Angus Beef Raised in the Badlands of South Dakota
Purchasing a Whole, Half, or Quarter Beef From R3 Angus
Give “nose to tail” or “cheek to cheek” eating a try by purchasing a whole, half, or quarter (half of a half) beef. It’s a great way to learn about the various cuts and how to best to utilize them.
The supermarket would have you believe that some cuts are better than others; I disagree. Some cuts are easier to prepare – a tenderloin is virtually a no-fail cut. But beef heart or a rump roast can be amazing as well. It takes understanding of how to prepare various cuts, willingness to try something new, and an appreciation that each cut will have its own unique texture and flavor. A flank steak will never cut like a tenderloin, but many agree it has deeper, richer flavor. The internet is a great resource for techniques and recipes that will work well with each cut.
Buying bulk will save you money, especially if your family likes steaks and roasts as well as ground beef. For farmers, it is a more efficient way to market and helps us avoid the conundrum of unbalanced inventory caused when the most sought-after cuts are sold before others. However buying a portion of a beef is not for everyone and there are several things to consider when deciding whether to purchase a whole, half, or quarter beef.
How much meat is in a whole, half, or quarter?
Hanging Weight– also known as dressed weight or carcass weight – is what you get when you remove the parts that are inedible like the hide, feet, head, some of the bones and most of the innards. The dressing percentage for most beef cattle is about 63%. A 1000 lb. animal would “dress out” at about 500 lbs. The live weight of most of our beef is between 950 and 1150 lbs. On average our hanging weights are between 500 and 600 lbs.
How much do I take home?
You take home the finished cuts or “yield”. The percentage of the hanging weight that remains is called the “yield” and is generally between 60% to 65% of hanging weight.
This percentage varies based on a number of factors including:
• Bone-in vs. boneless – This will dramatically affect yield; the more boneless cuts that are made, the lower the yield.
The amount of fat remaining on the meat cuts – The yield will vary based on how much surface fat the cutter leaves on the meat.
Beef genetics also affects yield. We are making an effort to choose genetics with high yield percentages.
A half beef with a hanging weight of 250 lbs. will yield on average between 150 to 165 lbs. of take home meat.
The price per pound of hanging weight is $3.07.
A whole or half beef costs you around $ 6.33 per pound of take-home meat (yield).
What sort of cuts will I get?
If you buy a whole or half of beef, you get decide how the beef is cut and packaged, according to your tastes and needs. It might sound overwhelming at first, but we, or Brian at Philip Custom Meats will walk you through the process.
Purchasing a Quarter Beef (half of a half)
When you purchase a Quarter Beef, the cuts are standardized with your option being bone-in or boneless. We like to give our customers who buy Quarters a good selection of cuts from all the primal sections of a beef. Standardizing the cuts ensure that both customers sharing the side get a true split of the variety of cuts.
How much freezer space will I need for my beef?
Plan on approximately one cubic foot of freezer space for every 15-20 pounds of meat. The interior of a milk crate is slightly more than a cubic foot. For a 1/2 a beef, you will need a 7 cu ft. freezer.
How do I place an order?
Go the Order Here tab above to contact R3 Angus to Order.
We are doing currently butchering only in the fall in order to offer grass-fed beef. You can order any time of the year, earlier the better to ensure availability. We require a $100 for quarter or half and $200 for whole cow non-refundable deposit to place an order. It will be deducted from your final balance from R3 Angus.