1. I have never ordered beef from a ranch before. How do I order? Who do I contact if I have more questions?
We would be glad to help you. If you have questions, please e-mail or call Samatha Beck at (307)631-4551, Ron Beck at (303)903-9857, Reata Beck at (307)630-5983 or (307)246-3200 or, [email protected].
2. What if I want to share a beef with someone. Can I do that?
Yes you can share a whole beef, half, or quarter with friends to reduce your cost even more. It's called "cowpooling".
3. What is "Natural Angus Beef"?
HTK Ranch is a family ranch near Albin, Wyoming in Laramie County. Natural Angus Beef comes from steers that weigh about 1000 to 1200 pounds as compared to industrial feedlot steers which weight about 1500 pounds. "Natural Beef" is from animals that have received no antibiotics in their feed and have no growth implants. In contrast, almost all beef that you buy in the grocery stores comes from feedlots where the feed is "medicated" with antibiotics and the animals receive estrogen growth implants. "Natural Beef" is also primarily forage-raised beef, high in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Angus is the name of the breed - a black English breed.
4. I have never eaten all natural beef. How do I know I will like it?
It will be very different from what you are probably used to, especially if you purchase your meat in your grocery store. Even in specialty stores will you rarely find beef that has been dry-aged for 14 days and it does make a difference in both flavor and tenderness. Dry-aged beef is what you may sometimes find in high-end steak houses. Our steaks are probably smaller than what you are used to as well, since our animals are younger at harvest. You will notice that the meat actually has taste - a wonderful, clean flavor. Although the roasts also have little to no fat, you will be surprised at how tender they are, and will fall apart when you try to move them from your slow-cooker to your serving plate. The ground-beef has distinctly clean flavor, and our hamburger patties will remain the size you put on the grill, and not bathe in grease.
5. How much beef is in a whole, a side, or a quarter?
Individual animals vary but our estimate on a steer weighing 1100 pounds on the hoof (live weight), is 660 pounds in a whole, 330 pounds in a side, and 165 pounds in a quarter (a quarter is not the front or back of a side, but an equally divided side or half). Remember this is an average. This will vary with the amount of trimming you require. Animals also vary in size and yield. Some people will get a little more, and others will get a little less.
6. Is your beef organic, and what is the difference between organic and natural?
Our beef is not certified organic. Organic certification is costly and involves a lot of time spent on paperwork, etc. We would have to pass that cost on to our customers. Instead, we strive to keep the cost down so we can offer affordable beef that is essentially organically grown but we cannot call it organic since it is not certified. In fact, in many ways our beef standards go way beyond the standards set for certified organic beef.
The true meaning of "natural" can vary depending on the individual beef producer, what they mean by "natural". As of now the USDA standard for "natural" is very broad and really doesn't mean anything. So it's really up to the individual beef producer, and what their definition is. In our case, natural means that our beef is naturally raised their whole lives - they are born in the pasture, raised by their moms in the pasture, and live their whole lives in the pastures. The beef you buy has never been given any antibiotics, hormones of any kind, GMO's, animal by product feeds, or steroids. Our pastures are never fertilized or sprayed with pesticides. They never spend any time in a confined area such as a feedlot. They are grass fed and grass and corn finished.
Many consumers assume that "Certified Organic" automatically means that the animal has been living its entire life eating grass. "Certified Organic Beef" does not necessarily mean that it is 100% grass fed or grass finished; the USDA organic program stipulates that animals must spend at least 120 days a year on pasture and that they receive at least 30% of their dry matter intake from the pasture. The remaining time, 245 days, they could, in theory, spend in a feedlot or other confinement being fed other organic feeds. That is not to say this is a common practice among "Certified Organic" growers, but that is what the rules allow.
7. How does your all natural beef differ?
Some organic or grass fed producers purchase year-old steers and finish them on pasture. The history of the steers may, or may not, be known.
Our beef is born and raised on our ranch. We therefore know the history of each animal and can stand by what we say. We harvest our beef at a younger age, anywhere from 20 to 24 months of age, weighing between 1000 and 1200 pounds live. The 14 days of dry-ageing is a big difference from many other all natural producers. Due to the young age, our meat is very lean, while still tender and very flavorful.
Our young beef is raised to 450 pounds on grass pastures with their mothers. At about 7 months old, they are weaned and put on hay for the winter. In the spring and summer, they graze "free range" in the hills of Albin, Wyoming. One hundred and twenty days before slaughter, we put them on a grass and hay diet which we supplement with a few pounds of locally grown, all natural corn, to help "finish" the animal. This creates some marbling in the beef and enriches the flavor. The corn is a supplement in the pasture and offered for a much shorter period of time than the 6-9 month period common in industrial feedlot beef. These yearling animals, are younger and free range beef is generally leaner than feedlot "couch potato" kept cattle.
8. You say you dry-aged your beef for 14 days. What does that do and what does it mean?
Dry ageing allows for tenderizing of the beef to occur naturally. The beef carcass is hanging in a refrigerated, temperature and humidity controlled, cool room, for 14 days after harvest and prior to cutting into portion sized packaged as per your order form.
During the dry aging period, moisture evaporates from the muscle creating a greater concentration of beefy flavor and taste. Secondly, the beef's natural enzymes break down the fibrous, connective tissue in the muscle, tenderizing it. Dry ageing will add some shrinkage of the carcass.
Before the 1980's dry aged beef was common. Then it became too costly and time consuming to dry age, and commercial beef is now packaged immediately following the butchering. You will usually find dry aged beef in select high quality steak houses and fine restaurants, at a price!
9. I want to order 1/4 of a beef. Can I do this?
We will try to match you up with friends or family. We make sure there are equal portions of the front and hind quarter on all quarter beef orders.
10. How early should I place my order?
The demand for 100% all natural beef is growing quickly. Buying beef in bulk is the most affordable option, by purchasing a whole, half, or quarter, you save up to 26% off what you would pay for individual cuts in the store. We start taking advanced bookings for March delivery, on wholes, halves, and quarters, in September. Beef is provided in the order bookings are received. So contact us soon to get on the list.
11. Where do I pick up the beef?
We slaughter and process at Steving Meats Company in Kersey, Colorado. They will age the beef, cut, package, and freeze the meat. You then pick it up there. Steving Meats provides vacuum packaging as a standard service and is a USDA approved and inspected facility. Directions to Steving Meats Company are provided in the following link: http://www.mapquest.com/search/results?page=0¢erOnResults=1&slug=%2Fus%2Fcolorado%2Fsteving-meat-processing-357266395&query=Steving%20Meat%20Processing
12. How do I pay?
To keep expenses down, we use a program where you buy the animal on the rail, from HTK Ranch, and pay Steving Meats Company to slaughter and package it in your name. Here's how it works:
For Example:
Let's say you ordered a quarter of beef. The hanging weight of the whole would be 660 pounds and the final cut weight after dry-ageing and having fat and bones trimmed during packaging, would be 462 pounds. Your quarter would be 115 pounds.
You would pay HTK Ranch $528.00 for your quarter beef. You would then pay Steving Meats Company $12.50 for slaughter and $0.75/pound hanging weight for aging, cutting, and vacuum packaging. Your total price would be $664.25 for 115 pounds of beef, or about $5.78/pound.
We do not require a deposit.
13. Can I visit the ranch and see the animals?
Yes, absolutely, we welcome visitors to our ranch. We also have a ranch day/customer appreciation day in the summer where we invite our customers as well as other interested people to bring their family and friends for a day at the ranch.
14. What kind of cuts do I get? What is the percentage of steaks and hamburger?
Here are percentages based on the way I cut my beef. These differ with every individual animal, and would change depending on how you cut your beef.
- Steaks (Rib, T-bone, Porterhouse, Sirloin, Flank) about 19%
- Roasts (Chuck, Arm, Sirloin Tip) about 17%
- Round Cuts (Eye Roast, Top Round Steaks, Bottom Round) about 9%
- Hamburger (depends on how lean or fat) about 45%
- Miscellaneous (Short Ribs, Tongue, Liver, etc.) about 10%
Our Beef Cutting Questionnaire has suggestions on how to order and cut your beef as well as the various cuts and where they come from on a side of beef.
15. Will I get raw meaty bones and other treats for my pets?
Yes, let Steving Meats Company know, and they will have bones included for your pets. Raw meaty bones are advocated in a pet diet championed by veterinarian Tom Lonsdale. Organs like livers, kidneys, and heart also make healthy treats for dogs and cats.
We would be glad to help you. If you have questions, please e-mail or call Samatha Beck at (307)631-4551, Ron Beck at (303)903-9857, Reata Beck at (307)630-5983 or (307)246-3200 or, [email protected].
2. What if I want to share a beef with someone. Can I do that?
Yes you can share a whole beef, half, or quarter with friends to reduce your cost even more. It's called "cowpooling".
3. What is "Natural Angus Beef"?
HTK Ranch is a family ranch near Albin, Wyoming in Laramie County. Natural Angus Beef comes from steers that weigh about 1000 to 1200 pounds as compared to industrial feedlot steers which weight about 1500 pounds. "Natural Beef" is from animals that have received no antibiotics in their feed and have no growth implants. In contrast, almost all beef that you buy in the grocery stores comes from feedlots where the feed is "medicated" with antibiotics and the animals receive estrogen growth implants. "Natural Beef" is also primarily forage-raised beef, high in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Angus is the name of the breed - a black English breed.
4. I have never eaten all natural beef. How do I know I will like it?
It will be very different from what you are probably used to, especially if you purchase your meat in your grocery store. Even in specialty stores will you rarely find beef that has been dry-aged for 14 days and it does make a difference in both flavor and tenderness. Dry-aged beef is what you may sometimes find in high-end steak houses. Our steaks are probably smaller than what you are used to as well, since our animals are younger at harvest. You will notice that the meat actually has taste - a wonderful, clean flavor. Although the roasts also have little to no fat, you will be surprised at how tender they are, and will fall apart when you try to move them from your slow-cooker to your serving plate. The ground-beef has distinctly clean flavor, and our hamburger patties will remain the size you put on the grill, and not bathe in grease.
5. How much beef is in a whole, a side, or a quarter?
Individual animals vary but our estimate on a steer weighing 1100 pounds on the hoof (live weight), is 660 pounds in a whole, 330 pounds in a side, and 165 pounds in a quarter (a quarter is not the front or back of a side, but an equally divided side or half). Remember this is an average. This will vary with the amount of trimming you require. Animals also vary in size and yield. Some people will get a little more, and others will get a little less.
6. Is your beef organic, and what is the difference between organic and natural?
Our beef is not certified organic. Organic certification is costly and involves a lot of time spent on paperwork, etc. We would have to pass that cost on to our customers. Instead, we strive to keep the cost down so we can offer affordable beef that is essentially organically grown but we cannot call it organic since it is not certified. In fact, in many ways our beef standards go way beyond the standards set for certified organic beef.
The true meaning of "natural" can vary depending on the individual beef producer, what they mean by "natural". As of now the USDA standard for "natural" is very broad and really doesn't mean anything. So it's really up to the individual beef producer, and what their definition is. In our case, natural means that our beef is naturally raised their whole lives - they are born in the pasture, raised by their moms in the pasture, and live their whole lives in the pastures. The beef you buy has never been given any antibiotics, hormones of any kind, GMO's, animal by product feeds, or steroids. Our pastures are never fertilized or sprayed with pesticides. They never spend any time in a confined area such as a feedlot. They are grass fed and grass and corn finished.
Many consumers assume that "Certified Organic" automatically means that the animal has been living its entire life eating grass. "Certified Organic Beef" does not necessarily mean that it is 100% grass fed or grass finished; the USDA organic program stipulates that animals must spend at least 120 days a year on pasture and that they receive at least 30% of their dry matter intake from the pasture. The remaining time, 245 days, they could, in theory, spend in a feedlot or other confinement being fed other organic feeds. That is not to say this is a common practice among "Certified Organic" growers, but that is what the rules allow.
7. How does your all natural beef differ?
Some organic or grass fed producers purchase year-old steers and finish them on pasture. The history of the steers may, or may not, be known.
Our beef is born and raised on our ranch. We therefore know the history of each animal and can stand by what we say. We harvest our beef at a younger age, anywhere from 20 to 24 months of age, weighing between 1000 and 1200 pounds live. The 14 days of dry-ageing is a big difference from many other all natural producers. Due to the young age, our meat is very lean, while still tender and very flavorful.
Our young beef is raised to 450 pounds on grass pastures with their mothers. At about 7 months old, they are weaned and put on hay for the winter. In the spring and summer, they graze "free range" in the hills of Albin, Wyoming. One hundred and twenty days before slaughter, we put them on a grass and hay diet which we supplement with a few pounds of locally grown, all natural corn, to help "finish" the animal. This creates some marbling in the beef and enriches the flavor. The corn is a supplement in the pasture and offered for a much shorter period of time than the 6-9 month period common in industrial feedlot beef. These yearling animals, are younger and free range beef is generally leaner than feedlot "couch potato" kept cattle.
8. You say you dry-aged your beef for 14 days. What does that do and what does it mean?
Dry ageing allows for tenderizing of the beef to occur naturally. The beef carcass is hanging in a refrigerated, temperature and humidity controlled, cool room, for 14 days after harvest and prior to cutting into portion sized packaged as per your order form.
During the dry aging period, moisture evaporates from the muscle creating a greater concentration of beefy flavor and taste. Secondly, the beef's natural enzymes break down the fibrous, connective tissue in the muscle, tenderizing it. Dry ageing will add some shrinkage of the carcass.
Before the 1980's dry aged beef was common. Then it became too costly and time consuming to dry age, and commercial beef is now packaged immediately following the butchering. You will usually find dry aged beef in select high quality steak houses and fine restaurants, at a price!
9. I want to order 1/4 of a beef. Can I do this?
We will try to match you up with friends or family. We make sure there are equal portions of the front and hind quarter on all quarter beef orders.
10. How early should I place my order?
The demand for 100% all natural beef is growing quickly. Buying beef in bulk is the most affordable option, by purchasing a whole, half, or quarter, you save up to 26% off what you would pay for individual cuts in the store. We start taking advanced bookings for March delivery, on wholes, halves, and quarters, in September. Beef is provided in the order bookings are received. So contact us soon to get on the list.
11. Where do I pick up the beef?
We slaughter and process at Steving Meats Company in Kersey, Colorado. They will age the beef, cut, package, and freeze the meat. You then pick it up there. Steving Meats provides vacuum packaging as a standard service and is a USDA approved and inspected facility. Directions to Steving Meats Company are provided in the following link: http://www.mapquest.com/search/results?page=0¢erOnResults=1&slug=%2Fus%2Fcolorado%2Fsteving-meat-processing-357266395&query=Steving%20Meat%20Processing
12. How do I pay?
To keep expenses down, we use a program where you buy the animal on the rail, from HTK Ranch, and pay Steving Meats Company to slaughter and package it in your name. Here's how it works:
For Example:
Let's say you ordered a quarter of beef. The hanging weight of the whole would be 660 pounds and the final cut weight after dry-ageing and having fat and bones trimmed during packaging, would be 462 pounds. Your quarter would be 115 pounds.
You would pay HTK Ranch $528.00 for your quarter beef. You would then pay Steving Meats Company $12.50 for slaughter and $0.75/pound hanging weight for aging, cutting, and vacuum packaging. Your total price would be $664.25 for 115 pounds of beef, or about $5.78/pound.
We do not require a deposit.
13. Can I visit the ranch and see the animals?
Yes, absolutely, we welcome visitors to our ranch. We also have a ranch day/customer appreciation day in the summer where we invite our customers as well as other interested people to bring their family and friends for a day at the ranch.
14. What kind of cuts do I get? What is the percentage of steaks and hamburger?
Here are percentages based on the way I cut my beef. These differ with every individual animal, and would change depending on how you cut your beef.
- Steaks (Rib, T-bone, Porterhouse, Sirloin, Flank) about 19%
- Roasts (Chuck, Arm, Sirloin Tip) about 17%
- Round Cuts (Eye Roast, Top Round Steaks, Bottom Round) about 9%
- Hamburger (depends on how lean or fat) about 45%
- Miscellaneous (Short Ribs, Tongue, Liver, etc.) about 10%
Our Beef Cutting Questionnaire has suggestions on how to order and cut your beef as well as the various cuts and where they come from on a side of beef.
15. Will I get raw meaty bones and other treats for my pets?
Yes, let Steving Meats Company know, and they will have bones included for your pets. Raw meaty bones are advocated in a pet diet championed by veterinarian Tom Lonsdale. Organs like livers, kidneys, and heart also make healthy treats for dogs and cats.