Question 1

What is an approximate breakdown of the beef I will be getting?

Accepted Answer

This is a breakdown of an actual 1/2 beef that I had processed at Fischer's Meat Market.  The carcass was averaged sized with a typical yield percentage.  All the cuts here are bone in which is what I have done on the standard cut order.  I did not want organ meat, but you can expect several more pounds from that as well.
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Question 2

What does your standard cut order look like?

Accepted Answer

If you don't want to mess with filling out the custom cut order form, this is what I use for a standard cut order for 1/2 and 1/4 beef shares.

Standard 1/2 Beef Standard Cut Order:

Sirloin: Bone-In Steaks , 1"
Loin: T-Bone / Porterhouse Steaks, Not Separated in Packages, 1", 2/PKG
Rib: Bone-In Rib Eye Club Steak, 1", 2/PKG
Round: 
Tenderized Cutlets? Yes, 4/PKG, 50% of the round 
Full Sized Round Steaks? No
Roasts: Chuck, Arm, and Pikes Peak 3 lb roasts
Stew Meat (1lb pkgs): Yes, 5x 1 lb packages
Soup Bone: Yes, Medium Amount
Short Rib: Yes, a Moderate Amount, 3 lb packages
Hamburger Size/Pkg: 1 lb packages
Hamburger Patties?: Yes, 1/3 lb patties, 8 per PKG patties per package, 4 packages
Brisket (Y/N)?: Yes
Flank Steak (Y/N)? Yes
Skirt Steak (Y/N)? Yes
Loin Tip Steaks: No
Organ Meat: Liver

Standard Cut Order for ¼ Beef:

Sirloin: 1", 1 per package, bone-in
Loin: T-Bone/Porterhouse Steaks, Not separated in packages, 1", 2 per package
Rib: Bone In Ribeye Club Style: 1", 2 per package
Round: 3-4 packages of Tenderized Cutlets, 4 per package (for each customer)
Roast: Chuck and Arm Only, 3 lb each
Stew Meat: 4 lbs in 1 lb packages (for each customer)
Soup Bone: Yes, 1-2x (for each customer)
Short Rib: Yes, 2x, 3 lb (for each customer)
Hamburger: 1 Lb packages 
Brisket: Yes, split brisket in two if possible so each customer can get some
Skirt + Flank: Yes
Loin Tip: No
Hamburger Patties: 2 packages, 8 per package, 1/3 lb each patty (for each customer)
Organs:  Liver Only

Question 3

Do you sell beef fat or suet?

Accepted Answer

At Muenster Grass Fed, we specialize in offering 100% grass-finished beef through our half and whole beef shares. While we do not directly sell beef fat or suet, customers who purchase our beef shares have the opportunity to customize their cut orders. However, please note that the inclusion of beef fat or suet in your order depends on the individual processor handling your beef. We recommend discussing your specific needs with the processor to determine if they can provide these items in your customized order.

Question 4

How your beef looks when you pick it up

Accepted Answer

Our grass finished animals are custom processed by bulk quarter, half, or whole calf packages.  Commonly known as "freezer beef," selling in bulk allows us to give our customers the best price possible for high quality meat.  Our beef is locally processed at the well-known  Fischer's Meat Market located in Muenster, Texas.  The frozen meat comes in cardboard packages weighing about 50 lbs each.  The meat is shrink wrapped in small packages which ensures meat quality for at least 1 year.  We highly recommend that our customers have a deep freezer in order to store their beef.  Frostless freezers run a thaw cycle several times a week which will degrade the quality of the meat over several months.  
 
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50 lb boxes of frozen beef from Fischer's 
Meat Market
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Shrink wrapped packages:
Roast, Steaks, Hamburger, Hamburger Patties

Question 5

What cuts of beef are included in my package?

Accepted Answer

Below is an example cut order based on the actual yield of a 760 lb carcass.  Actual pounds per cut will vary by calf and how the customer wants the meat processed. Custom processing is available for whole and half calf packages.  Quarter calf packages follow a similar cut order found below.
Bone-in Sirloin Steaks 1" thick
Full: 34 lbs
Half: 17 lbs
​Quarter: 8.5 lbs

T-Bone Steaks 1" thick
Full: 32 lbs
Half: 16 lbs
​Quarter: 8 lbs

Bone-in Rib Eye Steaks 1" thick
Full: 31 lbs
Half: 15 lbs
​Quarter: 7.5 lbs

1/2" Tenderized Round Steaks
Full: 36 lbs
Half: 18 lbs
​Quarter: 9 lbs

Flank & Skirt Steaks
Full: 6 lbs
Half: 3 lbs
​Quarter: 1.5 lbs
 
Chuck Roast (3 lbs)
Full: 44 lbs
Half: 22 lbs
​Quarter: 10.5 lbs
Arm Roast (3 lbs)
Full: 26 lbs
Half: 13 lbs
​Quarter: 3.5 lbs

Rump, Pikes Peak, Eye of Round Roasts (3 lbs)
Full: 26 lbs
Half: 13 lbs
​Quarter: 3.5 lbs
​​
Hamburger (1 lb packages)
Full: 200 lbs
Half: 100 lbs
​Quarter: 60 lbs

Stew Meat (1 lb Packages)
Full: 16 lbs
Half: 8 lbs
​Quarter: 4 lbs

Short Ribs (3 lb)
Full: 30 lbs
Half: 15 lbs
​Quarter: 7.5 lbs

​Boneless Brisket
​Full: 14 lbs
Half: 7 lbs
​Quarter: 3-4

​Soup Bone (by request)
​​Full: 10 lbs
Half: 5 lbs
​Quarter: 2.5

Organ Meat (by request)
Full: 10 lbs
Half: 5 lbs
​Quarter: 2.5

Question 6

Where do I pick up my beef?

Accepted Answer

We will deliver your animal to one of our local processors which you will select when you place your order.  Please refer to the order page for details about processor location.

Question 7

How do you raise Muenster Grass Fed's beef?

Accepted Answer

We raise our grass finished heifers on open range pasture during their entire lives.  The grass and forbs of these pastures provide the vast majority of their protein and energy consumption.  We do not feed antibiotics as a preventative measure against disease because it is not needed.  Being on open pasture leads to healthy cattle vs. a crowded and dusty feed yard where disease spreads quickly.

We take great pride in our grass finishing process.  The finishing process is the time in which a fully grown animal is fattened in preparation for slaughter.  While feedlots finish beef with diets high in grains and grain byproducts, we finish our animals on high quality cereal grain pastures in the winter and spring months.  These dark green fields of wheat, oats, and cereal rye grasses are rich in protein and energy which are key components to optimal weight gain.  Often, our animals can exceed weight gains of 2.5-3 lbs/day without any grain supplementation.  High weight gains continue on this mixture until late May.  At this point, the animals are finished and ready for slaughter.  Depending on the age of the animal, they will have a live weight between 1125-1475 lbs.

The beef from our animals is not the lean, tough grass fed beef typically found at high end super markets.  The beef from these animals is marbled from the finishing processes.  This means that the beef has fat running through the muscle of the beef making it delicious and tender.
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Question 8

What is carcass weight and how is the beef priced?

Accepted Answer

We price our calves based on the hanging weight of the animal after slaughter but before it is processed into cuts of meat.  This ensures that you are getting the fairest price for the calf and the meat you will eventually receive from Fischer's Meat Market.

If it was priced by live weight, you would be paying for excess grass & water in the calf's rumen, the hide, digestive tract, and head all of which can vary greatly.  Additionally, live scales are somewhat inaccurate due to animal movements on the scale.

Question 9

How do you calculate the final price/lb of the meat from my calf?

Accepted Answer

The final price per pound of your take home meat is based on the hanging weight (carcass weight) of the animal.  Typically a carcass weights around 760-800 lbs but can be smaller or larger (I've had some weight over 1000!).  The cost to Muenster Grass Fed is figured by the hanging weight multiplied by the cost/lb hanging weight found in your contract.

Processing will be between $1.28-1.68/lb carcass weight depending on the processor you pick.

For example, let's say you have a side of beef coming from an animal with an 800 lb total carcass weight that is processed at Fischer's Meat Market.  You can expect about a 66% yield of take home meat from the carcass weight.

400 lbs (1/2 carcass weight) x $3.80 (1/2 beef price) = $1520 due to Muenster Grass Fed for the animal
400 lbs x $1.28 (Processing at Fischer's) = $512.50

$1520 + $512.50 = $2032.50 all in for your side of beef
400 lbs (carcass weight) x 66% (yield) = 264 lbs of beef

$2032.50/264 = $7.70/lb take home meat

Question 10

Do you offer grain-finished beef?

Accepted Answer

We offered pastured, grain-finished beef in 2022 and 2023.  The beef was awesome.  Unfortunately, it was a lot of extra work for us at a time of year that was already too busy.  We decided to stop raising them for the time being.  We may start again in future years depending on circumstances on the farm.

Question 11

Is Muenster Grass Fed's beef dry aged?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  All of the beef that you purchase from Muenster Grass Fed is expertly dry aged by the butchers at one of the processors for at least 14 days.  Dry aging is a process in which enzymes naturally found in the beef break down muscle tissues leaving the beef more tender.  Additionally, the flavor of our grass fed beef further develops creating a delicious beef your family is sure to enjoy.

Question 12

How much does processing cost?

Accepted Answer

Processing expenses change throughout the year.  I try to keep an up to date estimate of costs on the order form for customers to refer to when placing an order.

Question 13

Do you deliver, ship, or have any store outlets?"

Accepted Answer

Since Muenster Grass Fed is one of several enterprises of our farm, we do not have time to deliver beef.  We also do not ship beef on dry ice.  
 
We do not currently have any store outlets for our beef.

Question 14

Why is the fat darker on Muenster Grass Fed beef vs. corn fed beef?

Accepted Answer

The off-white or even yellowish tint of the fat off our beef comes from various vitamins and minerals consumed by our cattle which are found in our grass.  Lush, green grass is high in Vitamin A which imparts the yellowish color.  The fat is also higher in Vitamin E and has a healthy balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids.

Muenster Grass Fed

Here are some frequently asked questions about our beef.

Get in touch with
any questions

Muenster Grass Fed

Here are some frequently asked questions about our beef.

Get in touch with any questions

Get in touch with
any questions