I have been part of the beef industry for a while now, but honestly, I have never been great with cuts of beef. It’s a whole part of the industry that, as a producer, I have yet to master, and seems so difficult to remember! There are butcher cuts, region-specific cuts, foodservice cuts, and so many different views on how the cuts are made, or what they are called. It’s truly an art to understand the process. Of course, I know the more common cuts and the best ways to prepare them, like ribeye, New York, and tri-tip, but some cuts aren’t as common on the grocery store shelves. As a future direct-to-consumer beef rancher, I want to make sure I know the lesser-known cuts and be able to communicate what I want with my butcher and tell the customers all about the cuts they are buying from me.
For the next few months, I will be breaking down the cuts of beef and help you learn more about each cut, how to prepare it, and fun facts about them.
Let’s start with the basics. The beef carcass is broken down into eight primal cuts, which are the main areas all other cuts come from. Below is an image of the primal cuts.
These are the:
- Chuck
- Rib
- Loin
- Round
- Brisket
- Plate
- Flank
- Shank
The primal cuts are divided into the forequarter and hindquarter. According to lbsteak.com, “When a carcass is cut, they are first split down the middle into two halves. Once this is done, each individual side is divided between the 12th and 13th ribs. The two halves from the front of the cow are considered the forequarter, while the two halves from the back of the cow are considered the hindquarter.”
After the primal cuts, there are subprimal cuts. But, it doesn’t stop there. From the subprimal cuts, there are individual cuts that can be cut down even further.
We are going to focus on the Chuck cuts this time around.
According to LB Steak, the chuck cuts are some of the toughest cuts but are also very flavorful. “It is generally considered to be a tough meat due to a large amount of connective tissues; however, it is also extremely flavorful due to a high fat content. While there are some cuts that are good for grilling, such as the Top Blade and Shoulder Steak, there are also cuts from the chuck that are amazing for a pot roast or slow-cooked stew. Along with this, the meat from the Chuck is also used to make ground beef for hamburger patties. Some other commons cuts from the Chuck include Cross-Rib Chuck Roast and Country-Style Ribs.”
The subprimal cuts, according to sclydeweaver.com are the:
- Chuck tender: Chuck tender is a lean cut divided further into chuck tender steak and chuck tender roast. If you want to grill a chuck tender steak, you’ll want to marinade it first to tenderize it.
- Chuck roll: Chuck roll is more tender. It consists of two cuts, chuck eye roll and under blade, which produce a range of flavorful roasts, country-style ribs, steaks and more.
- Shoulder clod: The shoulder clod includes the shoulder clod arm roast and shoulder petite tender, which are lean, and the more marbled top blade. In addition to slow-cooking, you can grill, broil or smoke the shoulder petite tender.
- Square-cut chuck: This cut is flavorful and tender due to marbling. It consists of many varieties of steaks and roasts, along with pectoral meat and short ribs. You can grill or broil some cuts instead of putting them in a slow cooker.
But, that’s not all. Certified Angus Beef(CAB) breaks down the chuck cuts even further. These are the cuts of the primal chuck cut that you might see at the grocery store, or when you process a cow and some information CAB gives about each one:
Flat Iron
Common Names: Shoulder Top Blade Steak, Top Blade Filet, Top Blade Steak
Description: Second in tenderness to the tenderloin steak, the flat iron is well-marbled, richly flavored and juicy. Best when cooked to no more than medium doneness.
Cooking Methods: Grill, Stir Fry and Saute,
Top Blade Steak
Common Names: Beef Shoulder Top Blade Steak, Book Steak, Breakfast Steak, Butler Steak, Top Boneless, Chuck Steak
Description: This well-marbled steak is juicy with excellent beef flavor. Similar to the flat iron, but the connective tissue has not been removed.
Cooking Methods: Broil, Grill, Stir Fry and Saute
Chuck Roast
Common Names: Chuck Eye Roast, Chuck Pot Roast, Chuck Roll Roast
Description: This is the classic pot roast, becoming moist and tender when braised and full of rich, beef flavor.
Cooking Methods: Braise, Slow Cooker
Chuck Arm Roast
Common Names: Arm Roast, Chuck Arm, Chuck Shoulder Roast, Clod Heart Roast, Clod Roast, Cross Cut Arm Roast, English Roast
Description: Robust beef flavor, moist and extremely tender when braised for pot roast. May also be roasted in oven and sliced thin.
Cooking Methods: Braise, Roast
Mock Tender Steak
Common Names: Chuck Tender, Scotch Tender
Description: Lean and economical. Marinate overnight before grilling; best sliced thin.
Cooking Methods: Braise
Mock Tender
Common Names: Chuck Tender Roast, Scotch Tender Roast, Shoulder Roast
Description: Lean, economical roast; best sliced thin.
Cooking Methods: Braise, Roast
Clod Heart
Common Names: Arm Roast, Clod Heart Roast, Clod Roast, Cross Rib Roast, English Roast, Shoulder Center Roast, Shoulder Pot Roast, Shoulder Roast
Description: Best when braised and boasts robust beef flavor. May also be roasted in oven and thinly sliced.
Cooking Methods: Braise, Instant Pot, Roast, Slow Cooker
Ranch Steak
Common Names: Arm Steak, Shoulder Center Steak
Description: Economical and versatile, this lean cut is best when marinated before grilling.
Cooking Methods: Stir Fry and Saute
Petite Tender
Common Names: Bistro Tender, Shoulder Petite Tender Roast, Shoulder Tender
Description: One of the most tender cuts, it’s lean yet juicy and versatile. Economical and robust in flavor, it may be cut into medallions before or after cooking.
Cooking Methods: Grill, Roast, Stir Fry and Saute
Shoulder Tender Medallions
Common Names: Petite Shoulder Tender Medallions, Shoulder Medallions, Shoulder Tender Medallions, Teres Major Medallions
Description: One of the most tender beef cuts. Lean, juicy and versatile, with excellent flavor.
Cooking Methods: Grill, Stir Fry and Saute
Cross Rib Roast, English Roast
Common Names: Arm Roast, Clod Heart Roast, Clod Roast, Cross Rib Roast, Shoulder Center Roast, Shoulder Clod Roast, Shoulder Pot Roast, Shoulder Roast
Description: Best when braised and boasts robust beef flavor. May also be roasted in the oven and thinly sliced.
Cooking Methods: Braise, Roast
Sierra Steak
Common Names: Sierra Cut
Description: This lean, versatile steak is best when marinated before grilling and should be sliced thin against the grain.
Cooking Methods: Braise
Denver Steak
Common Names: Chuck Denver, Underblade Steak
Description: Very juicy and well-marbled with a rich, beefy taste. May be marinated for additional flavor.
Cooking Methods: Grill, Stir Fry and Saute
Boneless Country Style Ribs
Common Names: Bistro Braising Strips, Country-style Short Ribs
Description: Juicy and flavorful; becomes extremely tender when cooked slowly at a low temperature.
Cooking Methods: Braise
Bone-In Chuck Short Ribs
Common Names: Boneless Short Ribs, Chuck Ribs, Short Ribs
Description: Very flavorful, moist and tender when braised; available bone-in and boneless.
Cooking Methods: Braise
Chuck Eye Steak
Common Names: Chuck Delmonico
Description: Similar to a ribeye steak, but at a more economical price. Richly marbled and flavorful. Can be marinated before grilling.
Cooking Methods: Grill, Stir Fry and Saute
Chuck Eye Roast
Common Names: Chuck Roll Roast, Pot Roast
Description: This is the classic pot roast, becoming moist and tender when braised and full of rich, beef flavor.
Cooking Methods: Braise, Instant Pot, Smoke
