Buying meat in bulk is a frugal choice for many Houston families, but it’s not a familiar option for many. It can even be a little bit daunting if you’ve never done it before.
Fortunately, the team at Blessings Ranch is here to help. Here are five tips to ensure the success of your bulk beef purchase and use.
#1) Know Farm Policies
Every farm is a little different. For example, some farms require you to butcher yourself or charge extra for vacuum sealing.
Here at Blessings Ranch, you just put down a deposit, then pick up your fully butchered beef from us at the appointed time. There are no hidden fees or extra charges, and you don’t have to deal with any other professional.
That’s why ordering bulk beef from us is so easy, cost-effective, and convenient.
#2) Make Sure You Have Enough Freezer Space
Buying beef in bulk means storing your meat, and while some people will undoubtedly engage in hobbyist jerky making, for most of us, storage means freezing.
- ⅛ Cow needs two cubic feet of freezer space
- ¼ Cow needs up to eight cubic feet of freezer space
- ½ Cow needs up to 11 cubic feet of freezer space
- One whole cow needs up to 20 cubic feet of freezer space
Most of our bulk beef customers store their beef in a chest freezer, but chest freezers come in various sizes. Measure yours and order accordingly.
#3) Know How Much You’ll Use
The USDA says frozen beef is safe indefinitely if wrapped properly and stored in the freezer, but most people will want to eat their beef within four to twelve months of purchase.
Ask yourself how often your family will eat beef-based dishes and how much beef a dish usually uses. A single pound of ground beef can often make a meal for a family of four. ⅛ of a cow is going to be around 76 lbs of beef total, divided between ground beef, steaks, ribs, and roasts. You can use the chart on this page to see how much you’ll get of each option.
Do a little bit of menu planning, and be realistic. Your family probably isn’t going to eat beef every night, and you’re probably not going to cook every night. For some families, ⅛ of a cow is going to amount to six months of meat.
Don’t get excited and buy the whole cow if you don’t know for sure your family can and will consume roughly 600 pounds of meat within a year.
#4) Understand and Reserve Cut Dates
When you buy bulk beef, you start with a deposit. We then put you in the bulk order book on one of our cut dates. We send two cows a month to keep up with our store’s freezers and to allow for bulk beef purchases.
You must fill out an order form and get yourself placed on the schedule. It’s best to order in advance as you might have to wait several months between putting down your deposit and actually picking up the meat.
Bulk beef buying demands that you do a little bit of planning ahead!
#5) Plan for Pricing
You’ll have to pay for your beef after you pick it up, which means you’ll need the money ready. We make it easy to buy your beef by charging a single flat fee per pound. It’s $7.50 per pound for ⅛ of a cow and $6.75 for a whole cow.
Thus, you should have about $937.50 available to pay for ⅛ of the cow when you pick up your beef. Don’t get scared…you’re picking up six months’ worth of beef, remember, and you could pay $12 to $25 a pound for that beef at the grocery store. The cost savings are still significant. You just need to be ready to pay when the time comes. Don’t be caught off guard by the expense.
Order Bulk Beef Now
We’d be excited to add you to our schedule! Our 2024 cut dates are booking fast. Call us at (832) 957-7517 to get the most up-to-date information about making a bulk beef purchase.
Our tender, juicy, grass-fed beef is sure to satisfy!