Am I really saving money buying a half beef?

One of our most frequently asked questions is how much beef is actually in a half or quarter, and how much am I saving?

We’re going to look directly at a half beef that’s an average weight for us, and is cut in a standard winter cut package. In the summer, we sometimes change up some of the cuts to be more grilling friendly, but please don’t forget - everyone who orders a half can select how they’d like their beef cut!

Ok, so here’s the half we’ll be working through today:

This is a fairly standard half. The animal was an 800lb hanging weight carcass, which is pretty average for our beef. In the summer, we do get a little bit larger animals, which works well for the amount of beef most people go through during grilling season!

So, let’s break down the cuts included in this half, and realistically, how many people each would feed one meal:

Steaks: 60

There are 30 packages of steak in this half, which means a total of 60 steaks. Reasonably we’re looking at one steak per person. Tenderloin steaks are generally smaller in the 6oz range, and rib steaks are usually around 16oz, so we could generally average out and say one steak per person, for 60 people.

Roasts: 54

There are 18 roasts, averaging about 3lb each. If you take a high quantity of 1lb of meat per person, you’re looking at minimum, of feeding 54 people with these roasts.

Short Ribs: 12

Short ribs are a flavour bomb, and that flavour comes from the fat and bone marrow that melts when they’re simmered. That means they don’t yield as much cooked product, but we can confidently say that one pack would feed two people comfortably. With six packs, we’re looking at feeding twelve people.

Stew, Stir Fry and Minute Steak: 28

Each of these are just over a pound each, and let’s be generous here and assume we’ve got some big eaters. We’d be looking at 14lb total, feeding 28 people.

Ground Beef: 177

Here’s your heavy hitter. With 59 x 1.5lb packages of ground beef, that’s 88.5lb total. Even at a half pound per person, which is above average, you’re looking at 177 ground beef meals. And if 88lb of ground beef sounds like a lot of spaghetti sauce, check out our list of ground beef meal ideas! Note: The total pounds of ground beef would go down if you opt to include other cuts like tri-tip, brisket, flank, skirt, picanha, etc., as it was made into ground beef for this half.

Total Meals: 331

Now that we know realistically how many people a half beef could feed one meal, let’s take a second to think about cost per plate.

This half sold for $1993, and can feed 331 people one time each (or two people 165 times each, or four people 83 times each)….

Crunch the numbers….

That is $6.02 per individual meal.

Can you imagine eating a $6 premium grain-finished filet mingon at your favourite steakhouse? Or a $6 1/2lb cheeseburger at a local sit-down burger joint?

At the end of the day, we know that purchasing bulk beef is a big up front cost that many families just can’t make work. But we also know that making sure Albertans have access to healthy, locally produced food is important. To that end, we’d be happy to help you figure out what’s best for your family, whether it be a payment plan, a staggered deposit, or choosing a smaller half or quarter, we’re here to help. Don’t ever hesitate to contact us.