When you visit a quality butcher, you’ll find a range of beef cuts we’ve all grown to know and love.
From beef chuck and brisket to rump and rolled sirloin, we’ve covered the different kinds of butcher’s cuts and how to use them at home.
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Understanding primal cuts of beef
Like all types of meat, beef is divided into various sections called primal cuts. A beef cuts chart will show you how these sections are divided.
These primal cuts are the fundamental portions of the cow's chest, rear leg, shoulder blade and other body parts. These primal cuts of beef are then broken down into what we call food service cuts, which is what you'll find at your local butcher shop.
Understanding the differences between these cuts is key to mastering the art of cooking all types of beef. After all, you don't want to slow-braise lean ground beef or pan-sear a tri-tip roast!
Best beef cuts for slow cooking
Slow cookers have become a must-have kitchen appliance for perfectly preparing your meat. Beef, in particular, is an incredibly versatile meat that's perfect for slow cooking.
This cooking method is especially suitable for more affordable cuts of beef, as it breaks down the strong connective tissue that can otherwise make these cuts quite chewy in comparison to rib eye or sirloin steaks.
These more economical beef cuts come from the locomotor muscles, which are well-exercised areas with robust connective tissue. With slow cooking, the tissue gradually dissolves, resulting in tender, delectable beef.
At Peter Bouchier, we supply beef cuts that are ideal for slow cooking. Here are some of them:
Gravy beef
Gravy beef, also known as stewing beef, comes from the chuck or round area. Slow-cooking gravy beef gives it a silky, gelatinous texture that enhances the flavour and makes it incredibly tender, making it ideal for stews and soups.
Ossobucco
Ossobucco is made from cross-cut sections of the beef shank, prized for its marrow-filled bone. When slow-cooked, the marrow infuses the surrounding meat and sauce, creating a deeply flavourful dish with a velvety, succulent texture.
Beef cheek
Beef cheek comes from the cow's facial muscles and is loaded with collagen, which breaks down when slow-cooked, resulting in exceptionally moist meat. Beef cheek is a top choice for braising due to its melt-in-your-mouth texture and intense taste.
Beef tail
Beef tail, as the name suggests, comes from the cow's tail. It's heavily boned, but the surrounding meat is incredibly flavourful. Beef tail is famous for its robust taste and the hearty flavour it gives to stews and soups.
Chuck steak
Chuck steak is from the cow's shoulder area, which is typically a tougher cut due to its constant use. Marbled with fat and full of connective tissue, beef chuck becomes tender when slow-cooked, absorbing the flavours of pot roasts and stews.
Brisket
Brisket comes from the cow's chest area and is known for its intense flavour and ample marbling. When slow-cooked, brisket becomes moist and succulent with a mouth-watering smoky flavour.
Blade steak
Bolar blade, often called blade steak, is from the cow's shoulder area. Known for its robust flavour and distinctive marbling, blade steak is perfect for dishes like beef stew, contributing to the dish's depth and complexity.
Oyster blade
Oyster blade is another cut that's rich in flavour and marbling. It contains an unusual strip of sinew which, when skilfully removed, yields a well-marbled piece of tender beef.
Flank steak
Flank steak, while not as tough as some of the other cuts we've mentioned, is also delicious when slow-cooked. This cut comes from the lower chest and abdominal area and is known for its bold taste.
Short ribs
Short ribs come from the cow's rib cage and are marbled with fat and connective tissue. Slow cooking allows these ribs to become incredibly tender while infusing the cooking liquid with a deep flavour.
Tips for how to achieve the best results when slow cooking beef:
- Brown the beef first to caramelise the meat and add extra flavour
- Avoid overfilling the pot to allow proper steam circulation
- Resist the temptation to lift the lid, as slow cooking relies on heat build-up
- Start the day before you plan to eat it; next-day leftovers from slow-cooked meals are often even tastier!
Best beef cuts for roasting
If you're short on time but still want a flavourful meal, oven roasting is your go-to technique. The best cuts for roasting are also found in the more heavily worked parts of the cow. As beef muscle is made up of protein, which allows for the absorption of marinades, immersing your beef in olive oil, red wine or teriyaki sauce beforehand will really enhance the juiciness and flavour.
Here are some of the best beef cuts for roasting:
Rump roast
Rump roast, also known as a round roast, comes from the cow's hindquarters. It's lean and flavourful but can be less tender than other cuts. Oven roasting is the ideal way to prepare this cut, as it allows for even cooking and the development of a savoury crust.
Girello
Girello, also known as the eye of round or top round, is a cylindrical cut from the cow's hind leg. This cut is versatile but often used in oven roasting due to its lean nature.
Rolled sirloin steak
Rolled sirloin steak is from the cow's sirloin area and is a well-marbled, flavourful cut. When roasted, it becomes incredibly juicy.
Silverside
Fresh silverside comes from the cow's hindquarters and is a healthy option for oven roasting, which helps the cut retain its natural leanness.
Prime rib
Rib roast, often referred to as prime rib, is one of the most luxurious cuts for oven roasting. It comes from the cow's rib section and is prized for its tenderness and rich marbling.
Best beef cuts for grilling
The best type of cut to use for grilling depends on how well you like your meat done. The longer you cook a piece of meat, the more liquid is lost, so a cut of beef with more collagen in the muscle, like rump steaks, will work best if you like your beef medium-to-well-done.
If you like yours rare, then you’ll want to choose a cut of beef which comes from a less-worked part of the animal. Cuts from the rib or chest are more tender than other parts. The best beef cuts for grilling include:
- Rib eye steak, with its abundant marbling, grills to perfection with a juicy and flavourful result.
- T-bone steak, known for its dual cuts of tenderloin and strip loin, is a grilling favourite with its balance of tenderness and robust flavour.
- Rump steaks, though leaner, are a top choice for grilling as they boast a rich taste enhanced by the grill's searing heat.
- Eye fillet steaks are the most tender of cuts and require gentle grilling to preserve their delicate texture and subtle, buttery taste.
- Flat iron steaks are cut from the shoulder and deliver exceptional tenderness and a hearty flavour when grilled to medium-rare perfection.
- Sirloin steak offers a robust taste and fine marbling, making it versatile for various grilling techniques and preferences.
- Skirt steak cooks rapidly and benefits from high heat to achieve a delicious sear while keeping the interior juicy and flavourful.
- Hanger steaks, with their deep, meaty flavour, are ideal for quick and high-heat grilling to achieve a delectable sear and succulent interior.
- Filet mignon is great on the grill, imparting a smoky flavour and creating a delightful sear on the exterior.
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Did you know: The flat iron steak has become more popular due to the way it is cut? Flat iron steak is derived from the oyster blade muscle and cleverly trimmed to avoid sinew. This results in well-marbled, tender beef that's perfect for grilling and more cost-effective.
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Best beef cuts for frying
Sometimes, nothing beats a plain and simple pan-fried steak. Tender cuts like porterhouse steaks or rib eye steaks require minimal cooking time to unlock their flavours, with a dash of salt and pepper often all you need.
Here are some of the best beef cuts for frying:
- Round steaks, when sliced thinly, are suitable for frying in a hot skillet. This results in quickly cooked, flavourful strips that are perfect for stir-fries.
- Rump steak can be pan-fried to perfection, benefiting from a brief cooking time to maintain its natural flavour and tenderness.
- Tri-tip steak's triangular shape and marbling make it a versatile option for frying, allowing for a caramelised crust and tender slices that are delicious on their own or in a sandwich.
Best beef cuts for smoking
Smoking meat used to be a preservation method for food. Now it's all about taste and texture. The low and slow-method helps to break down connective tissue in all types of cuts, leaving you with melt-in-your-mouth meat that falls apart at the touch of a fork. Smoking your beef cut imparts a delicious flavour that can't be achieved by any other cooking method.
Although not as well known as brisket, tri-tip is just as tasty. Here's a great recipe for smoking tri-tip.
Here are some of the best beef cuts for smoking:
- Tri-tip, with its unique shape and marbling, absorbs the delicious smoky flavours to become a tender delight.
- Brisket is the king of smoked meats, requiring long hours in the smoker to transform its tough collagen into pure tenderness while absorbing the rich smokiness.
- Pork ribs, whether baby back or spare ribs, are smoking favourites as the slow process infuses them with unbeatable flavour and leaves them fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Pork shoulder, often used for pulled pork, is perfect for smoking as it becomes both succulent and shreddable.
Whether you're looking for the perfect beef cut for your next Sunday roast or if you want a prime cut of beef for a quiet meal at home, Peter Bouchier has the perfect beef cut in stock for you.
We're beef butcher experts – we know and love our meat. We source only the highest quality meats, ensuring all produce is free-range and grass-fed wherever possible. Visit our stores in Malvern or Toorak to get your beef cut today.
