A Consumer’s Guide to Beef

by Susan Davis on 16/10/09 at 6:13 am

What part do you love?

Have you ever wondered what part of the cow the different cuts of beef comes from?  It can be more than a little confusing.  So let us help you untangle the mystery of meat labeling and help you understand where the beef comes from on our bovine friends.

When a cow is slaughtered, it is divided into several sections called primal cuts.  These large sections are then further divided by butchers or meat processors into smaller portions that are packaged for retail sale.

These primal cuts are called the chuck, rib, loin, round, shank, brisket, plate and flank.

Beef is basically the muscle tissue of a cow. The more frequently the muscles are used, the tougher the meat.  That’s why meat that is very muscular and has very little fat or marbling is usually tough and chewy and needs to be cooked with long, slow moist heat to make it tender.  Less muscular and well-marbled meat is soft and buttery and works well with dry heat methods, such as grilling, roasting or broiling.

The price of your meat also depends on how tough or tender it is likely to be when cooked, so the less expensive cuts of meat are likely to need a longer cooking time, with moist heat.  The following are some of the different varieties of meat that come from the basic primal cuts, and recommended cooking methods.

Chuck

• Highly muscled meat that comes from a heavily exercised area; intensely flavorful.
• Varieties include blade roast, rib-eye steaks, chuck steaks.
• Chuck steak makes good kabobs if they are well marinated.  Most hamburger meat is made from ground chuck.
• Chuck benefits from slow, moist cooking, such as stewing, braising, pot-roasting or slow-cooking.

Round

• Also highly muscled meat.
• Varieties include top round, which can be cut into pot roasts, thick steaks and rump roasts.
• Low in fat, round meat benefits from long, slow cooking, such as braising or pot roasting.  It can also be sir-fried if cut appropriately.

Brisket

• Brisket (first cut) is lean and delicious.
• Brisket (front cut) is well marbled, cooks to a fork-tender state and is extremely flavorful.
• Corned beef brisket is best prepared with long, slow, moist heat, such as stewing, braising and pot-roasting.  Corned beef and cabbage is made by boiling the meat with spices.

Shank

• Highly muscled meat.
• Good meat for stews and soups.
• Long, slow, cooking helps extract the rich flavors.

Rib

• Tender, flavorful, versatile.  A good balance of muscle and marbling.
• Varieties include rib roast, with or without the bone, as well as rib steaks, with or without the bone.
• Works well with most cooking methods, including roasting, sautéing, pan-fried, broiled or grilled.

Loin and Sirloin

• Some of the most tender cuts of meat.
• Varieties include Porterhouse, T-bone, tenderloin, filet mignon, sirloin steaks (boneless and bone-in) and sirloin tip roast.
• Because loin varieties are the most tender cuts of beef, they can be cooked without the aid of moist heat, marinades or long cooking times.  These cuts work well on the grill, sautéed, pan fried or grilled.

Flank

• Very lean and low in fat, thin, muscular and flavorful.
• Primarily used for London broil.  Also good for fajitas and steak salads.
• Works well with marinades.  Should be sliced against the grain to maintain the best tenderness.

Short  Plate

• Good flavor but can be very tough.
• Primarily used for stews, soups and beef flavoring.
• Best prepared with long, slow moist cooking methods.

Knowing a little bit about the different cuts of meat available will make you a better consumer and cook when trying to extract the best flavor and the maximum tenderness from whatever selection of beef you buy.  Less expensive cuts of meat can be just as delicious as pricier varieties, as long as you know how to best prepare them.

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