Butchering aged animals

[copperhead]

Carole, sorry I didn't see your question till now............Yes, and kinda no, the cow we butchered was pulled up out of the pasture and put in a smaller lot for a couple of weeks, I fed her some calf creep pellets and she had really good grass in the lot. So basically, she was grass fed with a little soy bean help. The weather was still too warm so we had no way to let the beef hang at all, I think we left her overnight and started cutting the next morning. I have a younger cow that I'm planning to butcher this coming winter and I'm hoping we'll get to let her age for a couple of weeks.
P.J.

[cddexter]

I've done in several that were older, and OLD. I told the butcher to use the sharp knife scale: if it cuts easily, keep it as a chunk; if it cuts like the knife is dull, turn it into hamburger. I've had some GREAT beef from older animals. Don't let the butcher or friends tell you otherwise. cheers, other c.

[dexterhillsranch]

We have butchered two older cows this year, 10 & 12. We and daughters families and college granddaughters are eating them but I would not label either as tender. They are chewy at best, I would never sell older cow to a paying customer. Our 30 month steers are great, everyone has been very happy and want more.

[kansasdexters]

Whenever we process an older animal (cow or bull) here are the cuts worth asking for:

Brisket - Whole
Tenderloin - as Whole Roasts
Flank Steaks - Plain or as London Broil
Ribeye Steaks - cut 1-inch thick
Sirloin Steaks - cut 1-inch thick
Arm Roasts - 2 lb to 3 lb size
Meaty Soup Bones - Neck and Shanks, 2 lb per pkg
Short Ribs - Flanken cut, 4 ribs per pkg
Stew Meat - Boneless & Trimmed, 1 lb or 2 lb per pkg
Meatless Marrow Bones - Cut into 2-inch lengths, 2 lb per pkg, for making brown stock
Grind the rest as 90% lean ground beef, package in 1 lb or 2 lb pkg.

Since bull meat is very lean, consider using the rump roast, Pikes Peak roast, and/or Sirloin Tip roast and have it made into beef jerky, 4 oz per pkg.



Patti

[ssimons]

Has anyone had experience using a pressure cooker with older cuts of meat? I have used a pressure cooker on elk, deer and other commercial "less desirable " cuts of meat, and the results are almost always a more tender table fare. The only exception was antelope, ( a whole different story). It will be a few years until I get the opportunity to taste my own Dexter beef , let alone cuts off older animals. I'd be curious to know how it affects the outcome and taste,if anyone tries it in the near future. There are dozens of recipes on the various cooking sites on the internet.

[lavacaw]

I butchered one that was about 5 years old last year and with the drought, she wasn't exactly "well marbled"! I use a pressure cooker all the time to start stew and beef burgandy, etc. Haven't tried it for much else because I really don't like well done steak cuts. This time I will spend a month or so fattening the next one up so maybe the butcher will hang it.

[zephyrhillsusan]

I know you didn't ask about crock pots, but I have found that beef cooked overnight on low just falls apart when done in the crock pot. I particularly love it with stew beef for curry or chili and a French recipe I have for beef with carrots and olives, one of our favorites. Of course, our steer was pretty well marbled, but when you're cooking it with some liquid in the crock pot, it doesn't really matter. Wine in the beef with carrots and beer in the chili help things along, too!

[Olga]

Elly May was a just turned 4 y.o., 3/4 Dexter, 1/4 Jersey, short-leg, very short and blocky type cow. No live weight, but hanging weight was 240 lbs. Grass-fed only, no grain finishing of any kind, butchered in late May after a couple of months on spring grass. She had plenty of fat cover and the meat is very marbled. The color of the meat a dark red, color of the fat slightly yellow. Delicious taste and texture of the meat, the fat has a buttery flavor.

[legendrockranch]

Just took in a 9 year old cow, her hanging weight was 497. Hated to see her go but she wasn't able to produce anymore. It will be interesting to what the meat taste like.

Barb

[copperhead]

I took my favorite cow to the butcher Sunday evening, she was 9 years old and hasn't concived for two years, so I took her in. Her live weight was 874, so I'm anxious to know here hanging weight. I told the butcher to pull the loin for steaks, and the brisket and some for soup meat and grind the rest. I have 140 lbs of ground already sold and we will use the rest. I still had beef except for grind, so this will get us through to the next steer. I'll post how it weighed out when I get her back.
P.J.

[RedRidge]

Barb, did you grind or have regularly cuts done on the 9 month old you took? How was the flavor and texture?

[legendrockranch]

She was a 9 year old and we did get cuts along with a lot of hamburger.

Pikes peak - whole
Sirloins - half of them were cut 1 inch think, the other half went to grind
Tenderloins - whole
N.Y. strips - 1 1/2 in thick
Round/rump - grind
Arm - grind
Chuck - 2 inch thick cuts, cut in half
Ribeyes (boneless) 1 1/2 in thick
Short ribs - 1/2 BBQ, 1/2 strip
Brisket - whole
Lots of hamburger

Everything else was grind. The steaks were not that tender, still hoping I'll have one that is. The roasts the way I cook them the meat falls apart, I love these.
The flavor of the meat was ok, but nothing to jump up and down about.

Just took out some NY strip steaks, should be eating them tomorrow. Will let you know how they taste, if I remember will try and take pictures also.

Barb

[copperhead]

An update on my 9 year old cow. She walked in weighing 874, her dress weight was 489, (put her at 55.95%) package weight was 318. Due to a mis communication I got more steaks than I had planned, but, it's OK. I thought I was just going to get rib eye, brisket and soup bones, but I also got T-bones, and sirloin steaks. We cooked some rib eye last night, unbelievably tender and so tasty!! We got 207 lbs of grind, plus tongue,and ox tail, also shank bones for soup. I'm really happy with the yield.