Qurbani Meat Planner
How much meat will your bakra or cow share give, and how many bags do you need? Enter the animal and its weight, choose how to share it, and get the meat in each part, the number of packets and the freezer space for your family’s share.
Your qurbani meat
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| Part | Meat | Packets |
|---|
How much meat does a qurbani animal give?
As a rough guide, the bone-in meat you take home is about 45% of a goat’s or sheep’s live weight and about 50% of a cow’s. The rest is the skin, head, feet, blood, organs and gut. Leaner, smaller animals give less; well-fed animals give more. If your butcher gives you a figure, type it into “Meat yield”.
| Animal | Typical live weight | Bone-in meat | Each of three parts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goat (bakra) | 30 to 40 kg | 14 to 18 kg | 4.5 to 6 kg |
| Sheep or dumba | 40 to 60 kg | 18 to 27 kg | 6 to 9 kg |
| One cow share (1/7) | 250 to 400 kg cow | 18 to 29 kg | 6 to 10 kg |
| Whole cow | 250 to 400 kg | 125 to 200 kg | 42 to 67 kg |
Sharing the meat
Many families divide qurbani meat into three equal parts: one for the household, one for relatives and friends, and one for people in need. Most scholars describe this as recommended rather than required. For questions about your own qurbani, ask a scholar you trust.
Packing and freezing tips
- Let the meat cool in the fridge for a few hours before freezing. It cuts more neatly and freezes better.
- Pack by dish, not just by weight: a bag of chaanp for the grill, a bag of boti for karahi, bones for yakhni, qeema for kababs.
- Flatten the bags and squeeze out the air. Flat bags freeze and thaw faster and stack neatly.
- Label each bag with the cut and the date. Frozen meat keeps well for 3 to 4 months for best taste.
- Cook the kaleji first. Liver, kidneys and heart are best cooked fresh on Eid day.
What to cook with each cut
- Raan (leg): roast raan, sajji, or boti for tikka.
- Dasti (shoulder): qorma, karahi and aloo gosht.
- Chaanp (chops) and pasliyan (ribs): grilled chops and BBQ.
- Gardan (neck) and trimmings: qeema for seekh and shami kababs, or yakhni.
- Nalli (shank) and paya (trotters): nihari and paye.
Buying meat abroad or not sure what the cuts are called? Use the halal meat cut translator. Hosting on Eid? The dawat calculator tells you how much to cook.
Questions people ask
How much meat do you get from a qurbani goat?
About 45% of its live weight as bone-in meat. A 35 kg goat gives about 15 to 16 kg, so each of three equal parts is about 5 kg.
How much meat is in one cow share?
One seventh of the cow’s meat. A 300 kg cow gives about 150 kg of bone-in meat, so one share is about 21 kg, or 7 kg in each of three parts.
Do I have to divide qurbani meat into three parts?
Dividing into three equal parts (family, relatives and friends, people in need) is a widely followed recommendation. Many scholars say it is preferred, not compulsory. Ask a scholar you trust about your situation.
How much freezer space does qurbani meat need?
Allow about 1.5 litres of freezer space for each kilogram of meat in bags. A 7 kg family share needs about 11 litres, about one freezer drawer.
How long can I keep qurbani meat in the freezer?
Meat kept frozen at minus 18 °C stays safe, but for the best taste use it within about 3 to 4 months. Label every bag with the cut and the date.
Last updated 25 October 2026. Found a mistake or want a feature? Tell us.