Buying Guides
Everything you need to know about buying bulk beef and pork
Getting Started
New to buying bulk beef? Start here.
First-Time Buyer's Complete Guide
Everything you need to know before your first bulk beef purchase. Costs, process, timeline, and mistakes to avoid.
How Much Does a Half Cow Cost?
Full 2026 price breakdown: hanging weight, processing fees, and effective cost per pound by beef type.
Bulk Beef vs Grocery Store: Is It Worth It?
Compare the real cost of buying half a cow vs shopping at the supermarket. See savings by cut.
Live Weight vs Hanging Weight vs Packaged Weight
Why you pay for 350 lbs but take home 220. The three weights in bulk beef, explained with real numbers.
Half Cow vs Quarter Cow: Which is Right?
Compare the cost, variety of cuts, and freezer requirements to decide what size works for your family.
How Much Does a Quarter Cow Cost?
Quarter cow pricing: $800-$1,800 total for 100-125 lbs. Covers mixed quarter vs split side, typical yield, and tips to get the best value.
How Much Freezer Space Do I Need?
Calculate the freezer size you need for a quarter, half, or whole cow. Plus tips on choosing the right freezer.
What Cuts Do You Get from Half a Cow?
A breakdown of every cut from half a beef: ribeyes, NY strips, roasts, ground beef, and more.
Beef Cuts Chart (Interactive)
Interactive diagram of all 8 primal cuts. Tap each section to see individual cuts, quantities, and cooking methods.
Planning Your Purchase
Make informed decisions before you buy.
How to Split a Cow with Friends
Organize a beef share: group sizes, fair division, money collection, and what to agree on before ordering.
How to Read a Cut Sheet
Understand the choices you'll make about steak thickness, roast size, ground beef, and specialty items.
Delivery & Pickup Guide
How to pick up or receive your bulk beef: what to bring, transport tips, and how shipping works.
How Long Does Beef Last in the Freezer?
Storage times by cut, packaging tips, freezer burn prevention, and safe thawing methods.
Subscriptions vs Half Cow: Which Is Better?
Compare ButcherBox, Crowd Cow, and others to buying half a cow. Price, convenience, and quality breakdown.
When to Buy Half a Cow
Seasonal timing, processor bottlenecks, and how far ahead to order. A month-by-month calendar for bulk beef buyers.
Questions to Ask Before Buying
The vetting checklist: what to ask about the animal, pricing, processing, and logistics. Plus red flags to watch for.
Bulk Beef for Small Households & Apartments
You don't need a big family or a garage freezer. Eighth shares, compact freezers, and splitting strategies for couples and singles.
Nose to Tail: Using Everything
Get 20-40 extra lbs of bones, organs, and fat from your order. Bone broth, beef tallow, and the most nutrient-dense food on the planet.
Understanding Beef Quality
Learn what makes great beef.
Grass-Fed vs Grain-Finished Beef
The differences in taste, nutrition, cost, and what labels actually mean.
Beef Certifications Explained
What USDA grades, organic, grass-fed, and animal welfare labels actually mean—and which are worth paying for.
Heritage Beef Breeds Guide
Compare Belted Galloway, Highland, Dexter, Longhorn, and more: flavor profiles, carcass sizes, and pricing.
Cooking Your Bulk Beef
You bought the cow. Now what?
How Long to Grill a Steak: Every Cut
Grilling times for ribeye, filet mignon, sirloin, tri-tip, NY strip, T-bone, flank & skirt. Master timing table and cut-by-cut instructions.
How to Smoke a Brisket (225°F, Step-by-Step)
Your half cow came with a whole packer brisket. Rub recipe, timing by weight, the stall, internal temps, and slicing technique.
Steak Temperature Chart: Medium Rare is 130°F
Exact temps for rare through well-done. Pull temperatures, reverse sear method, resting times, and internal temps for brisket, roasts, and ground beef.
Ground Beef Recipes: Burgers, Chili & Meal Prep
Smash burgers, beef chili, kofta kabobs, meal prep ideas, batch cooking 10 lbs at once, and a freezer rotation system for your 80+ lbs of ground beef.
Beyond Beef
Expand your bulk buying beyond just cattle.