Beef Cuts Explained: How to Make the Best Choice for Your Next Meal

Buying beef at the butcher shop or grocery store can be a mysterious process. We often only see the cuts on the tray wrapped in plastic and stamped with a price tag. How can you be sure how flavorful or tender any given cut will be when it’s cooked?

Much of this depends on where on the animal the cut comes from. For example, consider this: What part of the cow does New York strip come from? This is one of the best cuts you can get, and it stands to reason that other cuts from the same part of the cow will also be delicious.

While some cuts are very expensive, that doesn’t always mean they’re going to be tastier than less expensive cuts. You don’t have to memorize each individual type of meat cut on offer in your local deli to be able to get a general idea of the different flavor and tenderness properties it will yield on your plate. Here’s a breakdown of where some popular cuts of meat come from on a cow.

Loin

The loin is where some of the best and most desirable cuts of meat come from. This is the part of the cow a New York strip comes from. This is also where the tenderloin (a.k.a. filet mignon), comes from. The porterhouse steak and its smaller cousin the T-bone steak come from the loin as well. These two steaks are actually part New York strip and part tenderloin, with the bone left intact between them for added flavor.

Sirloin

The sirloin yields many different cuts that are good as steaks or as roasts. The top sirloin (a.k.a. chateaubriand) is one of the most popular cuts here. This is also where the tri tip roast comes from, as well as its smaller cousin the coulotte steak. These are almost as flavorful and tender as cuts from the loin, but they’re available at a lower price.

Rib

Any cut with the name “rib” in it usually comes from the rib section of the cow. This includes ribeye steaks, prime rib roasts and beef ribs. You can also find large cuts of ribeye steak with the bone still attached for extra flavor. These are sometimes called “cowboy” steaks, and are often shared between two people due to their enormous size.

Chuck

The chuck is one of the most versatile areas on the cow. It yields a huge variety of cuts and roasts that are great for slow cooking. These cuts can be tough if fried up on a stove, but they’ll be extremely tender and flavorful when cooked low and slow. Chuck roast, cross rib roast and shoulder roast are a few examples of slow-cooking specialties from this part of the cow. This is also where country-style ribs, flatiron steaks, short ribs and top blade steaks come from.

When you need a special steak or any type of meat cut, whether for a special event or just for tonight’s dinner, visit Tony’s Delicatessen & Fresh Meats.

Categorised in: Butcher

This post was written by Writer