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Deal with a reliable butcher and select your own side of beef. To
do this, look for the grade stamp -- it's your assurance of quality.
The red brand running down the side of beef indicates Grade A beef-
the top quality, However beef is also graded as to the amount of

 

fat - eg. Al, A@, A3, and A4 - Al being the leanest ;qayapA and
a4, the fattest. You will find the A4 has too much Al. | waste
fat but whether you choose Al, A@ or A3 depends on ne what

best suits your family. Keep 4n mind that some degree of fat and
in particular, marbled fat (the streaks of fat throughout the lean
meat) is essential for tenderness, flavour and juiciness.

Beware of the “bait and switch" technique. A few censcrupulous
putchers will advertise a Grade A side of beef at a very low price.
Prospective customers are then shown an A4 side of beef at this low
price and then convinced to buy an Al or A2 side at a much higher
price. The Beef Information Centre advices you to do the "switching"
-- straight to another butcher.

Compare the price quoted to the current average retail price. To
do this you will have to know the approximate weight of beef that
you will receive after the side is cut and trimmed. The butcher
should be able to guarantee you 72-75% of the side weight.

Here's how to figure out what you're actually paying!

Price quoted for the side or quarter
(including cutting, wrapping and

freezing charges) X side or quarter weight
Pounds of beef you actually received
(after the removal of trimmed fat and
bone)

 

eg. 85¢/l1b. i -
ea x 280 €L. 19/710.

Therefore if you are quoted a price of 85¢/lb. for the side you
are actually paying $1.13 for all the cuts of beef you receive.
This is $1.13 for hamburger as well as $1.13 for sirloin steak.
Compare this price to the current average retail price of all
cuts of beef which is $1.25. Even though retail prices are low
at the present time, the purchase of a side of beef i8 a very
economical move.

FRONT AND HIND QUARTERS - Are they a good buy?

A hind quarter normally sells 10-15¢/l1b. higher than a side of beef,
while a front quarter sells 10-12¢ lower than a side.

A hind quarter will weigh approximately 132 lb. with about 32 lbs.
being waste. Therefore to compare orice

1,.00/1b.
100° ibe. OF
meat received

x 1.32 = $1.32

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