Get closer to your food source by purchasing Hepler’s Half Beef, 100% Grass Fed- from gate to plate – learn about the various cuts and how to best to utilize them. Grocery Stores and Large slaughter houses will hot bone your meat to package it at its heaviest weight and with less flavor. At Hepler’s meats we dry age your beef for 14 days at 35 degrees to all some evaporation which concentrates and enhances the flavor.
We prefer that you pick up your order directly at our Farm Store – we do have limited freezer space so please do this in a timley fashion.
Hepler’s Half Beef will have the following cuts
From the Hind Quarter
Round Steak
Cube Steak
Rump Roast
Sirloin Steak
T Bone
Porter House
Sirloin Tip
From the Front Quarter
Rib Steak
Short Ribs
Chuck Roast
Arm Roast
Soup Meat
Stew Meat
Heart, Liver, Tongue, Oxtail
Soup Bones
Suet
And of course Hamburger
The internet is a great resource for techniques and recipes that will work well with each cut.
Hanging Weight– also known as dressed weight or carcass weight – is what you get when you remove the parts that are inedible like the hide, feet, head, some of the bones and most of the innards. The dressing percentage for most beef cattle is about 63%. A 1000 lb. animal would “dress out” at about 500 lbs. The live weight of most of our beef is between 950 and 1150 lbs. On average our hanging weights are between 500 and 600 lbs.
How much do I take home?
You take home the finished cuts or “yield”. The percentage of the hanging weight that remains is called the “yield” and is generally between 55% to 60% of hanging weight.
This percentage varies based on a number of factors including:
Dry aging, The amount of fat remaining on the meat cuts – The yield will vary based on how much surface fat the cutter leaves on the cuts. Beef genetics also affects yield. We are making an effort to choose genetics with high yield percentages
How much freezer space will I need for my beef?
Plan on approximately one cubic foot of freezer space for every 15-20 pounds of meat. The interior of a milk crate is slightly more than a cubic foot. For a 1/2 a beef, you will need a 7 cu ft. freezer.
How do I place an order?
Call us at (814) 498-2813 or email us at monica@heplersmeats.com and we will discuss availability and options. You can expect the time between placing your order and receiving your meat to be three to six months.