Interested in Buying Meat in Bulk?
go.ncsu.edu/readext?994198
en Español / em Português
El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.
Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.
Português
Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.
Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.
English
English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.
Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.
Collapse ▲Do you purchase meat like beef, pork, lamb, turkey or chicken on a weekly basis to feed your family? Have you ever considered purchasing a whole, half or even quarter of an animal to stock your freezer for the year? Buying bulk meat is a great way to save money, support local farmers and get high quality meat.
Buying local meat in bulk can be a daunting task, let’s break down what it could realistically look like for your family. Here are some considerations to make before purchasing a whole animal:
How much do I need?
Beef:
1/4 of a cow
Estimated 100-140lbs of meat (can vary)
110lbs/52 weeks in the year = 2.1lbs of meat/week
1lb = 4, 4oz servings
So, 1/4 of a cow will give you about 4 servings of beef/week for one year.
For larger families or if you consume more beef than that, you might consider purchasing 1/2 of a cow which would give you roughly 8 servings of beef a week for one year.
Typical cuts from 1/4 cow
- 30-40 lbs steak cuts (Ribeye, T-Bone, NY Strip, Sirloin, Tri-Tip)
- 6 lbs Bottom round roast
- 10 lbs Stew meat
- 40- 50 lbs of Ground beef
Pork:
1/2 of a hog
Estimated 75lbs of meat
75lb/52 weeks in the year = 1.4lbs of meat/week
1lb = 4, 4oz servings
So 1/2 of a hog will give you about 2.5 servings of pork/week for one year.
Typical cuts from 1/2 hog
- 12 to 14 pounds of pork chops
- 3 4-pound shoulder roasts
- 3 pounds of spare ribs
- 8-10 pounds of bacon
- 15-18 pounds of ham
- 2 hocks
- 6 to 10 pounds of ground pork or sausage
- Additional products: heart, liver, tongue, fat and lard
Storage
As a general guide, 50 pounds of meat will fit in about 2.25 cu.ft. of cooler/freezer space. The freezer space in the average home refrigerator will usually hold one-eighth of a beef (roughly 50-60 lbs.) or half a hog (roughly 60-70 lbs.). Quantities larger than this will require a stand-alone freezer or another refrigerator-freezer. A stand-alone freezer will usually store meat better because it has the capability to store meat at a colder temperature.
How and where do I purchase bulk meat?
Meat Suite is a helpful tool to find local, high quality bulk meat options in your area. Simply type in your zipcode and you will be given options for different types, cuts, prices and amounts of bulk meat.
For more information on buying whole animal beef or pork, download this free guide which includes information on cuts, storage, and handling of bulk meat.
