Beef Cuts

Beef carcasses break down into seven primal cuts: chuck, rib, loin, round, brisket, plate and flank. The middle primals—the rib and loin—are where the majority of steak cuts originate, because that section of the animal yields more tender, marbled meat.

●Tenderloin/Filet

In French, the word filet means ribbon, and the filets—two per animal—run like ribbons down the base of the spine. These two muscles on the animal move very little and, consequently, remain tender, hence, the tenderloin. Meat men sometimes refer to these as pismo steaks. That has nothing to do with geography or clams; it is shorthand for psoas major, the Latin name for the muscle.

●New York

The New York is a strip steak from the short loin, located next to the top of the tenderloin. Speculation is that the Kansas City strip steak changed its label to New York through the cut’s association with Delmonico’s restaurant in the Big Apple. The strip steak popularized near the stockyards of Kansas City traditionally is a bone-in cut; New York strips often are boneless.

●Porterhouse

T-bones and porterhouse steaks sit next to each other on the muscles and contain both the New York and the filet. The porterhouse comes from the section further back than the T-bone, so the tenderloin is larger. Both have a distinctive T-shaped bone. As for the name porterhouse, food historians don’t seem to agree. Some attribute it to a New York tavern that served porter and steak, others to a Cambridge, Massachusetts, hotelier named Zachariah Porter. Most claims date back to the early nineteenth century, which tells us this steak will not go out of popularity any time soon.

●Hanger Steak

This cut is from the lower sirloin and is the neighbor, anatomically and texturally, of the flank steak. The piece hangs off the diaphragm of the sirloin; there is only one per animal. It earned the name of butcher’s steak back in the days when mom-and-pop meat markets abounded; this was the flavorful cut the butcher would take home. 

●Ribeye

Not so much of a labeling mystery when you look at the cut, the ribeye is one of the most flavorful of all steaks, bone-in or boneless. The loin has an eye-shaped piece of meat surrounded by a fat cap. This part of the long loin muscle sits further forward than the short loin and may not be as tender as the New York or the filet but is the cut used to grade the animal, based on the fat marbling.

A four-bone prime rib roast

●Prime Rib

The word prime here does not refer to a meat grade. It refers to the rib location, numbers six through twelve on the primal. Standing rib roasts, popular on holidays, usually contain all seven ribs, although you can request smaller roasts. The two ribs closest to the chuck end may be cut separately and sold as rib steaks, also known as bone-in ribeye steaks. The prime rib as a rule is a roast cut and not an individual steak; ribeyes, on the other hand, are cut individually to grill or sauté.

●Tomahawk Ribeye

When the rib bone is left intact and French-cut (removing the fat and sinew down to the eye), the ribeye resembles a tomahawk.

●Short Ribs

The short rib comes in many variations. Depending on the cut, the short rib falls in the rib or the plate primal. Two popular options are rolled and tied osso buco style (a) and double-bone cross-cut (b). Galbi, a popular Korean and Japanese barbecue cut, is a thin-sliced, three-rib, cross-cut short rib. Boneless short ribs are not a rib cut, they are from the chuck primal.

●Coulotte

The coulotte is a generously marbled boneless steak cut from the top sirloin cap. When the cut comes from the center muscle, it is called a baseball cut, named for its round, baseball-like shape. The coulotte’s close relative in flavor, from the bottom sirloin, is the tri-tip.

●Flat Iron Steak

 This oblong cut comes from the chuck portion, sometimes labeled as a top blade roast. The section cut out for a flat iron steak has a tough—or iron-hard—flat strip of gristle sitting alongside it that must be removed before cooking. Once stripped of that gristly plate, it is the second most tender cut of steak, after the tenderloin.

●Skirt Steak

Known to Mexican restaurateurs as the arrachera, this long, fat-streaked, skirt-shaped flap comes from the plate and can be a tough customer. The smaller outside skirt steak, shown here, is the diaphragm; the inside skirt is the transverse abdominal muscle. Good thing cows don’t do sit-ups! Tenderized with a marinade or a meat mallet, it works beautifully for recipes calling for grilled meat.

Understanding the different steak cuts

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEEF

The most commonly used types of beef are:

Chuck

Shank

Brisket

Rib

Short plate

Flank

Loin

Sirloin

The round

There are less common types that we won’t be discussing here, but they are:

Tongue

Neck

Knuckle

🍖 

CHUCK

Description: The chuck, also known as the seven-bone steak (in reference to the shape of the bone), is located near the shoulder and neck area of the cow.

Types: The chuck cut yields some of the more economical cuts of beef, such as the chuck roast, chuck arm roast, and the flat iron steak.

How to Cook: The chuck contains a significant amount of connective tissue, which contains collagen and can be a little tough, but provides great flavour.

Chuck cuts of beef are best cooked slowly over time with a crock pot or by braising.

 

ROUND OR RUMP

Description: The round, also known as the rump, is a lean cut of meat with very little fat. It is located at the back of the cow near the rear leg. Like the Shank, the round is a tough cut due to the constant use of the cow’s legs.

Types: Despite the round or rump’s toughness, it produces quite a few different cuts of meat that are quite popular. Some of the more common cuts are rump roast/steak, top round roast/steak, bottom round roast/steak, the eye of round roast/steak, and the sirloin tip centre roast/steak.

How to Cook: Round cuts are best braised or roasted with low levels of moisture.

 

BRISKET

Description: Brisket is cut from the breast or the lower portion of the cow. Like the shank, it has a lot of connective tissue and can be quite tough unless cooked properly.

Types: The brisket is known by two main cuts of meat: brisket flat cut and the brisket point cut.

How to Cook: Brisket is a favourite of BBQ’ers everywhere and is best cooked smoked or braised.

 

RIBS

Description: The rib includes some of the finest cuts of the cow, and is the known for its juiciness, tenderness, superb marbling, and flavour. The rib cut refers to ribs 6 through 12 on the cow.

Types: The rib includes several of the finest cuts of the cow, including the prime rib, short rib, rib-eye steak, and rib-eye roasts.

How to Cook: Rib cuts are best cooked over dry heat and for long periods of time. American BBQ’ers favour grilling or smoking these tender cuts.

 

SHORT PLATE

Description: The short plate is located on the front belly of the cow below the ribs. It contains a lot of cartilage and is kind of fatty and tough.

Types: It contains a few different cuts including the short ribs, hangar steak, and the skirt steak. It is best known for being used to make Carne Asada.

How to Cook: Best braised because of its toughness.

 

FLANK

Description: The flank is a long flat cut from the abdominal muscles of the cow. It is one of the toughest cuts of meat.

Types: The flank is usually cut into flap steaks or flank steaks. It is typically used in Asian and Mexican cuisine as stir-fry or fajita beef. It can also be used in London broil.

How to Cook: Due to its excessive toughness, flank cuts are best cooked with moist methods like braising.

◆ LIME-MARINATED FLANK STEAK

Serves Six to Eight

Ingredients

●Two pounds Creekstone Farms flank steak

●Quarter-cup lime juice

●One orange, juice only

●Three garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

●Three tablespoons balsamic vinegar

●Half-cup olive oil

●One teaspoon salt

●One teaspoon cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Put flank steak in a large Ziploc food storage bag and add the remaining ingredients. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to two hours.

2. Remove meat from the bag and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Discard the marinade.

3. Prepare the grill to high heat.

4. Cook flank steaks on one side for four minutes, being careful not to burn the meat. Flip the steaks and cook for four more minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 132 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer.

5. Let steaks rest for three to four minutes, then slice and serve.

LOIN

Description: The loin is cut from the back of the cow, typically a portion of the hindquarter directly behind the ribs. It is one of the most tender and desirable cuts of beef.

Types: The loin is best known for producing filet mignon, porterhouse steak, and the T-bone steak. However, it also contains the KC strip, tenderloin roast, and the shell steak.

How to Cook: Loin cuts are best cooked over dry heat such as on a grill.

 

SIRLOIN

Description: Sirloin is also cut from the back of the cow, just past the loin (a.k.a the short loin). Although, not as tender as the loin cuts, the sirloin is still a very popular tender cut of beef.

Types: The sirloin contains the top sirloin, bottom sirloin, and centre cut sirloin steaks, as well as the tri-tip steak, filet of sirloin, and the ball tip roast.

How to Cook: Sirloin is best cooked by grill, but can also be broiled, sautéed, or pan-fried.

 

SHANK

Description: The shank is the leg of the cow and is one of the toughest meats. This is due to the fact that the leg muscle is constantly used, creating a tough, sinewy cut. Therefore, it is one of the less popular, but also one of the cheapest.

Types: The Shank doesn’t yield very many cuts of meat, just the shank or the shank cross cut. It is also used in very low-fat ratios of ground beef.

How to Cook: The shank is best cooked over a long period of time and in liquid. It is best in soups, stews, or to make beef stock.

Here is a nice video showing a butcher butchering an entire cow : 

https://youtu.be/WrOzwoMKzH4?si=Q4hLzFoTqs3mVWMU

How to Choose the Right Cut of Beef

Not all cuts are created equal. Here are some pointers to make sure you pick the right cut for a delicious meal, every time. In addition to the actual cut, you also want to consider things like Marbling, Color, Aging and Production Method (Grass-finished, Natural, etc.), 

Learn the Cuts of Beef

Can you substitute a bottom round steak with a top round steak? 

How do you cook a sirloin roast? 

What cuts are good for stir-fry?

Beef Cuts 101

●Porterhouse Steak

●Top Sirloin Steak

●Top Round Steak*

●Kabobs*

●T-Bone Steak A

●Sirloin Steak

●Strips

●Bottom Round Roast

●Strip Steak, Bone-In

●Cubed Steak

●Top Sirloin Petite Roast

●Bottom Round Steak*

Marbling

is the white fat that is interspersed within the lean muscle. 

Sometimes, especially in grass-finished beef, the fat can appear more yellow in color due to the animal's diet prior to harvesting. While super-lean cuts provide a great option for those individuals requiring a low-fat diet regimen, it's also important to recognize that marbling greatly affects flavor. That is why the degree of marbling is one of the primary determinants in quality grade. 

Learn more about quality grades.

Learn the Label

Grain-finished, Grass-Finished, Conventional, Natural, or Organic? Prime, Choice, or Select?

We know there is a witch's brew of labels when it comes to your beef choices. You need to know how to sort fact from fiction when it comes to providing a nutritious meal solution for your family.

Labeling Terms

Grain-Finished, Grass-Finished, Certified Organic, Naturally-Raised

Do you really know the difference between these labels? Are you sure? This guide will help you ask your meat manager, local farmer, or butcher the right questions to get the beef you want to feed your family.

Learn About Production Labels.

GRAIN-FINISHED

GRASS-FINISHED OR

(most beef is raised this way and likelydoesn't have a specific label claim)

GRASS-FED

THIS BEEF COMES FROM CATTLE THAT...

THIS BEEF COMES FROM CATTLE THAT...

Spend the majority of their lives eating grass or forage

Spend their whole lives eating grass or forage

May also eat grass, forage, hay or silage at a feedyard

Spend 4-6 months at a feedyard eating a balanced diet ofgrains, local feed ingredients, like potato hulls or sugar beets,and hay or forage

May or may not be given FDA-approved antibiotics totreat, prevent or control disease and/or growth-promotinghormones

May or may not be given U.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA)-approved antibiotics to treat, prevent or control diseaseand/or growth-promoting hormones

USDA

ORGANIC

CERTIFIED ORGANIC

NATURALLY RAISED(may be referred to as "never-ever")

THIS BEEF COMES FROM CATTLE THAT...Never receive any antibiotics or growth-promoting hormones

THIS BEEF COMES FROM CATTLE THAT...Never receive any antibiotics or growth-promoting hormones

May be either grain- or grass-finished, as long as the USDA'sAgriculture Marketing Service (AMS) certifies the feed is 100%

May be either grain- or grass-finished

organically grown

May spend time at a feedyard

May spend time at a feedyard

91%of U.S. cattle farms and

V

DIDYOUKNOW?

80%of feedyards arefamily-owned.

100%of beef processed infederally inspected packingplants is overseenandinspected by the USDA.

Cattle eat grass formost of their lives.

All cattle are commonlyfed vitamin and mineralsupplements to balancetheir diet.

You will likely come across other beef labels. For example, USDA labels like "beef raised without antibiotics" (cattle have never receivedantibiotics but may receive growth-promoting hormones) and "beef raised without hormones" (cattle have never received growth-promotinghormones but may receive antibiotics). All USDA labels must be approved through a formal submission and evaluation process. You mightalso see other claims on labels, including references to cattle breed, where cattle were raised and cattle welfare.

Beef Grades

Beef grading sets the standards for the various quality levels of beef. The beef grading program uses highly trained specialists and sometimes grading instruments to determine the official quality grade. Beef quality grading is voluntary and administered by the USDA and paid for by beef packers.

The USDA employs federal inspectors to grade beef on expected palatability (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor). Quality Grades are evaluated on factors such as degree of marbling, and maturity of the animal. The grade is primarily determined by the degree of marbling — the small flecks of fat within the beef muscle. Marbling provides flavor, tenderness and juiciness to beef and improves overall palatability. Other grading factors include animal age, and color and texture of the muscle. While you may not know the maturity of the animal, there are some visual cues to help determine quality grades. Let's explore the most popular beef grades: 

PRIME

Prime beef is produced from young, well-fed cattle. It has abundant marbling, is produced in smaller quantities than other grades, and is often sold in hotels and restaurants. Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for roasting, grilling or broiling.

CHOICE

Choice beef is high quality and produced in highest quantity, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice is the most popular grade of beef in grocery stores. Choice roasts and steaks, especially from the rib and loin, will be very tender, juicy and flavorful. They are suited for roasting, grilling and broiling. Less tender cuts are perfect for slow-cooking.

SELECT

Select beef is slightly leaner than Prime and Choice because it has less marbling. It can lack some tenderness, flavor and juiciness as compared to the higher grades. Select grade beef often benefits from slow-cooking or from marination prior to grilling or broiling.

Preview of Beef Quality Grades Document.

So where does this leave you? In the grocery store, you'll see quality grades printed on the label. Prime is the top-tier for expected palatability, Choice is most common, and Select is the leanest option available in (some) groceries stores.

What if I am buying from a local source that doesn't have quality grade?

All beef in Virginia needs to be harvested in an inspected plant or facility. However, it may be state-inspected instead of federally-inspected. In this case, beef is inspected for quality and safety, but not for quality grade. You can use the guide above to help you make a purchasing decision.

Please also note, grass-finished beef tends to be leaner and it may be difficult to find grass-fed-and-finished beef that has moderate or abundant marbling. This will also affect the way you cook it for maximum flavor, so be sure to ask your source for recommendations.

Marbling is small flecks of fat within the meat

Color

The color of the meat should be bright, cherry red. But remember, beef does brown as it is exposed to air. 

If you store beef in a Ziploc or other plastic bag with a small hole, you will notice it browns quickly in your fridge. While it does not mean the meat has spoiled, you should always throw it out when in doubt. 

Alternatively, if you buy vacuum-packaged meat, it may appear darker than normal. This is not a flaw with the meat, but rather a lack of oxygen passing through the packaging. The packaging is what allows it to stay fresh in your fridge longer than the standard styrofoam and cellophane packaging.

Look for a bright cherry red color when selecting fresh beef.

Aged Beef

Beef aging does not pertain to the age of the cattle but instead refers to the amount of time the meat has been stored and refrigerated after slaughter. Aging beef involves storing meat at refrigerated temperatures to enhance tenderness and flavor. Nearly all beef sold is aged in some way, but this may not be the case if you are buying locally. Make sure to ask your butcher or farmer to find out for sure.

There are two choices for aging beef, wet and dry aging. Let’s explore the two methods.

Wet Aging

Wet aging includes storing meat in sealed, airtight bags under refridgeration (32°F to 34°F) up to 3 weeks or 21 days. 

Wet aging results in traditional beef flavor and is the most common aging method. 

Dry Aging

Dry aging is less common than wet aging due to the complexity and cost. Beef is stored uncovered in a refrigerated room (32°F to 34°F) under controlled humidity and air flow for up to 4 weeks. Dry aging results in distinctive brown-roasted beefy flavor.

Learn more about aging beef.

Production Method Labels

Production method refers to how the cattle were raised. Use this infographic to brush up on what grass-finished, grain-finished, natural, and organic terms mean!