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What Are the Different Cut of Beef Important for

Where your steak comes from on the cow tin can determine how you cook information technology — dry out heat or wet heat. Learn more about the regions of the cow and how a butcher cuts those tasty steaks y'all meet backside the meat counter.

Different Cuts of Beef

Anybody wants their beef tender, merely not all cuts kickoff out that manner. The tougher cuts of meat benefit from wet cooking methods like braising or slow cooking. Just already-tender cuts like a New York strip or filet mignon are better cooked with dry heat such as smoking, grilling, or searing in your bandage iron before roasting in the oven.

Hither'southward a breakup of every cut of beef and where information technology comes from on the cow.

Picture of a cow showing where different cuts of beef are located

But kickoff, know that at that place are three categories of beef cuts: key, subprimal, and retail. A butcher generally cuts each primal region into smaller sections known as subprimal sections. Those are then cut upwardly farther, and that'south what winds up backside the meat counter.

Chuck

Chuck steak

This is the cervix and shoulder region of the cow. Chuck cuts tend to be tougher and have a lot of connective tissue. That'due south why they usually demand to exist cooked longer and in wet heat to tenderize the meat. You can notice ground chuck, simply other popular cuts come from chuck such as boneless short ribs, pot roast, flat-iron steak, beef stew, and Denver steak.

Brisket

Brisket comes from the breast of the cow beneath the neck and shoulder. It'southward withal adequately fatty and tough, and information technology comes with a lot of marbling. The all-time way to cook brisket is low and slow. It's used to make corned beef, but barbecue-style brisket is as well a popular choice.

Rib

Rib steak

Ribs anyone? This is the center of the moo-cow, where a classic rack of ribs comes from. Prime rib also comes from this section, as well equally ribeye steaks. For the most role, these cuts are best grilled or smoked, whereas chuck and brisket benefit from wet heat cooking methods like braising. Prime rib might exist the merely exception — better cooked low and slow in the oven, starting at high heat and then turning it downward.

Plate

Plate steak

The plate is the front belly region of the cow below the ribs. Brim steak comes from the plate region. It'south besides where those delicious, tender os-in curt ribs come from. Different from the boneless short ribs made from chuck, bone-in short ribs are more than expensive. They're fattier and you might debate have more flavor, simply they also have more cartilage that needs to break down when cooking.

Short loin

Short loin

This is toward the back of the cow backside the rib section. It's where the more than expensive steaks come up from such as porterhouse, t-bone, strip steak, and New York strip. All are tender cuts and best cooked in dry heat.

Flank

Flank steak

Flank is behind the plate and beneath the short loin; it's the dorsum of the cow's belly. As 1 of the leaner parts of the cow, information technology's thin and tough, and so cook flank steaks for a shorter amount of time at higher heat. Good for carne asada, merely yous can also braise them.

Sirloin, elevation sirloin, and bottom sirloin

Sirloin steak

Behind the brusk loin, closer to the butt of the cow, is the sirloin. It'due south broken into small subprimal sections known every bit height sirloin and lesser loin. These cuts aren't quite as tender as the short loin cuts, merely sirloin steaks have lots of season. This department is also where tri-tip comes from.

Tenderloin

Tenderloin steak

Tenderloin is also a subprimal of the sirloin, and as the proper name implies, information technology'southward the most tender part of the cow. Information technology cuts into the short loin section, so sometimes expensive cuts like porterhouse and filet mignon are credited to the tenderloin. Don't waste material these meats in low estrus for several hours. They're already tender, so quicker cooking in dry heat is best.

Round

Round steak

This is the hind leg of the cow. Yous might come across a full round at your butcher, which is a huge cut of meat, merely information technology'southward oftentimes divided into the top round and bottom round (the subprimals of the circular). From the bottom round comes rump roast and middle of the round, while London broil comes from the top round. Lesser round is also sometimes used to make roast beef.

Shank

Shank steak

Shank comes from both the forearm or foreleg of the cow. This is tough meat that'south often used in soups and stews, or information technology'southward braised to make the meat more than tender. It'southward not ideal for dry cooking.

Hungry for more?

  • All-time steak marinade
  • Types of ground beef
  • How to contrary sear a steak

Filed under: Ingredient Guides Kitchen Tips

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I'm a culinary school graduate, cookbook author, and a mom who loves croissants! My passion is creating recipes and sharing the science behind cooking to assist you gain confidence in the kitchen.

Jessica Gavin standing in the kitchen

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