How To Buy A Whole Cow For Meat
We recently ordered a whole cow from Maleny Black Angus Beef and it was delivered to our front door in Brisbane. The owners, Sue and Mark are a farming family who offer beef that is 100% grass-fed with a free delivery service. They also sell lamb, pork, bacon, ham and chicken. Their customer service is exceptional and we had such a fantastic experience that we plan to continue ordering meat in bulk from now on.
Update: Sue and Mark have informed us that we actually don't eat Cows as they are the breeders (mums). We generally eat the Steers (castrated males) therefore they are called Beasts. So from now on, in this post we will refer to the animal as the Beast rather than the Cow.
The Cow Gets Delivered To Your Home
After ordering the Beast online from the Maleny Black Angus Beef website, we scheduled a day and time for the delivery. The delivery was on time and the meat arrived in a refrigerated trailer.
The Meat Is Delivered In Boxes
It's funny to admit this but Sia wrongly thought that the whole beast would arrive as a whole dead animal. That idea is a bit off-putting as there is no way she would ever want to cut up pieces of meat or make a bloody mess of the kitchen. To her pleasant surprise, the meat is delivered in boxes. Inside the boxes – the meat is neatly cut, portioned and cryovaced into individual packages.
Meat Is Portioned & Packaged As Different Cuts
Each cut of meat is portioned into seperate packages. The amount of meat you get depends on the size of the cow and also the amount that you have ordered – ordering a 1/2 beast or 1/4 beast is also an option.
From a “whole beast” you can expect to receive: T-bone/Sirloin, Eye Fillet, Rump, Round, Topside, Silverside, Gravy Beef, Osso Bucco, Blade, Oyster blade, Chuck Roast, Brisket, Rib Fillet, Spare Ribs.
You also get mince, sausages, bones (to use for bone broth, soup or pet dogs if wanted) as well as the tongue, heart, tail, kidney and the liver (again, only if you want it).
Read more information about the different cuts of meat here: Maleny Black Angus Beef Website
Our grandparents and great-grandparents used to have chickens, goats and cows. The animals were kept for milk, eggs, avgolemono soup and meat. When a large animal such as a beast was slaughtered, it was shared amongst the family and the meat was used for cooking.
These days, it is more common to go to the local supermarkets and butchers to buy meat. You could say that our connection to the animal is more distant as a result of our modern day shopping habits. We don't have to raise the animals, or slaughter them. Our meat comes in neat packaging, it is readily available and very easy to purchase whenever we need it for our cooking.
Benefits Of Buying A Whole Beast From Maleny Black Angus Beef
- Buying local and supporting our farmers ensures that they can continue to produce good quality produce in a sustainable way.
- There is a big difference in the quality of meat from an animal that has been raised properly and grass fed. The taste is different too.
- Purchasing and consuming the same parts of meats all the time can be wasteful and can put a toll on our planet. Using meat from the whole cow – from top to tail is less wasteful.
- Our modern consumer shopping habits create a high demand for certain cuts of meat. To keep up with this demand, factory farmed meat businesses need to work in a way that is efficient for business. Often the animals will be forced into caged environments and placed on an eating schedule so that they can grow at a rapid rate and be ready for slaughtering more quickly. However, we believe that animals should grow ‘naturally' and be allowed to feed on grass and live in the sun.
Support Your Local Farmers
We encourage you to support your local farmers and to think about your impact on our planet when purchasing meat products. Get together with friends and family to buy a whole beast. Don’t get squeamish until you try it.
Top To Tail Recipes For Your Thermomixer
Here on the blog, we plan to share some delicious top to tail recipes. You can get started with these recipes:
Disclaimer: Although we are paying customers of Maleny Black Angus Beef, Sue and Mark have sponsored this blog as a way to show their support and to help us print our first cookbook – Mezze.
