What are the best/most popular cuts of meat?

[Joey Wahoo]

We've always sold our goats at auction or live, but we're thinking of starting to offer processed cuts directly to our customers.

I don't know how I should have them processed (i.e. into what cuts). Goat just hasn't been part of our food culture here.

We'll have weaned Boer kids (app. 50 lbs) and cull does.

Advice?

A friend told me that whole hind legs and ground meat sell best.

I just don't want to get the processor and feel like a total idiot when they ask me how I want the meat cut and packaged.

Thanks in advance!

[CraterCove]

I will be watching this thread closely because I have similar questions.

[Phil V.]

A friend of mine that raises boers usually has his done in roasts and the rest is ground up into burger.

[Alice In TX/MO]

You can't do that legally.

[Joey Wahoo]

Alice, we'll be having them processed ,packaged and labelled at a USDA inspected facility, just as we do now with our pigs. It is perfectly legal, at least for now.

[Alice In TX/MO]

OH. Well, you didn't say that.

Not worth the expense, if you ask me. I've bought a lamb and had it processed, cut wrapped. NOT happy with what it cost at all. $70 to the butcher for meat packages that fit in two of those plastic milk crates. Not to mention the $100 for the lamb. NOT worth it.

[CAjerseychick]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

OH. Well, you didn't say that.

Not worth the expense, if you ask me. I've bought a lamb and had it processed, cut wrapped. NOT happy with what it cost at all. $70 to the butcher for meat packages that fit in two of those plastic milk crates. Not to mention the $100 for the lamb. NOT worth it.

Query-
Alice, so the mobile butcher(but he comes to you and kills the animal too) I found had 2 prices- $35 for slaughter and $45 for butcher-- so that price didnt include the actual cost of the meat? Even though its your meat?...

[Alice In TX/MO]

My friend brought the lamb that I paid $100 for to the butcher. He charged me $70 to process, cut, and wrap.

[CAjerseychick]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

My friend brought the lamb that I paid $100 for to the butcher. He charged me $70 to process, cut, and wrap.

Ah ok, I see!

[harvestmoonfarm]

The USDA facility we use for our hogs processes goats for a $125 flat fee. With the cultural population we have in this area, I feel it's worth every penny. I've had people asking me for goat meat since long before these kids were ever born.

[Joey Wahoo]

Thanks y'all. I understand the economics of USDA approved processing. I'm just looking for recommendations on what cuts to get.

Any thoughts on that?

[harvestmoonfarm]

Originally Posted by Joey Wahoo

Thanks y'all. I understand the economics of USDA approved processing. I'm just looking for recommendations on what cuts to get.

Any thoughts on that?

Goat meat cuts

[harvestmoonfarm]

[harvestmoonfarm]

[Joey Wahoo]

Thanks Trish. That's very helpful.

[Alice In TX/MO]

It totally depends on your customers. I wouldn't want a lot of those cuts. Roasts and ground meat would be what I'd want. Some customers will want it quartered for barbecue.

[CraterCove]

My opinion (and thanks for those great graphics!) is that the chops look really good. I am looking to replace beef with goat for the most part with my family and those look like some nice stand ins for steak when we get the hankering. The ribs look good for smoking and I would like to see legs done up to be roasted or popped in my crock pot. The neck looks great for my pot too.

How does one handle that forequarter cut for prep? I think I'd rather have the squared shoulder cut, again for smoking.

I have heard really good things about taking goat belly and making bacon from it, would that meat be otherwise ground? Or come attached to one of these other cuts? And the loins on a goat would be pretty small but then again shouldn't that be the choicest bit?

[Frosted Mini's]

My friend sells cuts of meat from her boer goats. She sells at stores and restaurants (look into this if you do it!) and from her freezer at home and sometimes farmer's markets. Well, shoot, she used to have a website, but looks like she shut it down. I can see if she is okay with me giving you her email address, though. I think she said before, chops are the most popular cut, just like lambs. And the hind quarters. If you want to send me a pm, I will ask her and then message you back with her email.

The nearest USDA facility to me/us is 140 miles from here (I think about 120 from her place). That really can add onto the cost! I bet she does them in big groups when possible to save on fuel. I know that she tries to get them up as big as she can before having them done, because there are a lot of flat fees no matter the size. She will also do half and whole goats, delivered to local butcher. Her name is Evelyn Simon, with Simon Boers.

[harvestmoonfarm]

I'd think that whatever you can get out of a deer, you can get out of a goat. I know venison backstraps are a popular item with my husband and his coworker, as well as tenderloins. I've told my husband he can process our two extra bucklings this year, but I can't be part of it. I can handle rabbits, chickens and pigs, but I'm just not "there" with my goats yet

[Frosted Mini's]

Interesting pictures. So which are the "chops"? And what is a burnt carcass for? BBQ?