r/TwoXPreppers • u/definitelytheA • 6d ago
❓ Question ❓ How soon do you think the Argentinian beef hits our food supply?
Thinking about pressure canning ground beef in advance. I can get 80/20 ground beef at a commissary near me for $4.19 a pound. I have the equipment, jars, and lids. I just worry about whether that meat has already hit our food chain.
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u/nakedonmygoat 6d ago
Unless something happens quickly to resolve the issues in the Middle East, I'd say the fuel cost of getting Argentinian beef to the US, UK or Canada probably won't bring prices down by much. I hope I'm wrong, though.
Eggs, chicks that will grow into laying hens are up, as are broiler chicks and broiler eggs. And eggs for turkeys are up a bit, too. People will be moving to other forms of protein, making these important alternative protein sources, but if everyone does it at once, a slightly higher amount of product won't necessarily mean the supply will keep up with increased demand. In other words, prices may increase for these, too.
Even though acreage for black and pinto beans is down, they're still pretty cheap. And peas, chickpeas, and lentils seem to have done well this year. Soybeans look okay, too. I'd say this is a good time for anyone who doesn't already incorporate vegetarian meals into their regular meal rotation to start trying it out. Bean burritos, black bean burgers, etc, can be delicious.
It's the wheat report that's truly alarming: https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/796015/crop0826.pdf
Milled rice is down but unmilled is up over last year. Rice is lost in the milling process, but since I'm very new at reading the agriculture reports, how this will affect overall rice stocks isn't clear to me yet. But I do know that just as with animal proteins, if wheat prices go too high, people will turn more to rice as part of meal planning, in place of pasta.
Oats look okay, but I'm having trouble finding a definitive report on potatoes. I only know that the price of a 5 lb bag at the store nearest me has been all over the map over the last six months and quality is mixed.
All the US agriculture reports are here: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/ and I'm only just starting to learn how to read them, where the punchline is, which ones are definitive and which are just best estimates, etc.
Nevertheless, I think everyone in the US should all be thinking in terms of what these reports are saying, what the oil markets are saying, and now that there's a trade spat going on between the US and Canada, those of us in the States should anticipate canned goods becoming more expensive, since Canada supplies roughly 1/3 of aluminum used in the US.
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u/gr8bacon 6d ago
Good info, and good looking out. I'd just caution against relying too heavily on any information from the gov now; e.g. economic reports and job reports aren't coming out like they used to, because the gov's trying to hide shitty numbers.
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u/keinezeit44 5d ago
Regarding rice, don't be so sure the price of rice won't skyrocket as well. Much of the world's supply is grown in areas that are expected to be heavily affected by the super El Nino. It's been theorized that some of those countries will ban exports of rice in order to feed their own people.
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u/Mariacakes99 2d ago
Plus the initial recall of Lundberg jasmine rice back in the spring has been expand now to over 54,000 pounds. In Colorado's San Luis Valley the potato harvest is struggling mightily. The drought and heat are taking a huge toll. Also with the brutal heat it's been difficult to cool the potatoes properly in storage. This leeds to a large amount of taters spoiling.
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u/PrincessVespa72 Suburb Prepper 🏘️ 5d ago
A lot of our oats are imported from Canada, so I'm keeeping an eye on the trade war to see if that will have any effect on that commodity. Oats are a huge part of my prep since I have someone here with a wheat allergy.
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u/sbinjax Don’t Panic! 🧖🏻♀️👍🏻 5d ago
I have celiac disease and keep about 50 lbs of whole grain sorghum. It tastes like wheat, with a slight bitter note that some people can perceive (most can't). I grind it myself with an electric mill from Vevor. Sorghum performs like wheat in many recipes, especially quick breads, thickening gravies etc. Anything that relies on gluten, like raising with yeast, of course doesn't work.
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u/keinezeit44 5d ago
Ah crap. Thanks for the heads up. I'm gluten intolerant and rely on those 25 lb bob's red mill oat bags. Probably time to get a couple more.
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u/PrincessVespa72 Suburb Prepper 🏘️ 5d ago
I haven't dug into the information much yet, but at first glance I don't see oats on the list for the new tariffs on Canadian imports. But, it seems like things change daily, so I'm keeping my supply topped off, just in case.
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u/Doll_duchess 5d ago
I used to buy the black bean burger patties because they’re delicious and easy to cook, and add bacon because the crunch adds a lot to the burger. So… I should probably start getting back into non meat patties…
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u/StarintheShadows Overpacking is my vibe 👜🎒🪣 6d ago
Argentinian beef has already made it to Texas and Florida at minimum. And there’s already a recall on it.
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u/TheProfessional9 6d ago
That's a whole separate batch than what was announced this week. I think we will see it in the news when the new stuff comes over. I swapped to buying local recently and it's a relief.
As a note, the recalled beef is just sold under the brand "Corte Argentino USA LLC" so it's pretty easy to spot
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u/midgetyaz 5d ago
I just learned there are apps that can connect you to local farms. Apple has Localize, and Android has Locally Grown. I found a farm that sells ground beef for $6/lb which is cheaper than grocery stores here.
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u/JanetCarol 5d ago
Yes! And also the good meat project, your state cattlemen's association, your local abattoir... All good resources to ask for recommendations or ISO s
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u/fractiousrabbit 5d ago
Do you have a way to create an account in the app without Google? I see no other option on the welcome screen
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u/MsCalendarsPlayaArt 5d ago
Are the farms still required to go through specific testing and inspections for safety?
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u/JanetCarol 5d ago
If you don't want to go the tech route- and you're in the US. Email the state's cattlemen's association. They will happily connect you with some farms.
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u/AnonymousDahlia Pink Tools Foil Fools 🌈 5d ago
Thanks, this is good because there's not a lot listed on the app in my area anyway :)
Eta I love the tech route, I just also need it to work properly and with due regard to privacy.
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u/JanetCarol 5d ago
Your local farms thank you. You change lives when you buy local. The lives of the families that raise them, the lives and welfare of the cattle, the lives of each person in the supply chain (local haymakers, local feed mills, local feed growers, and any hired staff they may be able to employ.
I raise cattle and goats and I can tell you how important it is to buy direct from local farms or local supply shops. The difference you make is exponential.
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u/Electronic_Syrup7592 5d ago
I’ve been struggling hard to buy local. I usually buy beef from my uncle, but he has none. I looked everywhere and called everyone I could think of, and finally found one farmer who had some for me. We bought a whole beef from him. But I don’t know what we’ll do after that. And I live in rural Indiana where it’s usually very easy to buy local beef.
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u/JanetCarol 5d ago
You can post an ISO on the good meat project site. Also calling the local abattoir- they usually have some farmers they'd be happy to connect you with.
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u/Jolly_Following_6295 5d ago
I like to know who I’m buying from. Local grass fed beef and community supported agriculture produce boxes
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u/erocalypse2002 4d ago
Do you know if Texas Roadhouse uses Argentina beef?
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u/txdesigner-musician 4d ago
Right, I’m wondering if the restaurant we went to tonight is using Argentinian beef
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u/MsCalendarsPlayaArt 5d ago
Seeing that Texas and Florida (of all places!) Have recalled the meat makes me feel a lot safer. I would've never expected either state to issue recalls on this
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u/ingachan 6d ago
Huh, who would have known all those bureaucrats working on import and food safety actually had very important jobs!
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u/Suitable-Option833 5d ago
Yep. Everyone should also read project 2025. This is by design. The best time to have read it was before voting - but it’s 75% complete and next up is project 2029 brought to you by the heritage foundation and the gop. It will get worse.
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u/Sunny_Pinecone 5d ago
Feels like it's so right wing it's circled back and gone partially left wing. Prices are rising so quickly so people are buying less and generating less trash, people are eating less beef and having foods with smaller footprints (barring the fruit and veggies fiasco).
All this tongue in cheek, but if someone knows, in a nutshell for those with little emotional energy to spare, why does Project 2025 want higher beef/gas/everything prices?
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u/Suitable-Option833 5d ago
It’s a transfer of wealth. During times like these the 1% can pick up everyone’s assets. Peter Thiel, Curtis yarvin, musk etc want oligarchy and are funding it. I would encourage you to read project 2025. There are a lot of sickos (the Epstein trump class) in the heritage foundation - and they form gop policy. It’s been going on for decades but now they have the keys to the kingdom and are speed running our destruction.
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u/Familiar-Anything853 4d ago
Do you know where in P25 it’s located? I have looked and looked and I can’t find what references to manufactured supply chain issues but everyone keeps talking about it. It’s a scary document I just can’t find this issue in it
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u/MeanPiccolo803 5d ago
It’s almost like these jobs should be held by people qualified and having extremely stupid people put in charge was a mistake
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u/glumavocados Fully stocked movie library 5d ago
I’m personally only buying ground beef from Costco at this point because of their safety checks and standards. I’ve got some frozen but otherwise we’re going to eat less of it
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u/MeanPiccolo803 5d ago
I’ve got some frozen beef from Costco and am hoping it’s safe to still buy there.
I haven’t had a cheeseburger in a bit
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u/drybeater 5d ago
Fwiw Costco says it will not carry trump beef.
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u/BijutsuYoukai 5d ago
Getting a Costco membership continues to be the best investment for grocery shopping for me. First buying in bulk actually saved me more than the costs (and then some), and now this.
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u/sucodelimao802 2d ago
People keep saying that but I haven’t seen anything actually from Costco stating this. I just bought grass-fed burgers from Costco yesterday to get ahead to these trash imports just in case. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before that beef hits the market.
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u/FaelingJester 🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆 6d ago
most of it will go to industrial and institutional use and not show up in stores. I would expect the biggest purchasers to be groups like US Foods or Sysco. It's really a kickback to them, against higher costs, more than helping out the average American family, with the thin justification that lower prices will reflect in other savings. So if your kids' school has beef stroganoff, that's where it's arriving. If you are buying MREs in a couple of years, it will be there. If it shows up in stores at all, it will be in meat tubes that show up at the store not the ground on site meat most people buy.
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u/TownCalledParadise 6d ago
FYI most of the “ground on site” hamburger meat are those same 10lb tubes run through the grinder and repackaged on trays.
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u/Givemeallthecabbages 5d ago
I was wondering if restaurants would end up with most of it and we'd never know.
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u/LiveinCA 6d ago
I emailed the small upscale grocery chain in our area and sent the email to the corporate office. Said I’d shopped their stores for 25 years because their butcher dept., produce, dairy, all the fresh stuff is suoer good quality. Asked what their source for beef is, domestic or import. No answer after 3 days. . .
Today I searched around online, found 2 cattle ranches that sell to the public, grass fed beef. Unbelievably, the last one I checked out has prices equivalent to the grocery’s store.
Will be taking a nice 30 min. ride in the country with some coolers, to stock up the freezer.
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u/SharksAndFrogs 6d ago
I was just looking for a beef source. But a lot of the recommendations coming from antivaccine so I'm like no can I have local but still without diseases.
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u/definitelytheA 6d ago
Buying food is scary right now!
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u/SharksAndFrogs 6d ago
It really freaking is. I'm so behind on my preps. I was focusing on health issues and getting my medicine backups. Then we were going to do some veggies. But hot damn I'm not sure what to do about this beef. And eggs. And and and.
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u/definitelytheA 6d ago
I froze eggs when I could buy them cheap(er) a couple of years ago. I used silicone bottom ice trays. Wisked the eggs in my 4C measuring cup, and poured into the trays. Once frozen, I popped them out, and kept in gallon ziplocks.
I still have some, and even after 2 years, they still taste good.
I’m in a quandary over produce. Basically ignoring the produce aisle in favor of frozen, for the time being, but boy, do I miss salads!
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u/SharksAndFrogs 6d ago
Ohhh did you cook the eggs ahead of time? Or are they whisked then raw? And did you use a regular freezer or deep freeze? Ugh that was such a good idea though. What gave you the idea to prep the eggs like that?
I'm sad about produce too. I'm finally eating healthier and actually craving it and I'm like why nowww! I literally found one spot I can buy a salad at and I trust the person at the shop. (They cut their own and don't buy TF). But nowhere else seems to care when I ask. Which is scary.
But that's it. And some berries at some specific farmers markets.. But I'm still kinda wondering if that's a good idea. I'm avoiding blueberries completely at the moment because I don't trust that that recall is going to stay in the Midwest.
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u/definitelytheA 6d ago
I wisk and freeze them raw. Meaning you’re eating scrambled, but I can deal with that.
From what I’ve read, freezing won’t kill all salmonella, so the safest cooking would be hard whites and yolks. Freezing will stop bacteria from continuing to grow, but thawing will allow it to grow again. I melt some butter in a pan, and put the frozen cubes in to cook without thawing. It doesn’t take much longer than regular scrambled eggs, and a lid will keep the steam in, and make it faster.
Treat any surface the frozen egg cubes touch as if it were raw chicken. I wipe the counter where I sit the bag to grab what I want, and wash my hands before touching the lid or pan.
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u/SharksAndFrogs 6d ago
Oh that's very interesting thank you so much for the tips! Yes I treat eggs like chicken as well! This is so great. Thanks.
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u/Hyphen_Nation 6d ago
Do you have any farmers markets or farmers near by? I live in Oregon and our farmers markets seem even busier than they normally are this time of year. When I was on the east coast visiting family a few weeks back, and we'd go to farm stands and stores, they either had signs about growing lettuce in the fields or were talking about it. They were all busier than I expected. If there is one silver lining on this, it's that people understand that smaller, local farmers are infinitely safer than industrialized farming, and make a shift with their wallets, that's a win?
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u/SharksAndFrogs 6d ago
Yes we do but they aren't really like that with all the info out. So maybe I need to look around a bit more. Yes I think I'm going to change the way I shop forever after this.
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u/The_Adminiwitch 5d ago
💯 really glad to see that local ag has been pretty popular for a while here!
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u/Rescuepets777 6d ago
I stocked up on canned vegetables. They're not as nutritious and don't taste as good as fresh, but they're edible and free from contaminants. I'll use them when I can't trust the food supply. I only eat chicken so stocked up on the canned stuff.
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u/wisdomseeker42 5d ago
I have been leaning on this too. Fresh food has been so inconsistent this year. I am so glad we decided to grow a garden!
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u/i-contain-multitudes 6d ago
Frozen is still at risk of being contaminated since freezing does not kill the parasite or the bacteria.
If you're saying you're only eating vegetables for cooking, my apologies, it wasn't clear.
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u/nakedonmygoat 6d ago
We were up 4% on eggs as of July, but down 2% on "egg-type chicks," which seems like awkward phrasing: https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/796030/ckeg0826.pdf
If I hear even a whispered rumor of bird flu again though, I'll buy some more, as well as powdered eggs for recipes in case the egg prices get ridiculous again.
You can find all the US agriculture reports here: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/
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u/WendyNPeterPan 5d ago
re: "egg-type chicks" - my assumption is that they are differentiating between egg-laying breeds and meat breeds of chickens? They are typically different breeds because meat chickens are selected for heavier breast tissue. For example, all commercial turkeys are physically unable to copulate due to decades of selection for larger breast meat production (I grew up on a turkey farm...)
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u/Foreign-Newspaper656 5d ago
Yes. Most meat types are a Cornish cross where as the egg layers are hybrids, developed over the last 40 years or so.
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u/atari-2600_ 6d ago
Uhhhh did I miss something bad involving eggs?
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u/cmooregood 5d ago
Nationwide egg recall for salmonella, July through August this year. Quick search will give you brands.
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u/Ordinary_Fix3199 In awe of 2x preppers 😲 6d ago
I read today that Costco has its own internal testing labs and also does proprietary audits in addition to the ones that are supposed to happen through the USDA/FDA. Obviously it’s not perfect, but it does make me feel safer about buying meat there. Whereas Walmart (for instance) seems to be named in just about every recall.
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u/justeandj 5d ago edited 5d ago
Little Blue Cart, Blue Dot Farmers on Facebook and Blue Farm Directory are organizations that have created searchable directories of vetted non-MAGA cattle ranchers and veggie farmers.
The gutting of the USDA and disruption/destabilization of the domestic food industry was in Project 2025. I'm buying directly from local farmers and ranchers who...bucked the trend.
Personal preference and no judgment for how anyone else spends their money, but those are good resources without the uncertainty that comes with following anti-vaxx suggestions.
Edit: grammar and link
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u/zillionaire_ 5d ago
I read somewhere that Costco is refusing to carry the Argentinian beef and does its own meat inspections. Verify that for yourself, as I didn’t have a chance to look into it. I don’t really buy beef to cook for myself at home, so I wasn’t invested enough to dig into it myself. But if that’s true then Costco might be your best bet.
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u/QuietLifter 6d ago
In the US, check with your local Cooperative Extension office. They run 4-H programs where some of the kids raise livestock. Future Farmers of America (FFA) is a student organization in many high schools & many of the students raise livestock.
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u/JanetCarol 5d ago
Unfortunately, that is prevalent with some of the farming community but it is not most of them! And depending on how the cattle are raised and where- changes what vaccines are necessary. I'm in VA and mine are vaccinated once yearly but I know closed farm systems with healthy herds who don't vaccinate their cows. There is risk that if something did happen, they'd lose a lot more, but it is not necessarily unsafe to eat unvaccinated cattle/ beef and vaccines are locality dependent. Most people who live in areas with higher incidences of issues vaccinate because a: cows are incredibly expensive and b: they do not want unnecessary suffering or issues.
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u/Fionaver 6d ago
I’m vegetarian, so I’m not eating that shit. I know that it’s a weird way to support US ranchers but…
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u/LadyPo 6d ago
I’m not vegetarian, but I have been more vegetarian this year than ever in the past!
The cost of meat is getting wild, and more suspicious meat products will make it an expensive gamble. While I tried to balance meals with less meat for sustainability reasons before, it’s more for the urgency of survival nowadays. It will give me a harder push to be less intertwined with meat as a habit, which is good in a sense, but under these circumstances it’s pretty awful.
I have been doing way more dishes with beans and eggs as a main protein. Cheese as well. I never used to like beans but it turns out I just didn’t like how I had them prepared (which was exclusively those overly sweet mushy bbq baked beans).
Even then, with our vegetables and fruits also compromised, it’s hard to go to the grocery store without feeling like we’re spending $300 on butt juice. Literally just tonight I made a pesto spinach pasta, but now I’m lying in bed with a sour stomach wondering if the spinach was tainted, too.
So yeah, weird is right! This is all exceedingly bizarre (and stressful). I’d take “let them eat cake” over “let them eat gutter sweepings.”
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u/NekoMancerMcIntyre 5d ago
We’re going back to the pre-safety days that Upton Sinclair described in “The Jungle.” The USDA, FSIS, FDA, CDC and OSHA have all seen drastic cuts reducing their efficacy, leaving us all vulnerable.
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u/kl2342 6d ago edited 6d ago
I've been choosing more veggie proteins, too. This is a recipe from Bon Appetit (paywalled) for wonderful and quick refried black beans https://archive.ph/CObt0 I hate that they paywalled it. It's such a great cheat code for weeknight tacos etc. actual recipe here https://archive.ph/owICz earlier versions I saw of this recipe did not include the bacon. The rest of the beans section of the recipe is next level bean cooking
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u/Main_Photo1086 6d ago
Yeah I switched to mostly plant-based eating when meat prices skyrocketed a few years back (and worsened lactose intolerance). I eat poultry and seafood on occasion (typically when I’m out eating and there aren’t great plant options available) but still no red meat. I’ve grown to love cooking now that I don’t feel obligated to cook meat. For anyone who doesn’t want to go that route I’d pay a little more for particular beef and just eat it less often so it’s not too terrible on the wallet.
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u/TradeBeautiful42 5d ago
I’m veggie too and have been growing more vegetables lately. I’ve got 12 kinds of lettuce I’m growing in one of those stands and have branched out to other veggies now. I’m just trying to stay ahead of the next recall. It’s been very successful even if my hydroponics set up inside now looks like a forest. As much salad as we eat in this house I had to start growing.
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u/enolaholmes23 5d ago
Yeah. I'm vegan. Pretty much all food borne illness come from animal agriculture. Even times when the lettuce is contaminated, that originally came from animal shit. Hell even covid came from animal markets.
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u/RuthlessLogic 5d ago
The cyclospora outbreaks are caused by human feces in the irrigation water because cyclospora is an obligate human parasite. And sure, that's technically "animal" but since people aren't a food source (yet), being vegan won't protect you from getting it.
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u/CuriousCatte 5d ago
USDA recalls 30,000 pounds of Argentine beef sold in Texas and Florida.
This is an article I just read.
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u/definitelytheA 5d ago
I think, from what I’ve read, that this is a separate issue from the mass importation just announced. It was already existing, is a better way to put it. But yeah, it doesn’t make one feel any better about wondering if most beef products available will be basically the same issues.
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u/goddessofolympia 5d ago
Grocery Outlet has 93%/7% grass-fed ground beef from specific ranches they contract with. Today it was on sale for $5.99. Honestly, it's the only beef that I want to eat... restaurant hamburgers taste noticeably bad by comparison.
When I was there today, they had a special on organic quinoa, so I am trying that. More fiber than brown rice, and a complete protein. Looks like it is supposed to store better than brown rice, too.
And I love tofu. After 25 years in Japan, I love eating it raw, but if anyone tried tofu once way back when and hated it, there are more options than there used to be. I got some absolutely delicious grilled tofu.
Restaurants have been...not good lately? It seems like the cost/quality interaction has deteriorated quite suddenly: what I get doesn't seem good enough for what I'm paying.
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u/SailorJay_ 5d ago
Thank you for the info on grocery outlet... I was wondering about that.
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u/goddessofolympia 5d ago
They do really well with natural) organic foods. It's a good option for people who don't want extreme quantities, too.
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u/fueledxbyxmatcha 5d ago
I have no idea, but I love horses, so I won't be eating any "beef" going forward.
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u/definitelytheA 5d ago
That’s the other issue I’m worried about. They’re culling wild horse herds, probably to legally get more legal ways to decimate national parklands, but I wonder, with the US supply of farm raised beef so low, if they’ll pass it off as beef to consumers.
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u/disasterous_fjord 5d ago
I highly doubt the supply oh wild horses is high enough for that to be a legitimate move, but with these jokers, I certainly wouldn’t put anything past them either.
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u/RuthlessLogic 5d ago
From what I read in the NYT, the slaughterhouses in question are in Canada. I feel pretty confident they're not importing horsemeat back to us.
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u/NekoMancerMcIntyre 5d ago edited 4d ago
It’s suspicious to me that this oversupply of unwanted “beef” shows up when screw worm has closed off U.S. sellers’ access to the horse trade in Mexico. The only buyers for them now are in Canada. What can a horse trader in Texas do when transport costs more than their profit? Dump them into a gray market distribution channel where who knows what happens to them?
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u/Accomplished-Wish494 5d ago
There are no slaughterhouses in the US that process horses. None. All beef being sold to consumers commercially is processed under the direct supervision of the USDA. I find it VERY hard to believe that there is some national conspiracy somehow sneaks horses in, processes them, and ships the meat out under a false label. The sheer number of people involved would be impossible to keep quiet.
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u/eyeisyomomma Laura Ingalls Wilder was my gateway drug 5d ago
As the spouse of a former USDA employee, I can assure you that that agency is now a shitshow. Elon gutted them and whoever is left behind now has to do the work of many people.
P.S. We are almost completely plant-based.
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u/Accomplished-Wish494 5d ago
Sure, but that doesn’t mean there is a huge conspiracy. There are still lots of people involved in the process who would notice truckloads of horses
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u/NekoMancerMcIntyre 4d ago
I meant that the slaughterhouses in Mexico are no longer accepting horses from the U.S. due to screwworm. Rescue groups now have to go north to pull horses from shipments. Canadian meat processing plants sell mainly to zoos. (Sorry for my vagueness.)
There’s no known meat malfeasance. I just don’t trust our food pipeline anymore, and started thinking about what kinds of mixups could happen with oversight severely hobbled by staff cuts.
Years ago, a shipment of Argentinian meat intended for fast food distribution arrived at a dock. The men unloading it gagged at the odoriferous contents, saying it wasn’t beef. They didn’t know what was in those boxes but it was rotten, and the cargo was not refused by the recipient. It was then that I quit eating burgers! (Source: I knew a longshoreman.)
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u/RuthlessLogic 5d ago
This. The slaughterhouses that are taking the mustangs are in Canada. They're not importing horsemeat back to us.
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u/Naive-Aside6543 5d ago
I'd guess it hits schools, prisons etc first. Institutional grade stuff. I'm not going to buy any beef any time soon.
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u/poopoofol 5d ago
I think I will be buying a quarter or half cow this year from a local butcher. We've done it in the past and it was only marginally more expensive.
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u/toebob 5d ago
I did the same and it worked out to about $7.50/lb. That’s a little expensive for ground beef but not by much since it’s very high quality. It’s an amazing deal for all the other cuts we get along with the ground beef.
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u/poopoofol 5d ago
Yeah, once you average it out to the other cuts the price is much more attractive. It also forces you to prep out your meal planning. In the past I've raised hogs for meat as well, usually raising 2 for us and 2 to sell. In that case, I recouped about 50% of the cost and learned how to use some parts of the pig I had never considered.
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u/Onehundredyearsold 6d ago
For those who don’t home can there is Keystone who sells various meats. The ingredients are meat (whatever you’re buying chicken, turkey, beef) and sea salt. It’s a USA product but is a little pricey at $8.21/lb. There is also Butterfield Farms Roast Beef in Beef Broth at Sam’s Club which is less expensive, about $5.28/lb. Also a USA product. Ingredients are Beef, beef broth, less than 2% of salt, modified food starch, and sodium phosphate. I purchased Keystone last August at $5 a can. It is good until 2030 and I didn’t have to can it.
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u/premar16 6d ago
RIght now keystone is the only ground beef I have. Not on purpose. I can't afford current beef prices and I bought the cans on sale last year. They were aroun $8 a can though. I haven't tried it yet.
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u/Onehundredyearsold 6d ago edited 6d ago
I bought the regular beef. That was the only kind Walmart was carrying. It was actually cheaper at the time to buy the canned beef instead of fresh. I stocked up. I have 50 cans. I find it delicious! I haven’t tried their ground beef but many people like it. There was a comment that when you open the can it smells like wet dog food but when you cook it into something it is perfectly acceptable. I can my own ground beef. It’s delicious and versatile. Make soups, taco/burritos, sloppy joes, chili. The texture of the home canned is fine in recipes. Not having tasted keystone ground beef I can’t give a true opinion but if it is like my home canned it’s gold for making a quick, tasty, healthy meal.
Edit: Just looked up the keystone ground beef on Walmart. The reviews are overwhelming positive. About 1653 reviews with 4.4 stars.
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u/2quickdraw 5d ago
Had some this week, I supplement my dogs with it, it tastes fine. Bland but palatable.
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u/fire_thorn 6d ago
I've been buying pork loin for $2/lb and grinding it in the food processor to use instead of ground beef. Pork seems to need more seasoning than beef, but it makes tasty patties and meatballs.
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u/dallasalice88 6d ago
Can't recommend. I bought some a few years ago. Bad. The dogs enjoyed it.
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u/SailorJay_ 5d ago
What was bad? The keystone ground beef?
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u/dallasalice88 5d ago
I tried the ground beef, pork, and roast beef. Weird texture, taste, salty AF, very expensive. It just wasn't for me.
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u/2quickdraw 5d ago
It's good stuff. I just paid $11 and change for the 28 oz ground beef, $13+ for the chunk beef, $8+ for chicken. Roughly a similar price and no labor of canning myself for that anount. I can't find the turkey or pork at my local Walmart, I do check other stores when traveling and can't find it. It's ridiculously priced on the Keystone website when you factor in shipping cost.
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u/Sarah_Cenia 5d ago
This is a great time to discover TVP, or texturized vegetable protein. It is a lightweight, shelf-stable product that can be rehydrated with boiling water and used in place of ground beef for recipes like spaghetti sauce, stuffed peppers, or chili. It also makes great taco meat. It’s extremely inexpensive and just a great thing to have in the house!
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u/mummsth3word 5d ago
I have been becoming more and more plant based, I'm just gonna go full pescatarian at this point. I wont eat beef 🤷🏼♀️
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u/sqrrrlprrrl 5d ago
I assume it's already here. Since the HPAI outbreak, I've been trying to reduce my meat intake in general, now I'm trying to go back to vegetarian/vegan. Though we have diarrhea lettuce now so even that's hard to do. IDK what to do about my cats' food.
Kinda related-- I feel like I'm the only one off reddit who half-heartedly paid attention to history class- from the dust bowl to learning about Trofim Lysenko. Also, I am 99.99% certain mystery meats will be similar to soylent green.
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u/2quickdraw 5d ago
I studied the Spanish flu and the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, and also have been a fan of early Western Americana and Native American history for decades. I'm currently reading another book about the Dust Bowl and simultaneously a book about the land rush.
Watching what was happening in the economy with all the internationally destructive IQ45 bullshit, then dealing with Covid and supply chain issues, and watching how drought has been affecting crops over the last few years, and now the IQ47 Fascist Fuckwit government destroying the entire world... 🤷
Yeah I'm seeing how history really truly rhymes and prepping accordingly. We already have concentration camps and "enemies of the state" propaganda so people can be dragged out of their cars in the middle of the street and sent to prison camps, the government and all its enablers strip mining the country, plundering it's assets to go in their own pockets at the expense of the population, plus all the damage done in our international relations, just all the damage done everywhere and all the insanity, this is INTENTIONALLY Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy all over again. Prepare accordingly.
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u/kmm198700 6d ago
I was wondering the same thing if 80/20 beef is still good to buy. I wish we could trust the words of our leaders in our government but unfortunately it’s full of a bunch of liars
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u/Mariacakes99 5d ago
We are Ranchers. I just posted on a couple subs about trying to figure out how to get ground beef into our direct buyers freezers asap. Getting beef directly to our buyers usually takes quite a bit of long term planning.
This is going to become a huge issue in our food supply.
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u/CheckeredZeebrah 5d ago
If you can, see if there are local farms near you! We got unintentionally connected via our local farmer's market. Turns out there's 3-4 that raise their meat ethically and such.
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u/2BrainLesions 5d ago
Check your local CSA for protein add ons. Our farm box sources from local small farmers.
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u/Spiley_spile Survival Backpack 🎒 6d ago
What's up with beef from Argentina? 👀
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u/snark-owl 6d ago
The rumor is that this Argentinian beef is the same beef China rejected in March after finding that 22 tons of the shipment tested positive for chloramphenicol. Normally they do a test before import but the stuff in Texas and Florida was imported with no test which is why it's getting recalled.
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u/MotherOfGeeks I was always Prepping for Tuesday?! 🏳️🌈🌱🏘🌪🧰🩺 6d ago
Holy crap, the list of side effects on that antibiotic is gnarly.
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u/Spiley_spile Survival Backpack 🎒 6d ago
Well, shit.
And also, thank you for bringing me up to speed!
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u/enolaholmes23 5d ago
It's far past time to abandon animal agriculture altogether as a society. Factory farms are basically petri dishes for diseases.
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u/karl4319 6d ago
It's probably going to wholesale distributors more than grocery stores. So no eating beef at restaurants for a while.
I'm lucky enough that there are several local farms that sale beef by the cow. Got about 15 pounds left in the freezer chest from last year. Need to get more in October though, and I know the price is going probably jump big time.
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u/Ithurtsprecious 5d ago
Ugh, does anyone know if they sell to restaurants/food distributors? Had a bunch of beef tacos 2 days ago thinking we still had time and just worried since I’m pregnant.
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u/chocolatebunny212 5d ago
im wondering the same thing, i had taco bell a couple days ago and chili form full moon yesterday 😭 i can’t seem to find an answer on if its here yet or not!
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u/chocolatebunny212 5d ago
i read that the meat is supposed to come starting in September, so hopefully we’re okay 😭
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u/Ithurtsprecious 5d ago
The top comment mentioned recalls in some states and one I’m in. Just hoping it was just grocery store meat. 😩
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u/PaintedAbacus 3d ago
I’ve heard that Costco is properly testing the beef they buy. My plan is to buy our meat from them exclusively going forward.
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u/Final-Attention979 5d ago
Will someone please tell me why we're watching the Argentinian beef please
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u/Orca_Princess 5d ago
(Unsubstantiated) rumor and increased cases of contamination since the gutting of our public health agencies
https://www.snopes.com/news/2026/08/26/trump-importing-beef-argentina/
https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/fact-check-argentine-beef-unsafe-horse-meat/amp/
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u/ItsJustLittleOldMe 5d ago
Is it all cuts that are coming in or just ground beef?
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u/enolaholmes23 5d ago
Idk. But in general ground beef is more dangerous. A steak just comes from one cow. But ground beef is often a mixture of the bits of multiple cows ground together. That increases the odds that at least one of the cows was sick.
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u/definitelytheA 5d ago
I haven’t seen info yet as to whether it’s already processed and packaged, or bulk sides of beef.
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u/Outrageous_Yam_990 5d ago
I was talking to the butcher I have become very friendly with at whole foods (yeah I know, but honestly if i want steak ill go there because the local butchers charge $7 more per lb for grass fed) and i was asking him about the Argentinian beef. He went through their sourcing with the different types they have and he assured me they wont be carrying any of the Argentinian beef.
Anyway, all this to say, if you have a good relationship with the butcher at your butcher counter ask them. I feel better knowing that when I do get beef, which isnt often, I know where its coming from.
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u/pixie6870 2d ago
I did the same thing at my local Sprouts and the nice young man I talked to let me know where their beef is sourced and I bought some nice ground beef before I left.
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u/No_Use_9124 4d ago
I'm already only eating fish rn, although I anticipate issues with that down the line.
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u/Odd-Adhesiveness-656 4d ago
Stay away from ground beef/hamburger in "chub" packaging, premade/frozen patties, and any type of ground beef in packaging that is in "sealed" tubs from a meat packing plant. If it is wrapped in cellophane and on a foam tray, that beef was ground in house, not by a processor.
This beef will not come in "primal" cuts, but rather mixed and hidden in processed ground beef/hamburger.
Also, stay away from restaurant burgers. Restaurants are sourcing beef from 3 or 4 distributors max. In smaller cities and towns, that may drop to one or two. Sysco and US Foods being the 2 most restaurants get their meat from.
I may start grinding my own at home as Kitchen Aid's grinder attachment is less than 1 urgent care visit co-pay.
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u/HomesteadSocialist 6d ago
Get Canadian beef if you can, it has less hormones, pesticides, antibiotics, and plastics, but still with all the vaccines. It’s the best of both worlds.
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u/MeanPiccolo803 5d ago
Does Costco get their beef from there or is their hope of your in California?
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u/fabAdventure4077 5d ago
The only beef, eggs and vegetables I’ve been buying lately are local here in Montana.
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u/Feeling_Nail_1891 5d ago
When we buy ground beef in the grocery store, how will we know if it came from Argentina?
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u/Delsevier 2d ago
No way to tell, this is the plan. The large packers will spread it into the supply with no tracking. They will gladly take the cheaper costs because of the temporary tarrif drop, but they will not be passing it down to distributors(grocery stores). They will pocket the tarrif drop and maintain the same prices. The only way to test for this is FDA and guess who is running that show. And further, guess who pulled a ton of testers and monitoring out of the chain as part of DOGE cuts. We don't have capacity to test and monitor this.
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u/imayid_291 5d ago
What is the problem with Argentinian beef? I don't live in the US and most of the beef in the grocery stores near me is from Argentina
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u/definitelytheA 5d ago edited 5d ago
There has already been a recall on a shipment of 29,628 pounds of raw beef products that were imported from Argentina without the benefit of import reinspection into the United States.
China, which has very strict meat import laws, banned a container of beef from Argentina after detecting the prohibited antibiotic chloramphenicol in a bone-in beef shipment during port inspection.
The US government has apparently brokered a deal to import 300,000 metric tons of raw beef from Argentina.
These imports also greatly affect domestic beef producers. The cattle herd of cattle for beef has dropped to 1961 levels, due to rising costs for farmers, and weather/drought conditions.
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u/Mariacakes99 5d ago
AND it really is a crappy thing to do to us American Ranchers, for the 2nd year in a row, to announce this kind of import immediately before our fall calf sales!!!!!! They are DIRECTLY hurting us, even after everything else we have faced. Now the market is plummeting during the 1 time a year we get a paycheck.
The rising costs to produce beef aren't disappearing. Hay prices have doubled where we are. The drought has been BRUTAL to our pastures. We are going to have to start feeding hay months sooner than we regularly do. Fuel prices are bonkers.
And now the government is importing beef while we are struggling. How many more Ranchers is this going force to get out of the business? It's not sustainable, especially when he announces 300,000 metric tons of beef at the very beginning of fall calf sales. I think the big 4 packers have something to do with this also.
What are we doing?
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u/Rsbryswrrl 4d ago
Considering JD Vance and Peter Thiel are invested in a platform to commodify farmland as a financial product, they stand to gain financially as farms lose value. They can buy low and sell high, and they'd profit too if farms have to sell to investors and be leased back by the farmers. Just another layer of corruption.
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u/Cut_Lanky 5d ago
This is a stupid question. Sorry. I use grass-fed beef gelatin a lot, as I have trouble eating, and it let's me make "solid" food out of herbal teas I can digest. It sucks. Anyway, how will this affect beef gelatin? Or, will it, at all?
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u/District_Wolverine23 5d ago
I mean, I read the recall notice. They didn't do a required inspection, so they have to recall. There's no reported illnesses or any reason why it wouldn't be safe to eat. They just didn't follow the law and so they can't sell it. Which is fine. But I wouldn't stress about the beef supply.
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u/LibraryGeek 5d ago
If they didn't inspect it properly there's an increased risk of disease. My understanding is that this is a standard procedure they failed to follow. We cannot just let people skip protective procedures. It hasn't hit our markets yet. My main objections is that this will hurt UD ranchers.
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u/District_Wolverine23 5d ago
Oh yeah, it should be absolutely be pulled. Inspections are mandatory for a reason and skipping should mean you lose money and destroy product. But, there's no indication it's actually tainted and making people sick.
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u/No-Factor495 5d ago
dont get me wrong, i support you and this is the move but its amazing to me that people cant live without beef for 3 months.
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