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Getting started · September 2026
About 2-4 packages. Roughly 4-8 lb when you keep them as ribs. Here's plate vs chuck, English vs flanken, and why the cut sheet decides the pile.
Short ribs are the braise people forget to ask for.
Then they wonder why the box is all ground and roasts.
Short answer: about 2-4 packages. Roughly 4-8 lb from a standard mixed quarter when plate (and sometimes chuck) short ribs stay as ribs instead of going into the grind pile.
Not a mountain. Not nothing. Enough sticky Sunday dinners for months if you write them on the cut sheet.
A standard quarter cow cut sheet produces about 2-4 short rib packages (roughly 4-8 lb). Farm lists often show 2 packs at 2-3 lb each, or one larger 3-4 lb pack. Some lockers land closer to 7-9 lb when both plate and chuck short ribs stay as ribs.
On a default mixed quarter where you keep short ribs, most people land in the 2-4 package / 4-8 lb range.
Two spots matter on a steer: the plate (under the rib) and the chuck (shoulder). Plate short ribs are the classic braise. Chuck short ribs are meaty too, and sometimes get ground if you do not speak up.
A mixed quarter shares one side with another buyer. You get a slice of the plate and chuck story, not a whole side's ribs to yourself.
Hind-only quarters are a different animal. Less (or no) plate short ribs. Ask which quarter you are buying before you daydream about Korean BBQ night.
Style changes how they look in the freezer and how you cook them. Total pounds stay in the same ballpark if you keep the ribs.
| Cut style | Packages | Approx. lb | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| English-style (thick, parallel to bone) | 2-4 | 4-8 lb | Default braise cut at most lockers |
| Flanken (thin, across the bones) | 2-4 | 4-8 lb | Grill / Korean BBQ style. More strips per pack. |
| Plate short ribs only | 1-3 | 3-6 lb | Common on farm quarter lists |
| Plate + chuck short ribs kept | 3-5 | 6-9 lb | Higher end. Write both on the sheet. |
| Left blank / grind | 0 | Goes to ground | You traded braise night for more burger |
Same animal either way. The checkbox and the cut style move the package count, not a secret extra rib stash.
Our eighth cow starter share is about 50 lb, 100% grass-fed, $749 all-in with shipping. Fixed cut mix. No blank checkboxes.
Buy the eighth cow share →Lockers bag short ribs as 2-3 lb English packs, thinner flanken strips, or one bigger multi-bone pack. Same 4-8 lb of beef. Different freezer tiles.
Write the style on the cut sheet. Lockers default to English if you leave it blank.
They're the braise. Not the share.
Out of 100-125 lb take-home:
At $800-$1,200 all-in, you're paying roughly $6-$10/lb across everything, including short ribs that run $10-$18/lb at grocery when you can find them.
Want the roast count? How many roasts in a quarter cow. Full steak math in how many steaks in a quarter cow. Whole-box weight in how much meat is in a quarter cow. Brisket is a front-chest question too. See do you get brisket in a quarter cow.
Say you get 3 packages at about 2.5 lb each. Family of four. One braise a month.
That's about 3 months of dedicated short rib dinners before you touch the chuck roasts. Sticky Sunday is already in the freezer.
The Freezer Report is a $4.99 ranked shortlist of quarter, half, and whole cow options in your area.
Get the Freezer Report →More on filling the form in how to read a cut sheet.
$6.99/month unlocks the full catalog of farm beef options near you.