Cut of beef



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
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". The British designation 'rump' is also common in Canada.

Forequarter

 * 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.
 * 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

 * The loin has two subprimals
 * the short loin, from which the T-bone and porterhouse steaks are cut if bone-in, or strip steak.
 * the sirloin, which is less tender than short loin, but more flavorful, can be further divided into top sirloin and bottom sirloin (including tri-tip), and
 * the tenderloin, which is the most tender, can be removed as a separate subprimal, and cut into filet mignons, tournedos or tenderloin steaks, and roasts (such as for beef Wellington). They can also be cut bone-in to make parts of the T-bone and porterhouse loin steaks.
 * 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.

Argentine
The most important cuts of beef in Argentine cuisine are:


 * 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
The most important cuts of beef in Brazilian cuisine are:


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

Irish, British, Australian, South African and New Zealand

 * Tongue
 * {{legend|#ffff00|Necks and clod}}
 * {{legend|#c97234|Chuck steak & blades}}
 * {{legend|#00ff00|Sirloin}}
 * {{legend|#008100|Rump}}
 * {{legend|#ff00ff|Silverside}}
 * {{legend|#d5ac00|Topside}}
 * Top rump
 * {{legend|#ff2625|Fore rib}}
 * Rib eye steak
 * T-bone steak
 * {{legend|#ff8181|Thick rib}}
 * {{legend|#ff8026|Thin rib}}
 * (Skirt steak)
 * {{legend|#0000ff|Flank}}
 * {{legend|#c5c9b8|Thick flank}}
 * Feather blade
 * Fillet
 * Oxtail
 * Oxtail

Colombian

 * Posta (top round)
 * Muchacho (heel)
 * Huevo de Aldana (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
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

 * Neck
 * Rib steak
 * Sirloin
 * Tenderloin – considered to be the premium cut, highly prized. It is called ossenhaas in Dutch. It tends to be cut slightly smaller than its American counterpart.
 * Top sirloin
 * Round – mainly used for kogelbiefstuk ('hip joint steak') considered to be the basic form of steak in Dutch and Belgian cuisine.
 * Flank
 * Chuck – the best cuts are used for stoofvlees; lesser bits are used in hachee.
 * Brisket
 * Shankle
 * Beef tongue is considered the cheapest piece of beef; it is used in certain styles of sausages such as the frikandel, though not as the main ingredient.
 * Oxtail, though not on the image shown, is used extensively in stews.

Finnish
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
{{legend|#f50e30|text=+|More expensive}} {{legend|#cb131e|text= |In between}} {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Less expensive}}


 * 1) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Basses côtes}}
 * 2) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Côtes, entrecôtes}}
 * 3) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Faux-filet}}
 * 4) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Filet}}
 * 5) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Rumsteck}}
 * 6) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Rond de gîte}}
 * 7) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Tende de tranche; poire, merlan}}
 * 8) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Gîte à la noix}}
 * 9) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Araignée}}
 * 10) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Plat de tranche, rond de tranche, mouvant}}
 * 11) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Bavette d'aloyau}}
 * 12) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Hampe}}
 * 13) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Onglet}}
 * 14) {{legend|#f50e30|text=+|Aiguillette baronne}}
 * 15) {{legend|#cb131e|text= |Bavette de flanchet}}
 * 16) {{legend|#cb131e|text= |Plat de côtes}}
 * 17) {{legend|#cb131e|text= |Macreuse à bifteck}}
 * 18) {{legend|#cb131e|text= |Paleron}}
 * 19) {{legend|#cb131e|text= |Jumeau à bifteck}}
 * 20) {{legend|#cb131e|text= |Jumeau à pot-au-feu}}
 * 21) {{legend|#cb131e|text= |Macreuse à pot-au-feu}}
 * 22) {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Queue}}
 * 23) {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Gîte}}
 * 24) {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Flanchet}}
 * 25) {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Tendron, milieu de poitrine}}
 * 26) {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Gros bout de poitrine}}
 * 27) {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Collier}}
 * 28) {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Joue}}
 * 29) {{legend|#930b12|text=-|Langue}}

German

 * 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

 * 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

 * Leg subcuts
 * 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
 * Filetto (beef tenderloin)
 * Controfiletto or roast beef (sirloin)
 * Veal Carré (spare ribs)
 * Costolette
 * Nodini


 * Loin (schiena)
 * Costata (T-bone steak)
 * Coste della croce (short ribs)


 * Neck
 * Collo (chuck steak)
 * Reale or tenerone


 * Head subcuts
 * Lingua (beef tongue)
 * Testina (flesh from the head of a calf)


 * Shoulder subcuts
 * Fesone di spalla
 * Fusello or girello di spalla
 * Brione
 * Cappello del prete or spalla


 * Hocks subcuts
 * anterior and posterior Ossibuchi
 * Pesce, piccione, campanello, muscolo, gamba


 * Petto (chest) subcuts
 * Punta di petto (brisket)
 * Pancia di vitello, pancetta or fianchetto


 * Lower ribs subcuts
 * Biancostato di reale or spuntatura
 * Taglio reale, polpa reale (Pony 6 ribs, square cut, chuck, middle rib, steak meat)


 * Pancia (belly) subcuts
 * Biancostato di pancia
 * Fiocco
 * Scalfo (armhole)

Korean

 * 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

 * 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

 * 1) Cachaço
 * 2) Coberta do acém, acém comprido
 * Pá, peito alto
 * 1) Maçã do peito
 * 2) Peito
 * 3) Chambão
 * 4) Mão
 * 5) Lombo
 * 6) Rosbife, acém redondo, vazia, entrecôte
 * 7) Prego do peito
 * 8) Aba grossa
 * 9) Alcatra
 * 10) Chã de fora
 * 11) Rabadilha
 * 12) Pojadouro

Russian



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

Turkish

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