3 Ways to Recognize Beef Cuts

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Beef is usually obtained from cattle that are around 2 years old. This cattle generally produces 200 kg of meat for daily consumption. Depending on which part of the cattle it comes from, beef is classified into different cuts. Market surveys have shown that beef is the best-selling in supermarkets. Many of these have 60 different types of beef products. Having so many products to choose from, it becomes difficult to understand the difference, which instead is fundamental in determining the cooking method, the price and / or the flavor.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Types of Beef Cuts

Step 1. Identify 8 different types of existing cuts

These are the main cuts: loin, chest, neck, hocks, walker, royal cut, belly and rib. From these 8 main cuts come many other minor cuts called sub-primary cuts. In the supermarket, meat contains the primary and sub-primary information.

Step 2. Choose sirloin if you are craving tender, flavorful meat

The loin is found in the upper part of the beef just behind the side. Loin is a very tender cut of meat with little fat and can be cooked quickly without it hardening. This is because the loin is not a heavily used muscle and does not contain connective tissue. Therefore it is also the most expensive cut.

• Learn the sub-primary cuts of the loin. The loin can be short loin or sirloin. The short loin produces more tender meat than the sirloin, although both are valuable cuts.
• The most common cuts made from short sirloin are tenderloin, filet mignon, steak, strip steak, roast strip steak, strip fillet, porterhouse steak, and rib eye steak. Some common sirloin cuts are sirloin steak, center sirloin steak, tri-tip steak, tri-tip roast, sirloin, greater sirloin, ball tip steak, ball tip roast, and minor sirloin.

Step 3. Learn the best methods of preparing and cooking the sirloin

The loin is cooked dry. On a grill, griddle or pan. Avoid steam when cooking the sirloin as it may harden it.

The short loin portion is cooked well with thin and thick cuts and remains tender rare and well done. The sirloin portion does not hold much heat and becomes tough when well cooked. For the sirloin, if done well done, try thin cuts and don't overcook it. Sirloin is good if marinated before cooking

Step 4. Choose the breast part for long cooking

It is a tough piece of meat that becomes tender when cooked slowly. In addition, it contains a high rate of fat. The brisket cut is often used for barbecues or cold cuts.

• Learn the sub-primary cuts of the chest. The brisket usually sells whole and has few sub-primary cuts. These can be flat brisket or brisket. The difference between the two cuts is that the flat brisket is less fat and more evenly cut.
• Learn the best methods of preparing and cooking the brisket. Due to its hardness, it must be marinated or steamed. Marinate 24 hours before cooking.
• The breast is good if put in brine before cooking precisely because the salt makes it moist inside. It is also good when smoked at a low temperature for a long period of time.
• The brisket is cooked at a low temperature for a longer period of time to make it more tender. When cooked at a high temperature, the connective tissue will make it tough making it stringy and dry. Cook it for a long time to melt the connective tissue and fat on the meat leaving it moist, tender and flavorful.

Step 5. Choose the neck part if you want a flavorful cut of meat at a good price

The meat of the neck comes from the shoulder of cattle and is widely used. Being a heavily used muscle, the neck is made up of plenty of connective tissue making it a hard cut. Despite this, the neck has many sub-primary cuts and can be prepared in a number of ways that make it more tender.

• Learn sub-primary neck cuts. The neck is sold ground or whole. Ground neck is usually used for meatballs and other ground products. The tenderest neck cuts are used for flat iron steaks, small tender roast neck and shoulder medallions.
• The other cuts tend to be harder but still very flavorful. Among these we find the shoulder steak, the roast shoulder, the roast rib, the ribs, the meat stew, the roast underarm, the shoulder steak, the ranch steak, the sierra cut, the understaff steak, the country ribs, the shoulder eye roast and shoulder eye steak.
• Learn the best methods of preparing and cooking the neck. The minced neck is cooked on the grill or fried without any preparation. The neck is best steamed at a low temperature and for a long period of time. The roast can be boiled, braised or cooked in a pot. The key to a tender roast is to simmer it over a long period of time so that the connective tissue melts.
• The stew is recommended for the whole neck cut. When cooking neck steaks you need to marinate them or use a meat tenderizer to make the meat more tender and moister for other quick cooking methods.
• When marinating steaks, do it for a short period of time, usually for less than an hour. When choosing a neck steak, choose the thickness based on the cooking method. For fast cooking at a high temperature, choose a thin steak. For steaming or stewing, which require longer cooking, it is better to choose a thicker steak.

Step 6. Choose the garetti for a hearty and flavorful cut of meat

The hocks of cattle are located in front of the chest and are the front legs of the cattle. This cut of meat contains a high rate of collagen and is often used in recipes for sauces.

• Learn the sub-primary cuts of the hocks. The hocks are usually sold whole with the bones, but can also be found ground. Hocks can sometimes be found for sale alongside breast meat.
• Learn the best methods of preparing and cooking hocks. The hocks are very tasty when cooked with the bones and must be steamed. Better if on a low heat for a long time. Collagen is released during cooking, forming a generous creamy sauce. The hocks are excellent for soup and broth.

Step 7. Choose the cut of the silverside if you want a type of meat that is cheap and that goes easily with different dishes

The walker sits at the rear of the cattle and includes the hind leg. The silverside is a lean cut of meat and tends to be a bit stiff as it is a widely used muscle.

• Learn the sub-primary cuts of the walker. Normally it is sold ground with the name of ground round. There are also some sub-primary roast cuts. These include the rump roast, the London broth from the upper round, the London broth from the lower round, the upper round roast, the eye of the roast round, lower round roast, the tip of the roast sirloin and the center of the roast sirloin.
• Now some steaks made from the cut of the silverside. Small round steak, top round steak, top round steak, round eye steak, sirloin tip steak, side sirloin steak and top round butterfly steak.

Step 8. Learn the best methods of preparing and cooking the silverside

Ground and small steaks can be grilled or fried without being marinated, to keep them flavorful and tender. The roast can be cooked in various ways. Such as steamed, braised and dry. When cooking roasts, it is better to prefer low temperatures with long cooking periods, to obtain a very tasty dish.

• This with the exception of the London broth. London broth is best when marinated and grilled. Round steaks can be prepared in different ways. They can be marinated and later stir-fried or grilled.
• Another method for cooking round steaks is to braise them with some flavor and therefore in this case there is no need to marinate them. When marinating the walker it is important not to overdo it. Due to the low fat content of this meat, excessive marbling could have the opposite effect. It is always best to start marinating for a short period of time, such as for 20 minutes, and then continue as needed.

Step 9. Choose the royal cut for the ribs or the fajita

The royal cut is located under the ribs near the abdomen of the cattle. This cut contains the ribs, cartilage and meat. It is not a lean meat.

• The sub-primary cuts of the royal cut are the ribs and the flap. The ribs contain more cartilage than the flap.
• Learn the best methods of preparing and cooking the royal cut. For the ribs and the flap it is important to remove the membrane from one of the sides before cooking them. The membrane does not allow heat to penetrate it, making the meat stringy and tough.
• The flap should be cooked dry, in a pan or on the grill. It needs a very high temperature and should not be cooked well done. After cooking it, cut it thinly along the veins.
• The ribs must be steamed for a longer period. They are very tasty and should be served accompanied by dark beer.

Step 10. Choose the belly cut if you want something hearty and flavorful

The belly sits below the loin at the bottom of the cattle and is a pretty tough cut.

• Learn the sub-primary cuts of the belly which are the bibs and the flap. Bavette is the most common and best-selling cut of beef in supermarkets.
• Learn the best methods of preparing and cooking the belly cut. It is good to marinate the belly meat for no more than an hour. Later, it can be grilled, grilled or blanched. It can also be braised.

Step 11. Choose the ribs for a tender cut

Ribs are obtained from the backbone and ribs of cattle. Ribs are generally high in fat and are used as steaks and roasts.

• Learn the sub-primary cuts of ribs. These are the Delmonico steak, the rib fillet, the cowboy steak, the rib steak and the rib eye steak. The roast cuts consist of rib of beef and roast beef. The cuts with the bones are the front ribs and the short ribs.
• Learn the best methods of preparing and cooking ribs. There are different types of cooking when it comes to ribs. The backbone produces very tender cuts and the ribs are quite tender, but very flavorful.
• They are cooked dry, sautéed, grilled or grilled. The cooking speed will depend on the thickness of the meat. The ribs remain very tender even if well cooked thanks to the high amount of fat they contain.
• To buy good ribs, look at the amount of fat they contain. The rib roast must be cooked dry. Before cooking it, dab it with a placemat to dry it well, add the spices and then put it in the oven.
• The rib roast should not be braised as this makes the meat tough. Instead, it is good to braise the ribs as they cook better if moistened.

Method 2 of 3: Buy Beef Cuts

Step 1. Learn the quality factors when buying beef

Most supermarkets sell quality beef. Of course, you have to recognize the quality factors when buying beef without getting too confused. So first you have to decide which cut of meat you want to buy.

• Make sure the meat is cold and refrigerated in the supermarket. The meat must remain cold from when it left the warehouse until you bought it, in order to have the best quality with a low bacterial rate. You shouldn't buy meat that isn't cold to the touch.

  

• Check the color of the meat. It is best to buy the meat in clear containers to better evaluate its color. It must be bright red or violet. There should be no different colored areas such as gray or brown. Supermarkets often offer beef when it is about to expire so you will have to check it carefully to avoid buying a low quality product.

  

• Check the humidity in the container. The fresher the meat, the less moisture there should be. If there is an excessive amount of water in the container, the meat may have been mistreated, stored at an unsuitable temperature or close to expiry.

  

• Choose meat that is not soft or mushy to the touch. Beef must be firm, especially in larger cuts.

  

• Choose the right cut and thickness. If the cut is even or rough you shouldn't buy it. Beef cooks best if the cut is completely even. If the cut is uneven, you will have some areas that are more cooked and others that are less cooked. If you need to cook well-done steaks in no time, then buy thin cuts.

  

• Choose the right amount of fat. For lean meats, such as the eye of round or sirloin steak, choose meat with a low amount of fat. If you cook a cut of meat with more fat or less tender, such as rib of beef or roast neck, then the fat will be important to make it tasty. The fat must also be uniform throughout the cut. For roasts, it is also good to have a higher amount of fat as this improves the flavor and avoids hardening the meat after cooking by melting on it.

  

• Always check the container before purchasing. The meat must be completely sealed with no holes that allow contact with the air. The vacuum-packed meat has a violet color that turns bright red when it comes into contact with the air. If you notice any bright red vacuum-sealed beef, it means that the packaging has been poorly done and therefore do not buy it.

  

• Buying meat in clear containers means better seeing what you are buying. Sometimes the ground is sold in tube-shaped containers. Hence, it may contain more fat and may be of lower quality than that sold in regular containers. But you can still eat unless the packaging has been altered. When buying beef from the butcher, make sure it is packaged in a hygienic container and sealed.

  

Step 2. Understand Beef Labels

It is important to have beef that has a label so you can decide if it is right for you.

• Choose the meat that contains the primary and sub-primary cuts on the label. Some sub-primary cuts may have the same name as the primary ones. But without knowing the primary cuts, you may be buying the wrong sub-primary cuts.
• Learn how to apply health guidelines to beef. Beef can be labeled lean or extra lean. To be considered lean, she must have less than 10g of fat, less than 4.5g of saturated fat and less than 95mg of cholesterol. To be considered extra lean, she must have less than 5g of fat, less than 2g of saturated fat and less than 95mg of cholesterol.
• Make sure the meat has a shelf life. The expiration date helps you understand its quality and how it should be stored. If the meat expires soon it is better to cook it the same day rather than freezing it. If the expiration date is far enough away, then it can be safely frozen.

Method 3 of 3: Food Storage and Safety

Step 1. Beef is stored in the cold, at less than 4, 4 ° C, which delays the proliferation of bacteria

If the temperature rises, the bacteria can grow rapidly on the surface. Cooking a cut of meat with a lot of bacteria will not kill them completely.

Step 2. Cook the mince at a temperature of 71 ° C and all other cuts at a temperature of 62.8 ° C

At these temperatures the risks of Salmonella and other infections are eliminated.

Step 3. Learn which cuts of meat are exposed to a high bacterial rate

Salmonella could be found in primary cuts of the loin, ribs or neck. E. coli could be found in the sirloin and in the cattle walker areas. So when you buy some of these cuts, make sure that they have been treated properly and that you will keep them properly at home.