The chuck is the shoulder. Because muscle, sinew, and fat overlap a lot, roasts from here are generally the ‘fall apart in your mouth’ kind. Hence, also great for the crumbling consistency of ground meat.
Underside
The underside of the cow, which includes the flank, short plate (or skirt), and brisket (in order from back to front, respectively), is striated, tougher, and wonderfully flavourful. It also includes the ends of the ribs, which are excellent for braising or soup. The brisket is where pastrami and corned beef come from and the flank and skirt are the cuts most often used for fajitas.
Rib section
This popular steak is best suited for barbecuing. If you request rib steaks, they usually include the back ribs. Ribeye steaks on the other hand are boneless rib steaks separated from the back ribs.
Short Loin
This is where the tenderloin, porterhouse, T-bone and strip steaks are from. The strip steak, which is sometimes called a New York steak or entrecote, comprises a muscle that exerts itself minimally. It is therefore pretty tender, but not nearly as tender as the tenderloin, running along both sides of the spine. This is the most prized cut since it has the least connective tissue. It also spans the sirloin section (see below) and its small end is called the filet mignon (the most expensive cut of beef by weight). Its large end is called the Chateaubriand, and this is normally cut for two. Both of the latter are centre-cuts. The T-bone and porterhouse are cuts from the tenderloin and strip loin, connected with a T-shape bone. The two can be distinguished by the size of the tenderloin cut sinceT-bones have smaller tenderloin sections, while the more expensive Porterhouse has less entrecôte and more tenderloin.
Sirloin
The sirloin may be less delicate and tender when compared to the short loin but it’s a superb cut nonetheless. It can be further divided into top sirloin and bottom sirloin (including tri-tip). Extracted from bone, it is ideal as a steak or it can be roasted whole as per the classic English Sunday joint.
Round
This is the back end. It has the rump at the top and then goes down into the eye, heel, and bottom rounds. These are more single-muscle cuts so they stay together like traditional ‘slicing’ roast beef when cooked. They are also great cuts to turn into additional stew meat or kebabs due to their firmness.
SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS
Aberdeen Angus
A breed of cattle that has become very popular for beef production. Although there is now an official ‘certified angus beef’ brand, launched in America in 1978, Angus cattle are originally from Scotland, are either black or red and without horns. Most notably, they are farmed with stricter animal welfare rules.
Grass-fed cattle
Fifty years ago, all cattle ate pastured grass for the duration of their lives. Meat from a grass-fed steer has about a half to a third as much fat as a comparable cut from a grain-fed animal. Lower in calories, beef from grass-fed cows is also higher in vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids and another beneficial fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which lowers the risk of cancer.
Grain-fed cattle
These cattle are still raised primarily on forage during their grazing period, but then they spend anywhere from 60 to 120 days in feedlots being fattened with grain, typically corn and soy, before being slaughtered. This is done to make the cattle gain weight quickly, and it’s also easy and cost-effective. The result is a cheaper product for the consumer, yet also a type of meat that consumers have grown to love and expect: a tasty, marbled, fatty meat with smooth and consistent flavour.
Wagyu Beef
A breed of Japanese cattle predisposed to intense marbling, rendering enhanced tenderness to steak and a highly prized flavour that translates to market value. Wagyu cattle have since been introduced in Australia, New Zealand and America.
Kobe Beef
This refers to cuts of beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The meat is considered to be a delicacy, renowned for its flavour and tenderness. It is rich in fats and, well-marbled (level 6 or higher) texture. During the fattening period, the cattle are hand-fed (using high-energy feed, including beer and beer mash) for tenderness and high fat content, and they are even massaged to reduce stress.
Organic beef
Unfortunately, this means very little in real terms. Given that antibiotics are routinely added to grain feed as a growth stimulant and that livestock consume 70 per cent of the antibiotics in the United States, organic beef usually means the cows were fed organic food (instead of hormone-enhanced or otherwise chemically altered silage/grain, for example). It doesn't mean free range.
