How Does Professional Meat Processing Work?
How Does Professional Meat Processing Work?
Professional meat processing turns livestock into properly cut, packaged, and prepared meat based on the customer’s preferences. For people raising their own livestock or purchasing an animal locally, understanding the process can make it easier to plan an order and choose the cuts that work best for their household.
At Straka Meats, we have been providing custom meat processing since 1952. We process beef, pork, and lamb and give customers options for how their meat is cut and prepared.
TL;DR: How Does Professional Meat Processing Work?
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A Guide to Custom Meat Processing
Custom meat processing allows you to choose how your meat is cut, prepared, and packaged based on your household’s needs. Understanding the processing process, available cut options, and the difference between hanging and packaged weight can help you make informed choices for your order.
What Happens During Professional Meat Processing?
Customers also provide instructions describing how they would like their meat prepared. These choices determine which cuts are included and how those cuts are packaged.
Our goal is to provide customers with an order that reflects how they actually plan to cook and use their meat.
What Choices Can You Make When Having Meat Processed?
Depending on the animal, customers may be able to choose steak and chop thicknesses, roast sizes, package quantities, ground meat options, and other individual cuts.
With pork processing, there can also be choices involving products such as ham, bacon, sausage, and other prepared meats.
Thinking about your family’s cooking habits before submitting your processing instructions can make these decisions easier.
What Is the Difference Between Hanging Weight and Packaged Weight?
During processing, bone, excess fat, moisture, and other portions of the animal may be removed depending on the cuts selected. As a result, the total weight of packaged meat will be lower than the original hanging weight.
The exact yield varies based on the animal and your processing instructions. Selecting boneless versus bone-in cuts can also influence the amount and types of packaged meat you receive.
How Should You Choose Your Meat Cuts?
If your household grills frequently, steaks and chops may be priorities. Families that use slow cookers or prepare larger meals may want additional roasts. Ground meat provides flexibility for burgers, casseroles, tacos, sauces, and many everyday recipes.
Rather than choosing cuts simply because they are available, think about what your household is most likely to use.
Why Does Choosing a Professional Meat Processor Matter?
Experience, proper handling, customization, and food safety all matter when selecting a processor. At Straka Meats, we are USDA inspected, HACCP certified, and animal welfare certified. Our family has been serving customers from our Plain, Wisconsin location for generations. We can also help customers understand their processing options and make selections based on their preferences. Contact us today to get started.
Custom meat processing gives you the flexibility to choose cuts and packaging based on your needs and preferences. Explore our FAQs to learn more about the animals we process, available customization options, and how to prepare for your order.
We provide custom processing for beef, pork, and lamb. We also offer wild game processing with separate requirements and processing options.
Yes. Custom processing allows you to make selections regarding cuts, thicknesses, package quantities, and other options depending on the type of animal being processed.
Think about the cuts your household uses most, preferred package sizes, cooking habits, and available freezer space. Reviewing your options beforehand can make completing your processing instructions easier.
