Stuck buying the same cuts of meat over and over again?
There’s nothing wrong with eating what you’re used to, but knowing about the different cuts of meat is one easy way to upgrade your dinner routine. It can also help you avoid expensive mistakes like trying to use tough cuts of meat for slow recipes.
To help you learn the different cuts of meat, we’ve created this quick guide to the 8 cuts of beef. Remember that some of these cuts might not be available at a standard grocery store so you’ll have to visit your local butcher to find them.
If you work up an appetite reading our list don’t forget that you can get discounted Omaha Steaks by using a coupon code! Many of the best coupons are completely free to use too, so take advantage of them!
The Basic Cuts of Beef
- Beef Chuck
Beef chuck is a cut of beef that comes from the forequarter and it consists of parts of the neck, upper arm, and shoulder. Despite being very tough, it’s a very flavorful cut of meat.
Beef chuck is great for making pot roasts or beef stew since it takes a while to tenderize.
- Beef Rib
The beef rib is made from the top part of the center section of the rib, between the 6th and 12th rib. It’s usually made to create dishes like a traditional standing rib eye roast but it’s also turned into ribeye steaks and the French dish entrecôte.
Since beef rib is already tender, it can withstand several forms of dry-heat cooking and still remain juicy and tender.
- Beef Plate
Also called a long or short plate, the beef plate is the primal cut of beef that includes the famous short ribs. It’s also where you’ll find the skirt steak, which is used to create the dish carne asada.
Skirt steak is a diaphragm muscle which means that there is thick connective tissue that needs to be trimmed carefully away. Despite being a thin piece of meat, it’s extremely flavorful. Just make sure you don’t overcook it!
- Beef Brisket
From the meat located around the breast bone, beef brisket is produced. The brisket itself is actually just the chest or pectoral muscle of the cow. It needs a lot of time cooking at a low temperature in order to break down and become tender.
Beef brisket is one of the most flavorful cuts of meat, although its toughness means it must be cooked in the correct way. This can work to your advantage since slow cooking actually tenderizes meat to perfection!
- Beef Shank
The beef shank is part of the leg of the animal. Each side of beef has two beef shanks located in the hindquarter and forequarter. It’s a very tough cut of meat since it is full of connective tissue. It’s often used in making gourmet dishes like Italy’s osso buco.
- Beef Short Loin
On the back of the animal, you’ll find the beef short loin. It’s one of the most desirable cuts of beef since it produces the best steaks like strip loin or strip steak. Dry cooking is the best way to tenderize these cuts of meat.
- Beef Sirloin
Beef sirloin is a cut of beef that runs from the 13th rib all the way back to the hip bone of the animal. It’s always subdivided into a top and bottom sirloin. This is the area of the animal where all the best grilling steak comes from. As you get closer to the rear leg of the animal, the muscles get a bit tougher.
- Beef Tenderloin
The most tender cut of beef is the beef tenderloin and it is found in the very loin on the animal. This is where filet mignon comes. The beef tenderloin should only be cooked using dry methods or you risk ruining this tender piece of meat!
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