Our first grain fed steers went to harvest at the beginning of this week here at the ranch. If you are one of those oh so lucky customers, they finished out Awesome! These were some of our biggest steers and you can expect to yield 600 lbs of meat!

You will be able to feed your families for over a year on that. Please get your freezers ready and start thinking about how you will need to strategically pack all that meat in. I like to put all my ground beef on one side of the freezer, the roasts in the middle with the steaks on top, and on the other side I like to put the stew meat, flank steak, soup bones and any other cuts that might not be what you are used to buying.

H ere is a very important note that I would like to share. A small generator or alternate power source is great to have available. If there is a power outage, especially during summer time, you can protect your investment. In case of an extended power outage, keep your freezer door closed. Contents will keep nice and frozen for about 3 days. After that the meat on the top might start to thaw out. You have invested a lot into providing a safe and steady amount of beef for your family. Please think about possible scenarios that might arise.

Now about those cuts you are not that accustomed to purchasing. Let's talk about soup bones. I thawed some out this morning. Soup bones are part of the upper legs on the animal. Most people discard them or take them and let their dogs be very happy for a few days.

For me I have found there is actually an ample amount of meat on them. I thaw them out. Brown them with some salt and pepper and plop them in my crock pot with some beef broth. After a long and slow cooking process, I shred the meat. The possibilities are endless; bbq beef sandwiches, shredded beef enchiladas, tacos, beef stew or any of your favorite go to beef meals.

I hope you are as excited as I am. I love to help you fill your freezers. I have enjoyed meeting and talking to each and every one of you about our passion for raising quality beef for all your families. As always we are here to answer any questions that you may have. May the meat that fills your freezer bless you and your families with great nutrition.

Best Wishes
Tom & Megan Erickson
Hornitos Beef