How to put the best meat around into your family's freezer
Although it may seem daunting to buy “half a lamb,” it’s a very simple process. Our customers tell us it’s actually more convenient to have an in-house lamb selection than shopping for feed-lot meat from the grocery store. The best part is you get to work with the local farmer and butcher to make sure you get the exact cuts of meat you want and will use most. You will have 20 to 40 pounds of great tasting, 100% grass-fed lamb available whenever culinary inspiration hits! When you pick up your custom-cut lamb, it is wrapped and already frozen.
Hanging Weight
In the United States, the price of bulk or “freezer” meat is customarily based on hanging weight. This is the weight of an animal as it hangs on the rail at the meat locker after hide, head, organs, hooves, etc. have been removed.
Cut Weight
Also called "Take-Home" or "Finished" weight, this is the weight of the actual meat that you will receive after excess fat and bone are removed. Depending on the breed and animal, cut weight is commonly around 60% of hanging weight for beef and pork, and 55% for lamb and goat.
Three advantages to buying meat from your local farmer:
1. You know where it comes from. When you buy meat in a supermarket, it might be a mix of meat from many different farms in many different places. Lamb from a nearby grocery chain is shipped frozen from Australia. There is no indication of what it was fed, whether it had been given antibiotics, how long ago it was butchered or if there were variations in temperature during storage and transit. Our meat comes only from our farm, eats only grass, is not given sub-therapeutic antibiotics, is butchered at the local butcher shop and you pick it up the same week.
2. It supports the farm and the community. Small-scale farmers are traditionally "price-takers" at the mercy of the big retail supply chains. When you buy directly from your local farmer, it helps make small-scale farming profitable and keeps your consumer dollars in the community.
3. It’s cheaper. We compared the price per pound of our lamb and lamb at a nearby grocery chain. We then calculated how much a recent customer’s half of a yearling lamb would have cost if she had bought the same cuts in the store.
Total cost: multiply the hanging weight by the price per pound:
27 pounds hanging weight X $5.75 per pound = $155.25 (total cost including cutting, wrapping and freezing)
Final price per pound after butchering: divide the total cost by the cut weight:
$155.25 / 21.98 pounds cut weight = $7.06 (cut meat price per pound buying lamb directly from the farm)
Take the price per pound of all the individual cuts if she would have bought the meat at our nearby grocery chain, and the same meat would have cost $226.11.
Weight W*****’s total price
Lamb chops 2.92 $14.99 $43.77
Leg of Lamb 2.72 $13.99 $38.05
Shoulder chops 5.06 $8.99 $45.49
Ground lamb 6.02 $7.49 $45.09
Leg steaks 2.45 $13.99 $33.86
Lamb shanks 2.84 $6.99 $19.85
At the time you order your meat, the animal from which it will come is still wandering around the pasture. We price our product based on what it costs to raise an animal plus the cost of processing, wrapping and freezing, but we cannot be sure how much meat any animal will yield until that animal is processed. People who enjoy farm-direct meat in bulk quickly become accustomed to these small uncertainties, as they are a natural part of buying meat from farmers and knowing exactly where your meat comes from. So please know that while we always do our best to estimate how much meat you'll get for the price, only nature knows for sure.
Hanging Weight
In the United States, the price of bulk or “freezer” meat is customarily based on hanging weight. This is the weight of an animal as it hangs on the rail at the meat locker after hide, head, organs, hooves, etc. have been removed.
Cut Weight
Also called "Take-Home" or "Finished" weight, this is the weight of the actual meat that you will receive after excess fat and bone are removed. Depending on the breed and animal, cut weight is commonly around 60% of hanging weight for beef and pork, and 55% for lamb and goat.
Three advantages to buying meat from your local farmer:
1. You know where it comes from. When you buy meat in a supermarket, it might be a mix of meat from many different farms in many different places. Lamb from a nearby grocery chain is shipped frozen from Australia. There is no indication of what it was fed, whether it had been given antibiotics, how long ago it was butchered or if there were variations in temperature during storage and transit. Our meat comes only from our farm, eats only grass, is not given sub-therapeutic antibiotics, is butchered at the local butcher shop and you pick it up the same week.
2. It supports the farm and the community. Small-scale farmers are traditionally "price-takers" at the mercy of the big retail supply chains. When you buy directly from your local farmer, it helps make small-scale farming profitable and keeps your consumer dollars in the community.
3. It’s cheaper. We compared the price per pound of our lamb and lamb at a nearby grocery chain. We then calculated how much a recent customer’s half of a yearling lamb would have cost if she had bought the same cuts in the store.
Total cost: multiply the hanging weight by the price per pound:
27 pounds hanging weight X $5.75 per pound = $155.25 (total cost including cutting, wrapping and freezing)
Final price per pound after butchering: divide the total cost by the cut weight:
$155.25 / 21.98 pounds cut weight = $7.06 (cut meat price per pound buying lamb directly from the farm)
Take the price per pound of all the individual cuts if she would have bought the meat at our nearby grocery chain, and the same meat would have cost $226.11.
Weight W*****’s total price
Lamb chops 2.92 $14.99 $43.77
Leg of Lamb 2.72 $13.99 $38.05
Shoulder chops 5.06 $8.99 $45.49
Ground lamb 6.02 $7.49 $45.09
Leg steaks 2.45 $13.99 $33.86
Lamb shanks 2.84 $6.99 $19.85
At the time you order your meat, the animal from which it will come is still wandering around the pasture. We price our product based on what it costs to raise an animal plus the cost of processing, wrapping and freezing, but we cannot be sure how much meat any animal will yield until that animal is processed. People who enjoy farm-direct meat in bulk quickly become accustomed to these small uncertainties, as they are a natural part of buying meat from farmers and knowing exactly where your meat comes from. So please know that while we always do our best to estimate how much meat you'll get for the price, only nature knows for sure.
What Cuts are in a Lamb?
Every sheep is a little different, and the exact amount will vary depending on your cutting choices. Here’s how a “typical” half lamb breaks down:
12-14 loin chops or a standing rib roast. You decide how thick (I recommend 1 inch) and how many per pack.
Leg of lamb. This is about 5 pounds if left whole, but you may want to cut off a couple sirloin steaks first plus have a 2½ to 3-pound roast.
Lamb shoulder yields 3½ to 5 pounds of bone-in or boneless roast, or two smaller roasts, or a smaller roast and chops, or all chops. You can even have it cut into stew cubes or added to your ground meat--whatever fits your style.
Stew meat and/or ground lamb. There will be 4½ to 6 pounds from the trim, more if you choose to add some of the shoulder meat or shanks.
Shanks for braising, or add this meat to your ground meat instead.
Soup bones.
Half of the liver, sliced. Milder than beef liver, and very tender!
12-14 loin chops or a standing rib roast. You decide how thick (I recommend 1 inch) and how many per pack.
Leg of lamb. This is about 5 pounds if left whole, but you may want to cut off a couple sirloin steaks first plus have a 2½ to 3-pound roast.
Lamb shoulder yields 3½ to 5 pounds of bone-in or boneless roast, or two smaller roasts, or a smaller roast and chops, or all chops. You can even have it cut into stew cubes or added to your ground meat--whatever fits your style.
Stew meat and/or ground lamb. There will be 4½ to 6 pounds from the trim, more if you choose to add some of the shoulder meat or shanks.
Shanks for braising, or add this meat to your ground meat instead.
Soup bones.
Half of the liver, sliced. Milder than beef liver, and very tender!
How much freezer space do I need?
The meat from half a lamb takes up about 0.75 cubic foot. It only fills about half of a beer box:
No need for a chest freezer--it will easily fit into your kitchen freezer!
How Long will my Lamb Last?
You’ll be lucky if it lasts six months! The whole leg roast will be the centerpiece of a dinner party or holiday meal. Slice the leftovers the next day for great sandwiches, and then cut up the remainder to make a sumptuous shepherd’s pie. (If you’ve already made the stock from the bones and frozen it, this is a good use for some of it!) Braised shanks, using more of your stock, smells heavenly as it slowly simmers all day. The chops will give you two fabulous meals of 3 chops each for two adults. Cubes for curries or other stews, ground meat for sliders, chili, or pasta sauce, a few more roasts, steaks or shoulder chops, and before you know it, it’ll be time to restock your freezer with delicious, healthy, local lamb!
How do I order?
Simple--go to our grass-fed lamb page. There you will find a link to the "cut sheet" for the butcher and a Paypal button to send in your deposit. You are always welcome to email your questions and we will walk you through the process.
How do I order?
Simple--go to our grass-fed lamb page. There you will find a link to the "cut sheet" for the butcher and a Paypal button to send in your deposit. You are always welcome to email your questions and we will walk you through the process.