Natural Beef by the SideTwo questions that we are commonly asked are “What is a side of beef?” and “How will my meat be processed?” Our beef is processed at a USDA federally inspected and approved facility. The first step is dividing the beef from each animal into two equal lengthwise parts or “sides.” Each side of beef has a whole rump, whole round, whole loin and complete set of ribs.Once the beef has been halved into the two sides, the beef is dry aged for at least 14 days. During this time the meat’s natural enzymes act as a tenderizer and add flavor to the meat. Moisture evaporates from the meat as well which enhances the texture of the meat. A thin coating develops over the surface of the meat during the aging process that seals in flavor and juices. At the end of the dry-aging process the coating is trimmed away. This time period for dry-aging is also referred to as “hanging time.” After your side of beef completes its dry-aging process the meat is then custom cut to the cuts you prefer, vacuum wrapped, labeled and frozen. A Note About Aging Beef: Dry aging is costly as it takes time, requires that freezers be carefully monitored for precise temperatures and requires extra labor. For this reason grocery store meat is normally “wet aged.” Wet aged meat is sent from the processor to butchers in vacuum packaging where it is simply set aside in a refrigerator and aged in its own juices. Dry aging allows the meat to develop a much more intense flavor. Many of the finest restaurants feel so strongly about the superior flavor of dry-aged beef that they have their own freezers to allow them to dry-age meat to be served in their restaurants. Which cuts should I choose for my side of beef? Typically a side of meat will be about one third hamburger meat, one third beef steaks, rib roasts and filets, and one third will be stew, rump, round and chuck. You will want to decide how thick or thin you would like your steaks cut, and you will also be able to choose how the meat from the various areas of the side will be cut (you might want steaks instead of roasts, or vice versa). We will provide you with a printout explaining the different types of cuts and work with you to finalize your choices. The end result will be a freezer full of meat that is much healthier and far superior in taste than what you will buy in the grocery store!
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