LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – McLean Beef in York is all about fresh-cut, local beef, and it’s all processed in-house.

Max McLean, a third-generation cattle rancher, raises the cattle and sells it with the help of his wife, Jeannette, at their meat market just off of Interstate 80.

To ensure quality, they have their own USDA representative to certify all the beef they sell.

“This is the real deal; this is truly from our farm. This is source-verified. We know exactly how that animal was cared for,” Jeannette said.

For 20 years, Max and Jeannette sold their beef at their farm, but their new storefront opened out of necessity during the pandemic.

Because some meat processing facilities closed and the rest were booked for months out, the McLeans took the leap and found a location big enough to process and sell their meats.

There was just enough room leftover for the perfect way to showcase their ground beef: a full-service kitchen serving breakfast and lunch.

“Samples sell,” Jeannette said. “We’ve been to farmers markets over the year, we have little samples of this and that, and that’s the first thing to go, so we said, ‘This is what sells our product.'”

The Nebraska Passport program is giving McLean’s Beef a huge boost in visitors. And guests can get a tour of the facility. All they have to do is ask.

“We love to give tours,” Jeannette said. “A lot of people do not understand where their beef comes from, or maybe they don’t think about it.”

Max takes pride in his Nebraska roots, making sure the cattle is Nebraska-raised and fed Nebraska corn, a lot of which is also grown by the McLeans.

“We produce a lot of corn, but we can’t produce enough to keep our feed yard supplied,” he said. “So we have to buy from some of the local farmers, and we buy from the local elevators, too.”

The McLeans add an extra step to set their beef apart: a two-week dry aging process, giving the beef a unique flavor and tenderness.

Max hand-picks the cattle when they’re young.

“I’m able to see exactly what I’m picking out, selecting for our retail product,” he said. “I’m able to see it from live to in the case, meat case. And it’s been able to help me be a lot better at picking out the right ones.”

Max’s intuition is spot-on. All the beef sold at the store is in the upper 2/3 of the choice and prime categories.

The store is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, but even if you can’t make it during store hours, you’re in luck.

Two refrigerated vending machines offer fresh cuts of steak and pork.

“The vending machine is fresh, and that’s 24/7,” Jeannette said.

The McLeans welcome all guests and will happily answer any questions.

Hop off I-80 at mile marker 353 and head north a little less than a mile. They can’t wait for you to taste what sets their beef apart from the rest.

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