Yes, you can order a quarter or half beef online and have it shipped frozen to your door. We ship it from our family ranch in Springtown, Texas. This page covers exactly how it works: how we pack it, how long it takes, what to do when the box shows up, and what happens if something goes wrong.
The short version: every order is packed in insulated boxes with dry ice and shipped FedEx Home Delivery to the lower 48 states. Most orders ship within 3 to 4 business days of ordering and spend 2 to 4 days in transit. Shipping is included in the price of our Quarter Beef On Demand and Half Beef On Demand. If there is any issue with your delivery, we replace the shipment.
Shipping at a Glance
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Where we ship | Contiguous United States (lower 48) |
| Carrier | FedEx Home Delivery |
| Packing | Insulated boxes with dry ice |
| Ships | Most orders within 3 to 4 business days of ordering |
| Transit | 2 to 4 days |
| Order to doorstep | Typically about 1 to 1.5 weeks |
| Shipping cost on a quarter or half | Included in the delivered price |
| Guarantee | 100% delivery guarantee. Contact us within 48 hours of delivery and we replace the shipment. |
What You Are Getting Shipped
Quarter Beef On Demand is exactly 100 lbs of finished, vacuum-sealed beef for $1,399 delivered, which works out to $13.99/lb with shipping included. Half Beef On Demand is 230+ lbs for $2,999 delivered, about $13.00/lb, the best per-pound price we offer.
There is no deposit, no cut sheet, no hanging-weight math, and no waiting list. That is the big difference from traditional locker beef, where you pay by hanging weight, wait weeks or months for a processing date, and usually have to drive to pick it up. With ours, you order online and it ships to your door. Not sure which size fits your household? Read Quarter Cow vs Half Cow: Which Is Right for Your Household, or compare both in our Bulk Beef collection.
From Our Ranch: Where Your Beef Comes From
There is no third-party warehouse or broker in the middle. Here is the chain from start to finish.
The Cattle
We are a fourth-generation family ranch in Springtown, in Parker County, Texas. Our cattle are pasture-raised and grain-finished.
USDA-Inspected Processing
We process in-house at our own USDA-inspected facility in Springtown. USDA inspection is a federal food safety requirement, not a marketing label, and we maintain it continuously.
Vacuum Sealing and Labeling
Every package is vacuum sealed on our equipment. Pulling the air out is what protects beef from freezer burn. Vacuum-sealed beef kept at 0°F holds its quality for 12 months or more. Every package is labeled, so you always know what you are pulling out of the freezer.
Order to Doorstep: Step by Step
- You place your order online. Pick the quarter or half. The price you see is the delivered price.
- We pack it. Orders are processed Monday through Friday. Your vacuum-sealed beef goes into insulated boxes with dry ice.
- It ships. Most orders ship within 3 to 4 business days of ordering, via FedEx Home Delivery.
- You get tracking. We email you a tracking number when your order ships. Use it to see which day the boxes will arrive.
- It travels 2 to 4 days. The dry ice keeps the beef cold on the way.
- It arrives. Plan on about 1 to 1.5 weeks from order to doorstep. Get it into the freezer the same day.
Will It Arrive Frozen?
That is what the insulated boxes and dry ice are for, and it is the outcome we pack for. Dry ice is far colder than regular ice and does not melt into water, so it keeps the box cold through the trip without soaking the packages.
Depending on the weather and how long the trip takes, some packages near the top or edges may be partly thawed when you open the box. That is not automatically a problem. See "Partially Thawed but Still Cold" below. And if anything about your delivery is not right, our 100% delivery guarantee covers it.
What If I'm Not Home?
You do not have to sit by the door all week. A few simple things make delivery day easy:
- Watch your tracking. The tracking email tells you when the boxes are on the way and which day to expect them.
- Make a plan for that day. If you will be gone, ask a family member or neighbor to bring the boxes inside.
- Freezer the same day. The dry ice buys time in transit, but do not leave the boxes sitting for days. Unpack them the day they arrive.
- Clear the freezer space ahead of time. A quarter takes about 3.5 cubic feet. A half takes about 7 cubic feet. Having the room ready means you can unpack in one go.
Handling Dry Ice Safely
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. It is safe to have in your house if you treat it with a little respect:
- Wear gloves. Do not touch dry ice with bare hands. It is cold enough to burn skin. Use thick gloves or a towel.
- Open the box in a ventilated area. Dry ice turns into carbon dioxide gas as it warms. Open and unpack where there is decent airflow, not in a small closed room or a closed car.
- Never put it in a sealed container. The gas builds pressure and a sealed container can burst.
- Do not put it in your freezer. It can make your freezer's thermostat shut the unit off.
- Let it sublimate. Leave leftover dry ice in the open box in a well-ventilated spot, away from kids and pets, and let it turn to gas on its own. Do not put it down a sink or toilet.
What to Do When Your Beef Arrives
- Bring the boxes in as soon as you can.
- Put on gloves and set the dry ice aside following the steps above.
- Check the packages. Look them over as you unpack. Frozen solid or firm with ice crystals is what you want.
- Get everything into the freezer at 0°F. That is the temperature that keeps vacuum-sealed beef at its best for 12+ months.
- Organize as you go. Group by cut so you can find things later. Ground beef is the biggest category in both the quarter and the half, so give it its own zone. Our guide on how to organize a freezer full of bulk beef walks through a simple system.
- If something is wrong, contact us within 48 hours of delivery at orders@parkercountybeefcompany.com or (817) 404-7405.
Partially Thawed but Still Cold: What It Means
General USDA food-safety guidance says that frozen food which has partially thawed can be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F or below. So if a package is soft around the edges but still icy in the middle, or still refrigerator-cold, it can go straight into your freezer. Refreezing can affect texture a little, but it does not make the beef unsafe.
If something does not look right to you, do not guess. Contact us within 48 hours of delivery and we will replace the shipment. That is what our 100% delivery guarantee is for. Because beef is perishable, we do not take returns or exchanges otherwise, but delivery problems are on us.
Beef Boxes Ship the Same Way
Our smaller beef boxes are packed and shipped the same way: same ranch, same USDA-inspected processing, same vacuum-sealed and labeled packages, same insulated boxes with dry ice. Shipping details for every order are in our Shipping Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you ship a half cow to my state?
If you are in the contiguous United States (the lower 48), yes. We ship quarter and half beef nationwide via FedEx Home Delivery. We do not currently ship to Alaska or Hawaii. If you are near us, local pickup in Springtown, TX is also available.
How much does shipping cost on a quarter or half?
Nothing extra. Shipping is included in the delivered price: $1,399 for the quarter (100 lbs) and $2,999 for the half (230+ lbs).
How long does delivery take?
Most orders ship within 3 to 4 business days of ordering, and transit takes 2 to 4 days. Order to doorstep is typically about 1 to 1.5 weeks. Orders are processed Monday through Friday, and you get a tracking number by email when your order ships.
Is it safe to ship frozen beef?
Yes. Your beef is vacuum sealed, frozen, and packed in insulated boxes with dry ice, which keeps it cold through 2 to 4 days in transit. When it arrives, put it in the freezer the same day. Per general USDA guidance, beef that still has ice crystals or is at 40°F or below can be safely refrozen.
What if my order arrives damaged or thawed?
Contact us within 48 hours of delivery at orders@parkercountybeefcompany.com or (817) 404-7405. Our 100% delivery guarantee means that if there is any issue with a delivery, we replace the shipment.
How much freezer space do I need?
Plan on about 1 cubic foot per 30 to 35 lbs of vacuum-sealed beef. A quarter (100 lbs) takes about 3.5 cubic feet, so a 5 cu ft chest freezer holds it with room to spare. A half (230+ lbs) takes about 7 cubic feet, so plan on a 7 cu ft or larger chest freezer.
Do I need to pay a deposit or fill out a cut sheet?
No. Our Quarter and Half Beef On Demand have no deposit, no cut sheet, no hanging-weight math, and no waiting list. You order online, and it ships.
Ready to fill the freezer? Order Quarter Beef On Demand or Half Beef On Demand, or browse the full Bulk Beef collection.