Choosing between Quarter vs Half Cow?
I hear from a lot of customers who are stuck between trying to decide between a half cow or a beef quarter. At a glance it may just seem like the only difference is amount of beef received, but there’s a little more to it.
Half/Whole Cow
A half cow (a.k.a side of beef) is priced out by hanging weight. We take the cows to the butcher, they remove all the inedible parts (hide, hoofs, inedible organs, etc) and the remaining weight before it’s cut down is what you pay for. We then go through the cut page together and specify how every last bit of that animal is processed. This is great for folks who want a little bit of everything to cook with in the kitchen. It can encourage you to try out some cuts that you weren’t familiar with and get custom cuts that are harder to find at the store. It’s also great for stocking up that freezer and not having to worry about future shortages for your family!
To keep prices low, we don’t include shipping costs in our half/whole cow orders, and either do a local delivery or have two locations for pickups. We also have the option to ship for an additional fee via UPS. As always, we do not charge any sales tax.
In summary the half or whole cow is best for:
Families looking to stock up their freezers with a larger amount of local grass-fed beef
Home chefs that enjoy cooking and experimenting with a variety of different cuts
Households looking for the best bulk value
Beef Quarter
The beef quarter is priced out by the weights of cuts included, but they aren’t all going to be from the same cow. While the half cow has a lot of variables like animal size, specific cut preferences, and delivery logistics, the quarter is a bit more straightforward. When you order a quarter, you can put any preferences you like without worrying about what is specifically available on a single cow. For instance, on a half cow you have to choose between ny strips/tenderloins or T-Bones, because they’re part of the same cut. On the quarter, there’s no rules! Also for steak lovers, our beef quarter includes around the same weight in steaks that you would receive on a normal sized half cow. So if you primarily use steaks and ground in your cooking, this is the way to go.
Shipping for Texas is included on the quarter, so that makes it a bit easier on how you’re getting it. We text you when its ready and then ship it out via UPS in two large boxes that arrive at your doorstep, no signature required. And there’s never any sales tax.
To summarize the Beef Quarter is best for:
Folks that want a good amount of grass-fed beef shipped direct to their door
Steak lovers that want to cook with their favorite cuts without worrying about what is possible on a normal half/whole cow
Newcomers who want to try a bit of everything before committing to a half/whole cow