Meat Processing

To help you make decisions concerning your pork processing choices, listed below are the different cuts of pork, and the options we offer for each one. Please keep in mind that if you are getting only half a hog, your choices will be limited to one item for certain cuts. For example, on a half hog, you must either choose a boneless, bone-in, or fresh ham, as there is only one ham per 1/2 hog.

HAMS:

There are basically 3 choices for your hams. On a whole, you choose two. Our cured hams are cured for two weeks, and then hickory smoked for 24 hours over burning hickory logs until they are fully cooked.

1) BONELESS SMOKED HAM:
This is one of our specialties. It is very popular because of the ease of serving a boneless ham. It can be cut into roasts of any size, or we can slice it for you into dinner steaks, sandwich slices, shaved, any other thickness you may prefer, or any combination.

2) BONE-IN SMOKED HAM:
These can be cut into roasts, dinner steaks, or a combination of both. With this choice, you will also have the smoked shank (excellent for soup).

3) FRESH HAM:
This can be cut into steaks and roasts or any combination. If you prefer all roasts, we normally make them all boneless roasts, unless you specify otherwise. This is most popular for people on a low salt diet.

BACON:

The bacon is dry cured for two weeks, and then Hickory Smoked. Other choices for the bacon are side pork or sausage trimmings.

LOINS:

There are many possibilities for the loins. Pork chop thickness will be your main choice. The different thicknesses we recommend are 5/8”, 3/4”, 7/8”, 1”, or 1¼”. (Iowa Chopsare 1¼” thick). If you prefer some of one size and some of another, that is fine also. Other possible selections for the loins are:

SMOKED PORK CHOPS:

These have also become a specialty of ours. They are cured like our hams and smoked in our smokehouse until fully cooked. They are excellent either on the grill or just warmed up in the microwave.

BONELESS LOIN:

This may include boneless chops, America’s Cut, Chef’s Prime, boneless butterfly chops, boneless loin roasts, or smoked and fully cooked boneless loin roast, in regular or mesquite flavors.

COUNTRY STYLE RIBS:

These would take the place of end cut pork chops. They are excellent for grilling.

LOIN END ROASTS:

If you prefer more fresh pork roasts and less of the end cut chops, these make very nice roasts. On a hog there is a total of 4 loin end roasts.

PORK SHOULDERS:

These make very nice fresh pork roasts. Other choices are Smoked Shoulder, or you may put them into your sausage trimmings.

PORK BUTT:

This is the top of the shoulder. Choices are:

FRESH PORK ROASTS

PORK STEAK: (Bone-in)

PORKETTES: These are lean, boneless, tenderized pork steak.

COTTAGE BACON: Cottage Bacon is a round bacon, much leaner than regular slab bacon and does have a different flavor than the regular bacon. It is excellent for BLT’s.

SAUSAGE: If none of the above are appealing, pork butt may also be added to the trimmings for sausage.

SPARE RIBS:

These can be left fresh or smoked and BBQed.

SAUSAGE CHOICES:

We try to offer a wide variety in choices of sausage meats. There are certain limitations on how many choices you have per hog, depending on how much extra meat, such as the poorer roasts, that you put in your sausage trimmings.

1. SEASONED SAUSAGE: This is a breakfast type sausage that is left in a bulk package. It can be packaged in 1# packages. $0.35

2. GROUND PORK: Unseasoned, in a bulk package. We keep it at least 80% - 85% lean. $0.25

3. HAM LOAF: The ham loaf is one of our most popular items, both for custom processing and from our retail case. It is packaged in an oven-ready, 2# aluminum tub, with cooking instructions printed on the lid. $1.00

4. ITALIAN SAUSAGE: Great on pizza or use in spaghetti in place of hamburger. It is a mild, but very flavorful sausage. $0.45

5. LINK SAUSAGE: This is a breakfast sausage made into a 1# coil that can be snapped apart while frozen, so any amount can be used at a time. $1.00

6. SOUTHERN STYLE SAUSAGE: For those who prefer spicier sausage, these are much more spicy than our regular sausage. $0.45

7. GROUND PORK PATTIES: These are 1/4# patties, packaged in 2# packages. We keep them at least 80% lean. You may also order them in 1/3# patties. 1/4# = $0.40 1/3# = 0.45

8. SEASONED PORK PATTIES: These patties are seasoned the same as the link sausage. They are great as a breakfast sausage, but are also terrific on the grill. $0.50

9. BRATWURST LINKS:Made in natural casings, they are approximately 1/4# per link. Great taste! $1.00

10. BRATWURST PATTIES: These are seasoned with the same seasoning that we make our regular Bratwurst links with. They are 1/4# patties, packaged 2#’s per package. $0.50

11. SMOKED BRATWURST: A slightly different recipe is used and then smoked and fully cooked in our smokehouse in natural casings. $1.50

12. SMOKED GREEN ONION BRATWURST: This is a recipe we developed to make an Iowan Bratwurst. It is very good with a green onion taste and a pepper taste. $1.40

13. CHEDDAR BRATWURST: A smoked and fully cooked brat containing Cheddar Cheese. $1.50

14. BBQ PORK: Smoked pork, sliced and ready to eat, covered with the best BBQ sauce! $1.40

15. RING BOLOGNA: Pork trim mixed with beef trim for a fully cooked ring bologna in a natural casing. It is also hickory smoked. $1.60 + cost of beef added @ 3.49

16. PORK JERKY: Made from the fresh ham or sirloin. Better than beef jerky! $6.00

17. POLISH SAUSAGE: Our newest product is a fully cooked Polish Sausage. They are also in a natural casing. Great on the grill, frying pan, or microwave! $1.40

18. COARSE GROUND WIENERS: Wieners that have a great flavor and are made from your pork trimmings and are at least 80% lean. They are fully cooked and smoked in natural casings. They can be microwaved & ready to eat in 30 seconds, or they are also terrific on the grill. $1.50

19. CHORIZO: Our Spanish sausage is great for your Mexican dishes. It is really good to mix with scrambled eggs. $0.50

20. FRESH GREEN ONION BRATWURST: These are very similar to our smoked green onion brats, Only they are fresh, not smoked or cooked. Great on the grill!! $1.25

21. CHEDDAR & JALAPENO FRESH BRATWURST: Same recipe as our smoked Cheddar Brats, only these are fresh, not smoked, and they also have Jalapenos! Great on the grill! $1.25

22. CHIPOLTE SMOKED SAUSAGE: Our newest product that we have been working on for the past year! We have worked on the product to have good flavor while still being very hot as well! $1.40

23. PORK & BACON PATTIES: These our are pork patties blended with our bacon as we grind them. It gives you the taste of bacon grilled with your pork patties! $0.60 + cost of bacon @4.69

24. BBQ PORK PATTIES: These patties are made with a great BBQ sauce mixed right with the meat when we mix and grind them. It has the same effect as trying to marinate the patties when you grill them. $0.60

To help you make decisions concerning your beef processing choices, listed below are the different cuts of beef and the options we offer for each one.

ROASTS:

We will need to know the size you would like the roasts cut at, 2#, 2½#, 3#… Also, if you would like all the roasts or only the better roasts, to give you more hamburger.

1) CHUCK ROAST: These are very good roasts, and they usually are cut with the bone in them, but if you prefer, they can be made boneless as well. Also, the chuck is where the Flat Iron Steaks come from, if you choose to have them made.

2) SHOULDER ROAST OR ARM ROAST: These are also very good roasts. If you ask for the better roasts only, we will give you the boneless shoulder roasts.

3) RUMP ROASTS: There are two rump roasts on a side of beef. The normal procedure we follow is to make the rump roast boned and rolled in netting unless you specify otherwise.

4) SIRLOIN TIP ROAST: These are boneless roasts, and if you don’t want them as roasts, they can be cut as sirloin tip steaks.

5) ROUND ROASTS: These are usually also boneless roasts, round steaks, or tenderized round steaks.

STEAKS:

We will need to know the thickness of the steaks you will want us to cut them at – 3/4”, 7/8”, 1”, 1¼”…, and how many per package.

1) RIBEYES
2) T-BONES
3) NEW YORK STRIP
4) BONELESS SIRLOIN
5) FILET MIGNON
6) FILET MIGNON WRAPPED WITH BACON
7) FLAT IRON STEAK
8) SIRLOIN TIP
9) ROUND STEAK
10) CUBED STEAK
11) MINUTE STEAK
12) TENDERIZED ROUND
13) CHUCK STEAK

RIBS:

BACK RIBS: Normally, we will give you the back ribs on a side of beef. They are the ribs pulled off the ribeyes. On a quarter of beef we will put them in hamburger since they are not enough for a meal.

SHORT RIBS: These can be saved for you, or they can be boned out for hamburger.

BONELESS COUNTRY STYLE RIBS: These are lean and boneless from the chuck area of the beef.

SOUP BONES: Soup bones are the knuckle joints with the meat left on them. They are excellent for making broth for soup as well.

HAMBURGER: There are several choices for the hamburger options.

BULK: It can be packaged in 1, 1½, or 2# packages.

PATTIES: Patties can be made in either 1/4# or 1/3# sizes.

OTHER CHOICES:

DRIED BEEF: This can be made from the beef round and is smoked and fully cooked. In order to smoke it, you must get at least 3# for it to hold together.

SUMMER SAUSAGE: This is made from the hamburger. You can get any amount from 1# and up. It is vacuum packaged in 1# packages.

BEEF JERKY: This is made from the beef round. You can get any amount from 1# and up. It is a whole muscle jerky and does not need refrigeration.

BEEF STICKS: These are made from the hamburger and can be our regular sticks or our Jalapeno & Cheese sticks.

RING BOLOGNA: These are made from the hamburger with some added pork. They are smoked and fully cooked.