This is what you can/should get out each HALF of the beef
Beef Forequarter
Bone-in or boneless chuck roasts/steaks, bone-in or boneless
shoulder(arm) roasts or steaks, short ribs, stew meat, ground meat,
shank meat, brisket, skirt steak, bone-in or boneless rib eye
roasts/steaks (prime rib).
Beef Hindquarter
Boneless Bottom round roasts/steaks (or cube steaks), top round
roasts/steaks (london broil or swiss style), eye round roast or
steaks, sirloin tip roasts or steaks, bone-in sirloin steaks (or
boneless sirloin steaks and filet mignons), bone-in T-bone and
porterhouse steaks (or boneless strip steaks and tenderloins), flank
steak, another skirt steak, stew meat, ground meat and shank meat.
You will also have liver, heart, kidneys, tripe, tongue and oxtails to
flip a coin over.
For a family of four I would suggest ground and stew meat in 1½ to 2
lb pkgs. Roasts approx 3 to 4 lbs. Grilling steaks around 1¼-1½"
thick, that way two people can share one steak. London Broil at least
2" thick and then cut in half for two meals. If you do bbq, leave the
brisket whole, or separate into 'point' and 'flat' for smoking.
