Bulk beef can be daunting for those who aren’t used to purchasing it. Fortunately, it’s not as hard to store and prepare bulk beef as many people imagine!
Use these five tips for bulk beef success!
#1) Understanding Your Family Needs
Buy as much meat as your family will need between purchases. On average, a family will consume 6 pounds of beef per person per month, so a family of five will consume 30 pounds of beef in one month.
That means 1/4 of a cow will feed a family of 5 for 10 months, since you get roughly 152 pounds of beef with a 1/4 cow order.
If you want to buy for the entire year, buy ¼ of a cow but no more. There’s no sense in buying more than one year’s worth of cow at a time!
#2) Make Sure Your Freezer is the Right Size
You won’t necessarily need a separate freezer to buy beef in bulk, but you need to know how big your freezer is.
- ⅛ cow – 2 cubic feet
- ¼ cow – 5 cubic feet
- ½ cow – 12 cubic feet
- 1 cow – 24 cubic feet
To get an idea of how much freezer space you might have, consider:
- A top freezer is usually 3 – 5 cubic feet.
- A bottom freezer is usually 12 to 22 cubic feet.
- A side freezer is usually 7.5 to 10 cubic feet.
- A deep chest freezer can hold 5 – 24 cubic feet on average.
Keep in mind that you may have other foods or dishes that you’ll want to store in the freezer as well, and plan accordingly.
#3) Prepare Your Space
Take the time to clean and organize your freezer before you pick up your bulk beef order. You want to be especially vigilant about discarding freezer-burnt or expired items to ensure that your new meat doesn’t end up contaminated.
#4) Wrap or Vacuum Seal Your Meat
The tighter the wrapping on your meat the better it does, as wrapping helps minimize your meat’s exposure to the air. A Ziploc bag is fine, though wrapping it in plastic wrap and sealing it in the Ziploc offers an extra layer of protection.
If you want to ensure your beef remains tasty and fresh, used a vacuum sealer to get rid of all the air. You can store vacuum sealed meat for a really long time without touching it.
It doesn’t hurt to portion and label your beef while you’re at it, since that will make it easier to use.
#5) Optimize Your Freezer Temperature
For safe storage, your freezer must be set at 0℉ or colder. Use a freezer thermometer to ensure that your freezer remains at the optimum temperature at all times.
#6) Consider Cow Pulling
Want to save even more money, while building a sense of community? Many people opt to go in with family or neighbors to get a better price on the whole cow.
When you cow pull, you buy a measure of safety and security for the people you love most.
Order Beef in Bulk Today
Our 2024 cut dates are filling up fast, so you’ll need to call us for the most up-to-date time frame on bulk beef. You’ll need to put down a deposit, and then you’ll get a pick up date.
While it may take you some time to claim your bulk beef order (it’s not like going to the grocery store), once you have it you’re going to discover a whole new world of convenient home cooking and cost savings. Contact us to get started today!