I've got a pretty good idea about what kind of steak I like. Dad always taught me to order a rib eye, I mean after all it's the most flavorful right? Where my expertise is limited is in knowing the different areas / kinds of cuts. The inauguration of our "For the Boy" series will begin with knowing your cuts of beef. Break out the field notes boys, your gonna want to pay attention to this one.
At first glance, learning to identify beef cuts may seem like a waste of time to some. After all, that's what butchers are for. But most meat is purchased in grocery stores and supermarkets, where the butchers are not always immediately available.
If you will just take a little time to learn about the different beef cuts, you will not only be able to expand as a cook, but will be able to save money while you are cooking better beef dishes.
To identify beef cuts, probably one of the main things to familiarize yourself with is where the cut is located on the animal itself. Know that the most tender, "better" cuts of beef come from the muscle tissue that is used the least, or has to do little
heavy work.
If you can imagine what cattle look like and what they "do" on a regular basis, you can probably get a general idea of which areas and muscles work the most and work the least.
The tenderloin or filet, as well as muscle that produces cuts of steak like the rib-eye and the t-bone or porterhouse, comes from tissue that does not get a great deal of the work load. Generally, they come from the back and rib cage area where those muscles do not get used on a regular basis.
On the other end of the scale, you can easily identify beef cuts that are "cheaper", fatty and/or tougher, just by noticing which muscle areas have to work the hardest.
With beef cattle, meat from the front and back legs and the shoulder area are generally the less desirable and less expensive cuts of beef. The chuck and round roast, and brisket, as well as our previously-mentioned and mysterious "stew meat", fall into this category.
Another good thing to know is the Quality of the beef. Meat Quality Grading is an indication of tenderness, juiciness and flavor. It is determined on the amount of marbling and the age of the animal. The higher the grade, the more tender, juicy and flavorful the cut should be.
There are 8 quality grades for beef, but only 3 are found in grocery stores or butcher shops:
Prime is the top grade in the U.S. meat grading system. Prime has the most marbling and is produced in limited quantities. Prime Beef is most commonly sold in fine restaurants and some meat markets.
Choice has less marbling than Prime but more than Select. It can usually be found found at your local grocery store at a higher price than Select.
Select has the least amount of marbling of the top three grades, making it leaner and probably less tender and juicy than prime or choice grade. Select is the most common quality grade at your local grocery store.
Quality grades are a great way to determine how much you will enjoy a steak. The higher the grade, the better the chance that the steak will taste great.
On the other hand, the quality grade of lower-end cuts of meat like chuck or brisket is not as important. Good cooking methods can are what will make these meats taste best. So don't feel bad about buying the lower quality grades of the lower-end meats
All cuts of beef have their own individual differences and qualities that make them perfect for certain recipes and dishes. Knowing all the ways to identify beef cuts will move you toward more economical and better tasting beef.
Here's a pretty strong chart, check it.
http://www.texasbarbeques.com/support-files/beefcutschart.pdf
