It is absolutely necessary to know the different cuts of meat, location they are cut from, and their characteristics in order to properly prepare and serve a terrific meal. This came natural growing up with a father who raised, slaughtered, and butchered his own livestock.
Purchasing roasts and steaks seems to be quite confusing for many people. It seems a great number of people do not realize steaks are cut from the same areas of the steer as roasts. Listed below are the different cuts of roasts and steaks and how best to cook them as well as some tips for choosing the best cuts of meat.
GRADING
One major factor that needs to be looked at when pouring over the sale ads in the newspaper or standing at the meat counter is the grade of the beef. The age of the animal and the marbling of fat in the meat determine the grade of beef. Grading of the meat is performed by a third party. In the United States, grading is done by the USDA and the beef is graded whole. Therefore, the grade can vary a little in individual cuts.
USDA Prime is the highest grade assigned in the United States. USDA Choice is the middle grade and USDA Select is the lowest grade found at the meat counter. Anything less than USDA Select is used for meat by-products and such other uses.
MARBLING
Marbling refers to the amount of fat streaks seen in the cut of beef. Cuts with less marbling are lower in fat but have less flavor. They also are more tender than those cuts with more marbling. In order to grill a great steak, the cut needs to be both flavorful and tender. Choosing a steak with thin streaks of creamy white marbling will produce the best grilled steak. Thick streaks of fat will have a lot of connective tissue that makes the meat tough.
CUTS OF ROASTS
CHUCK ARM ROAST and CHUCK ROAST
These roasts comes from the shoulder and are best used as pot roast.
BOTTOM ROUND ROAST
The round comes from the rear leg of the beef steer. It is a lean muscle meat but tough. Bottom round is usually divided into two cuts, the bottom round roast and the rump roast. If the bone is left in the rump roast it is called a standing rump roast. A roast cooked with the bone in is usually more flavorful. Bottom round makes a great pot roast or corned beef.
EYE OF ROUND ROAST
Eye of round roast is a boneless roast. It looks like a tenderloin but is tougher. It is a great roast to slow cook for beef barbecue or use as a pot roast.
TOP ROUND ROAST
Top round roast is lean and more tender than the bottom round or eye of round roasts. This roast is best used as a pot roast but can be marinated to tenderize the meat and oven roasted.
ROUND TIP ROAST
This roast is also called Tip Roast, Sirloin Tip Roast, or Tip Sirloin Roast. If it is trimmed it is called a Ball Tip Roast or Trimmed Tip Roast. This cut is tender enough to oven roast.
RIB ROAST
This roast is also called Rib Eye Roast. It is a very flavorful roast and more tender than those from the round. It can be oven roasted, braised, or used as a pot roast.
TENDERLOIN ROAST
A Tenderloin Roast comes from the short loin and is the most tender of all roasts. It is perfect for oven roasting but is less flavorful due to less marbling. This is a perfect roast to put in a smoker for beef barbecue or smoked roast.
TRI-TIP ROAST
A Tri-Tip Roast is cut from the Sirloin. It is more tender than any of the roasts cut from the round but not as tender as a Tenderloin Roast. A Tri-Tip Roast is tender enough to oven roast or put in a smoker for barbecued beef.
BRISKET
A Brisket is a tough cut of beef located at the top of the front leg. The only way to cook brisket properly is slow at low heat with the fat side up so the fat drips down and helps tenderize and lend flavor to the meat. It also keeps the brisket moist during smoking. The most flavorful brisket will be one with fat spread throughout the brisket. Trim the fat cap on the brisket to no more than 1/3 inch thick.
If marinating the brisket prior to smoking, marinate it for at least 12 hours. If using a rub, put the rub on the brisket 30-45 minutes ahead of placing it in the smoker. Keep the smoker around 225 degrees Fahrenheit and allow it to smoke for 10-12 hours if whole. Offset the meat so it does not dry out. Setting a pan of water in the smoker will help keep moisture in the air, too.
A brisket can be seared and placed in a slow cooker with a small amount of liquid and slow cooked for hours if a smoker is not available.
CUTS OF STEAKS
FILET MIGNON
A Filet Mignon or Tenderloin Steak is cut from the tenderloin. It is the most tender of all steaks but less flavorful due to a low fat content. Filet Mignon can be grilled whole or as kabobs, or prepared in a number of ways.
TOP BLADE STEAK
A boneless Top Blade Steak is cut from the shoulder of the beef steer. It is the same meat used for a chuck roast and is also called boneless Shoulder Steak, Chuck Arm Steak, or boneless Chuck-Eye Steak. This is a tough steak and is best tenderized and used in recipes where it will be pan cooked and simmered in a sauce.
CLUB STEAK
Club Steak is also called a Delmonico Steak and is cut from the short loin from the same meat a Rib Roast is cut. It is smaller than a T-Bone steak but has the same large eye section. If it is properly cut, this is a very tender, flavorful steak. Look at the eye of the steak and choose one that has thin marbling and a good texture.
STRIP STEAKS
New York Strip Steaks and Kansas City Strip Steaks are cut from the short loin after the Filet Mignon or Tenderloin Steak is cut. These are very tender steaks for grilling or baking in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
RIB STEAK OR RIB EYE STEAK
A Rib Steak or Rib Eye Steak is a very flavorful steak cut from the rib area where a Rib Roast is cut. It is not as tender as a New York Strip or Kansas City Strip but can be tender if thin marbling throughout the steak is chosen. Rib Eye Steak is great on the grill or baked in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
PORTERHOUSE STEAK
A Porterhouse Steak is very popular because it is a large, very tender steak with a nice section of tenderloin. It is excellent grilled. It can be baked in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit if a grill is not available.
T-BONE STEAK
A T-Bone Steak is easily identified by the T-shaped bone and is cut from the center section of the short loin between the Porterhouse Steak and Club Steak. It has a smaller section of tenderloin and smaller tail than the Porterhouse does. This steak is best broiled.
SIRLOIN STEAK
A Sirloin Steak with bone is a tender, flavorful large steak suitable for grilling or broiling. It is cut from the area in front of the short loin. The Sirloin Tip Steak or Boneless Tip Steak is cut from the bottom tip of the sirloin section and is less tender than the ones with bones but very flavorful. A Sirloin Steak is great grilled or broiled in the oven. The Sirloin Tip Steak or Boneless Tip Steak is better when braised.
SKIRT STEAK
A Skirt Steak is cut from the plate between the shank and flank. It is tenderized and used as fajita meat, breakfast steaks, minute steaks, or cube steaks. It is also used in stews.
FLANK STEAK
Flank Steak comes from the area below the short loin. It is used in the recipe London Broil and is sometimes packaged by that name.
GROUND HAMBURGER MEAT
Ground hamburger can come from different areas of the beef steer. This is why the packages are labled with numbers such as 80/20 or 75/25. The lower number refers to the amount of fat content in the ground meat and comes from the marbling of the meat cut it was ground from. Ground burger with a 80/20 or higher fat content will produce the most flavorful and juiciest hamburgers.
GROUND CHUCK
Ground chuck comes specifically from the shoulder area of the beef steer where chuck roasts are cut. It is a leaner ground beef but less flavorful and produces dryer grilled burgers. Ground chuck often has a 90/10 or 93/7 fat ratio on the label. Ground chuck is best used in spaghetti sauces, tacos, chili, and other dishes where a lot of spices and herbs are used.
Studying the cuts of beef in order to know how to cook them for the most flavor and tenderness will result in far less failures in the kitchen.