While I agree with your recommendation, I suspect that the "average family" is not going to have the skills to do this. I have the impression that a large proportion of young people now do not know how to cook from scratch and would be overwhelmed by the unfamiliar cuts and meat by-products.
I am not sure what I can do about this at the level of society, but it indicates what sort of skills I need to convey to my daughters.
It's not that hard... I knew nothing about it a few years ago, but it's easy to learn. there are charts online of what cuts come from which area of a side of beef. And a good local butcher will help you.
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And if it's that overwhelming, get the cuts you use. It's all $3 per lb in the end.
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Beef is beef. Unless you are a beef connoisseur you will not be able to tell the difference between the breeds.
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The only thing to be cautious of is age of the animal. I learned the hard way. Beef over 2.5 years old has pretty tough steaks. Over 4 years old and even the roasts are tough. You can get ground out of even a 25 year old cow, which is fine, as long as you are aware.
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As for the meat by-products, I used to not take them. Little by little I learned what to do with them so I now I have very little waste.
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I also recommend:
- the first time you use a butcher, tour his facility to make sure it is clean
- the first time you buy from a rancher, go to the farm/ranch and see how his animals live
- DO NOT BUY A BULL. It will taste terrible. A neutered bull (steer) is fine.
- a chest or upright freezer
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Any questions, I would be happy to answer.
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Yes, it takes time in the beginning, but it is very worth it both for your body and for your pocketbook.