A beef share is one of the smartest ways to stock your freezer with high-quality, farm-raised beef — but if you've never done it before, opening those boxes for the first time can feel a little overwhelming. This guide walks you through everything: how to organize your freezer, what cuts you'll find inside, how to thaw and prepare them, and how to confidently cook through every single package over the coming months. Whether you're a first-time beef share customer or you've been ordering from Diamond R Cattle for years, this is your go-to reference for making the most of your share.

One of the things that makes a Diamond R beef share different is that you have a say in what you get. When you place your order, you'll choose from three cut sheets — each designed for a different kind of cook.


Diamond R Cut Sheet This is our most balanced option and a great starting point for most families. You'll get 1" thick Kansas City Strip, Filet, Sirloin, and Ribeye steaks alongside Minute Steaks, Chuck and Rump Roasts, Brisket, 1/3 lb Burger Patties, and 1 lb chubs of Ground Beef. Expect roughly 22–25% steaks, 15–20% roasts, and 55–60% ground beef. If your household loves flexibility — grilling on Saturday, slow cooking on Sunday, and ground beef every weekday — this is your sheet.


Griller's Cut Sheet Built for the backyard and the steak lover in your family. You'll still get the classics — Kansas City Strip, Filet, Sirloin, and Ribeye — but you'll also find Skirt, Flat Iron, and Flank Steaks in the mix. Plus Chuck Roast, Brisket, Burger Patties, and Ground Beef chubs. Roughly 25% steaks, 15% roasts, and 60% ground. If your grill sees action year-round and steak night is a weekly tradition, this is the one.


Slow Cooker Cut Sheet This sheet is made for the long, low cook. You'll get Kansas City Strip and Sirloin steaks, Minute Steaks, and a full lineup of roasting cuts: Chuck, Sirloin Tip, and Rump Roasts alongside Brisket, Short Ribs, Soup Bones, and Oxtail. Ground Beef chubs round it out. Yields run roughly 15% steaks, 15–25% roasts, and 45% ground with the balance in short ribs, oxtail, and soup bones. If soups, stews, and braises are your love language, this one was built for you.


Want to make a swap? We're happy to accommodate custom substitutions for a small processor fee. Just keep in mind that every animal is a little different — actual yields may vary slightly from the estimates above.

The best thing you can do before your share arrives is get your freezer organized and ready. Here's a simple system that works.


Sort by cut category first. When your boxes arrive, don't just stack everything in at random. Group your packages by type — steaks together, roasts together, ground beef together, specialty cuts together. This saves you a lot of digging later and makes meal planning easier.


Label your shelves or zones. A piece of masking tape with "Steaks," "Roasts," "Ground," and "Specialty" goes a long way. Some customers use bins or baskets inside chest freezers to keep things separated.


Ground beef goes in front. You'll use it most often. Keep it accessible at the top or front of the freezer so it's easy to pull.


Roasts and specialty cuts go to the back. These are your weekend and occasion cuts. Tuck them toward the back and pull them out intentionally when you have time to do them right.


Know your freezer space. As a general guide: a quarter share needs roughly 4–5 cubic feet, a half share needs 7–8 cubic feet, and a whole share needs 14–16 cubic feet. If you're running tight on space, consider a standalone chest freezer — they're more efficient and will serve you well year after year.

Thawing is one of the most important — and most overlooked — steps in cooking great beef. Here's what to know.


The best method: refrigerator thawing. Move your package from the freezer to the fridge 24–48 hours before you plan to cook. Steaks and ground beef typically thaw overnight. Roasts and larger cuts may need a full 48 hours. This is the safest method and gives you the best texture and moisture retention.


In a hurry? Use cold water. Keep the package sealed and submerge it in a bowl of cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Most steaks and ground beef will thaw in 1–2 hours this way. Roasts may take 3–4 hours.


Never thaw on the counter. Room-temperature thawing encourages bacterial growth in the outer layers while the inside is still frozen. Skip it.


Never thaw in hot water. It begins to cook the outer surface while the inside stays frozen — you'll end up with uneven texture and loss of moisture.


Cook from frozen in a pinch. It's possible, especially for ground beef and thinner steaks, but plan for 50% longer cook times and use a meat thermometer to verify doneness.

Here's a quick reference for every major cut in your share and how to approach it. We'll keep linking to full recipes as we publish them.


Ground Beef Your everyday workhorse. Great for burgers, tacos, pasta, chili, meatballs, and more. Our ground beef is an 85/15 blend — lean enough to be versatile, with enough fat to stay flavorful. Don't drain the fat when you brown it; that's where the flavor lives.


Kansas City Strip / Sirloin / Ribeye / Filet These are your premium grilling steaks, all cut 1" thick. They do best with high heat and a short cook. Pat dry before cooking, season generously with salt and pepper, and let them rest 5 minutes after cooking. A cast iron skillet or hot grill both work beautifully.


Skirt, Flank, and Flat Iron Steaks Thinner and more textured than the premium cuts, these are full of flavor and best cooked hot and fast. Slice against the grain after cooking — this is non-negotiable for tender results. Great for fajitas, stir fry, and salads.


Minute Steaks Thin-cut steaks that cook in just a few minutes per side. Don't overthink them — butter, a hot pan, and 2 minutes per side. Country fried steak and mushroom steak are two classics that showcase them well.


Chuck Roast One of the most forgiving and satisfying cuts in the share. Low and slow is the move — slow cooker, Dutch oven, or braised in the oven at 275°F. Plan for 3–4 hours minimum. The connective tissue breaks down into rich, silky gelatin that makes the cooking liquid incredible.


Rump Roast Leaner than chuck, with a tighter grain. Best when braised low and slow and sliced thin. Classic French dip is the move here — tender sliced beef, the cooking liquid reduced into au jus, and a crusty roll.


Sirloin Tip Roast A lean, versatile roast that works well slow roasted in the oven or braised. Can also be sliced thin for sandwiches or cubed for stew.


Brisket The patience cut. Whether you're smoking it low and slow all day or braising it in the oven, brisket rewards the cook who gives it time. Diamond R brisket comes in either a Split (4–7 lbs flat or point) or a Full Packer (12+ lbs — flat and point together). The point has more fat and marbling; the flat is leaner and slices cleaner.


Short Ribs (English Cut) Thick, bone-in, and loaded with collagen. These are made for a long braise — red wine, beef stock, aromatics, and a Dutch oven or slow cooker. Plan for 3–4 hours at low heat. The meat should fall off the bone and the braising liquid reduces into a sauce you'll want to put on everything.


Soup Bones and Oxtail (Slow Cooker Cut Sheet) Don't overlook these. Soup bones and oxtail make some of the richest, most nourishing bone broth you can produce at home. Roast them first for deeper color and flavor, then simmer low and slow for 12–24 hours. Freeze the broth in 1-cup portions for soups, sauces, and cooking liquid all year long.

Your freezer is stocked. Your cut sheet is chosen. Now it's time to cook. Browse the Diamond R recipe collection to find ideas for every cut in your share — we add new recipes regularly and they're all built around the same beef that's sitting in your freezer right now.


And if you have questions about your order, your cut sheet, or your share, don't hesitate to reach out. At Diamond R, you're not just a customer — you're part of the family.


— Marty & Amy Reichenberger

Ready to stock your freezer? Diamond R beef shares are available in Quarter, Half, and Whole sizes with three cut sheet options to match the way your family cooks. Pasture-raised, grain-finished, no antibiotics, no hormones — raised right here in Southeast Kansas on feed we grow ourselves.