks and roasts.

The website says "1/4 - front (approx X pounds)" and "1/4 - hind (approx X pounds)" and the same for 1/2 poundage. So I have to specify which area, and then they'd give me the equivalent weight.

Bah! Then I suggest you look at a beef cut guide and see what cuts are available for each quarter and see what you would use the most. Here's a link to a pretty good chart.

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Cooking-Tips--Techniques-642/beef-cuts.aspx

GRKaters

srs5624:

GRKaters:

srs5624:

Ask if they'll be giving you literally 1/4 of the steer or if they'll be giving you an equivalent of 1/4 of the weight.

My dad (he has a butcher shop) lets you pick what cuts of beef and how much weight (1/4, 1/2, etc) you want, and then he picks and chooses from the steer to get the appropriate cuts. Occasionally a person comes in and just wants hamburger, so they get mostly front quarter/half. The rear half has the best steaks and roasts.

The website says "1/4 - front (approx X pounds)" and "1/4 - hind (approx X pounds)" and the same for 1/2 poundage. So I have to specify which area, and then they'd give me the equivalent weight.

Bah! Then I suggest you look at a beef cut guide and see what cuts are available for each quarter and see what you would use the most. Here's a link to a pretty good chart.

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Cooking-Tips--Techniques-642/beef-cuts.aspx

Helpful, thanks!