"Texas beef" is on a lot of packaging right now. Some of it is exactly what it sounds like. Some of it was raised somewhere else, processed at a big plant, and given a Lone Star graphic. With hundreds of millions of pounds of imported trimmings entering the ground beef supply this fall, and no law requiring anyone to say so on the label, the only reliable way to know is to ask. Here are the five questions, what a good answer sounds like, and how we answer each one.
1. Where were the cattle born and raised? Name the county.
Why it matters: "Product of USA" is voluntary and country-of-origin labeling for beef was repealed in 2015. "Texas" on a label can mean the company is headquartered here. A seller who actually raises cattle will name the ranch and the county without thinking about it.
Weak answer: "It's all American beef." "We source from Texas ranchers." (Which ones?)
Our answer: The Burtnett family ranch in Parker County, Texas, about 30 miles west of Fort Worth. Four generations on the same land. The cattle are pasture-raised and finished with locally sourced grains, with no added hormones and no routine antibiotics. Our Pure Pasture™ line is 100% grass-fed and finished Texas Longhorn from the same North Texas pastures.
2. Where was it processed, and what is the establishment number?
Why it matters: Every USDA-inspected package carries an establishment number that identifies the plant. Most beef, even beef from a small ranch, is processed at a third-party plant alongside cattle from many other operations. That is not wrong, but it is a handoff, and traceability weakens at every handoff.
Weak answer: "It's USDA inspected." (Everything sold in a store is. Where?)
Our answer: Our own USDA-inspected facility in Springtown, Texas, under continuous inspection. Our cattle, our plant, our label. The establishment number on every package is ours. We wrote about what that inspection involves in how we handle cleanliness and safety in processing.
3. Is your ground beef ground from your own cattle, or blended from purchased trim?
Why it matters: This is the question that the 2026 import surge makes urgent. Commercial ground beef is made by blending lean trimmings, often imported, with fatty domestic trim to hit a ratio. One batch can contain trim from hundreds of animals and several countries. A seller who buys trim cannot tell you where it came from, because they do not know either. Full explanation: where grocery ground beef comes from.
Weak answer: "It's 80/20 ground chuck." (From what?)
Our answer: Ground from our own cattle only. Our 80/20 ground beef ($7.99/lb) comes from the same animals as the steaks in the case next to it. No purchased trim, imported or otherwise.
4. Can you trace this package back to the animals?
Why it matters: Traceability is the whole ballgame. If a seller can connect your package to specific cattle and a processing date, every other claim they make is checkable. If they cannot, every other claim is marketing.
Weak answer: "We have full traceability with our suppliers." (Ask them to demonstrate it.)
Our answer: Yes. We know which animals went into your order and when they were processed, because the same company raised them, processed them, and packed the box. When you buy a quarter cow, that goes further: it is a share of one animal.
5. Who owns the cattle?
Why it matters: Plenty of "ranch" brands are marketing companies that buy finished beef and put a name on it. Ownership is what makes a seller responsible for how the animal was raised, not just how it was packaged.
Weak answer: "We partner with a network of family farms."
Our answer: We do. The Burtnett family owns the cattle, the land in Parker County, the processing plant in Springtown, and the stores in Springtown and Decatur. There is no middle.
A quick scorecard
| Question | Typical grocery beef | Parker County Beef Company |
|---|---|---|
| Where raised? | Unstated; may be blended with imports | Burtnett ranch, Parker County, TX |
| Where processed? | Large third-party plant | Our own USDA-inspected plant, Springtown, TX |
| Ground beef source? | Blended trim, often imported | Ground from our own cattle only |
| Traceable to the animal? | No | Yes |
| Who owns the cattle? | Unknown | We do |
Start with a box
If you would rather not interrogate a butcher, buy from one who already answered. Our preset boxes are the simplest way to stock up:
- The Ranch Hand Box ($290). Steaks, roasts, and ground beef for a household that cooks beef a few nights a week.
- The Ocho ($499). Our largest preset box. Fills a freezer.
- The Ultimate Steak Experience ($329). For the steak nights.
- Large Ground Beef Box ($189.99). Just the ground beef, in quantity.
Ships frozen and vacuum-sealed across Texas and nationwide. Free shipping over $400. Or come see the cattle country for yourself at our Springtown and Decatur stores.