Buying beef in bulk sounds complicated the first time. It isn't. You're buying a share of one animal, a quarter, a half, or a whole, cut and packaged for your freezer. It's the quickest way to make sure your family is fed for the year ahead. Our beef is grass-fed and grass-finished, and you know exactly where every package came from.
Here's what you actually get, how much room it takes, and how ordering works.
What Cuts Come in a Quarter Beef?
Every animal is different, but on average a quarter beef includes:
- 6 sirloin steaks
- 6 ribeyes
- 6 strip steaks + 6 tenderloin, or 6 T-bones
- 6 packs bone-in short ribs
- 4 packs cubed steak
- Flat iron, skirt, or flank steak
- 2 roasts, 2 to 3 lb each (sirloin tip, bottom round, or rump)
- 2 chuck roasts, 2 to 3 lb each
- 4 packs stir fry
- 4 packs sliced shank
- 4 packs stew meat
- 4 packs kabob meat
- 1 brisket
- 20 to 25 lb ground beef
- Soup bones
Every cut is individually vacuum sealed and labeled. With a half or whole beef, you can custom cut your share. See our beef cut sheet guide.
How Many Meals Is a Quarter, Half, or Whole Beef?
| Share | Average hanging weight | Meals (family of four) | Weeks of supply | Freezer space |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter beef | 150 to 175 lb | About 56 | About 19 | About 5 cubic feet |
| Half beef | 300 to 350 lb | About 112 | About 37 | About 10 cubic feet |
| Whole beef | 600 to 675 lb | About 221 | About 74 | About 20 cubic feet |
Based on 2 lb of beef per meal, 3 meals a week, for 2 adults and 2 children. Weights are average hanging weights, and your animal will vary. Not sure what hanging weight means? Read live weight vs. hanging weight vs. packaged weight.
How Buying Bulk Beef Works at Rivas Ranch
- Pick your size. A quarter is the easiest place to start. A half or whole gives you the most control over your cuts. Splitting a whole with friends, family, or coworkers works too.
- Reserve your share. Choose your beef and request your order. We confirm availability and your processing date with you.
- Processing. We process beef monthly, one animal at a time, at a local, family-owned USDA-inspected facility.
- Balance. For traditional shares, the final price is based on your animal's actual hanging weight, so it can vary. We invoice the balance, less your deposit, once the processor gives us the weight.
- Get your beef. Pick up at the farm or a market pickup spot, or ask us about delivery and shipping. See delivery and pickup.
Want a set amount of packaged beef instead of hanging-weight pricing? Our Curated Freezer Beef comes with a guaranteed minimum packaged weight.
Why Buy Bulk Beef From Our Farm?
- Single origin. Your share comes from one animal raised on our ranch. It is never co-mingled with meat from other farms. Why that matters.
- Grass-fed and grass-finished on our family ranch in North Carolina.
- USDA inspected processing at a small, family-owned facility.
- Run by a food safety professional. I'm a food safety educator, inspector, and former chef, and I sell the same beef I feed my own family.
- Latina owned and operated. Everyone is welcome at our table, and halal options are available. See halal at Rivas Ranch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a quarter beef enough for a family of four?
A quarter beef makes about 56 meals for a family of four, roughly 19 weeks of dinners at three beef meals a week.
How much freezer space do I need for a quarter beef?
About 5 cubic feet for a quarter, 10 for a half, and 20 for a whole. A small chest freezer holds a quarter comfortably.
Can I choose my cuts?
Yes, with any half or whole beef. We walk you through a cut sheet. A quarter comes as a selection of cuts from each part of the animal.
Is bulk beef mixed with beef from other farms?
Not ours. Every share comes from a single animal raised on our ranch.
Ready to Fill Your Freezer?
Start with a quarter, or go big with a half or whole.
- Compare quarter, half, and whole beef
- Traditional Half Beef
- Curated Freezer Beef
- Pickup, delivery, and shipping options
Questions? text us at 336-747-3070. We answer by text so every answer is in writing.
Keep Reading
- How to Buy a Quarter, Half, or Whole Cow in North Carolina
- Live Weight vs. Hanging Weight vs. Packaged Weight
- Beef Cut Sheet Guide: How to Custom Cut a Half or Whole Beef
- Single-Origin Beef: Why No Co-Mingled Meat Matters
Originally published December 27, 2023. Updated September 2026.