The number of steaks in a cow depends on several factors, such as the breed of the cow, its live weight, processing method, and the cuts of steak desired. A quarter cow typically yields between 70 to 120 pounds of usable beef, and the exact number of steaks will vary depending on the size and cuts of the steaks.
For example, an average Angus beef steer weighing 1,100 pounds will yield approximately 430 pounds of hot carcass weight, which results in about 280 to 330 pounds of usable beef after processing. From that, a rough estimate would be around 15 to 20 T-Bone steaks, 20 to 25 ribeye steaks, and 10 to 15 sirloin steaks, along with stew meat, short ribs, and soup bones.
However, factors such as the leaner meat of dairy breeds or the more marbled meat of wagyu beef can influence the number of steaks. Additionally, the processing method, such as dry-aging, can affect the yield of usable beef and the number of steaks you get from a single cow.
In conclusion, the answer to “how many steaks in a cow” varies and can range from 15 to 20 steaks to over 25 steaks, depending on the factors mentioned. To get an accurate estimate, it’s best to speak with a local butcher or purchase a whole or quarter cow and have it processed to your specific needs. (Read Why Do Cows Have Nose Rings)
What’s The Number Of Steaks You Can Get From a Cow?
Every time someone asks the number of steaks, how much hamburger meat, and more that you can get from a cow, the answer varies. The answer depends on the animal’s size and processing. Assuming the weight of the cow is between 1200 and 1400 lbs., a person may typically get 220 lbs. of steaks from it.
From a cow, you can gain several types of steaks.
The following breakdown explains the whole cow yield.
- 24-28: Strip Steaks
- 24-28: Ribeye Steak
- 20-24: Filet
- 20-24: Sirloin Steak
- 8: Short Ribs
- 6: flank steak
- 16-20: Roast
This totals about 120 to 180 steaks and is estimated to assume a certain average weight of the whole cow.
Number of Steaks from a Quarter Cow
A whole cow is typically divided into four parts for buyers when it is killed.
So that those who are unable to buy a whole cow might make do with a quarter cow.
What computation would be used if someone bought a 1/4 cow?
- 6-7 Strip Steak
- 6-7 Ribeye Steak
- 5-6 Filet
- 5-6 Sirloin Steak
- 2 Short Rib
- 4-5 Roast
- 50 lbs. of Ground Beef
Therefore, a quarter cow may produce 30 steaks. You can find this vary depending on the cow and the vendor.
Factors Influencing the Number of Steaks from Cows
Several factors cannot be ignored when estimating the number of steaks a cow may produce. With the factors listed below, the number varies.
Cow Size: You will obtain more beef and steaks if the cow is larger. Larger cows produce more steaks with a favorable muscle-to-fat ratio than smaller cows.
Breed: Depending on the sort of breed being addressed, the number may vary. For instance, certain beef breeds have a reputation for producing the tastiest steaks compared to certain dairy breeds.
Steak cut Size: You will receive fewer steaks from a cow the larger the cut size of each steak is. The number grows noticeably with smaller steak cut sizes.
Processing Method: The number of steaks a cow produces is most significantly influenced by the processing technique. The number grows or decreases with how the cow has been handled and the type of cuts.
How Many Porterhouse Steaks In a Cow?
Porterhouse steak comes from the top loin and tenderloin steak meeting. A porterhouse steak and a top loin are produced by removing the bone and cutting out the two steaks that make up the regular strip steak and New York strip steaks.
Porterhouse steak is big, so consider this in your decision-making, and it may be better to share. A 525 kg cow has 27 Porterhouse steak cuts, or 9 kg in one cow if you split the entire weight of 9 kg by the number of cuts or 27.
Note: If you cut them larger, you could have fewer steaks; they may not fit in your favorite cast iron pan. (Learn How Many Ribs Does A Cow Have)
How Many T-Bone Steaks?
A T-bone steak comes from the middle to the end. Because of its T-shaped bone, the T-bone steak is thus named. The T-bone steak is a beef cut, and an average 525 kg cow has 5 kg or 14 pieces of T-bone steak, making each piece weigh 350 g.
How Many Ribeye Steaks?
One of the nine primal cuts, the rib steak or ribeye, comes from the rib section. It is renowned for being incredibly flavorful and tender. The cow’s rib section yields this boneless cut. In a typical 525 kg cow, there are 12 ribeye cuts totaling roughly 4 kg, making each cut weigh about 333 g.
How to Calculate How Many Steaks You Get From a Cow
You need to know how much beef you can get from a cow to estimate how many steaks come from one cow. The amount of beef that ends up as steak is divided by the weight of the typical steak. In addition, if you use more than one-third for steak, there isn’t enough meat to justify your cow purchase.
So, if you were to ask how many filet mignon in a cow, you would get less than you could to ensure you have other cuts of meat to pack your freezer with.
Calculate the Beef from a Cow
One cow weighs between 1200 and 1400 pounds when alive, and once killed, its weight drastically drops. The bones, guts, hide, horns, and blood must be removed, which all add to this net weight loss.
You calculate how much beef in two steps:
Hot Carcass Weight: The weight of the carcass following the first processing stage, during which the blood, guts, and bones are removed, is known as the dressing percentage. It usually comes to 60% to 64% of the live animal weight.
Processed Weight: The weight of the beef after it has been frozen in the freezer. During this stage, the meat loses a large amount of water, and undesirable cuts are eliminated. The amount of usable beef from the animal typically comes to roughly 40% of the live animal weight after this procedure. (Learn How Many Teats Does A Cow Have)
How many steaks in a Steer?
The amount of usable beef per animal comes out to 480 lbs. if you compute 40% of the animal’s living weight. Not all this beef will make steak, though. You may figure you’ll get 800 quarter-pound burgers from a cow, so many trimmings wind up as ground beef.
According to Clover Meadows Beef, half of the usable beef ends up as steak cuts. You may calculate how many pounds of steak cuts you would have if you had received 220 pounds of cuts from a cow, but this doesn’t consider several types of cuts or further cutting losses.
Steaks come from muscles (short loin) that see little exercise, so they lack significant amounts of connective tissues like other meats and cuts.
Which Beef Breeds Make the Best Steak?
Everything here is purely arbitrary, and there is not one individual cow making the best steak; it depends on the buyer. It frequently depends just as much on the breed of cattle as it does on how they are raised, fed, and processed. For instance, market prices for grass-fed beef can be higher.
Some popular breeds include:
- Angus Beef: In the United States, Angus beef is the most common British breed.
- Wagyu: Originally bred in Japan, wagyu beef is now marketed worldwide.
- Hereford: Hereford cattle are a hardy breed of cattle native to Herefordshire in the United Kingdom, and they are a popular choice among farmers.
- Piedmontese: These cattle are cross-bred with the Angus breed and come from Piedmont in Italy. They are lean but high in protein.
Is Buying A Cow Worth It?
Purchasing a cow has the advantages of higher-quality beef and to save money. Quarter beef cuts offer an excellent selection of meat from one cow. The price of all cuts of grass-fed beef from Clover Meadows Beef is around $5.45 per pound. In comparison, Walmart charges $7.03 per pound, and whole Foods charges $9.86 per pound.
Please be aware that beef is priced differently by each farm and beef processor. To calculate the price per pound and how much freezer space you’ll need, you’ll need to do your arithmetic.
Buying a quarter cow
The rest of the beef comes in a variety of cuts, including steaks, roasts, ribs, and brisket, and you’ll get about 50 pounds of ground beef with this sized piece of meat, and the remaining 60 lbs. comprise steak, brisket, stew meat, soup bones, etc.
Buying a half cow
What if you buy half a cow instead of a full cow? You should expect more meat of around 220 pounds from half a cow. The rest of the beef is steaks, chuck roasts, ribs, brisket, and tenderloin. It also includes 100 pounds of ground beef and also some stew beef.
How Much Beef Do You Get?
Knowing exactly how much beef you’ll put in your freezer is essential when you buy an average cow. Prices should reflect processing fees and, ideally, free delivery to some locations. An entire cow weighs 440 pounds, half weighs 220 lbs., and a quarter weighs 110 lbs.
A cow’s live weight is how much it weighs when living. These things include blood, bones, and meat. After the animal has been killed and useless parts, such as the head, skin, and hooves, have been taken off, hanging weight remains, which comprise the bones and meat. The hanging weight is typically 60% of the living weight.
What does this say, therefore, in plain English? Expect to pay roughly $6.25 per pound, plus the butchering fee, typically about $600.00 for the entire cow, if you are informed it is $3.75 per pound hanging weight. (Read Do Cows Swim)
No matter where you buy from, ensure you have enough freezer space by knowing precisely what you’ll bring home before you buy. Now, you can determine if a cow is right for you with all the above. Also, you can use the techniques on pigs and determine if you have plenty of pulled pork by buying the whole animal.
Pigs and pulled pork may not have the elegance of steak, yet it can save you money going down this path.
