How to Buy Grass Fed Beef

The best way to ensure that you are eating grass-fed beef is to buy it from a local farmer.  Many websites recommend visiting your local farmer's market.  That is a great suggestion but have you seen the prices???  I could never justify spending that much money on beef.  I would become a vegan first!  Well maybe not but I would definitely eat less beef.  Many grocery stores now offer grass-fed beef as well but again the price is prohibitive.  Regular ground beef is somewhat affordable but forget buying a roast or steak.

A better solution is to invest in a small chest freezer and buy the beef from a local farmer in bulk.  My chest freezer is only 4.0 cubic foot and was purchased at Sam's Club for just over $130.

I found my farmer by going to the website Eat Wild.  From their website-  Eatwild's Directory of Farms lists more that 1,300 pasture-based farms with a comprehensive source for grass-fed meat and dairy products.  Farmers are listed by state.  Scroll through and find a farmer (or two) near you.  From there you can view their website or e-mail them directly.

I was able to send an e-mail directly to my farmer to learn more about his product and the availability.  I put down a small deposit and then waited.  Cows are butchered several times a year.  I was able to choose from a quarter, half of half, or side of beef.  I chose a quarter of beef (well actually I split a half of half with a friend) as we eat beef only 1-2 times per week.  The more that you buy the cheaper it is so get as many friends together as possible to divide up that cow.

The farmer put me in contact with the butcher to determine what cuts of meat I wanted.  I have to admit, this was very intimidating!  I was honest with the woman on the phone and admitted that I had never done this before.  She was extremely helpful and took me through the process step-by-step.  She asked me questions about what steaks I did and did not want, how thick those steaks should be cut, did I want stew meat, ground chuck, etc.  For example, I chose to get strip steak and filet mignon instead of a large T-bone steak. I picked the thinnest thickness for my steaks knowing that I want the steak to be a part of my overall meal not my entire meal.

What did I get with my quarter of a cow?  I lot!!!!  I have several roasts- chuck roast, rump roast, and round roast.  Several types of steak- top loin, filet mignon, rib-eyes, and sirloin steak.  Plus stew meat and ground chuck.  And a LOT OF GROUND BEEF.  I always end up having more ground beef than I really need.

I have ordered three years in a row from the same farmer and have loved the product each time.