What Size Freezer Do You Need for a Side of Beef

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For those who are into commercial trading of beef or who ain restaurants, purchasing large amounts of beef is more economic. Buying beefiness in bulk for dwelling house consumption is much cheaper. One time you have gotten your beef from your supplier, yous must store it advisedly. What size chest freezer would be ideal for 1/4, ane/ii, or a whole cow? We've researched this question in depth, and here's what nosotros establish out.

The required chest freezer capacity is determined by the amount of beef from i/4, ane/ii, or a whole cow. Ideally, you should take the following freezer sizes:

• one/4 cow: 4 cubic feet
• one/2 cow: 8 cubic feet
• Whole cow: 16 cubic feet

Continue reading to see into what parts and sizes the beefiness is cut. The post will also discuss the storage of different types of beef cuts as well every bit the packaging.

The Right Breast Freezer Size For Half A Cow

You will know the chest freezer size you need after being able to estimate the corporeality of beef you will get from a ane/4, 1/2, or a whole moo-cow. One cubic foot freezer space should be enough for effectually 35 pounds of cut and wrapped cow meat.

The amount of beefiness you lot'll get from a one/4 cow is approximately 100 pounds of meat. After removing backlog fat and bones, and grinding some percentage of the beef, y'all should accept well-nigh lxxx-90 pounds.

A 4 cubic ft. chest freezer that holds about 85 pounds of nutrient will exist suitable. Therefore, 1/2 a cow will fit in an 8 cubic ft. chest freezer, while a whole cow will fit in a xvi cubic ft. i.

Cuts And Weight Of The Beef

The beefiness comes in unlike cuts and varies in weight. These pieces and cuts have different names and are packaged for different durations. The weight may differ due to the presence or absence of bones in that item slice of beefiness.

Beefiness Cuts

From a moo-cow, you should expect to get key and sub-central cuts. Primal cuts include loin, rib, chuck, round, flank, sirloin, brisket, and short plate.

After, these primal cuts can be cut into sub-key cuts which are smaller in size. Some examples of sub-primal cuts are acme round, whole tenderloin, ribeye, etc.

Beef Sizes

Primal cuts are heavy, and storing them may require a walk-in cold room or a commercial freezer room. The weight of key cuts is a given percentage of the total weight of the cow.

However, the sizes of sub-central cuts could weigh from ane to 10 pounds. The size of these cuts can be determined past the number of beefiness-consuming adults. Meaning that you store cuts that are enough for a repast.

Notation: Somes parts of a cow can exist stored for long periods such as months or years. Whilst other parts need to be consumed within a thing of days.

Infinite, Packaging, And Temperature

Yous should allocate at least a cubic foot for 35 pounds of meat. You must permit cold air to circulate well in the freezer. Don't overload your freezer to avoid temperature fluctuation.

Another important attribute is proper packaging. Proper handling of beef while packing information technology for storage is compulsory. Apply clean surfaces and sterilized packaging. Pat dry out the beef before packing information technology. Call up to label all packed beef.

You lot must pack the pieces of beef in airtight heavy-duty Ziploc bags. You can likewise vacuum wrap the beef for better results. Properly package beef can stay up to 12 months in the freezer. Proper packaging protects your beef from freezer burns.

The video below shows you lot how to correctly pack beef for long-term freezer storage:

For long-term storage in a chest freezer, the recommended temperature is betwixt 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-ii degrees Celsius) and 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius).

This temperature range must be maintained at all times. It is therefore advisable to have a chest freezer that is designated solely for storing big amounts of beef.

How Much Meat Practise Y'all Get From one/2 A Moo-cow?

From 1/2 a cow yous will get a total of approximately 200 to 220 pounds of beef. The corporeality of basis beef will exist twoscore to 45 percentage of the full weight.

The other beef should give you lot 20 to 25 percent of steaks, 20 to 25 percent of roasts, and x to 15 percent of other cuts.

Therefore, from a 220 pound 1/2 moo-cow, 100 pounds should be footing beef and 120 pounds should be steaks, roasts, tenderloin, flank, and other cuts.

Each of these cuts should be wrapped individually before storage. Characterization and lay the cuts flat in your chest freezer.

How Much Meat Practise You Get From A 1/iv Moo-cow?

Having bought a ane/4 moo-cow, you might be wondering what types of cuts tin you get from it. There are several dissimilar cuts of beef you should expect from a 1/four cow.

The weight of the cuts differs immensely. From a 1/4 cow, you should become an boilerplate of 100 pounds of beef.

These are the cuts and expected weights:

• 4 New York strip steaks and 4 mignon (filet) or 4 T-Bone steaks - 8 lbs
• four ribeye steak or 1 prime rib roast - 7 lbs
• Boneless stew meat - two lbs
• Sirloin steak or two society steaks - iv lbs
• 8-pack round steak or 12-15 packs of cube steaks - 8 lbs
• 4 chuck pot roasts -17 lbs
• 1 rump roast - iii lbs
• Short ribs - 3 lbs
• Brisket - i lbs
• Soup bones - two lbs
• Ground beef - 30 lbs
• Tenderloin - 1 lbs
• Stir-fry or fajita steak - 2 lbs

The weight of the to a higher place parts may vary depending on the size of the particular cow. This is due to the size of os or lack thereof in a detail piece.

Is Buying A 1/4 Cow Worth It?

Yes, it's worth information technology! Buying in bulk from suppliers leaves you with more than meat. This is because the beef cut for retail is cut and packaged in a manner that the seller gets a profit.

When you purchase a ane/four moo-cow, you are able to become more than. The sizes of your cuts will be determined by the number of your family unit members.

How Much Meat Do Y'all Get From A Whole Cow?

The entire cow gives large cuts which are known equally primal. These main cuts are straightforward and tin can exist further cut into smaller pieces. The cuts y'all'll get from a whole cow are:

• Chucks
• Shank
• Loin
• Tenderloin
• Brisket
• Round
• Ribs
• Plate
• Steaks
• Roasts

From a 440 pound cow, you should go approximately 220 pounds of beef cuts and 200 pounds of footing beefiness. The other parts of the cow such as kidneys, tongue, liver, kidneys, and ox-tail are known as variety meats.

These variety meats are handled differently from the other beefiness. They must be consumed ASAP. The video below demonstrates how the unlike beef parts mentioned are set aside:

Is Ownership One-half A Moo-cow Worth It?

Yes, buying half of a cow is worth information technology! The prices of the cuts will be relatively cheaper than ownership in retail.

To become a worthwhile purchase, it'due south best to go to a rancher. From a cow of 220 pounds, you can go 100 pounds of ground beef and 110 pounds of beef cuts.

How Long Does A Cow Last In The Freezer?

Co-ordinate to USDA nutrient prophylactic storage recommendations, the amount of time you can store beef is indefinite. This is possible, of course, if the temperature in the freezer is abiding and the beefiness has been properly packed.

Although, if you want meliorate tasting beef, uncooked steaks, roasts, and chops, should be stored for up to 12 months. For other uncooked beef such as ground beef, storage should exist upwards to 4 months. Long-term storage makes beef lose its taste and texture.

In Closing

To store your beefiness properly, y'all'll need a chest freezer that is suitable in size. The chest freezer should be large enough to hold the corporeality of beef intended for storage if you don't have a designated chest freezer.

A half cow fits well in an eight cubic ft. breast freezer and leaves aplenty room for ventilation.

Before storage, handle and pack your beef carefully. Ensure that the breast freezer meant for storage has a constant temperature. Cuts and pieces of beef that tin stay longer should exist kept at the bottom of the freezer (in freezer baskets).

When yous buy large amounts of beef, y'all save a lot. Now, all you need are recipes for all the meat in your chest freezer! Earlier you start cooking, read through our previous posts:

Tin Y'all Freeze Aged Beefiness?

Does Freezing Beefiness Affect The Sense of taste Or Quality?

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Source: https://forfreezing.com/what-size-chest-freezer-for-1-2-cow/

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