How many pounds are in a typical side of beef?
A jersey cow is smaller than most cattle raised for meat. A quarter Jersey cow is usually between 80-110lbs hanging weight. Or, about 60-100 lbs packaged weight. 

Hanging weight is what the total cow weighs before it gets packaged into different cuts. The packaged weight your receive will always be less than the hanging weight. At the butcher, they remove the large bones, which causes the weight to be less. On average, we find the packaged weight is about 20% less than the hanging weight.  

Our prices are set on the hanging weight, not the packaged weight. But all other fees are included. However, you still save significant money buy purchasing in bulk this way. 

Typically, a quarter beef will fit in about 2 large cardboard boxes, weighing about 35 pounds each. 

A quarter cow can typically fit in a 4- 5 cubic foot freezer. — But it will take up the whole thing 🙂 

Our standard options are easy cuts that most people are familiar with. This includes steaks, roasts, ground beef, stewing beef and possibly hamburger patties (if requested). Any organ meat & soup bones/ dog bones can be added to the boxes at no extra charge. 

The butcher will freeze your meat for pick up. We typically package steaks in pairs of two. Ground beef is pre-packed in 1lb bags and Roasts are between 2-4 lbs. Hamburger patties are packaged in sleeves of 20-25. 

All cuts are wrapped in butcher paper and labeled with the cut name, except for ground beef. 

Grass-fed beef is usually leaner, so it is best to cook it at a slightly lower temperature. 

• Lower the cooking temperature because grass-fed beef is leaner than it’s grain-fed counterpart, you need to cook at a lower temperature and for less time to preserve the moisture in the meat.
• Invest in a meat thermometer. A meat thermometer will ensure that you cook your meat just the way you like it.
• The desired internal temperature for grass-fed beef is as follows:
  • Rare – 120 degrees F
  • Medium Rare – 125 degrees F
  • Medium – 130 degrees F
  • Medium Well – 135 degrees F

Since most people prefer the premium cuts of steak only, and do not want the ‘lesser’ cuts of steak like flank or blade, they can be diverted into either roasts, ground beef or stewing beef. On average, about half of the quarter is diverted to ground beef. 
For example; If I have 65 lbs of packaged meat in my quarter this is what the break down will look like:
– 30ish pounds of ground beef and/or patties
–  15ish pounds of steak
– 15ish pounds roast
– 5ish pounds stewing beef

By purchasing a quarter cow, you are saving a lot of money in comparison to buying from the store. Make sure to check out our comparison price list above.