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How it works

Buy a cow together, one cut at a time

A whole or half cow from a butcher is a lot of beef at once. Meat Reins lets neighbors split a cow by the cut, so you buy just the beef you want.

  1. Ribeye steaks, a tied roast, ground beef and short ribs on butcher paper

    1Pick your cuts

    Choose packages of steaks, roasts and ground beef from a cow that's filling up near you.

  2. Beef cattle grazing on a green pasture beyond a wooden fence

    2Neighbors fill the cow

    Watch it fill up. Your price per pound is locked the moment you reserve.

  3. A butcher in a white apron slicing a ribeye steak from a rib roast on a wooden block

    3A local butcher cuts it

    Once every cut is spoken for, we book one of our preferred butchers to cut, wrap and freeze it.

  4. Hands setting a package wrapped in white paper and twine into a wooden crate

    4Pick up and pay directly

    We email you when it's ready. You pay directly, at or before pickup, by the real weight of your packages.

What's on a cow

A typical cow gives about 400 pounds of packaged beef: around 160 packages. Almost half is ground beef, and the rest is steaks, roasts, ribs and more, from every part of the cow.

On a cow's page, tap a part of the cow to see its cuts, how many packages are left, and what each costs.

See the cows near you

Questions people ask

When do I pay, and who do I pay?

You pay directly, never through Meat Reins. On most cows you pay the butcher when you pick up your beef. On some, you pay the farm for the beef before pickup and the butcher for cutting and wrapping. Your reservation shows who and how much once the butcher is booked. Meat Reins doesn't take payments or store cards. Your price per pound is locked when you reserve, and the total is by the real weight of your packages.

What if the cow doesn't fill up?

Each cow has a fill-by date. If it doesn't fill, we may give it a few more days, or call it off. If it's called off, your reservation is cancelled and you owe nothing.

Can I change my cuts?

Yes, until the cow is fully spoken for. After that your cuts are locked, because the butcher cuts the whole cow for everyone at once.

How are the prices set?

Every weekday the USDA publishes what each part of the cow is worth wholesale. Each cut's price per pound is based on its part of the cow, adjusted for your region. See today's beef prices.

How much freezer space do I need?

About one cubic foot for every 25 to 30 pounds of packaged beef. Your box shows its weight as you pick.

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