Photo by Lauren Drewes Daniels
Audio By Carbonatix
The beef industry is in a tailspin after Trump announced last week we’d all be (temporarily) feasting on 300,000 metric tons of below-market-priced, tariff-free beef. The thing is, Texans like knowing where their essentials come from, like tortillas (H-E-B), ice cream (Blue Bell) and beef (Texas, clearly).
On Monday we went to a cattle auction in Decatur. We had a long talk with a cattle buyer, Hayden Scarborough, who said Trump’s new policy will be “brutal” on his industry. He hopes Americans can be patient with the higher beef prices, as it will allow ranchers to rebuild their herds, which will then naturally bring prices down.
We also spoke with Kimberly Irwin, a co-owner of the Decatur Livestock Market. She thinks consumers still want American beef.
“I think it used to be more different, but in the last 10, 15 years, people really have focused more on American products,” she says. “I mean, you see that in everything you buy. They want it to be made in America. It’s the same thing with their food. They want to know where their food comes from.”
Agreed.
We’ve listed local butchers, some ranches and a couple of stores below, where you can be confident in what you’re purchasing. This is a fluid situation: if you have a spot to add, email me at Lauren.Daniels@DallasObserver.com.
Deep Cuts
7989 Belt Line Road
Deep Cuts Butcher in Far North Dallas lists its partners on its website, in case you want to know the cow’s name and favorite color. They offer a full range of beef, pork, poultry and sausage. You can call ahead if you’re looking for something particular. It’s a who’s-who of cuts and products here.
Burgunday Pasture Beef
Multiple Locations
This family-owned and operated pasture-to-market local business has been raising and selling grass-fed cattle for more than 25 years. They have stores in Fort Worth, Dallas and Grandview. They also ship.
Rudolph’s Meat Market
2924 Elm St., Deep Ellum
Rudolph’s doesn’t explicitly list the farms it works with, but this old-school butcher has been around since 1895 (not a typo) for a reason. You can place your order online ahead of time for pick-up. Or go in-store and ask them, “What’s good?” They have a large steak selection, pork sausage and smoked hams.
The Meat Shop
4410 W. Lovers Lane
This self-described “cowboy to consumer” shop is a European-style butcher. They sell hormone-free, antibiotic-free, grass-fed and grain-finished Wagyu Beef from Rosewood Ranch. Check their website for hours.
JuHa Ranch
Dallas Farmers Market
Follow JuHa Ranch out of Barry, Texas, on Instagram to track them down. They sell at the Dallas Farmers Market on weekends, but during specific times. Here’s a Q&A they did with the Dallas Farmers Market if you want to learn about the nitty-gritty of their ranching operation.
High Hope Ranch
3353 CR 2009, Glen Rose
High Hope Ranch’s retail shop is open seven days a week between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Call the number on the door if no one answers (love that). They have beef, pork and goat meat. You can also buy a day pass or go camping at their large ranch. Kind of chic.
Parker County Beef
This working cattle ranch in North Texas offers beef, tallow and some non-perishable items, available for shipment, frozen. One available package, The Ranch Hand Box, is $290 and has a bunch of steaks, two roasts and 10 pounds of ground beef.
Muenster Grass Fed
220 Co. Road 310, Muenster
The same family has worked this ranch since 1901. They offer beef shares, which you can learn all about here. But you’ll also likely need a new freezer, which you should totally get.
H-E-B
Multiple Locations
H-E-B is the No. 1 retailer of Texas beef. Roughly 80% of H-E-B’s private label is from Texas. And the company is very explicit with its labeling (see photo at top), so you should be able to determine where your beef was raised and slaughtered. Some organic and grass-fed beef is purchased from other states, and some value beef is from Mexico, according to their website.
Central Market
Multiple Locations
Central Market is good about labeling their proteins across the board. They use both USDA Prime and Choice. You’ll also find natural Angus beef from the Hartleys, a sixth-generation ranching family from Chalk Mountain, Texas. Their grass-fed beef is born and raised in the U.S. at family ranches. Their ground beef is grinded in-store.
