HOW TO DETERMINE THE CUTS OF MEAT

Knowing the types of cuts and where they come from on the animal is necessary in order for your butcher to understand what you want. Primal Cuts of meat are the large sections that particular cuts of meat are taken from. These sound like, but are not, the same thing as the USDA meat grading system where PRIME indicates top quality.

Front Primal Cuts

CHUCK:

Neck, shoulder and part of the upper arm. Options for this section are steaks, roasts, stew meat, ground beef and flat iron or boneless top blade steaks.

BRISKET:

Chest of the beef. Used for barbeque, corned beef and pot roast.

RIB:

Standing rib roast or prime rib, roast, rib eye or rib steaks.

PLATE:

Short ribs, skirt steaks, hangar steak

Rear Primal Cuts

SHORT LOIN:

Tender cuts, T-Bone, Porterhouse, New York Strips, filet (tenderloin)

SIRLOIN:

Steaks, Tri-tip

TENDER LOIN:

T-Bone, filet mignon or roast

ROUND:

Top round, bottom round, boneless rump, sirloin tip roast

FLANK:

Flank steak, ground meat

SHANK:

(Upper portion of the leg) tough but flavorful for soups and beef stock, shank steak, hamburger

Dry Aged Beef

When beef is dry aged it enhances the tenderness and flavor of the meat. The number of days to hang before the meat is cut is usually 10 - 14 days. Longer is always better but of course there is a limit depending on the environmental conditions in the cooler, discuss this with your butcher.

Recipe - Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs. round steak, cut into small pieces
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 2 cans (14.5 oz)cans diced tomatoes with juice (Rotelle)
• 1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, salt and pepper. Lightly coat the round steak pieces in the flour mixture.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the celery, onion and carrots for about 5 min. until tender. Remove from heat and set aside. Mix in the round steak pieces and cook until lightly browned.
3. Place the vegetables and steak in a slow cooker. Mix in the tomatoes with juice, Worchestershire Sauce and brown sugar.
4. Cover and cook 8 to 10 hours on Low, until the round steak is very tender.