What Cuts Come with a Quarter, Half, or Whole Beef?
One of the most common questions we hear from families in Des Moines, Ankeny, Waukee, Altoona, and West Des Moines is:
“What exactly do I get when I buy a quarter, half, or whole beef?”
At Maxwell Custom Beef, you get something most grocery stores can’t offer — customized cuts, tailored to your cooking preferences and portion sizes, all from locally raised Iowa cattle.
Let’s break down the kinds of cuts you can expect when you purchase a beef share — and why this matters for your freezer, your meals, and your family’s budget.
What You Get in a Quarter Beef
A quarter beef is roughly one-fourth of a whole animal. It’s a great option for smaller families or first-time bulk buyers.
With a quarter, you’ll typically receive a mix of:
✅ Steaks
Ribeyes
Sirloin steaks
New York Strips and Filets
Other steak options you can choose from on your cut sheet
Roasts
Chuck roasts
Round or rump roasts
Other favorite slow-cooker roasts
Ground Beef
Plenty of ground beef, wrapped in one, one and a half, or two pound packages.
Specialty Cuts (Optional)
With a cut sheet, you can request things like:
Brisket
Short ribs
Stew meat
Bones for broth
Extra ground or patties
All variety meats/offals
Every quarter beef share is customizable, so you get the balance of cuts YOU want.
🐄 What’s Included in a Half Beef
A half beef gives you twice the volume of meat compared to a quarter, with a deeper selection of cuts and more flexibility.
Typical half beef cut categories include:
Premium Steaks
Ribeye
T-bone / porterhouse or New York strips
Filets
Sirloins
flank and skirt steaks
chuck eye
denver
mock tender
tri tip
Roasts
Chuck roast
Arm roast
Round roast
Sirloin tip roast
Ground Beef
More ground beef packs — great for burgers, tacos, and meal prep.
Specialty & Versatile Cuts
Brisket
Short ribs
Bones for broth
Stew meat
variety meats/offals
Since you’re working with our custom cut sheet, you decide how many steaks vs. roasts vs. ground packs you want — all vacuum sealed for freezer-ready convenience.
Whole Beef: Maximum Variety & Customization
A whole beef share is perfect for large families, shared households, or anyone who eats beef regularly.
With a whole beef, you’ll get all the cuts from the entire animal — and you control exactly how each one is cut, packaged, and portioned through your cut sheet.
Examples of What’s Included
All premium steaks (ribeye, NY Strips or T-bone and porterhouse, filets)
Sirloin & flank cuts
Chuck cuts & roasts
Brisket and short ribs
Ground beef packages
Soup bones & marrow bones
Optional specialty items like oxtail or organ meat
Because there’s more meat overall, you get the highest level of customization — whether you want extra steaks or more roasts for the slow cooker.
How the Custom Cut Sheet Works
Maxwell Custom Beef gives every customer a cut sheet when they reserve their beef share. You can use this to:
✔ Pick which cuts you want more of
✔ Choose steak thickness
✔ Decide on bone-in vs. boneless
✔ Select package sizes (1 lb, 2 lb, etc.)
This is a huge advantage over grocery store meat, where you’re stuck with pre-packaged cuts that may not match your family’s needs.
Why This Matters for You
Buying custom beef cuts in Iowa means:
Better portion control
More freezer organization
Choice of cuts you actually use
Better per-pound value than store prices
And the best part? You’re supporting local farmers and local processing in Des Moines and Central Iowa.
Ready to Customize Your Beef Share?
Whether you choose a quarter, half, or whole beef, Maxwell Custom Beef makes sure your freezer is stocked your way — with the cuts you want, in the portions you love.
👉 Visit Maxwell Custom Beef in Des Moines, Iowa to view the cut sheet and start building your custom order today.
