Cut of beef

Statue of cow with cuts of beef in a Budapest restaurant

During butchering, beef is first divided into primal cuts, pieces of meat initially separated from the carcass. These are basic sections from which steaks and other subdivisions are cut. Since the animal's legs and neck muscles do the most work, they are the toughest; the meat becomes more tender as distance from hoof and horn increases.

Different countries and cuisines have different cuts and names, and sometimes use the same name for a different cut; e.g., the cut described as brisket in the US is from a significantly different part of the carcass than British brisket. Cut often refers narrowly to skeletal muscle (sometimes attached to bones), but can also include other edible flesh, such as offal (organ meat) or bones without significant muscles attached.

American and Canadian

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Flank steakShankRibPlateBrisketShankChuckRoundSirloinTop sirloinTenderloinShort loin
American cuts of beef (clickable)

The following is a list of the American primal cuts, and cuts derived from them. Beef carcasses are split along the axis of symmetry into "halves", then across into front and back "quarters" (forequarters and hindquarters). Canada uses identical cut names (and numbering) as the US, with the exception of the "round" which is called the "hip".[1] The British designation 'rump' is also common in Canada.

Forequarter

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  • The chuck is the source of bone-in chuck steaks and roasts (arm or blade), and boneless clod steaks and roasts, most commonly. The trimmings and some whole boneless chucks are ground for ground beef.
  • The rib contains part of the short ribs, the prime rib and rib eye steaks.[2]
  • Brisket, primarily used for barbecue, corned beef or pastrami.
  • The foreshank or shank is used primarily for stews and soups; it is not usually served any other way because it is the toughest of the cuts.
  • The plate is the other source of short ribs, used for pot roasting, and the outside skirt steak, which is used for fajitas. The navel is the ventral part of the plate and is commonly used to make pastrami. The remainder is usually ground, as it is typically a tough and fatty meat.

Hindquarter

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  • The loin has two subprimals
  • The round contains lean, moderately tough, lower fat (less marbling) cuts, which require moist or rare cooking. Some representative cuts are round steak, eye of round, top round, and bottom round steaks and roasts.
  • The flank is used mostly for grinding, except for the long and flat flank steak, best known for use in London broil, and the inside skirt steak, also used for fajitas. Flank steaks were once one of the most affordable steaks, because they are substantially tougher than the more desirable loin and rib steaks. Many modern recipes for flank steak use marinades or moist cooking methods, such as braising, to improve the tenderness and flavor. This, combined with a new interest in these cuts' natural leanness, has increased the price of the flank steak.[citation needed]

Argentine

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The most important cuts of beef in Argentine cuisine are:[3]

Asado
the large section of the rib cage including short ribs and spare ribs
Asado de tira
often translated as short ribs, but also sold as long, thin strips of ribs. Chuck ribs, flanken style (cross-cut).
Bife de costilla
T-bone or porterhouse steaks
Bife de chorizo
strip steak, called NY strip in US
Ojo de bife
ribeye steak
Bola de lomo
eye of the round
Chinchulín
upper portion of small intestines
Colita de cuadril
tri-tip, or the tail of the rump roast
Cuadril
rump
Entraña
skirt steak
Falda
navel
Lomo
tenderloin
Matambre
a long, thin cut that lies just under the skin and runs from the lower part of the ribs to belly–or flank area
Mollejas
sweetbreads (thymus gland)
Pecho
brisket
Riñones
kidneys
Tapa de asado
rib cap
Tapa de nalga
top of round roast
Vacío
flank, though it may contain the muscles of other near cuts

Brazilian

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PaletaMúsculoMúsculoShort ribsAba de filéCapa de filéNeckFilé de costelaFraldinhaAcémFilé mignonContrafiléContrafiléPeito bovinoMaminhaAlcatraPatinhoLagarto
Brazilian cuts of beef (clickable)

The most important cuts of beef in Brazilian cuisine are:[4]

Acém 2 
neck
Alcatra 9 
top/bottom sirloin
Contrafilé 7 
tenderloin
Coxão duro
round (upper)
Coxão mole
round (lower)
Filé Mignon 6 
part of the tenderloin
Lagarto 10 
round (outer)
Maminha 15 
bottom sirloin/flank
Patinho 16 
confluence of flank, bottom sirloin and rear shank
Picanha 8 
rump cover or rump cap
Cupim
hump (zebu cattle only)
Fraldinha 14 
confluence of short loin, flank and bottom sirloin
Paleta 3 
chuck/brisket

Irish, British, Australian, South African and New Zealand

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Flank steakSirloinThin ribFore ribLegThick flankRumpBrisketShinNeck & ClodBlade steakChuck steakThick ribSilversideTopsideRump
British cuts of beef (clickable)

Colombian

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  • Posta (top round)
  • Muchacho (heel)
  • Bola de pierna (bottom round)
  • Entretabla
  • Tabla (bottom round)
  • Solomo or lomo
  • Solomito extranjero
  • Solomito Redondo (sirloin)
  • Solomito Largo (tri-tip)
  • Punta de Anca (sirloin tip center)

Chinese

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Beef is classified according to different parts of the cow, specifically "chest lao" (the fat on the front of the cow's chest), "fat callus" (a piece of meat on the belly of the cow), and diaolong (a long piece of meat on the back of the beef back), "neck ren" (a small piece of meat protruding from the shoulder blade of a beef) and so on.

Dutch

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TongueNeckBrisketBrisketChuckShankleRibFlankSirloinTenderloinTop sirloinRoundShankle
Dutch cuts of beef (clickable)

Finnish

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The cuts of beef in Finland are:

  • Entrecôte (rib eye)
  • Etuselkä (chuck and blade)
  • Kulmapaisti (topside)
  • Kylki (flank/rib)
  • Lapa (shoulder)
  • Niska (chuck)
  • Paahtopaisti (bottom sirloin)
  • Poski (cheek)
  • Potka (shank)
  • Rinta (brisket)
  • Sisäfilee (filet/tenderloin)
  • Sisäpaisti (silverside/bottom round)
  • Ulkofilee (sirloin)
  • Ulkopaisti (rump)

French

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Brighter colors show more expensive cuts
+ More expensive
  In between
- Less expensive
  1. + Basses côtes
  2. + Côtes, entrecôtes
  3. + Faux-filet
  4. + Filet
  5. + Rumsteck
  6. + Rond de gîte
  7. + Tende de tranche; poire, merlan
  8. + Gîte à la noix
  9. + Araignée
  10. + Plat de tranche, rond de tranche, mouvant
  11. + Bavette d'aloyau
  12. + Hampe
  13. + Onglet
  14. + Aiguillette baronne
  15.   Bavette de flanchet
  16.   Plat de côtes
  17.   Macreuse à bifteck
  18.   Paleron
  19.   Jumeau à bifteck
  20.   Jumeau à pot-au-feu
  21.   Macreuse à pot-au-feu
  22. - Queue
  23. - Gîte
  24. - Flanchet
  25. - Tendron, milieu de poitrine
  26. - Gros bout de poitrine
  27. - Collier
  28. - Joue
  29. - Langue

German

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German cuts of beef
  1. Rinderhals, Kamm or Nacken (chuck steak)
  2. Querrippe (short ribs)
  3. Rinderbrust (brisket)
  4. Hochrippe or Fehlrippe (standing rib roast)
  5. Vorderrippe or hohes Roastbeef
  6. Rostbraten or flaches Roastbeef
    5 and 6 together are the Roastbeef or Zwischenrippenstück
  7. Filet (fillet)
  8. Spannrippe or Knochendünnung
  9. Dünnung or Bauchlappen (flank steak)
  10. Falsches Filet, Schulter, Bug or Schaufel (shoulder)
  11. Oberschale, Unterschale and Nuss
  12. Flanke, Schliem or Rindfleisch
  13. Hüfte mit Hüftsteak and Schwanzstück or Tafelspitz (top sirloin))
  14. Hesse or Wade (beef shank)
  15. Fricandeau
  16. Schwanz or Ochsenschwanz (oxtail)

Croatian

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Croatian cuts of beef
  1. Vratina
  2. Hrskavi zapećak
  3. Rebra
  4. Pržolica (ramstek)
  5. Hrbat (rozbif)
  6. Hrbat (rozbif)
  7. Pisana pečenka (biftek)
  8. Rebra, mekana (srednja) rebra, potrbušina
  9. Masna potrbušina, slabina
  10. Rame (ribica), plećka (lopatica)
  11. But
  12. Vrh kuka
  13. Zdjelica
  14. Stražnja goljenica

Italian

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Italian cuts of beef
Leg subcuts[5]
Codone
Scanello, noce or fesa (bottom sirloin or thick flank)
Sottofesa or fetta di mezzo or codino or controfesa or contronoce
Fianchetto (flank)
Rosa, fesa interna, punta d'anca (eye of the silverside)
Magatello or girello
Spinacino or tasca
Sirloin (lombata) subcuts[5]
Filetto (beef tenderloin)
Controfiletto or roast beef (sirloin)
Veal Carré (spare ribs)
Costolette
Nodini
Loin (schiena)[5]
Costata (T-bone steak)
Coste della croce (short ribs)
Neck[5]
Collo (chuck steak)
Reale or tenerone
Head subcuts[5]
Lingua (beef tongue)
Testina (flesh from the head of a calf)
Shoulder subcuts[5]
Fesone di spalla
Fusello or girello di spalla
Brione
Cappello del prete or spalla
Hocks subcuts[5]
anterior and posterior Ossibuchi
Pesce, piccione, campanello, muscolo, gamba
Petto (chest) subcuts[5]
Punta di petto (brisket)
Pancia di vitello, pancetta or fianchetto
Lower ribs subcuts[5]
Biancostato di reale or spuntatura
Taglio reale, polpa reale (Pony 6 ribs, square cut, chuck, middle rib, steak meat)
Pancia (belly) subcuts[5]
Biancostato di pancia
Fiocco
Scalfo (armhole)

Korean

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Korean cuts of beef
1. Moksim (목심)
Moksim-sal (목심살)
2. Deungsim (등심)
Arae-deungsim-sal (아랫등심살)
Kkot-deungsim-sal (꽃등심살)
Salchi-sal (살치살)
Wi-deungsim-sal (윗등심살)
3. Chaekkeut (채끝)
Chaekkeut-sal (채끝살)
4. Udun (우둔)
Hongdukkae-sal (홍두깨살)
Udun-sal (우둔살)
5. Ansim (안심)
Ansim-sal (안심살)
6. Ap-dari (앞다리)
Ap-dari-sal (앞다리살)
Buchae-deopgae-sal (부채덮개살)
Buchae-sal (부채살)
Galbi-deot-sal (갈비덧살)
Kkuri-sal (꾸리살)
7. Galbi (갈비)
Anchang-sal (안창살)
Bon-galbi (본갈비)
Cham-galbi (참갈비)
Galbi-sal (갈비살)
Jebichuri (제비추리)
Kkot-galbi (꽃갈비)
Maguri (마구리)
Tosi-sal (토시살)
8. Yangji (양지)
Ap-chima-sal (앞치마살)
Chadolbagi (차돌박이)
Chima-sal (치마살)
Chima-yangji (치마양지)
Eopjin-an-sal (업진안살)
Eopjin-sal (업진살)
Yangji-meori (양지머리)
9. Seoldo (설도)
Boseop-sal (보섭살)
Dogani-sal (도가니살)
Samgak-sal (삼각살)
Seolgi-meori-sal (설기머리살)
Seolgi-sal (설기살)
10 Satae (사태)
Ap-satae (앞사태)
Arong-satae (아롱사태)
Dwi-satae (뒷사태)
Mungchi-satae (뭉치사태)
Sangbak-sal (상박살)

Polish

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Polish cuts of beef
  1. karkówka
  2. szponder
  3. mostek
  4. rozbratel
  5. antrykot
  6. rostbef
  7. polędwica
  8. szponder i mostek
  9. łata
  10. łopatka
  11. udziec (zrazowa górna i zrazowa dolna)
  12. skrzydło
  13. krzyżowa
  14. pręga
  15. ligawa
  16. ogon

Portuguese

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Portuguese cuts of beef
  1. Cachaço
  2. Coberta do acém, acém comprido
  3. Pá, peito alto
  4. Maçã do peito
  5. Peito
  6. Chambão
  7. Mão
  8. Lombo
  9. Rosbife, acém redondo, vazia, entrecôte
  10. Prego do peito
  11. Aba grossa
  12. Alcatra
  13. Chã de fora
  14. Rabadilha
  15. Pojadouro

Russian

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Russian beef cuts
  1. Шея/Sheya (neck)
  2. Рёбра/rjobra (ribs)
  3. Челышко/Chelyshko, грудинка/grudinka (brisket)
  4. Толстый край/Tolstyy kray (thick edge), рибай/ribay (rib eye), корейка на кости/koreyka na kosti (loin on the bone)
  5. Тонкий край/Tonkiy kray (thin edge), короткое филе/korotkoye file (short filet)
  6. Оковалок/Okovalok (sirloin)
  7. Вырезка/Vyrezka (tenderloin)
  8. Покромка/Pokromka (shortloin)
  9. Брюшина/Bryushina (peritoneum), фланк/flank
  10. Лопатка/Lopatka (shoulder)
  11. Oguzok (rump), bedro (hip)
  12. Пашина/Pashina (flank)
  13. Кострец/Kostrets (leg)
  14. Голяшка/Golyashka (shank)

Turkish

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Turkish cuts of beef
Gerdan
neck, chuck (1)
Antrikot
rib steak, ribeye (2)
Kontrfile
Steak, striploin (3)
Sokum
rump (4)
Bonfile
fillet steak, tenderloin (5)
Tranç
the upper left side of nuar, inside round, top round (6)
Nuar
round of beef, eye of round (7)
Kontrnuar
the lower left side of nuar, flat, gooseneck (with eye of round) (8)
incik
front and rear leg (9, 14)
Yumurta
sirloin tip, the section between kontrnuar and pençata (10)
Pençata
flank (11)
Döş
brisket, plate, short ribs (12)
Kürek, kol
shoulder, shank (13)

UNECE standard for bovine meat carcasses and cuts

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The UNECE standard formalizes internationally agreed upon specifications written in a consistent, detailed and accurate manner using anatomical names to identify cutting lines.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Beef Cuts by Chart". Clovegarden.com. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  2. ^ "What's the Difference Between Beef Back Ribs and Short Ribs?". LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  3. ^ Instituto de Promoción de la Carne Vacuna Argentina. "Principales Cortes Vacunos". Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Cuts of Beef Served in Brazilian Steakhouses « « RodizioDirectory.Com RodizioDirectory.Com". Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Scheda sui tagli di carne bovina Archived 23 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine di Alimentipedia.it
  6. ^ United Nations. Economic Commission for Europe (2004). Bovine meat : carcases and cuts : UNECE standard (PDF). United Nations. Economic Commission for Europe. Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards (Ed. 2004 ed.). New York: United Nations. ISBN 92-1-116885-6. OCLC 56597200.
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