Standing in the meat department of an average grocery store across the United States can produce some uninspiring moments. Neat piles of plastic-wrapped cuts with unknown origins and big yellow price tags sit under fluorescent lights. Try as you might, you won’t find out where the beef came from or if it is even from one single animal.
Montanans are lucky to have more options than the majority of the country to purchase beef 100% raised and processed in their state. Most Montana beef is pasture-raised (grass-fed), and you can even select grass-finished, grain-finished, organic, or
regeneratively raised. You just have to know where to look. Some ranchers are selling their beef in grocery
stores, especially smaller, locally owned ones. But buying meat in bulk is gaining popularity once again. A quick search on Abundant Montana’s Find Food and Farms Map will pull up ranches across the state offering whole, half, quarter, or eighths of beef sold directly to consumers.
Buying meat in bulk fills your freezer with some of the highest quality and best-tasting beef available. Plus, the cost of bulk meat is often less per pound than at the store, and all of your dollar goes directly to local ranchers and butchers, keeping meat industry jobs in the community.
Additionally, buying bulk meat is better for the environment! Many ranchers are consummate rangeland stewards. They understand that healthy land equals healthy animals, and that managing their lands with practices that prevent overgrazing
conserves water, builds soil health with native plant diversity, and improves their bottom line. This shift to regenerative practices has a positive impact on the whole local ecosystem.
While it is a large investment upfront, buying meat in bulk can be significantly cheaper than buying the same amount and cuts of meat at the grocery store.
How much meat and freezer space do I need?
Generally speaking, you will need one cubic foot of freezer space per 20 pounds of frozen beef. A cubic foot is approximately the interior capacity of a standard microwave. The primary investment folks make when buying bulk meat is a chest freezer. They come in all sizes and are energy efficient and economical. A 7 cu ft freezer, enough for a quarter beef, costs less than $200 and has a small footprint: 36”w x 22”d x 33”h.
EIGHTH BEEF: Great for low freezer space. About 60 pounds of meat. This will likely fill the freezer of your standard freezer/fridge combo or a small chest freezer.
QUARTER BEEF: Great for a couple or individual looking to stock up. This is about 125 pounds of meat. ~ 7 cu ft freezer space.
HALF BEEF: Great for families of three or four, a hungry couple, or a small group of friends to split. Around 250 pounds. ~ 12.5 cu ft of freezer space.
WHOLE BEEF: Great for larger families, splitting with multiple friends, or feeding a small army. In the ballpark of 500 pounds. ~ 25 cu ft freezer space.
What Do I Get, and For How Much?
Here are typical offerings. Your preferred rancher will list their particular cuts per package on their website.
WHOLE BEEF: Upwards of 200 pounds of ground beef, 24 ribeyes, 24 New York strips, 32 sirloins (top and tip), 8 flat irons, 16 tenderloin medallions, 16 short ribs, 2 flank steaks, 2 skirt steaks, 10 roasts, 2 tri tip, up to 10 briskets, and a collection of soup bones, stew meat, offal, and cube steaks. Cost: ~ $4,000
HALF BEEF: Up to 100 pounds of ground beef, 12 ribeye, 12 New York strips, 16 sirloins (top and tip) 4 flat irons, 8 tenderloin medallions, 8 short ribs, 1 skirt steak, 1 flank steak, 4 roasts, 1 tri tip, up to 8 brisket, and a handful of soup bones and collection of offal. Cost: ~ $2,000-$2,500
QUARTER BEEF: Up to 50 pounds of ground beef, 6 ribeye, 6 New York strips, 8 sirloin (top and tips), 2 flat iron steaks, 4 tenderloin medallions, 4 short ribs, 2 flank or skirt steaks, up to 3 roasts, up to 4 briskets, 1 tri-tip, and a few soup bones. Cost: ~ $1,000-$1,300
EIGHTH BEEF: Up to 25 pounds of ground beef, 4 ribeye, 3 New York strips, 4 sirloin (tops and tips), 1 flat iron steaks, 2 tenderloin medallions, 2 short ribs, 1 flank or skirt steaks, up to 1 roast, up to 2 briskets, and can include 1 tri tip, soup bones, offal or cube steak. Cost: ~ $500-$600
Is it really a better deal than store-bought meat?
The short answer is yes.
From 100% grass-fed, to grass-fed and grain-finished, there are a lot of different types of beef you can buy! To make it easier for comparison’s sake, let’s say you choose to buy organic, 100% grass-fed, Montana- raised ground beef (other cuts are much higher in price). We’ve found that store-bought prices per pound of ground beef can range from $8.99 to $12.99. Let’s use the lower end of that spectrum and say:
Store-bought ground beef: $8.99/lb
Average bulk ground beef: $8.00/lb
At the above prices, you’d be spending $1,798 vs $1,600 on 200 pounds of ground (whole beef), $899 vs. $800 for 100 pounds (half beef), $449.50 vs. $400 for 50 pounds (quarter beef), or $224.75 vs. $200 (eighth beef). Again, this is using the low-end price for store-bought organic, 100% grass-fed, Montana-raised ground beef.
Now, keep in mind that these numbers are only for ground meat, which typically makes up 40% of your bulk beef purchase. The other 60% includes prime cuts, which in the grocery store can run you up to $25 per pound, depending on the cut. You are getting much more ‘bang for your buck’ on the prime cuts when you buy in bulk. When you pencil out all the math, it works out to be a better for both you and the rancher to buy in bulk directly from them. You save money and they get to keep more of the dollars you spend!
Let’s fill the freezer!
Now that you have the knowledge and inspiration to buy locally produced beef, go forth! The new recipes you’ll try, the meals you’ll share with loved ones, and the comfort of knowing where your food comes from and where your money goes will surely enrich your day-to-day life and dinner table.
Check out this short video for what bulk beef shares look like—plus a visual guide to freezer space needs.
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Written by:
CHLOE NOSTRANT