Farm & Ranch Life

Back-to-School Cheeseburger Pasta

School is back and the weeknights are busy, so this one earns its keep: everything cooks in a single skillet in about 20 minutes. Seasoned Hooser ground beef, tender pasta, and plenty of melty cheddar make it the kind of supper the kids ask for again.

Ingredients:
1 lb Hooser ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef broth
1 cup milk
8 oz elbow macaroni (uncooked)
2 cups shredded cheddar
Salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika

How to:
1. Brown the Hooser beef with the onion over medium-high heat, then drain. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and Worcestershire.
2. Add the broth, milk, and uncooked macaroni. Simmer covered for 10-12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pasta is tender.
3. Off the heat, stir in the cheddar until melty, then season with salt, pepper, and paprika.
4. Top with chopped pickles or green onion and serve straight from the skillet.

Introducing Hooser Whipped Tallow

We teamed up with M&C Tallow Co. to turn our own Hooser beef tallow into small-batch whipped tallow for your skin. Six scents plus a peppermint lip balm, all made right here in Italy, Texas.

Why tallow? It is one of the oldest skincare secrets there is. Beef tallow is rich in the same fats and vitamins — A, D, E, and K — that your skin already recognizes, so it absorbs quickly, moisturizes deep, and never leaves you greasy. A little old-fashioned, and that is exactly the point.

We whip ours light and fluffy and offer it in six scents — Lavender, Lemongrass Lavender, Bourbon, Sandalwood, Frankincense, and Heifer Honey — plus a peppermint lip balm to round out the lineup. A little goes a long way, so a single 4 oz jar lasts and lasts.

It started with a simple belief: nothing from our cattle should go to waste. Turning our own rendered tallow into something good for your skin is just one more way we honor the animal, support a local Texas maker, and keep it all close to home.

Shop Whipped Tallow →

Free Beef Fridays: August Calendar

Free Beef Fridays run year-round here at the ranch, and the August calendar is packed with something good every single Friday. Spend $100 in the shop and walk out with a featured cut on us.

• AUGUST 7 1 Wagyu NY strip (10-12 oz)
• AUGUST 14 1 pack Hooser Reserve patties
• AUGUST 21 1 rack Hooser Reserve back ribs
• AUGUST 28 1 whole chicken

This is our little way of saying thank you for supporting a local ranch. Every Friday in August the shop is open, the coffee is on, and that Friday’s featured cut is on us when you spend $100 in the shop.

Pop in on the way home from work, swing by on your lunch break, or make it a new Friday tradition. Bring a friend, tell a neighbor, and try a cut you haven’t grilled before. Our crew loves talking beef and helping you pick the right cut for whatever you’re cooking that weekend.

Free Beef Fridays run year-round, but each Friday’s featured cut is only available while supplies last and only in-store. Get here early for the best pick. Mark your calendars and we’ll see y’all on Friday.

Maggie Moo Round-Up: Back to School Edition

Maggie Moo is on the MOO‑ve! All month long, the Maggie Moo Mobile is out and about on deliveries. Spot her off the ranch, snap a photo, post it publicly on Facebook, tag @HooserCustomMeats, tag your location, and use #MaggieMoosOnTheMove to enter.

The prize: 1 pack of Hooser Reserve patties (4 patties per pack). Spot Maggie out on the route, snap the pic, tag us, and you could walk away with premium patties for the grill.

August Double Day: one day each month is a special Double Day, announced on Facebook the day before it happens. On Double Day, Maggie can be spotted in Frost, Italy, Mertens, or Blooming Grove, and the prize doubles to 2 packs of Hooser Reserve patties.

Half the fun is the hunt. Maggie turns up all over town — ballgames, the feed store, the school pickup line, the drive-thru — just about anywhere folks are out and about. Keep your eyes peeled all month long, because every single sighting is a fresh chance to win and a good excuse to wave hello.

It is one of our favorite ways to get out into the community, say thank you to the families who keep this ranch going, and put some premium beef on your table while we are at it. Give us a follow on Facebook so you never miss a Double Day, and be sure to tag us when you spot her — we always love seeing where Maggie turns up next.

The fine print: sightings at the ranch don’t count, accounts must be public, follow all the rules to qualify, and only 2 entries per household per month (one Regular Day plus one Double Day).

Keep your phone handy. Maggie’s out there making deliveries and spreading the love all month long.

Harvest Is On

Out at J&L Farms, corn harvest is officially underway. The stalks reached full height this season — 8 to 10 feet tall, tassels out, and ears full and ready — and the combines are now rolling through the rows. Good land, good rain, and the right timing all came together this year.

Corn is harvested once the kernels are fully mature and the moisture has dropped to the right level for storage. In a single pass, the combine pulls in the ears, shells the kernels off the cob, and drops the clean grain into a waiting truck. From there it heads to the bins to finish drying down and go into storage.

This is about more than a field of grain. A good portion of this corn goes right back into the operation, feeding the same F1 Wagyu and Hooser Reserve cattle you will find in the shop — and that grain finish is a big part of what gives our beef its flavor and marbling.

The trucks are rolling and the bins are filling, and we are right there with the camera. From the field to the freezer, every step matters — and you get to ride along for all of it.

Turning Toward Fall

The worst of the summer heat is starting to break, and you can feel the shift coming. Mornings are cooler, the days are getting a little shorter, and the herd is settling into the easier end of the season. Fresh water, shade, and pasture rotation are still the daily routine, but the animals are moving comfortably and the grass is holding up well after a good summer of rotation.

This is also when our attention turns toward fall. The spring calves have grown fast over the summer, and we are starting weaning prep — checking weights, making sure they are healthy and ready, and planning the timing so it is as low-stress as possible on both the calves and their mamas. It is one of the biggest jobs of the year, and getting it right sets up strong, healthy cattle heading into winter.

There is a lot to look forward to as the season turns — cooler weather, good grazing, and the payoff of a summer of steady care. It is all part of how we make sure every steak that ends up on your plate came from a well-cared-for animal.

Fresh Beef, Always Stocked

We send roughly 20 to 30 head of cattle to the processor every month, which means the shop stays stocked with fresh cuts year-round. Every animal is dry-aged at least 21 days, hand-cut, vacuum-sealed, and flash-frozen so it’s ready for your freezer the same week it leaves the processor.

If you’re in the market for a quarter, half, or whole beef, just let us know and we’ll get you on the list. Custom cut to your preferences and packaged the way you want it. That’s a freezer full of beef raised right here on the ranch, and you choose every cut that goes into it.

Walk-ins are welcome too. The retail case stays full of steaks, ground beef, roasts, brisket, and everything in between. From the family cookout to the weeknight dinner, we have you covered. Fresh cuts, ready for everyone and anyone looking to stock the freezer.