Grinding an Ox for Meat

[FarmerJeff]

Hi- I raise pasture-raised pork and 100% grass-fed lamb on my farm. My market is high-end restaurants and farmers' markets. My customers have been screaming for grassfed beef of any type. I was just offered 2 healthy 10 year old oxen for next to nothing. These have been raised on pasture and hay only. 1600 lbs each.

With our pork, we grind the whole animal to sausage. I am wondering if there would be any concerns such as off flavor with these oxen if I were to do the same (grind the whole animal). They are cut. I figure tenderness is not an issue as we are grinding. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[tinknal]

I've had plenty of ground cow meat and it was always fine. I see no reason that steer meat wouldn't be just as good.

[DaleK]

Shouldn't be any flavour problems at all. You MIGHT find you want to add some fat from somewhere with oxen that old. I would.

[Ed Norman]

I saw a show on hot dogs. All one factory uses is bull meat, like 100,000 pounds a day. They say it is 6% fat and works fine.