Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 10:30:15 -0400
From: John R Dykers
Subject: Re: Chauderys
Everybody always worries if they are going to get their own meat back and ALL of it! I built that packing plant and wondering about my own “service” at Haw River abbatoir was a part of the motivation, so I fully understand the legitimacy of the question. We even toyed with a padlock system that customers could pur on their hanging carcass and invited them to come out and observe the butchering! It is not difficult to tag the carcass and keep ownership straight and Mr Chaudry understood this problem well when he bought the plant from me as he had done his own home butchering before that and he has always been most reliable.
Our “crew” goes out to help process “CharLean” as a quality control issue as my wife and I are certified meat cutters and developed a special style of butchering CharLean for our particular market. (We have since improved it partly based on suggestions from Mr. Chaudry) We now have his crew do the whole process as we have adapted to a new packing machine and label to meet new USDA regulations.)
The following is an article i just sent to Progressive Farmer about the same issue as realted to a beef carcass! Tell your friend that her concern is not unrealistic, but that Abdul is as honest as they come and has always been upfront and straight in all his dealings with me.
John Dykers
The question sounded like it came from a neophyte who had taken an animal for custom processing and wondered if he were getting his whole animal back, a realistic concern as the butcher may anytime take home a steak for supper and go undetected.. Your protection is chosing a processor of integrity and maintaining a relationship over time and knowing the parameters you inquired about.
Live weight may shrink on the way from the farm to the slaughterhouse as the animal passes stool and dehydrates. The next weight taken is the hanging weight of the carcass and if it is 65% of the live weight you have an exceptional animal that should have been kept as a breeder! 60% is good. In the lower 50’s you were wise to eat this one instead of keeping it for breeding. The slaughterhouse usually charges for processing on a per pound fee based on this hanging weight which includes all the bone, but the tongue and liver and pancreas, head, brain, and guts and hide are considered part of “the drop” and go to the slaughterhouse unless otherwise arranged ahead of time.
Specific data on a good horned young bull with a live weight of 1006 pounds and a hanging weight of 613 pounds produced 8.58 lbs of filet mignon, 15.62 pounds of New York Strip, 18.34 pounds of Ribeye, 119 pounds of Sirloin and Round and 326 pounds of hamburger, both ground round, flank,chuck and scraps. Completely boned out, so
there was 476.54 pounds of edible meat and 136.46 pounds of skeleton. This technique keeps one from wasting freezer space on bone and readily illustrates the difference between price of cuts with the bone in, like a T-bone steak, instead of separating the NYS and filet mignon. The reason there is a T-bone steak is because of the power saw! that cuts through bone and meat together.
The questioner asked about roasts and that is a matter of his choice. He may want to make a roast out of any large muscle mass, even the filet mignon which is known as a Chateaubriand, the ribeye, “a rib roast”, or the NYS removed whole or in such parts and size as he might wish. A sirloin roast is a good idea if the animal is marginally tender. A “rump roast” from the round is common and other parts of the round may make roast size and texture as the “top” or “bottom”. Roast are cooked longer and slower with moisture added and makes a tough cut more tender. Similarly for chunks put in “stew”.
We have learned that certain specific muscles may be teased out of the round to make a good steak for broiling such at a “flatiron”. The part of the chuck or shoulder just above the shoulder blade is now removed as the “chuck tender” and is often as tender as the filet mignon.
So if half of the live weight ends up in your stomach you have done well. We built our own abbatoir 45 years ago and have processed for ourselves and our neighbors and sold our own trademark CharLean Beef for 10+ years. New Hope Farm, Purebred Charolais, PO Box 565, Siler City, N.C.27344
—– Original Message —–
From: Lisa Duff
To: jdykers
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 6:44 AM
Subject: Chauderys
Hello Dr. Dykers,
I hope you do not mind me gleaning your email address from the chatlist.
I have a question about Chauderys and know you are a long time customer there. While I too have taken cows and sheep there over the years, usually only 2-3 animals each year.
A friend of mine told me emphatically the other day that Chaudery cannot be depended on to give you the meat from the same animal you brought in. I have to admit that I sometimes wonder how they keep straight who belongs to who. My relationship with Abdul, his family, and his employees is very congenial; I would like to keep it this
way, yet need to understand my friend’s claim. Currently I have several lambs to butcher and will sell most of them directly to consumers as young,pastured raised, hormone and antibiotic free.
Can you comment on this? What has been your experience? Do I recall correctly that you or your wife stay with each animal through the butchering process? If so, does that have to do with quality control?
Thank you for your time and thoughts.
I hope you are enjoying your retirement. I certainly am enjoying the increase in your chatlist posts 🙂
Sincerely,
Lisa Duff