How Much Freezer Space Do you Need for Bulk Beef and Pork?

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November 4, 2022

When you buy a mixed quarter, a side (Half), or whole of Meeting Place Organic Farm beef, or a whole or half pig, it’s delivered (FREE) to your door - fresh frozen (which means as soon as it is cut, it is frozen quickly to preserve the integrity of the meat).

For lots of our customers, having a freezer full of beef is, well, something new. And, usually, people have questions…

In General...

A rule of thumb is one cubic foot of freezer space for each 25-35 pounds of cut and wrapped meat. Allow slightly more space when the meat is packaged in odd shapes.

How much freezer space will my beef take?

For a mixed quarter (about 85 pounds of meat), you’ll want to have 4 cubic feet. And for a Side (half), around 8 cubic feet. A whole cow will need 16 cubic feet.

How much freezer space will my pork take?

For a whole pig, you'll want about 8 cubic feet, for a half pig, you'll want about 4 cubic feet.

What if I don’t already have a freezer?

If you don’t have a freezer, you might be surprised to learn they’re surprisingly affordable. Whether you get a chest freezer or an upright is a personal preference.

Depending on space and overall preference, Here are measurements for both upright and chest freezers.

Small (5-9 cubic feet), upright = 21–25″ W x 55–60″ H x 22–26″ D, and chest = 29–38″ W x 32–34″ H x 22–27″ D
Medium (10-16 cubic feet), upright = 23–30″ W x 60–73″ H x 27–30″ D, and chest = 54–65″ W x 33–36″ H x 24–28″ D
Large (17+ cubic feet), upright = 27–33″ W x 64–76″ H x 29–30″ D, and chest= 72–84″ W x 31–34″ H x 27–32″ D

How long will my beef be good in the freezer?

Assuming it goes right in the freezer and it’s kept ice cold, and the packaging is not damaged, it will last at least 12 months.

How do I defrost my meat?

For ground beef, burger patties and steaks there are two ways. Either defrost in the refrigerator (24-48 hours), or place the meat in a bowl of cold water and let it defrost on your kitchen counter for 1-3 hours. For roasts, defrost in the refrigerator for 48-72 hours.

Can I cook my meat frozen?

Generally no, but recently we came across a method of cooking frozen steaks which we’ve tried out with excellent results! Here’s a 3 minute video from America’s Test Kitchen that shows how to do it: https://youtu.be/uLWsEg1LmaE

Freezer Tips:

If you don’t want to pay full price for your freezer, look around at your local FB buy sell trade for discounted freezers. Four of our six freezers are second hand.

If you absolutely can’t handle the golden color of your used freezer, you can always paint it with appliance paint or better yet, chalk board paint! Write on the front a description of what is inside.

From experience, I’m finding that I like to keep all our beef separate from other food items. Pies, ice-cream and frozen lasagnas can get lost in the ocean of beef.

If you don’t have enough baskets to keep things orderly, we cut out card board dividers and placed them perpendicular making “walls” to separate product.

Some freezers create ice build up through out the year so when your freezer is almost empty, take this time to defrost and clean it. Simply take out remaining items and place in cooler. Then unplug your freezer, and let it thaw. Proceed to soak up excess water and give it a good wipe down with clean water and rags. Return your items to freezer but if it’s empty, leave the door open until it’s ready to be replenished to keep it from smelling.

Do you have more questions - feel free to email or call us.

Nose-to-Tail Eating: Buying Organic Offal and Traditional Cuts in Ontario

Nose-to-Tail Eating: Buying Organic Offal and Traditional Cuts in Ontario If you are searching for organic offal, traditional meat cuts, or pasture-raised nose-to-tail meat in Ontario, you are not alone. More people across the province are looking beyond steaks and chicken breasts and rediscovering how previous generations cooked by using the whole animal with intention and respect. At Meeting Place Organic Farm, nose-to-tail eating isn’t a trend. It’s how we’ve always approached farming and food. If you know Tony McQuail, you know how much he loves to cook beef tongue. We raise certified organic, 100% grass fed beef, pork, and chicken, and make a wide range of traditional cuts and offal available to customers across Ontario through our online farm store and delivery routes. What Does Nose-to-Tail Eating Mean? Nose-to-tail eating means using as much of the animal as possible including organs, bones, and traditional cuts rather than relying only on a small selection of popular muscle meats. This approach: Reduces food waste Respects the life of the animal Provides nutrient-dense foods often missing from modern diets When animals are raised on pasture, fed a natural diet, and processed carefully, these cuts are not only usable — they are deeply nourishing and flavourful. Organic Beef Offal and Traditional Cuts Available in Ontario Our grass-fed, grass-finished beef is certified organic and raised entirely on pasture. Alongside familiar cuts, we offer a range of traditional beef options that support nose-to-tail eating: Beef liver Beef kidney Beef tongue Beef cheeks Oxtail Beef bones and knuckle bones (with and without marrow) Nose-to-tail ground beef These cuts are ideal for bone broth, slow braises, stews, and traditional recipes from many cultures. Beef liver, for example, is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available, while oxtail and cheeks create rich, collagen-filled meals when cooked low and slow.Here's a recipe to try for Jamaican Oxtail Stew. Pasture-Raised Pork Offal and Heritage Cuts Our pork is pasture-raised and certified organic, living outdoors where they are able to root and wallow. Pork is particularly well suited to nose-to-tail eating, and many traditional cuisines rely on these cuts. Available pork offal and traditional cuts include: Pork heart Pork kidney Pork tongue Pork trotters (feet) Pork tail Pork jowl and pork jowl bacon These cuts are prized for their flavour, fat content, and ability to enrich soups, stocks, and slow-cooked dishes. Pork jowl, has long been used as a flavour base in traditional cooking, while trotters are naturally rich in gelatin for broths. Organic Chicken: Using the Whole Bird Whole-animal eating is especially important with poultry. Our organic, pasture-raised chickens and only raised between April and September because our midwestern Ontario weather is too cold for them to pasture outside beyond that. They are processed with care, and we make a full range of nose-to-tail chicken cuts available: Chicken livers Chicken hearts Chicken gizzards Chicken feet Chicken backs and necks Chicken feet, backs, and necks are excellent for deeply nourishing broth, while hearts and gizzards are traditional staples fried, stewed or sauteed. These cuts are often overlooked, yet they are some of the most affordable and useful items in the freezer. Why Ontario Customers Are Choosing Nose-to-Tail Meat Across Ontario, customers are rethinking where their meat comes from and how much of the animal they’re actually using. Nose-to-tail eating appeals to people who want: Less waste and more sustainability Better value from high-quality meat A stronger connection to their food traditions Buying offal and traditional cuts also supports smaller organic farms by allowing the entire animal to be used, rather than only a small percentage of popular cuts. How to Buy Organic Offal and Traditional Cuts in Ontario Meeting Place Organic Farm offers online ordering and scheduled delivery routes across Ontario. Availability varies seasonally, as we raise and process animals on a small scale, in alignment with organic standards and animal welfare. The best way to stay informed is to join our email list, where we announce restocks, bulk beef, pork, and chicken availability, and delivery dates. If you’re new to nose-to-tail cooking, start small: Add bones or chicken feet to your freezer for bone broths Try ground meat blended with organ cuts, what we call our Nose to Tail ground beef Slow-cook tougher cuts like cheeks or tongue These foods don’t require complicated recipes just time, care, and good ingredients. Eating with Intention Nose-to-tail eating isn’t about perfection. It’s about choosing food that aligns with your values, respecting animals, supporting organic farming, and reconnecting with how food has been prepared for generations. For customers across Ontario, we’re proud to offer certified organic, pasture-raised beef, pork, and chicken including the offal and traditional cuts that make whole-animal eating possible. To see what’s currently available, visit the farm store and join the email list at the bottom of our homepage for updates on upcoming deliveries.

How Much Freezer Space Do you Need for Bulk Beef and Pork?

More from the blog

Nose-to-Tail Eating: Buying Organic Offal and Traditional Cuts in Ontario

Bulk Beef Buyers Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Buying our Ontario 100% Grass Fed and Finished Beef by the Half or Mixed Quarter

10 Great Ways to Cook Our Ontario Grass-fed Ground Beef

Meeting Place Organic Farm