A Cut Above Processing & Meat Market

A Cut Above Processing & Meat Market A Cut Above Processing & Meat Market is a new, family-owned 6,000 sq. ft. livestock processing facil

06/15/2026

**Things Your Processor Should Explain: Why Everything Can't Be Steaks**

One question we occasionally hear is:

*"Can I have more steaks and less ground beef?"*

The answer depends on the animal—but every animal only has so many muscles that are naturally suited for steaks.

Cuts like ribeyes, strip steaks, filets, sirloins, and T-bones come from specific areas of the carcass. Once those muscles are accounted for, the remaining meat must be used in other ways.

That's where roasts, stew meat, skirt steak, cube steak, and ground beef come from.

In fact, ground beef isn't a "leftover" product—it's an important way to utilize many of the muscles and trimmings that don't make ideal steaks.

Every beef animal is a balance of:
• Steaks
• Roasts
• Ground beef
• Specialty cuts

No matter how you fill out your cut sheet, there simply isn't enough steak muscle on a beef to turn the entire animal into steaks.

Understanding how a beef is built helps set realistic expectations and helps you make the best decisions when filling out your cut sheet.

06/12/2026

Reminder: Our retail store will be CLOSED tomorrow (Saturday, June 13).

We'll return to our normal Saturday retail hours the following week.

Thank you for supporting A Cut Above Processing!

06/11/2026

**4 Common Freezer Beef Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)**

Whether this is your first animal or your fifteenth, there are a few mistakes we see over and over. The good news? They're easy to avoid.

**1. Waiting until the last minute to turn in your cut sheet**

We typically hang beef for about two weeks, but we ask that cut sheets be returned by the Friday before the week your animal is scheduled to be processed.

This gives us time to prepare paperwork and processing instructions before the busy work of the processing week begins. It also gives us time to call you and work out any kinks if there are issues with the cutting instructions. Waiting until the last minute can create unnecessary stress for everyone involved.

**2. Not having a freezer ready**

When you drop off an animal for processing, it's important to have a plan for storing the finished product.

If you don't already own a freezer, we strongly recommend purchasing one as soon as your animal is dropped off. Two weeks goes by faster than you think, and you'll want to be ready when pickup day arrives.

**3. Expecting hanging weight to equal take-home weight**

This is one of the biggest misconceptions in freezer beef.

The weight your farmer charges for is often based on the hanging weight, but that is not the amount of packaged meat you'll take home. Bone, fat trim, moisture loss during aging, and processing choices all affect your final yield.

We've covered this topic in more detail in previous posts if you'd like a deeper explanation.

**4. Selling freezer beef without a deposit**

This one is for our producers.

If you're selling beef by the half or whole, consider requiring a deposit from your customers. A deposit helps ensure commitment from the buyer and can prevent headaches later in the process.

A little planning up front makes the entire freezer beef experience smoother for everyone involved.

06/10/2026

Just a quick reminder that our retail store will be CLOSED this Saturday, June 13.

We will resume normal retail hours the following Saturday, June 20 from 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

As always, processing pickups scheduled for this week will be contacted directly if needed.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support!

06/08/2026

If you're new to processing animals and this is your first time to fill out a cut sheet, you’ve probably thought: “Why are there so many questions?”

Here’s the reason—every one of those decisions affects what you take home.

Things like:
• Steak or chop thickness
• Number of steaks per package
• Roast sizes
• Bone-in vs boneless
• Grind vs whole cuts
• Specialty items (like stew meat, soup bones, hocks etc.)

We’re not trying to complicate things—we’re making sure your order is customized to how you actually cook and eat. This is why when you call and say, "Just give me all steaks and roasts", we walk through the entire cut sheet with you.

Two customers can bring in very similar animals and leave with completely different results—just based on how the cut sheet is filled out. This is especially true when it comes to pigs.

That’s why we take the time to ask.

We are seeing a surge in people buying half and whole freezer beef for the first time which is awesome! However, we some...
06/06/2026

We are seeing a surge in people buying half and whole freezer beef for the first time which is awesome! However, we sometimes find there's a little confusing when it comes to understanding the difference between "hanging" or "dressed" weight and final yield.

The short answer is—hanging weight is not the same as take-home weight. But why?

Several things happen between the time we weigh your carcass after dressing, and when your final cuts and ground meat go in boxes and into the freezer:

• The hide is removed
• Internal organs are removed
• Bones account for a significant portion
• Excess fat is trimmed (based on your preferences)
• Moisture is lost during aging
• Some loss occurs during processing and grinding

All of that affects your final packaged weight.

Nothing is being “taken”—it’s simply how a whole animal is broken down into individual cuts.

For example, the picture shows the entire beef skeleton on this half on the hanging carcass. It's included in your hanging weight, but doesn't go home as part of your yield.

Rain or shine… you still have to eat.If the weather has you thinking about staying in, this is your sign to skip the gro...
06/05/2026

Rain or shine… you still have to eat.

If the weather has you thinking about staying in, this is your sign to skip the grocery store run and grab what you need right here.

We’ve got:
• Steaks ready for the grill (or cast iron)
• Fresh ground beef
• Roasts and easy dinner options
• Box specials to help stock the freezer

Quick stop, in and out—and you’re set for the weekend.

Tomorrow, Saturday June 6 from 8-1.

Ever wondered what actually happens after you drop your animal off?Here’s a simple breakdown:Harvest day --Animal is dre...
06/04/2026

Ever wondered what actually happens after you drop your animal off?

Here’s a simple breakdown:

Harvest day --
Animal is dressed and each half is tagged with the date, hanging weight and name of the customer
Carcass is placed in the cooler
Aging period (typically 10–14 days)
Carcass comes into our processing room, one at a time, and is cut and packaged to your specifications
Those cuts are then placed in boxes and then frozen and prepared for pickup

There’s a lot that happens between drop-off and pickup—and every step plays a role in the quality of your final product.

We believe you should know exactly how your food is handled from start to finish.

This Saturday you'll get a rare sighting around A Cut Above Processing...🐄 The man behind the slaughter floor will be be...
05/29/2026

This Saturday you'll get a rare sighting around A Cut Above Processing...

🐄 The man behind the slaughter floor will be behind the retail counter.

I'll be spending the day cheering Claire on at dance recital, so Dustan will be running the store from 8 AM to 1 PM.

Most weeks he's the one handling livestock, maintaining equipment, and doing the behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything moving. He's also the one responsible for our smoked products. If you've enjoyed our bacon, smoked sausage, ham, or other smoked items, Dustan is the guy who makes them happen. He even mixes our curing recipes from scratch before the products ever make it to the smokehouse.

He doesn't spend much time up front, so if you've ever wondered who I keep talking about in posts, Saturday is your chance to meet him.

We'll have a selection of beef, pork, smoked products, pet chews, and other frozen items available.

Stop by, say hello, and pick up something good for the freezer while you're there!

It may feel early, but this is about the time of year when fall processing plans start to take shape.As summer moves alo...
05/27/2026

It may feel early, but this is about the time of year when fall processing plans start to take shape.

As summer moves along, a few things tend to happen:

• Animals get closer to finishing
Decisions that felt a long way off start coming up quickly.

• Schedules begin to tighten
As more producers start thinking about the same timeframe, available dates move further out.

• Timing becomes more important
Lining up your processing date with when an animal is ready takes a little more coordination than most people expect.

We’re currently booking into late-July (with only a few scattered openings before then), and this is typically when we start seeing fall dates fill in behind that.

If you’re feeding now or planning ahead for later in the year, it’s not too early to start looking at dates and getting something lined up.

Planning ahead helps you stay on your timeline — instead of having to adjust to what’s left available.

📞 Call or message us to check availability

Address

6295 Caesar Necaise Road
Perkinston, MS

Telephone

+12283659291

Website

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