Understanding Cuts
Posted by Christopher Carcano on
Let's talk about different beef cuts.
Toughest cuts:
Chuck: pot roast, stew meat, hamburger
Brisket: corned beef
Round: including top round, bottom round, eye of the round, and rump roast
Shank
Tip: The toughest cuts come from the part of the animal most exercised / with the most muscle. Beef gets more tender as the distance from horn and hoof increases.
Medium-tender cuts:
Short plate: skirt steak
Flank: flank and hanger steaks (good for Mexican fajitas)
Tip: These cuts can be grilled, but benefit from being marinated. Cutting them across the grain once they are cooked, also yields a more tender piece of meat.
The most delicate cuts:
Rib: rib steaks (prime rib), ribeye steaks, rib roasts
Sirloin: sirloin, top sirloin, bottom sirloin, and tri-tip
Tip: Ribeye steaks are fattier and are best cooked in a cast-iron pan in its own juices.
The most tender cuts:
Steaks: Porterhouse, T-bone, top loin, NY Strip, tenderloin, filet mignon
Tip: On a steak that contains less fat (tenderloin), over-season it. Fat = flavor, no fat = no flavor.