Guide
Quarter, Half, or Whole: Which Beef Share Is Right for Your Family?
First time buying ranch-direct beef? Start here.
How much do you eat?
One question: how many pounds of beef does your household eat in a typical week? Steaks, burgers, tacos, roast — all of it. Multiply by 52.
- ~2 lbs/week → ~100 lbs/year. A quarter (~108 lbs take-home) covers you.
- ~4 lbs/week → ~200 lbs/year. Get a half (~216 lbs take-home).
- ~8 lbs/week → ~400 lbs/year. Get a whole (~432 lbs take-home).
Between sizes? Go smaller and buy more often. We'll be here when you need more and you can always go bigger next time.
What you get
Every share is the same mix — steaks, roasts, ground beef. A quarter isn't the cheap cuts. It's the same as a whole, just fewer of each.
| Share | Take-home | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Eighth (our 45-lb box) | ~45 lbs | Trying it out, or one person |
| Quarter | ~108 lbs | 1–2 people |
| Half | ~216 lbs | Family of 3–4 |
| Whole | ~432 lbs | 5+ people, or split it |
Splitting a share
Two families on a half, or three to four on a whole — is a common way to do it. Same price per pound, smaller commitment.
Not ready for a quarter?
Our eighth is a 45-lb box. Fits in a kitchen freezer. Good way to try ranch-direct beef before you commit to more.
Freezer space
Rough rule: 1 cubic foot per 35 lbs of take-home beef. Quarter needs 5 cu ft, half needs 7 – 10 cu ft, whole needs 14 – 20 cu ft. Full breakdown: How Much Freezer Space Do You Need for a Quarter of Beef?
How buying works
You put down a deposit to reserve your share, and pay the balance when the animal goes to processing. The deposit holds your spot — we feed it, schedule processing, take your animal to process then arrange for you to get your share. You'll also fill out a cut sheet with our butcher, they'll talk you through it: how thick to cut the steaks, how big to make the roasts, how lean to grind the burger.
That's the whole process. Pick your size in our shop.