How and Why You Should Buy Bulk Beef

Buying a year’s worth of beef may seem intimidating, excessive, and expensive. I remember the sticker shock the first time we looked at purchasing bulk beef. Our daughter Q, who we recently discovered had multiple food and chemical sensitivities, needed organic, grass-fed beef. It wasn’t a common thing in grocery stores, so our next best option was to buy direct from a farmer.

My husband did most of the leg work, but I still recall feeling overwhelmed at all the choices. Which cuts did we want, how did we want it packaged, how big should the beef chubs be (what’s a beef chub to begin with?!), when did we need it by, which farm should we go with, how much is this going to cost???

Ten years later, and now I’m the one answering these questions while selling our own organic, 100% grass fed and finished beef! So, if you’ve ever considered this option, here’s my take on how and why you should buy bulk beef!

How to Purchase Bulk Beef

There are several ways to find out which farmers in your area sell bulk beef. You can ask the deli counter at the grocery/meat store, visit local farmer’s markets and ask around, do a quick online search, ask friends and family, or look for small signs in farmer’s driveways. Once you’ve found a farmer (or a couple) here are some questions to consider:

Beef Related Questions

• How much is the beef per pound?
• What is the average hanging weight per quarter?
• How are the cattle fed? (conventional vs. grass fed vs. grass finished)
• How long do calves nurse on their mothers?
• How are the cattle cared for? (use of antibiotics/growth hormones vs. organic)
• What breed are the cattle? (angus vs. jersey vs. devon vs. murray)

Processing Related Questions

• How often does the farmer harvest cattle? (year round vs. only fall)
• Is a reservation and/or deposit required?
• Who does the farmer use for processing?
• What are the processing fees?
• How is the beef packaged? (paper wrap vs. shrink wrap vs. vacuum seal)
• Can you choose how you want the beef processed? (custom cut sheet vs. no options)
• What specialty items are available? (brats, hamburger patties, jerky sticks, summer sausage, etc.)

It’s very common for beef farmers (especially grass-fed farmers) to have a website listing the above information. They also typically have the ability to make a reservation online. Otherwise, a quick phone call should provide answers (and perhaps a story or two)!

Quarter Portion Bulk Beef Example

The following example is for a quarter portion of beef, from one of our own heifers (female). The hanging weight was 178 pounds. Over the last few years, our average hanging weights for a quarter portion range from 160-180 lbs. pending the gender and breed of cattle.

Cut of Beef	Quantity	# of Pounds
Chuck Roast	4	11.20
Sirloin Tip Roast	1	3.15
Rump Roast	2	6.00
Arm Roast	1	2.49
Ribeye Steak	3	3.17
Sirloin Steak	3	4.93
Porterhouse Steak	2	4.23
T-Bone Steak	2	3.57
Stew Meat	3	4.40
Ground Beef	64	64.0
Soup Bones	3	4.78
Total Pounds		111.92

How to Calculate Upfront Cost

Knowing how much money to budget for a quarter portion of beef is very helpful. I’m using the hanging weight number from above, our price for 100% grass-fed and finished beef this year, and the processing fees from this fall.

Price of beef per pound hanging weight (paid to farmer): $4.75 @178 lbs. = $845.50

Processing fees (paid to processor): $203.62

• harvest (slaughter) $47.50/quarter
• processing $0.84 per pound hanging weight @178 lbs. = $149.52
• stew meat $1.50 per pound @ 4.40 lbs. = $6.60

The beef and processing numbers total $1,049.12 for a quarter portion of beef.

How to Calculate Actual Cost Per Pound

So far, cost has been calculated based on hanging weight. This is the weight of the portion hanging on the rail, after removing the head, feet, hide, and organs, and cutting into quarter portions.

When it comes time to finish processing, two additional things happen: more deboning and trimming away excess fat. This means your take home weight will be less than the hanging weight.

To calculate the actual cost per pound divide the total upfront cost by the total pounds of beef brought home. In our example: $1,049.12 total cost/ 111.92 lbs. = $9.37 per pound.

Why Purchasing Bulk Beef is Cheaper & Better

It may not seem like bulk beef is less expensive as you’re handing over a fairly large check for the beef and processing. However, when you look at a breakdown of what each cut of beef typically costs at the store verses buying bulk, there is a huge savings. The vast majority of roasts and steaks will cost more than $9.37 per pound when bought individually at a grocery store.

Here are some price comparisons from the two grass-fed beef options our local co-op store provides: ribeye steak $19.99 to $25.99/lb., sirloin steak $15.99/lb., chuck roast $10.79/lb., beef stew meat $10.99 /lb., ground beef $9.99 to $10.99/lb.

knowing where your beef comes from

In addition to being more expensive for individual cuts, the options provided are cooperative based companies, meaning their beef is obtained from various farmers in several surrounding regions. This isn’t inherently bad. However, it does mean the beef is not coming from one direct source. It’s also possible the ground beef is a combination of different cattle vs. one cattle from one farm.

I personally feel it’s preferable to source beef from a local farm, where you can visit, ask questions, and make informed decisions based on what you’ve seen. Plus, I think it’s amazing to support truly local businesses whenever possible. We love when customers ask if they can visit and check things out! It helps build relationships, offers time for unlimited questions, and often leaves them feeling like they have greater respect for the food they’ll be receiving.

meal planning bonus

It’s also a blessing to simply walk downstairs and grab whatever meat we need from the freezer for the week. We have a large rectangular Pyrex that holds up to five 1 lb. beef chubs (tubes of ground beef). I usually take out four pounds for the week along with whatever steaks and stew meat I might need. The roasts stay frozen and go right into the crockpot into the morning for tender beef at night. A quarter beef generally fills up the freezer portion of a standard fridge/freezer combo; so a small chest freezer may be helpful, but isn’t necessary.

I hope the “how and why you should buy bulk beef” seems a little less intimidating! Even if we stop raising beef ourselves, we would still purchase bulk beef from other local farmers. It’s convenient, cuts down on guessing when meal planning, and builds community.

Have you ever purchased bulk beef before? Do you have any tips to share? Leave a comment below!