Understanding Cuts

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.