A comprehensive list of the most commonly asked questions.
Beef Quality
Is your beef dry-aged?
Yes. All of our beef is dry-aged a minimum of 14 days.
Is your beef grass fed?
All of our beef is grass fed and grain finished.
Is your hamburger single-animal origin?
Yes. We only butcher and process one animal at a time to guarantee dignity for the animal and quality of the meat.
How old are your animals when they are butchered?
All of our cattle raised for beef are 18-22 months old when they are butchered to reach the optimum weight for quality beef.
How are your animals butchered?
All of our beef is butchered in state inspected facilities following state and federal guidelines for slaughter and processing and carry the state mark of inspection.
What are the different meat grades?
The USDA grade shields are highly regarded as symbols of high-quality American beef. Quality grades are widely used as a “language” within the beef industry. Beef grades include:
- Prime – Prime beef is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has abundant marbling (the amount of fat interspersed with lean meat), and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels.
- Choice – Choice beef is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime.
- Select – Select beef is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades.
Reference: USDA
Is all your beef U.S. raised, never imported?
Yes, all of our beef is bred, born, raised, finished and processed in ND providing you full transparency to where your beef is from.
Do you feed your animals grain or corn?
Our cattle graze pastures throughout the spring, summer and fall before going to the finishing stage. During finishing, they are fed a mixture of corn, distiller grains, and various minerals, along with dry hay. We believe this provides the best finished beef, with moderate marbling, texture and flavor for a high quality beef experience.
How do you keep meat safe in shipment/transit?
All of our meat is frozen immediately after processing and is always transported in freezer trucks. Meat that is shipped via UPS/FedEx is packed in coolers with ice and shipped with appropriate transit times.
Where is your meat processed?
All of our is processed at Butchers Edge in Edgeley.
Animal Care
Do you use antibiotics?
Yes, but only if needed. Just like children, or even ourselves, we may get sick and need medications to get well. The same applies to our animals, and we have a responsibility to care for them and maintain their health and wellbeing. That being said, we follow the strict guidelines set forth by the USDA. This includes specified withdrawal periods before slaughter to make sure there are no antibiotic residues in the meat and ensure the safety and quality of your beef.
Do you use growth hormones in your cattle?
No, our cattle are free of any growth hormones.
How do you care for your animals?
Our cattle are our livelihood, and we care for them every day they are in our care and we do so in the most humane ways. We are also Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified. BQA is a national training and certification program in animal husbandry, care and stewardship coupled with the latest scient to help producers raise cattle under optimum management conditions. We are also members of state and national cattle organizations to continue to learn and advance our herd quality and care.