Frequently Asked Questions

Curious as to why the “take-home” weight was is from the “hanging” weight.

When it comes to beef weights, there are 3 different ones of which customers should be aware.  The first is “live” weight. This is what the animal weighed on the hoof, or when it was alive.  The live weight for our Premium Beef steers, and usually averages around 1200 lbs.   Heifers' are usually less.  

The next weight is “hanging” weight.  This is the weight that the butcher gives us after the animal has been taken back to the butcher shop to hang.   The weight difference from live to hanging is from loss of blood, head, hide, hooves, viscera, lungs and heart.  The hanging weight is usually about 60% of the live weight.  So, a 1200lb animal would have a hanging weight of 645 lbs (estimated).  (A half share would then be 360lbs).  This is the weight we base our per lb charges on.  The butcher also charges cut/wrap fees based on this weight, plus extra if a customer has requested additional bones or organ meats.  

The last weight is the “final” or “take-home” weight.  This is the weight of the meat that each customer will bring home.    This weight is usually about 60-65% of the hanging weight.  So for a 360lb half share, the final weight would be about 225lbs (estimated).    The weight is lost in 2 ways.  About 4% is water weight lost during the 10-14 day period that the carcass is hung (or “cured”).  Then about another 30-35% is lost during the cutting process.  This amount is variable based on 2 factors – one is the amount of fat in the meat, and the other is the cuts that a customer requests.  Higher fat means more loss.  Also , the more boneless cuts requested by the customer, the lower the final weight.  (Note that the lower weight doesn’t mean that you are receiving less meat – rather, you are receiving fewer bones).  What does this mean as far as actually per lb costs?  It depends on the per pound price (higher for the Premium Summer Beef), as well as the cuts that a customer requests.   

  As always, please drop us a line if you have questions!

It is so exciting to order your first 1/2 or Whole Beef! But so often many customers are unsure what to expect... "exactly what will I get when I say I am ordering a 1/2BEEF? " 

Here is just a quick run down of an average order... again we love to customize and provide you with the most enjoyable beef on the block. 

BELOW YOU WILL FIND AVERAGES, THESE NUMBERS WILL CHANGE BASED ON YOUR SPECIFIC BEEF. 

This estimate is based on a hanging weight of 1/2 Beef @ 317LB Just a SAMPLE of a standard cut list, remember you can have it cut anyway you like! 

All our beef is Vacuum Sealed.

Ground Beef:  2LB packages

1/2 Beef:  35-40 Packages 

Round Steak: 2 Per package

1/2 Beef: 5 Packages 

Tenderized Round Steak: 2 Per package  (Great for Chicken Fried Steak)

1/2 Beef:  10 Packages 

Rump Roast: 1 : 2.5 LB package 

1/2 BEEF : 2-3 Packages 

Stew Meat: 1inch pieces 2LB packages 

1/2 BEEF:5 Package

Chuck Roast: 1: 2 Inch roast per package 

1/2 BEEF: 4 Package

Arm Roast: 

1/2 Beef: 1 Package

Pikes Peak Roast: 

1/2 Beef - 1 Package

Short Ribs: 

1/2 BEEF: 4 Packages 

Brisket: Trimmed 

1/2 BEEF: 1 Package 

Flank Steak: 

1/2 Beef: 1 Package

Skirt Steak: 

1/2 Beef 1 Package 

Bone IN Rib-Eye Steak: 2 per package, 1-2 Inch Thick 

1/2 BEEF: 6-7 Packages 

T-BONE Steak: 2 per package, 1-2 Inch Thick

1/2 BEEF: 3 Packages

KC Strips: 2 per package, 1-2 Inch Thick

1/2 Beef: 3 Packages 

Filet Minion: 2 Inch 2 Per package

1/2 Beef:2 Per package 

Sirloin Steak 1Inch Thick 

1/2 Beef: 4 Packages 

Liver: 

1/2 Beef: 1 Package 

Keep in mind this is a standard average cut sheet. The great part about ordering your beef from Quarter Circle 4B Ranch is that you can have what ever you like. You might want a Prime Rib Roast, or you might like boneless Rib-Eye steaks. Once you place your order with us, we will contact you and make arrangements for you to receive exactly what you want. 

Hopefully this helps you when considering buying our beef. As always, please feel free to drop us a line if you have questions. 

Here at the Quarter Circle 4B Ranch, we strive to produce beef the way our customers want it! We work tirelessly to provide antibiotic, hormone-free and humanly raised beef. All our beef is grass-fed, cared for here on our ranch and spend the first 12-14 months eating fresh Oklahoma grass, or harvested Bermuda grass in the cold months.  They also enjoy high quality mineral and fresh water. As our beefs mature into sell ready animals, it then becomes our customers choice if the beef is grain finished for 60 days or if it continues on grass.