Freezer stock-up deals and Irish stew

[grislyatoms]

Finishing the last of a pot of Irish stew I made Wednesday. Got the lamb from a butcher shop right down the street. Family run joint, been in business since 1947. The lamb was excellent.
They have several "fill your freezer" deals, and I'm looking at their sampler. 25# of assorted meats for ~$3.50 a pound. Seems like a good deal but I'm wary, never having done something like this before. Y'all have any experience with similar outfits?

[RoadKingLarry]

Not being familiar with the commercial price of meat as I raise most of my own...
You have basically 2 questions to answer.
Do you respect and trust the seller?
Is the price of the meat in keeping with what you would pay for a single package of a comparable cut?
The first question is the most important one.

[lupinus]

Also get an idea what assorted meats are in that assortment. If the assorted meats are not the sort of thing you enjoy, at least mostly or something you can work with, it isn't going to do you a lot of good. Sirloin roasts when you hate roasts aren't going to help you any. Keeping with this, 3.50ish a pound is great if there's some decent steaks and such in there, or at least larger portions of the same you can cut down into steaks yourself. Not such a good deal if it's a lot of stuff in that price ballpark anyway.

Generally speaking, from a good butcher with good meats, buying bulk specials can be a great deal. Just make sure you cover your bases and that you are getting stuff that is worth the large expense all at once and that it's stuff you can/will want to actually use.

[grislyatoms]

http://www.kellersfarmstores.com/pages/freezerpackages.html

The one I'm referring to is the "Ranch Hand Sampler". There is some fluff in the order (like the turkey sausages? and legs). Folks around these parts give them good reviews... kinda tempted to push the button on it.
Chuck roast at the grocery last week was $5.99 a lb. That's what I understand "arm roast" is.

[redscabbard]

We regularly buy 1/2 of a beef or a whole hog for our deep freeze.  My opinion, it is safer than off the shelf, cheaper, and there is always something to eat if you like to cook . 

BEEF PORK - Iowa State University Extension
www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM2076.pdf 

If the locker is USDA inspected and has no health violations on record, you should be OK.

[seeker_two]

Also, if you have a friend or relative who likes the stuff you don't, you could both split the cost....

[Bubbles]

We regularly buy 1/2 of a beef or a whole hog for our deep freeze.

We also do this regularly as the processor is willing to cut the meat to order.  I like being able to specify how thick I want my steaks, how large to make the roasts, etc.  He's also cures hams and bacon, and while pricey, there's nothing like slicing your own bacon from the slab as thick as you want, and frying it up.  The ground meat is also higher quality, I'd say 10% fat at most. 

[RoadKingLarry]

I like to start from scratch

[Tallpine]

I like to start from scratch

Arnold & Wilbur!   

[charby]

I've done 1/4 and 1/2 beef before, whole pigs, even bought a buffalo with Redscabbard's husband and a few friends. (Actaully wish we could do that again)

I usually buy a whole ribeye when the prices are on sale, this gives me 18-20 steaks which is enough the wife and I for the summer grilling season.

I tend to buy the cuts I like in bulk such as the ribeye or NY Strip, I know that those get eaten.

For hamburger and sausage I make my own from the animals I hunt in the fall/winter. Lately it has been whitetail and pronghorn.

[Larry Ashcraft]

We trade pasture for a half beef usually.  Good deal for us and a great deal for the beef owners.

Once a year or so, my wife will buy a whole beef tenderloin from Sam's club for about $50-60.  She slices it up and wraps each slice in bacon and freezes them in packages of two.  Instant Filet Mignon, for about $3 each.

[RoadKingLarry]

Arnold & Wilbur!  

Thelma and Louise.

Louise is the little one.

raising gilts take one step out of the process.

[grislyatoms]

Thanks for all the advice, folks. I'm going to give it a whirl.

[Matthew Carberry]

I like to start from scratch

Well done pig.  Well done.

[JonnyB]

Well done pig.  Well done.

"That'll do, pig. That'll do."

jb

[grislyatoms]

Ordered the "Ranch Hand Sampler" this afternoon. Chose pork over turkey sausages, and beef over pork stew meat. I pick it up tomorrow. Review will be forthcoming.

[JonnyB]

Beef is getting 'spensive. Son 2 bought half of a half from my brother-in-law. $417, plus processing!!

There'll be chickens, bunnies, turkeys, (maybe) ducks and a goat (or sheep) or three at the B ranch this year. We have only 6 hens right now; the rest of the flock went in the freezer last fall.

We did order half a hog from BIL when one's ready; pork is considerably less expensive than beef.

jb

[grislyatoms]

The bulk pork breakfast sausage is a home run. Made Bisquick biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast yesterday. Kiddo agrees on the flavor/texture, so we will get the sausage again. Thinking about mixing a little cayenne pepper into it for a bit more bite.

Going to try one of the chuck roasts tonight.

[Perd Hapley]

Well done pig.  Well done.

Well, of course. Don't cook 'em rare!