What Cuts Do You Get from Half a Cow?
A half cow yields 200-250 lbs of meat. Contrary to popular belief, most of it isn't steak—40-50% is ground beef. Here's exactly what to expect.
10 min read
Sarah grew up on a cattle ranch in Montana and spent 12 years managing direct-to-consumer beef programs for family farms across the Midwest. She now helps connect families with local beef producers.
The Reality Check
A cow isn't a steak machine. It's an animal with muscles designed for walking, standing, and chewing—not for being tender. The premium cuts (ribeye, strip, tenderloin) come from the back, where muscles do minimal work. The rest—chuck, round, brisket—requires slow cooking to be enjoyable. Understanding this anatomy helps you appreciate (and cook) your whole share.
Typical Half Cow Breakdown
| Cut Category | Approximate Weight | % of Total | Cooking Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Steaks | 30-45 lbs | 15-20% | Grill, pan-sear |
| Roasts | 40-60 lbs | 20-25% | Braise, slow cook, oven roast |
| Ground Beef | 80-120 lbs | 40-50% | Anything |
| Stew/Specialty | 20-30 lbs | 10-15% | Braise, smoke, soup |
The Forequarter (Front Half)
The front of the animal does the heavy lifting—literally. These muscles work hard, which means more connective tissue and deeper flavor, but less tenderness. Think slow cooking.
Chuck (Shoulder)
The largest primal, accounting for about 26% of the carcass. Rich in collagen and fat—perfect for braising.
Typical Cuts
- • Chuck Roast (4-6 roasts)
- • Arm Roast (2-3 roasts)
- • Flat Iron Steak (2-4 steaks)
- • Denver Steak (2-4 steaks)
- • Ground Chuck (most of your grind)
Cooking
- • Roasts: Braise 3-4 hours
- • Flat Iron: Grill to medium-rare
- • Ground: 80/20 blend—juicy burgers
Trade-off: Flat Iron steaks require “seam butchery” to extract. If you request them, you'll lose some chuck roasts. Worth it if you grill a lot.
Rib
Support muscles that do almost no work—hence the tenderness and marbling. Source of the most coveted steaks.
Typical Cuts
- • Ribeye Steaks (12-16 steaks)
- • OR Prime Rib Roast (1-2 roasts)
- • Beef Back Ribs (2-4 racks)
Cooking
- • Ribeyes: High heat, medium-rare
- • Prime Rib: Reverse sear or slow roast
- • Back Ribs: Smoke or braise
Binary choice: You get steaks OR a roast from this section—not both. The rib roast is the entire ribeye section left intact. Most families choose steaks.
Brisket
The pectoral muscle, supporting 60% of the cow's standing weight. Extremely tough when cooked fast, impossibly tender when smoked low and slow.
Typical Cuts
- • Whole Packer Brisket (8-12 lbs)
- • OR Flat + Point (separated)
- • OR Ground into burgers
Cooking
- • Smoke at 225°F for 10-14 hours
- • Braise in oven for 4-5 hours
- • Flat is leaner, Point is fattier
There's only one: Each half cow has exactly one brisket. If you don't smoke meat, grind it for premium burger blend.
Plate (Short Plate)
The belly of the forequarter, below the ribs. Source of short ribs and skirt steak—both cult favorites.
Typical Cuts
- • Short Ribs (4-6 packs)
- • Inside Skirt Steak (1)
- • Outside Skirt Steak (1)
- • Hanger Steak (½—one per animal)
Cooking
- • Short Ribs: Braise or smoke
- • Skirt: High heat, fajitas
- • Hanger: Grill, don't overcook
The Hindquarter (Back Half)
The back half houses the premium steaks (loin) and the lean, large muscles of the leg (round). High value in the middle, everyday cuts on the ends.
Short Loin
The source of the most expensive steakhouse cuts. Contains the NY strip and part of the tenderloin.
Option A: Bone-In
- • T-Bone Steaks (6-8 steaks)
- • Porterhouse Steaks (4-6 steaks)
- • No separate filets
Option B: Boneless
- • NY Strip Steaks (10-14 steaks)
- • Filet Mignon (6-8 steaks)
- • No T-bones/porterhouse
The big decision: T-bones include both strip and filet on the bone. If you want them separate, choose boneless. Most serious cooks prefer boneless—the two muscles cook at different rates.
Sirloin
The transition between loin and leg. More flavorful than tenderloin, more affordable than ribeye. The everyday steak.
Typical Cuts
- • Top Sirloin Steaks (6-10 steaks)
- • Tri-Tip (1 roast)
- • Sirloin Tip Roast (1-2 roasts)
- • Coulotte/Picanha (1 roast)
Cooking
- • Sirloin: Grill, medium-rare
- • Tri-Tip: Grill or smoke whole
- • Picanha: Grill on skewers
Underrated: Tri-tip is a single muscle with the flavor of a roast and the eating speed of a steak. Request it whole, not cubed.
Round (Hind Leg)
The propulsion system of the animal. Large, lean muscles with minimal fat. Prone to dryness if overcooked.
Typical Cuts
- • Top Round (London Broil)
- • Bottom Round (Rump Roast)
- • Eye of Round
- • Stew Meat, Kabob Meat
- • Ground Round (lean 90/10)
Cooking
- • Braise roasts for 3-4 hours
- • Slice thin for sandwiches
- • Great for jerky
Flank
A single flat muscle from the belly. Lean, intensely beefy, and only one per half.
Typical Cuts
- • Flank Steak (1)
Cooking
- • Marinate, grill hot, slice against grain
- • Perfect for fajitas, stir-fry
Often Overlooked: The Extras
Most processors include these automatically, but some require you to request them. Don't leave value on the table.
Soup/Marrow Bones
Knuckles, shanks, neck bones. Roast and simmer for 24-hour bone broth. Free protein and collagen.
Organ Meats
Heart, liver, tongue, oxtail. Nutrient-dense “superfoods” often included free. Tongue tacos are exceptional.
Fat/Suet
Render into tallow for high-heat cooking or soap making. Ask the butcher to save it.
Cross-Cut Shanks
Often ground by default. Request them cut for osso buco—the most gelatinous braise you'll ever make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't I get more ribeyes from half a cow?
A cow only has one rib section with 7 ribs on each side—that's all the ribeyes that exist. At 1.25-inch thickness, you'll get 12-16 ribeye steaks from a half. The ribeye muscle (longissimus dorsi) doesn't extend past the rib cage. Premium steaks like ribeye, NY strip, and filet are anatomically limited to about 20% of the animal.
What's the difference between a T-bone and a porterhouse?
Both are the same cut—a T-shaped bone with strip steak on one side and tenderloin on the other. The difference is tenderloin size: porterhouses have at least 1.25 inches of tenderloin (cut from the rear of the short loin), while T-bones have 0.5-1.24 inches (cut from the front). Important: if you choose T-bones, you can't also get separate filet mignon steaks—they come from the same muscle.
Can I ask for all steaks and no roasts?
Sort of. The chuck and round primals are designed for roasting—the muscles are tough with lots of connective tissue. You can ask the butcher to turn roasts into ground beef or stew meat, but you can't turn a chuck roast into a tender steak. Some cuts like flat iron (from the chuck) are steaks, but they're limited. Bottom line: expect 40-50% of your beef to be non-steak cuts.
Why is there so much ground beef?
Ground beef is the "catch-all" for everything that can't be a steak or roast: trim from shaping cuts, tough neck and shank meat, fat caps, and any cuts you decline. Expect 80-120 lbs (40-50% of take-home weight). If you want less, request more intact roasts and specialty cuts like stew meat, kabob meat, or fajita strips.
What are the best cuts for beginners to cook?
Ground beef (forgiving), chuck roast (dump in slow cooker), and sirloin steaks (good flavor, not too expensive if overcooked). Avoid tenderloin and ribeye until you're confident—they're easy to ruin. Short ribs are surprisingly beginner-friendly: braise for 3 hours and they're impossible to mess up.
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