meat question

L

larry@stinescorner

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

Down below in a post Bruce told us the low price he got for his older milk cows. I see how nice he takes care of them,My question is just a curious one,I am no expert,and want to learn. If a nice healthy older milk cow like Bruces is butchered,how is the meat?I would imagine the hamburg and stew,and the soup bones would be very good.Also the liver and heart would be healthy.Could any of the cow make an ok steak?How about the tenderloin for fillet mignon?I wouldnt be afraid to buy a half from a guy like Bruce,,a whole is too much for us to eat, Im just asking out of curiosity,,Im sure someone on here has butchered an older milk cow.

 

J

jacksun65

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

When I used to work at the farm our old cows used to be sold as cutters and canners. in other words they were old and tough.

 

R

rrlund

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

We used to butcher them and have all the regular cuts made,but they were tough as nails. Had to be cooked in a pressure cooker,boiled or baked. I never knew what steak was really supposed to be like until the first time I had one in a restaurant. If you're considering buying one,save your money.

 

M

Mike(NEOhio)

Well-known Member

Location

Newbury, Ohio

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

My father-in-law would always just put an old cow to hamburger. Usually the tenderloins were good. Even with an old bull he would always have the tenderloins pulled as a roast. Traditional New Years Day dinner.

 

4

4520BW

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

My buddy got an airshire that someway got hurt so they shot it and cut it up. You should of seen the milk that can out of that girl when they cut into it! Ground the whole thing up in burger.

 

db4600

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

My mom had a stove like that too!

 

flembo

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

Now that's funny right there.

 

C

coshoo

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

I grew up on cull dairy cow beef- pretty rough going, especially the steaks. Mom would cook the roasts for hours in a little liquid, until they "gave up", as she used to say. The only hope of being able to chew the steaks was to do them well done. Like others have said, get a lot of hamburger.

When I was in college, I got a steak by mistake (misteak?) that was medium rare instead of well done as I had ordered. I couldn't believe steak could be that good! Never ordered a well done steak again.

 

C

coonie minnie

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

Bruce has Jerseys. They and Guernseys have yellow fat, which is a turn-off at the meat counter, so they sell at a discount, even to other dairy breeds.

As far as steaks go.... many restaurants serve Filet mignon from old dairy cows. Why? Because they are bigger than those from beef breeds.

 

B

Bob Harvey

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

I made the mistake of buying an old cow. A friend with butcher skills helped me cut it up. Wasted effort - even the hamburger was tough ! The dogs wouldn't even eat it. Ended up burying it deep. Thank gosh it was cheap !

 

OP

OP

L

larry@stinescorner

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

the hamburger was tough?

 

K

Kickinbull

Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

Pressure can it. It turns out so tender!

 

Bruce from Can.

Well-known Member

Location

Woodville, Ontario, Canada

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

Cull cow meat finds it's way into many farther processed foods, like cold cuts ,meat pies,etc. Some of the meat is also used in Hamburger patties that are used in the fast food trade. Once blended with spice and other flavor enhancers , you don't know what you are eating. I have read that half the beef we eat comes from old cows,just not the fresh stuff.

 

C

cjunrau

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

eat almost all old cow in this house. lots of burger. Roasts if done long and slow are not to bad. The trick is the cow should not be milking and fed for 2 months or so and they marble up nice. the fat is what makes them tenderer. as far as taste it makes a huge difference what they are fed the last 2 months of there life. silage fed is different than grass fed, and different than barley fed. I can taste the difference in the burgers you get at A&W McDonalds Wendy's etc. so yes they are very edible and the taste is good. Bruce's would need to leave the dairy barn for 2 months or they would still taste a little like the barn smells. We do the same with all pigs we butcher from out of barns. they get outdoor treatment for a minimum of 6 weeks and feed mostly oats. If we dont we can hardly eat it without lots of spice.

 

J

JD Seller

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

Larry cull cows would make tough beef for steaks and other premium cuts. They are usually made into hamburger or other processed beef. A lot of lean ground beef is made from cull cows. We call old cows "hamburger specials" LOL

 

B

Bob Harvey

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

Yep.

 

F

flying belgian

Well-known Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

I like mine rare. Just knock the horns off, wipe its azz and bring it out.

 

K

kevinstuff

Member

• Nov 9, 2017

• #1

Well here in the city , almost all the
beef is pumped up with water, Which makes
it impossible to cook any kind of steak correctly
so when you try to sear it, the moisture just
steams it to leather type texture, yuk, no
wonder it don?t sell, bad enough you lose
25% In cooking process, can?t remember last
time I had a steak that taste like beef , So
I gave up buying steak . Just have to pay
market price at restaurant

 

T

Texasmark1

Well-known Member

• Nov 10, 2017

• #1

I noticed that here too but unlike hams nowhere is it listed that you have 60% beef and 40% water. I all but quit eating it. I buy fresh ground pork and pork sausage. Super digestion, flavor beats any of the pre-packaged, and "volume" doesn't shrink.