How to fill out a beef cut sheet
A cut sheet is a handful of decisions you make once, at the kitchen table, that decide what is in your freezer for the next year. Here they are in the order the form asks them — with what each one does to the pounds that come home. The free printable is at the top; the thinking is below it.
Beef Cut Sheet — free
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The decisions, in the order the form asks
- 1
Whole, half or quarter
A half is the whole animal split down the middle, so you get front and hind in equal measure. Quarters are where processors differ — some split front and hind, some mix — so ask which cuts a quarter actually includes before you commit, and before you sell one to anyone else.
- 2
Steaks: thickness and how many per package
Around an inch is the common default. Thinner steaks cook fast and are easy to overcook; thicker ones suit a grill or a hot pan finished in the oven. Match steaks per package to who is at your table — a package that is one steak too many becomes leftover steak.
- 3
Bone-in or boneless
This is the biggest yield decision on the sheet. Extension figures put bone-in retail cuts at roughly 65–70% of the carcass and boneless at roughly 55–60% — about ten points, or around 80 lb on an 800-lb carcass. You are mostly giving up bone rather than meat, but you are giving up pounds, and bone-in cuts like T-bone and porterhouse become boneless strip and tenderloin.
- 4
Roasts: size
Pick the size your table finishes in a meal and a little more. Two to three pounds is a common choice for a small household. Chuck, rump and sirloin tip are the usual roast cuts; a roast you do not tick often goes to ground instead.
- 5
Ground: package size and patties
One-pound packages thaw fast and fit a weeknight; two-pound packages suit a big family. Ground beef is usually one of the largest shares of what comes home, because trim and the cuts you do not specify end up there. Patties are a per-pound add-on at many shops.
- 6
The ‘ask for it or it is ground’ cuts
Brisket (whole, flat and point, or ground), short ribs (English or flanken), stew meat, cube steak and flank. If you want one, tick it — otherwise it commonly gets trimmed into the ground pile.
- 7
Heart, liver, tongue, oxtail, soup bones, suet
Many processors will not keep these unless the sheet asks. Tell them at drop-off or on the form; it is a lot easier than finding out the day you pick up.
- 8
Aging
Beef is typically hung to age around two weeks. Oklahoma State Extension puts shrink from aging at about 5–7% — a 756-lb carcass hangs down to about 710 lb after 14 days. Dry aging loses more weight and usually costs extra; ask what your processor does by default and how long.
- 9
Packaging
Vacuum seal keeps longer in the freezer. Butcher paper is cheaper and fine if you eat it within the year. Ask what the default is and what the other option costs.
What to expect in pounds
Extension figures for a grain-fed steer, so you can sanity-check the processor’s call. Grass-fed and cull cows land outside these ranges honestly — a different cow, not a problem.
| Figure | Typical | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dressing %, grain-fed steer | 60–64% (K-State); 1,200-lb steer ≈ 756-lb carcass (Oklahoma State) | K-State (MF3394); Oklahoma State Extension |
| Aging shrink, 14 days | 5–7% of carcass (756 → ~710 lb) | Oklahoma State Extension |
| Bone-in retail cuts | 65–70% of carcass | K-State Extension (MF3394) |
| Boneless retail cuts | 55–60% of carcass | K-State Extension (MF3394) |
| Finished product from a 1,200-lb steer | ~355–460 lb (50–65% of the ~710-lb aged carcass) | Oklahoma State Extension |
K-State’s worked example
- 1,290-lb steer × 62% dressing ≈ 800 lb hanging carcass
- Bone-in cuts: 800 × 65% ≈ 520 lb
- Boneless cuts: 800 × 55% ≈ 440 lb
Same animal, same meat — about 80 lb difference, almost all of it bone.
‘Hanging weight’ is not defined the same way by every processor — ask whether they mean hot or chilled before you compare numbers or quote a price per pound.
When the boxes come back
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Common questions
What should I ask my processor before I fill out the cut sheet?
Whether their hanging weight is hot or chilled; how long they age and whether dry aging is offered; whether they keep organs, bones and suet; what the default packaging is; what the kill fee and per-pound cutting charges are; and when the boxes will be ready. Write the answers on the form’s margin — they change what you order.
Why is my packaged weight so much lower than the hanging weight?
Because bone, fat trim and moisture come off between the carcass and the freezer. For a grain-fed steer, bone-in cuts typically come out around 65–70% of the carcass and boneless around 55–60% (K-State Extension), and Oklahoma State Extension puts the whole range from a 1,200-lb steer at roughly 355–460 lb. That gap is normal, not a shortfall.
Is bone-in or boneless better?
Neither — it is a trade. Bone-in costs you freezer space and gives more pounds to pay per-pound prices on, but keeps the flavor and gives you soup bones for free. Boneless is easier to store and cook but cuts the pounds that come home by roughly ten points of carcass weight.
Can I sell beef that was cut at a custom-exempt processor?
Custom-exempt meat is for the owner or owners of the animal and is stamped as not for sale. Selling shares is typically done by selling the live animal (or a share of it) before slaughter, and rules vary by state — ask your processor and your state department of agriculture before you advertise a half or quarter.
Other cut sheets
Sources
- K-State Research & Extension — How Much Meat to Expect from Your Animal (MF3394)
- Oklahoma State University Extension — Custom Beef Processing: Expected Yields
Figures are published extension ranges for typical animals; yours will differ. Check with your processor and your state before selling shares.
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