Marble City Meats is committed to working with small-scale, local meat producers who direct market meats. At Marble City, we understand the importance of attention to detail when it comes to handling your product. We believe that through effective communication and mutual trust, we can serve the needs of your growing meat business. Farmers, registered Meat Handlers and wholesale buyers should use this document for reference concerning USDA inspected slaughter, processing and cut and wrap, labeling for resale items and wholesale orders of our own line of fresh and further processed meat products.
Services Offered
Marble City offers USDA inspected slaughter, fabrication, and custom cutting and packaging for pork, lamb, goat, chickens, turkeys, and guinea hens. Currently, further processing services include: fresh sausages, retail cuts, smoked sausages, bacon, and ham.
Communications
For processing scheduling and cutting orders, Matthew Lawrence can be reached at marblecitymeats@gmail.com or by telephone at 205-936-6120
Payment
Payment for services is expected at pickup. Payment options include cash, personal or business check (with prior approval), Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover cards. For your convenience, we are able to take credit card payments over the telephone. Customers with returned checks will be charged $45. Your finished product must be picked up within 2 business days of notification that it is ready. Please understand, our facility has limited cold storage –that which is very expensive to run. When your product is finished we will call you and let you know. Product left in our facility past two business days after notification will incur a storage fee of $50 per day.
Scheduling
Please do not bring animals for slaughter without prior scheduling. To schedule to have an animal processed, please call Matthew Lawrence at 205-936-6120 at least 14 days in advance of when you need the animal slaughtered. Please keep in mind: 1) Pork does not need to age, however, please plan on 2-5 days from slaughter to finished product. 2) Bacon, hams, and smoked sausage increase time 1-2 weeks 3) Lamb and goat will be ready between 2-5 days from slaughter to finished product. 4) We prefer animals to be dropped off before 6am on the day of slaughter (see schedule below). If needed, animals may be dropped off from 2-5 on Wednesday or Thursday for the next day’s USDA slaughter. For Custom Processed animals, please confirm drop off schedule with Matthew.
Cutting Instructions
Marble City has a new standardized cut sheet under development for each species. When complete, customers will be able to download this form online or pick up hard copies in the shop.
Selling Quarters, Halves or Whole Animals?
We cannot take cutting instructions from a farmer’s multiple customers. Please communicate with your customers and gather their cut lists prior to our pulling your beef onto the cut floor. Please use the cut sheets provided (in process).
Our Weekly Schedule
Refer to the schedule below for our weekly work flow to determine slaughter days and when your work may be done. This schedule is subject to change.
Monday- Custom Slaughter, customer pick-up
Tuesday-Custom Slaughter, USDA cut and wrap, USDA further processing, customer pick-up
Wednesday- Custom Slaughter, Customer cut and wrap, customer pick-up
Thursday- USDA Slaughter, Poultry Processing, USDA further processing, customer pickup
Friday-USDA Slaughter, Poultry Processing, customer pickup Rush Orders
We understand that, at certain times, you may require a rush order and we are willing to work with you under these circumstances. We will consider rush orders on an individual basis and in accordance with our scheduled work load. At our discretion, rush orders may incur additional charges. Proper planning and communication will usually avoid rush orders and resulting additional charges.
Pick up
Pickup is available between the hours of 12-5 on Mondays and Wednesdays and 3-5 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Pickups take time and labor from our crew and so must be conducted when it doesn’t interfere with our processing work. As a repeat customer with us you will appreciate the benefits from restricting the pickup windows. Weekend pickup may be possible on a case by case basis.
You must review your order prior to leaving the facility. One you leave the facility, I cannot make any adjustments if there are any errors or issues with the processing service. A table will be provided for you to look through your meat before you leave. Please allow yourself time to look through your order and alert staff to any issues before you leave.
Sausage Recipes
Our sausage recipes are pre-mixed and provided by A.C. Legg Seasoning and contain no MSG, BHT, or BHA as preservatives or flavor enhancers, unless otherwise noted. If you have specific ingredient questions you may refer to their website at http://www.aclegg.com, where you will find complete ingredient information. We currently offer:
1) Italian Sausage- available in bulk or hand-twisted link for pork, goat or lamb.
2) Bratwurst- available in bulk or hand-twisted link for pork, goat or lamb.
3) Chorizo- available in bulk or hand-twisted link for pork, goat or lamb.
4) Breakfast Sausage Hot or mild- available ground
5) Polish Kielbasa- currently contains MSG. Can be fresh or smoked. available in bulk or hand-twisted link for pork, goat or lamb. Smoked will contain nitrites.
6) Smoked Sausage – available hot or mild, contains nitrites.
7) Jalapeno Bratwurst – available in bulk or hand-twisted link for pork, goat or lamb.
8) Smoked Andouille – Contains nitrites
There is a 25# minimum order, per recipe, for each of these items. USDA inspected deboned or ground poultry may be received and blended with a few of our sausages.
Kill, Dressing and Disposal Fees
Goat, Sheep, Lamb- $100 per head, includes cut, wrap and vacuum packing with USDA seal.
Hogs scalded and scraped – $50 up to 500 lb. Over 500 lbs. must be skinned at a cost of $100 per hog
Chickens, Guinea Hens – $5 per bird, includes vacuum seal and heat shrink bagged whole with neck inside
Turkeys – $10 per bird – includes vacuum seal and heat shrink bagged whole with neck inside
Extra $3 charge for turkeys over 20 lbs dressed (bigger birds take a lot longer)
Poultry offal – $.25 per bird to keep organs (liver, heart, and kidneys) $.25 per bird to keep feet
Cut and Wrap Fees
Red Meat
Prices based on hot carcass weight
Pork
.65/lb- labeled “Custom not for sale”, vacuum sealed
.75/lb- USDA seal, your farm name on our label or we can use your custom label with approval, vacuum sealed. Large cuts like butts, shoulder, whole hams will be vacuum sealed and then heat shrinked.
Poultry
Chickens and guineas – $2.25 per bird cut and packaged in vacuum seal bag how you like USDA Seal, your farm name on our label or we can use your custom label with approval, vacuum sealed.
Turkeys – $5 per bird cut and packaged in vacuum seal bag how you like USDA Seal, your farm name on our label or we can use your custom label with approval, vacuum sealed.
Further Processed Items
Bulk Sausages- packed 1#, 5# or 10# bags- no labor charge, you just pay for your spices and bags
Hand twisted Link Sausages- packed 4 to bag (approx 1#) – $3 per lb. That may seem high but there is a lot of care and time spent making these signature sausages. We hand twist each sausage and freeze them prior to packing to ensure the highest quality. It takes a lot of labor to do these well. Min of 25 lbs per type of sausage
Boxes
We offer packaging in large heavy cardboard boxes for $1.50/box to cover the cost of the boxes. If you do not choose to use our boxes, we will bag in paper bags. Please bring your own containers, coolers or freezers at pick-up.
Plant Generic, Logo Branded and Custom/Color Labels
Use of our in-house plant generic label is included with your packaging. The label will stare the product name and then the name of your farm at the top and show the plant’s name and address at the bottom. Some farmers prefer to use their logo on our generic label to help differentiate their branded product in the marketplace and provide the consumer with contact information. This option must be set-up by a paid outside technician who must come to the plant to do this work. There is a one-time fee of $300 to set up your logo on our label. This labeling option is available in black and white only. This option does not require you to purchase the labels and keep them in inventory since the labeling machine prints them on demand. Some farmers prefer a custom designed, full color label. These labels have to be designed, printed and ordered from a separate company with relatively high minimum orders, at expense of the farmer. This option is considerably more expensive for the farmer and requires additional time because of the design process. A special labeling application must to be sent to the USDA FSIS Labeling Division for approval. Estimated costs (not paid to us) are between $1,000 and $1,800 dollars and 6-12 weeks for design, USDA approval, plating, manufacturing and delivery.
Special Labeling Claims
Some farmers wish to use “Special Labeling Claims” such as “grass-fed”, “pasture-raised”, “no added hormones or antibiotics”, etc. These claims must be approved by USDA/FSIS. Marble City is happy to provide you with written guidance but is unable to perform the application for you.
Cold Delivery
We own a small box freezer and can deliver up to 1000 lbs of meat for a fee based on weight and location.
Marble City City Meats 