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What are the different cuts of steak?

When you think about steak, you may immediately think about popular options like sirloin, filet mignon and ribeye steaks. However, an average cow will provide roughly 880 pounds of meat. This is comprised of muscle and fat tissue from throughout the body. The actual amount varies considerably based on the species, the cow's weight and a variety of other factors. Generally, this meat is categorized in terms of primal cuts, which describe the area of the cow that the meat is derived from, and sub-primal cuts. Sub-primal cuts are specific types of steaks and other beef products that you may find at your local grocery store or in restaurants. What should you know about the different primal cuts before you prepare or order your next steak?

Sirloin Cuts

The sirloin cuts are found on the top of the cow toward the rear. They sit between the loin, round, and flank cuts. Sub-primal cuts of beef that are included in this group include strip steak, filet mignon, tri-tip steak, bavettes, and several types of roasts. These are flavorful cuts that have moderate marbling. That are generally leaner cuts than you may find from some of the other areas of the cow, so you should avoid overcooking them. Overcooking will result in tough, dry meat. Because of the location of the cow where the meat is sourced, sirloin cuts are generally tender when they are cooked properly.

Loin Cuts

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Rib Cuts

Rib cuts are found near the upper back of the cow close to the shoulders. Because of their location, they have more marbling than many other primal cuts. Sub-primal cuts included in this group are ribeye steaks, ribeye roast, back ribs and more. Because of the marbling, steaks from rib cuts are juicier and more flavorful when they are cooked slowly over an open flame. The other sub-primal cuts can be grilled or roasted at a low temperature in the oven. The marbling makes rib cuts flavorful, so you may only need salt and pepper to dress these up before or during cooking.

Chuck Cuts

Chuck cuts are derived from the area between the cow's neck and shoulders, and they are found next to the rib cuts. This is one of the larger areas of the cow, so you will find a wide range of sub-primal cuts from this section. These include blade chuck roast, ranch steak, flat iron steak, chuck eye steak, shoulder steak and more. Some of these cuts can be tough, so they should be cooked over high heat to preserve moisture. Select chuck cuts should also be cut against the grain for easier chewing. Because of the variety of sub-primal cuts that come from this area of the cow, you will find a wide range of preparation techniques and recipes for grilling, pan frying and even baking these cuts.

Brisket Cuts

Situated below the chuck cuts at the front of the cow between the legs, you will find brisket cuts. There are two main sub-primal cuts that come from this area, and they are brisket point and brisket flat. The brisket flat cut usually is a leaner cut of meat. Both cuts, however, should be smoked over low heat or baked in the oven at a very low temperature. It generally takes several hours to properly cook these cuts of meat. Cooking faster and over high heat will cause them to be dry and excessively chewy. Many people choose to apply a dry rub to brisket cuts before cooking.

Shank Cuts

Shank cuts are pulled from the cow's front legs between the knee and the shoulder. They also come from the rear legs of the cow. This is often a tough section of meat because it is derived from connective tissue. A shank steak is the primary cut pulled from this area of the cow. It can be tough, so many people choose to cook it slowly using moist heat to lock in flavor and moisture. For example, this is a good cut of beef to simmer in your crockpot.

Plate Cuts

Plate cuts are from the underbelly of a cow between the shank and flank cuts. Sub-primal cuts that come from this area are short ribs, skirt steak and hanger steak. The plate cuts from the outer section of the cow are more tender. Both inner and outer cuts are loaded with flavor. The steaks are usually grilled over low heat, and the ribs are often slow-cooked in the oven using moist heat.

Flank Cuts

Flank cuts come from the cow's abdomen, and they are located between the plate cuts and the round cuts. Some of the cuts of meat from flank cuts are skirt steaks and flank steaks. These steaks are long and flat because they come from the cow's abdominal muscles. Because of the location of this meat on the cow, flank cuts are the leanest type of beef available. This can make them dry and relatively tough when they are not cooked properly. Grilling them slowly over low heat is one option. Another option is to cook them slowly on the stove using moist heat.

Round Cuts

While chuck cuts provide the largest portion of meat from a cow, round cuts yield the second largest portion. The round cut is pulled from the entire rear length of the cow from the hip bones to the top of the shank area. It is located next to the flank, shank and sirloin sections of the cow. Several sub-primal cuts come from this section, including top round steak, bottom round steak, eye of round steak, rump roast and round roast. This is one of the leaner areas of the cow. The steaks are best prepared over high heat, and they can be grilled or fried. The roasts should be placed in the oven or slow cooker at a low temperature. Often, these meats are seasoned before they are cooked.

Other Cuts

There are several other cuts of meat that you should be aware of. Generally, these are meats that do not specifically come from a primal cut area, but they are popular. Some of these are ground beef, stew meat, cubed steaks, beef strips and kebabs. These meats are pulled from other meaty areas of the cow near the primal cuts, and they can be prepared using a wide range of cooking methods.

You may have heard that cooking the perfect steak is an art. However, there is a science to cooking different primal and sub-primal cuts. This is because of the types of tissues that are in the cuts, how much marbling is in the cuts and more. Whether you are ordering steak at a restaurant or ordering beef online for home grilling, it is important to know what cut you are working with. The cut will help you to determine which cooking methods and pre-cooking preparations should be taken to create a meal that you will love!