What Does a Beef Share Look Like?
…that’s a lot of beef…
So…you’re interested in buying a share of a cow…but you don’t really know what that looks like from a logistics standpoint.
How much meat are you getting?
How much freezer space do you need?
…and about 100 other little questions…right?
Let me put your mind at ease.
First off, let’s talk quantity of meat.
How Much Meat Are You Getting?
(Live Weight Vs. Hanging Weight Vs. Yield):
Each animal has a live weight and a hanging weight.
The live weight is exactly what it sounds like - the weight of the animal while it is alive.
The hanging weight is the weight of the carcass once skinned, gutted, etc.
On average, the hanging weight is approximately 60% of the live weight.
Let's start by assuming that a steer has a live weight of 1550 pounds. (This is a reasonable average estimate based on past year.) This would result in a hanging weight of approximately 930 pounds.
The last measurement to consider is the yield weight.
The general estimate used by most butchers is that you receive approximately 60% of the hanging weight as actual meat. That final number can depend on a number of factors including the fat content of the animal in question and what cuts you decide to order (bone-in vs bone-out steaks).
Based on a hanging weight of 930 pounds, you’d be looking at the following take-home yields:
Whole Share: 558 pounds
Half Share: 279 pounds
Quarter Share: 139 pounds
Quantity & Types of Cuts
As far as types of cuts, there is a LOT of flexibility. This is based on YOUR individual preferences and is decided between you and the butcher. For example, if you really aren't a steaks kind of family, but you go through loads of burger, you can always have more of your "normal" steak cuts made into burger.
Below I’ve listed an example half share. Note that many of the steaks are based on one-pound cuts, while the roasts are based on two-pound cuts. (The exception here is the brisket, which is one HUGE cut.)
How Much Freezer Room Do I Need?
This is easily one of the most-asked questions that I get. And for good reason!
No one wants to bring their beef home and be surprised by a lack of freezer space.
Generally I estimate between 25-30 pounds of meat per cubic foot of freezer space
Whole Share: 558 pounds —> 19 - 22 cubic feet
Half Share: 279 pounds —> 9 - 11 cubic feet
Quarter Share: 139 pounds —> 4 - 6 cubic feet
Two important things to note here:
1) This WILL impacted by the cuts that you select. If you opt for less burger, but keep more meat bones or steaks, which are bulkier, you’ll need a little more freezer space.
2) If you intend to keep any of the offal (organ meats) or tallow, be sure to include extra room for these items, as they are NOT technically part of your take-home yield.
Hopefully some of your beef share logistics questions have been answered and your fears allayed.
Feel free to reach out to me with any other questions that come up - and pass this blog onto a friend who might have similar questions!