Buying a 1/4-1/2 a cow? What's your experience?

[fredridge]

I would like to buy some bulk beef like a 1/4 or 1/2 a cow. I see listings for deposit that also talk about butchering fee etc.

In today's prices fully butchered and packed what does a 1/4 or 1/2 cost?
About how much meet is that?
What kind of cuts does it typically include?

Anyone you might recommend that you have had experience with?

My concerns due to lack of experience are not getting quality, getting 40yrs worth of meat, not getting good cuts, getting a reservation for a 1/4 that ends of costing 2k.

Thanks for the input.

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[Capn Jack]

Look at Omaha Steaks. You can order a variety and it's guarantied.

 

[Mayberry59]

We bought a half a beef last spring. Beef was 1500 & 250 for butcher fees. Ended up with 375 lbs of meet.

 

[Knobgoblin]

If you want to eat beef , it's either going to be expensive....or a bunch of junk.

 

[Knobgoblin]

We bought a half a beef last spring. Beef was 1500 & 250 for butcher fees. Ended up with 375 lbs of meet.

Meet.
Lol

 

[Knobgoblin]

Using @Mayberry59 s example.

That's about 4.70 lb. Mostly burger/stew/roast.

Also, it's going to be frozen. Frozen proteins are never going to be quite as palatable as fresh.

 

[fredridge]

Look at Omaha Steaks. You can order a variety and it's guarantied.

I would probably just keep buying from Costco.

We bought a half a beef last spring. Beef was 1500 & 250 for butcher fees. Ended up with 375 lbs of meet.

Awesome, this is exactly what I needed to know. So $1750 total?
I would probably be looking for 1/4 if it's that much meat.
Who do you buy from?

If you want to eat beef , it's either going to be expensive....or a bunch of junk.

I'm ok with expensive, I just don't want to pay top dollar for junk

 

[Tlock]

The price of beef is threw the roof! Eat deer and elk meet

 

[fredridge]

The price of beef is through the roof! Eat deer and elk meet

if I'm not hunting where do I get that? Is it cooked the same and just tastes a little stronger?

 

[Knobgoblin]

I would probably just keep buying from Costco.

Awesome, this is exactly what I needed to know. So $1750 total?
I would probably be looking for 1/4 if it's that much meat.
Who do you buy from?

I'm ok with expensive, I just don't want to pay top dollar for junk

If you're serious about buying nice steak ahead of time, and keeping them frozen, you want a sub zero freezer.
And a good vacuum sealer.

 

[Knobgoblin]

if I'm not hunting where do I get that? Is it cooked the same and just tastes a little stronger?

Don't buy commercial game farm venison or bison. The prices are way worse than beef

 

[Tlock]

if I'm not hunting where do I get that? Is it cooked the same and just tastes a little stronger?

Gotta get in the woods and hunt. I know there is farmed raised elk and deer but its expensive, more than beef.

 

[fredridge]

If you're serious about buying nice steak ahead of time, and keeping them frozen, you want a sub zero freezer.
And a good vacuum sealer.

Hmmm. No sub zero, but do have good vacuum sealer.
This is what I do with Costco stuff.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Gotta get in the woods and hunt. I know there is farmed raised elk and deer but its expensive, more than beef.

This is the brand I carry.

$15 a pound on Amazon, and it's out of stock.

 

[Tlock]

I've had good luck at cash and carry buying primals and wet aging them for 30 days.

 

[Knobgoblin]

I've had good luck at cash and carry buying primals and wet aging them for 30 days.

Cash n carry is now US chef store. Our warehouse company bought them a while back. There beef prices ( and quality) are getting worse.

They're selectively gouging on random stuff all the time now.

We paid $101 for a gallon size plastic container of granulated garlic yesterday. That's maybe 6 or 7 lbs. That price is ridiculous.

 

[Tlock]

Cash n carry is now US chef store. Our warehouse company bought them a while back. There beef prices ( and quality) are getting worse.

They're selectively gouging on random stuff all the time now.

We paid $101 for a gallon size plastic container of granulated garlic yesterday. That's maybe 6 or 7 lbs. That price is ridiculous.

All good things must come to a end. I haven't bought anything there in a couple years. Been filling the freezer with wild game and trading a little labor for some local farm beef.

 

[TTSX]

I want to say a few years ago I bought a 1/2 beef with my friend and we split the cost/cuts right down the middle so to speak. Was a little less than $700 for a 1/4 beef out the door I think. I'm a little hazy of the details, I think it was about 5 packed full grocery bags by volume.

 

[bionic knees]

Lots of variables when it comes to buying beef by the half or quarter. Some people swear by grass fed, I hate it. Then there is the breed of the cow, hereford or angus for me. Then there is the age of the cow, I like about 1 year to 16 months. Quality feed and grain finished. We raised our own for nearly 20 years, keeping close track of the things I mentioned above. We quit raising our own for several reasons, #1 being we aint gettin any younger. If you are going to buy bulk beef do your research, talk to the prospective seller, visit the operation if possible. If it don't feel right don't do it. We now get beef from a lady We went to school with, her family has been raising beef forever. We are waiting to pickup our recent purchase, should be ready any day.

 

[Tlock]

This^^^^^^