How to Buy Custom-Processed Meat
In partnership with: Tennessee Department of Agriculture
When it comes to buying meat, there are plenty of reasons to purchase directly from a farmer or local processor. As a shopper, you can get delicious products and support local farms. For customers looking to buy from the farmer, there are a few guidelines to follow.
To find producers in your area, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) recommends Pick Tennessee Products, an online database of farms across the state. From custom cuts to retail and processed meats, customers can find a range of products divided by grand division or by county.
“It’s a free service we offer to farmers, and it’s an efficient way to identify people in your area,” says Mike Brown, business consultant for TDA.
Many producers offer custom cuts and packaged meats on demand, from a package of steaks to a quarter, half or whole animal. When buying a live animal on the hoof, customers should be aware of how much yield they will get from the animal.
See more: Tennessee Meat Industry: Steamlining the Process
“Everybody wants the filets and the T-bones and the prime cuts,” Brown says. “When they’ve bought a live animal for processing they don’t necessarily realize that the majority of that is going to be in the form of ground meat.”
Meating Expectations
For an average 1,200-pound steer, for example, Brown says to expect a yield of up to 50%, with 40% being a reasonable goal. Around 20% of that yield would be prime cuts, with 25% roasts or other custom cuts. The remainder would be ground beef.
Steve Anderson of Anderson Meats and Processing in Hartsville knows that the integrity of the farmer has an impact on the product. The conditions that animals are raised in will also impact the taste and quality of the product. Meats shipped long distances are often packaged with carbon dioxide, which affects the taste.
Processors like Anderson use a dry-aging practice that keeps meats fresher, lasting in a freezer for up to two years.
“All the animals that I sell on my farm label, I raised and I can tell you everything about them including where they were born and what they’ve eaten,” Anderson says.
See more: Tennessee Farms Expand Into Processing as Demand for Local Meat Soars
Before buying, get to know your farmer and learn more about the health of their animals. A relationship with local producers can benefit both buyers and small farms across Tennessee.
“In this business, you can know your meat and know your producer,” Anderson says. “The integrity of the producer will tell you about the integrity of the product.”