“Mustard’s no good without roast beef.”
– Chico Marx
There are many different cuts of beef. Each cut is best suited to certain uses. Do you know where the cuts come from and what cooking method are best suited to the cut?
Contents
Primal Cuts of Beef:
As you might expect, different regions have their own methods for butchering a cow. This results in different names for the various cuts of beef. The first thing to understand is that there are primal cuts (i.e. big main pieces). In the U.K., the primal cuts might look like the following diagram:
In America, you would find these primal cuts of beef:
These primal cuts are then cut into the smaller retail cuts of beef that most of us recognize at the grocery stores.
Chuck (Shoulder):
At the front are the chuck, brisket and shank (shoulder, and shin). These are the most exercised parts of the cow and as a result, these are the toughest cuts. They also contain the most fat. Meat from the shoulder is usually boned and diced for stewing. It also makes the most flavourful ground beef. Because meat from the chuck is tough, it usually benefits from moist-heat cooking or combination cooking methods such as stewing and braising.
You might find the following roasts and steaks. They all come from the chuck portion of the cow:
Roasts |
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Chuck Arm Roast |
Chuck Shoulder Pot Roast |
Chuck 7 Bone1 Pot Roast |
Cross Rib Roast |
English Roast |
Chuck Eye Roast |
Steaks | Also known as |
---|---|
Top Blade Steak, Boneless |
|
Shoulder Steak, boneless |
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Chuck Arm Steak |
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Chuck-Eye Steak, boneless |
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Chuck Mock Tender Steak |
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Chuck 7-Bone1 Steak |
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Note 1: “7-Bone” refers to the shape of the bone. It looks like the number 7.
Rib:
The rib cut is probably best known for producing roast prime rib. The meat is tender, well marbled, and ideal for roasting.
You might find the following roasts and steaks. They all come from the rib cuts:
Roasts |
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Rib Roast |
Rib-eye Roast |
Steaks | Also known as |
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Rib-eye steak |
|
Short Loin:
Like the rib section, the short loin contains meat that is tender and well marbled. The short loin can be divided to produce the most popular, flavourful (and expensive) steaks. These steaks are ideal for grilling.
You might find the following steaks that are produced from the short loin.
Steaks | Also known as |
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T-bone steak |
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Top Loin Steak, boneless |
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Top Loin Steak, bone-in |
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Note 2: Porterhouse steaks are cut from the sirloin end of the short loin and so they contain a bigger portion of the tenderloin.
Sirloin:
The sirloin can be divided to produce steaks and roasts that are tender and flavourful. However, they are not as tender as the cuts produced from the short loin.
Meat from the sirloin can be cooked using dry heat methods such as roasting, grilling, or broiling.
The sirloin will produce the following roasts and steaks:
Roasts |
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Tri-Tip Roast |
Steaks | Also known as |
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|
|
Tri-Tip Steak |
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Tenderloin:
The tenderloin is, as the name implies, one of the tenderest cuts of beef.
The tenderloin is actually part of both the short loin and the sirloin. If the whole tenderloin roast is to be kept, it needs to be cut before separating the short loin and the sirloin.
Tenderloin is best roasted, or cut into steak strips.
Roasts |
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Tenderloin roast |
Steaks | Also known as |
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Tenderloin steak |
|
Round:
Meat from the round is flavorful but steaks cut from the round can be tough. Beef cuts from the round are best when braised.
The round will produce the following roasts and steaks:
Roasts |
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Bottom Round Roast |
Eye Round Roast |
Pike’s Peak Roast (AKA Heel of Round) |
Round Tip Roast |
Rump Roast |
Tip Roast |
Steaks | Also known as |
---|---|
Round Tip Steak, thin cut |
|
Flank:
The flank does not contain any bones. The meat is quite flavourful, but it is also tough. Flank meat is usually either ground or cut into steaks (flank steak, London broil). The steaks need to be marinated.
Steaks | Also known as |
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Flank steak |
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Plate:
The plate, found below the rib contains rib bones and cartilage. Short ribs are meaty, yet high in connective tissue, and are best when braised. Skirt steak is often marinated and grilled as fajitas. Other, less meaty portions of the plate are ground.
The plate will produce the following roasts and steaks:
Steaks | Also known as |
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Skirt steak |
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Hanger Steak |
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Shank:
Beef shanks are very flavorful. Shanks are excellent for making soups and stocks.
Brisket:
The brisket is very tough and contains a lot of fat. It is well suited for moist-heat cooking methods such as simmering or braising.
The brisket is also pickled or corned to produce corned beef brisket, or cured and peppered to make pastrami.
If you found this post useful, or if you have any tips for cooking beef, please leave a comment.
Thanks.
Note: A temperature chart for checking beef “done-ness” can be found here.
Fabulous. I cannot believe i waited until I was 50 yrs old to look this info up?! Many Thanks to ALL