What is different about Circle K Angus Farm?
"At Circle K Angus Farm, we strive diligently to provide our animals with ONLY nutrient dense forages, wholesome supplements and use a variety of organic practices. By doing so, our farm produces wholesome, vital proteins for your family to gain back lost vitamins and minerals in your day to day diet. It not only is a difference you can taste, but more importantly a difference you will feel when your body gains back the much needed and desired lost nutrients from our high quality proteins!"
What is different about Circle K Angus Farm meat?
"Not all meat is created equal. Much of the foods consumed today are lacking the nutrients we spoke of above. However, every aspect of our meat is raised thoughtfully. We are diligently striving to create a wholesome environment, a happier animal, and ultimately healthy people. In addition, all of our meat is processed without the use of MSG's, nitrates, or nitrites. We pride ourselves on using no preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, chemical fertilization, herbicide, or any type of fillers/chemicals/dyes etc. No bull."
Dry Aging vs Wet Aging
For the best prime quality beef, aging is done by the so-called dry method, where the beef is hung in a cooler for a prescribed time prior to cutting. Dry aging results in a loss of meat over time due to water evaporation, but is said to concentrate the flavor of the meat. The fat would mostly get trimmed away during the butchering, but before then it would protect the meat during the dry aging period, in which the carcass hangs in a cold locker while natural enzymes break down tough muscle fiber and tenderize the meat.
An alternative method is wet aging, where the meat is stored in large vacuum bags that seal the moisture in. Wet aging reduces the loss of meat due to evaporation, resulting in a heavier saleable meat cut, but generally doesn’t develop an agreeably flavorful taste to the degree that dry aging does. It’s worth noting that although the best steakhouse steaks are dry-aged, most supermarket beef is wet-aged in a plastic bags that prevents shrinkage but also precludes the concentration of beefy flavor that occurs with water loss. This also slows down the natural enzyme breakdown of the tough muscle fiber, resulting in a tougher less tasty cut of meat.
Beef really is like cheese or tomatoes or any other food: The proof is in the pudding, not in claims about the pudding. The cook needs to explore and sample with an open mind.
How many pounds of meat will my freezer hold?
This will depend on the size of your freezer and that would be measured in cubic feet. A rule of thumb is one cubic foot of freezer space for each 35-40 pounds of cut and wrapped meat. Allow slightly more space when the meat is packaged in odd shapes.
How much beef in a whole, a side (half) or quarter?
"Individual animals vary but our estimate on a young beef weighing 900 on the hoof (live weight), is 350 pounds in a whole (freezer weight), 175 pounds in a side, 85 pounds in a quarter (a quarter is not the front or back of a side, but an equally divided side or half). Remember that this is an average. It 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 a little less."
What kind of cuts do I get? What is the percentage of steaks and hamburger?
"Here are percentages based on the way our butcher recommends to cut the 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, Stew meat, Tongue, Liver, etc.) about 10%."
How long can I store the frozen beef?
When you buy beef from Circle K Angus Farm, it will be in a vacuum-sealed package and frozen solid. If you don’t plan on eating your beef right away, we recommend that you store it in your freezer. We recommend that you use a traditional freezer with a temperature at or below 0 degrees F and never higher than 5 degrees F.
Below are the recommended durations for keeping our beef in your freezer: