This is a common question for us to try to answer “How much meat is quarter of a beef? What does that look like?” Each beef is a bit different size and we now have four standard packages for processing (http://earthworksfarm.ca/cutting-instructions-beef/) so what you put in your freezer will be different than the details below but this is a sample quarter from a recent beef we butchered:
This quarter of beef was 151.75 lbs (hanging weight) & at $6/lb, including processing, would cost you $910.5*
This year’s beef are slightly larger than this package and are averaging $1100.
Ribeye Steak and Roast
Roasts are 4-5lbs
- 1 chuck roast
- 1 cross rib roast
- 1 rib roast
- 1 sirloin tip roast
- 3 round roasts
T-bone Steak
Steak are 1 inch thick, 2 per package
- 2 pkg chuck steak
- 2 pkg ribeye steak
- 2 pkg flat iron steak
- 2 pkg tbone steak
- 1 pkg tenderloin steak
- 1 pkg new york steak
- 3 pkg sirloin steak
A sample of cuts at the butcher’s
Other cuts
- 3 pkg short ribs
- 46lbs ground beef
- 6pkgs stew meat
- 10 shank ‘steak’
- 1 brisket
(dog bones, soup bones, tongue, heart, liver, kidney, suet, oxtail are all possible but were not part of this 1/4)
*For comparison, we took a similar producer’s retail cut prices and by purchasing this order as individual cuts you would be paying at least $1033. We also went to a meat store in Calgary that specializes in beef finished the same way as ours and based on their prices, this quarter would cost around $1370.