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Two quarters, one freezer project
A half is the same animal story as a quarter, times two. You still get front and hind cuts, just in larger piles: more steaks, more roasts, more ground, more bones if you keep them. Numbers below are estimates; your cow and your cut sheet still run the show.
Reserve your half cowNote: Weights and cuts are ballpark figures. They change with the animal, the farm, and how you mark up the cut sheet. Not every locker labels or offers the same items.
Rough packaged total — steaks, roasts, ground, bones, trim — think double a quarter
Steaks, roasts, ground, stew (your processor may label slices differently)
Neck, shank, marrow, knuckles — great for broth if you have the pot space
Low-and-slow friend. Braise it, pot-roast it, shred it for tacos when you are tired of babysitting a grill.
Lean shoulder steak. Hot skillet, quick sear, slice thin. Also works cut up for stir-fry when you forgot to thaw something fancy.
The show-off cut. Fat and bone carry flavor; do not walk away from the heat.
Weekend project: smoke it low, or braise until it pulls apart. Either way, clear the calendar.
Thin, loose grain. Marinade helps. Slice across the grain after a hard sear — fajitas, rice bowls, whatever needs beef in a hurry.
Rich, sticky after a long braise. Good excuse to open wine you were saving.
Strip for beefy chew, filet for tenderness. Most lockers make you pick how they use the loin — this pair or the combo steaks below.
Same section as strip and filet, just left on the bone. Porterhouse carries a bigger tenderloin piece; T-bone is the lighter sibling.
Weeknight steak: leaner than ribeye, still grills fine. Do not cook it past medium if you can help it.
Versatile hip muscle. Roast it gently or slice into steaks for a quick sear — your sheet usually forces one or the other.
Rear leg, lean. Roast with liquid or slice thin for London-broil-style cooks.
Very lean roast. Slice thin across the grain and do not skip rest time — it tightens up if you hack at it hot.
Pot-roast territory, or slice thin for sandwiches if you chill it first.
Ground is what you burn through first. Splitting into 1 lb (or 1/2 lb) packs saves you from thawing two meals at once.
That is a lot of collagen if you want it. If you do not, say so on the cut sheet. Farmers and lockers handle bones differently, so ask what your share usually includes.
Breed, age, grass vs grain finish, and how hard the animal finished all change hanging weight and yield. Use our ranges as a conversation starter with the farmer, not a guarantee.
Lockers have different saws, different default sheets, and different extra fees. If you want hanger steak spelled out, write it down.
With a half you often get more room to split roasts, pick steak thickness, and dial ground fat. We still depend on what the farm and locker offer — no two lockers cut identical.
Get on the list and we will connect you with a farm, then help you walk the cut sheet without drowning in options.
Reserve your half cow