Beef at Emery's

What it is

The top blade steak with the gristle seam left in. Cheaper than flat iron.

How to cook it

Grill quick and eat around the seam, braise like a small pot roast, or cut the seam out and you've made a flat iron.

What it tastes like

Same rich shoulder flavor; the seam is chewy.

People often ask

Blade vs flat iron: same muscle, one has the gristle.

Worth knowing

The seam runs next to the shoulder blade bone, hence the name.

Try this

Braised blade steak with mushrooms and onions over egg noodles.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The shoulder. Many muscles running different directions with seams of fat and connective tissue. The animal walks on it, so it is tough raw and glorious cooked slow.

How to cook it

Brown hard, braise covered with a cup or two of liquid at 300 for 3 to 4 hours, or slow cooker 8 hours low, until a fork twists in with no resistance (around 200 inside).

What it tastes like

The most beef-flavored cut once the collagen melts into gelatin. Falls apart. Juicy because of the fat.

People often ask

Chuck vs rump vs bottom round for pot roast: chuck, every time. It has the fat and collagen the others don't. Rump and bottom round slice; chuck shreds.

Worth knowing

Most ground chuck is chuck trim.

Try this

Sunday pot roast: 3 lb chuck, salt, brown in a Dutch oven, remove; onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste, garlic; deglaze with red wine; stock to halfway, bay, thyme; lid on, 300 oven 3.5 hours. Potatoes the last hour.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

A slice of the shoulder. Several muscles with seams of fat and connective tissue.

How to cook it

Braise like Swiss steak (brown, then covered with liquid at 325 for 1.5 hours). If it is a chuck eye (the ribeye muscle continuing into the chuck), grill it medium rare.

What it tastes like

Deep beef flavor. Tough unless braised, except the chuck eye, which grills like a ribeye.

People often ask

Chuck steak vs chuck roast: same meat, sliced thinner. Braise unless it is a chuck eye.

Worth knowing

Chuck eye steaks are the poor man's ribeye: the first couple of ribs' worth of ribeye muscle that end up in the chuck.

Try this

Braised chuck steak with onions and beer, 325 covered for 90 min.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

From the serratus muscle under the shoulder blade. Small, well marbled, rectangular.

How to cook it

Grill or pan to medium rare, slice against the grain (look closely, the grain is easy to misread). Also excellent braised like a short rib.

What it tastes like

Surprisingly tender (fourth most tender muscle), buttery marbling, chuck flavor.

People often ask

Denver vs flat iron: both tender chuck steaks from research. Denver is more marbled, flat iron leaner and more uniform.

Worth knowing

Introduced in 2009 from the same beef checkoff muscle study that produced the flat iron. Japanese butchers sold it as zabuton (cushion) for years.

Try this

Soy, mirin, garlic, ginger marinade; grill, slice, over rice with scallions.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The top blade muscle in the shoulder with the tough center seam removed, leaving two flat steaks.

How to cook it

Grill or pan, medium rare, 3 to 4 min a side. Slice thin against the grain. Doesn't hold up past medium.

What it tastes like

Second most tender muscle after the filet, well marbled, rich. Best steak value in the case.

People often ask

Flat iron vs blade steak: same muscle; blade still has the gristle line, flat iron has it cut out. Flat iron vs flank: flat iron is more tender; flank is leaner with a longer grain.

Worth knowing

Developed in the early 2000s by University of Nebraska and University of Florida researchers looking for undervalued chuck muscles.

Try this

Flat iron with chimichurri: parsley, garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, olive oil, chili flake.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Chuck trim ground with about 15% fat.

How to cook it

Burgers: handle as little as possible, salt the outside only, dimple the center, cook to 160. Meatloaf, chili, meatballs.

What it tastes like

Juicy, beefy, enough fat to stay moist on a grill. Grass-fed version is leaner and more mineral with yellower fat; cook it a little gentler.

People often ask

85 vs 90: 85 for burgers and meatloaf; 90 for tacos, sauces, anything you drain.

Worth knowing

Ground beef goes to 160 because grinding spreads surface bacteria through the whole batch. A steak can be rare; a burger shouldn't be.

Try this

Smash burgers: 3 oz balls, ripping hot griddle, smash flat, salt, 2 min, flip, cheese, 1 min.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

A cone-shaped shoulder muscle that looks like a small tenderloin. That is the mock part.

How to cook it

Braise whole like a mini pot roast, cube for stew, or slice thin and marinate for stir fry. Do not grill it like a filet.

What it tastes like

Lean and tough with a line of gristle down the middle. Good flavor, needs long cooking.

People often ask

Mock tender vs tenderloin: only the shape is similar.

Worth knowing

It sits right on top of the shoulder blade. The truly tender shoulder muscle is a different one, the teres major (petite tender).

Try this

Mock tender braised in beer with onions, sliced thin for sandwiches.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Ribs 6 to 12, the ribeye before it is cut into steaks, on the bone. Stands on its bones in the pan.

How to cook it

Salt 1 to 3 days ahead, uncovered in the fridge. Low oven (225 to 250) until 120 to 125 inside for medium rare, roughly 30 to 35 min per pound but go by the thermometer. Rest 30 min, then 500 oven 8 min for crust.

What it tastes like

Ribeye in roast form.

People often ask

Bone-in vs boneless: same meat. Bones make the rack and the presentation. One bone feeds about two people.

Worth knowing

Prime rib means the rib primal, not the grade. A Choice rib roast is still prime rib.

Try this

Horseradish cream: sour cream, prepared horseradish, lemon, chives, salt. Jus from the drippings and stock.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw meat. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. Bone is part of the sold weight.

What it is

The rib roast with the bones removed and tied.

How to cook it

Same as bone-in: salt days ahead, 225 to 250 to 120 to 125, rest 30, 500 blast for crust. Cooks a little faster without bones.

What it tastes like

Ribeye in roast form.

People often ask

Boneless is easier to carve and you are not paying for bone. Half a pound per person, a bit more for leftovers.

Worth knowing

Same meat as the bone-in; the price per pound is higher because there is no bone weight.

Try this

Garlic and rosemary paste rubbed on the day before, then low and slow.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

A thick bone-in ribeye, usually 1.5 to 2.5 inches, with a short rib bone cleaned (frenched). Same meat as a boneless ribeye.

How to cook it

Too thick to sear straight through. Reverse sear or two-zone grill. Probe away from the bone. Feeds two.

What it tastes like

Ribeye. The meat right against the bone stays a shade rarer.

People often ask

Cowboy vs tomahawk: same steak, tomahawk keeps the whole long bone. Cowboy vs ribeye: same meat, thicker and on the bone.

Worth knowing

The bone does not add flavor in the time a steak cooks, but it insulates, which is why the meat next to it lags.

Try this

Reverse sear: 250 oven on a rack until 115 inside (45 to 60 min), rest 10, sear 1 min a side, slice off the bone and across the grain.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw meat. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. Bone is part of the sold weight.

What it is

Ribeye graded USDA Prime: the top few percent of beef, judged on marbling. The rest of the case is mostly Choice.

How to cook it

Same as regular ribeye. More fat means more flare-ups, so use two zones on a grill.

What it tastes like

Same cut, noticeably more marbling: richer, juicier, more forgiving if overcooked a little.

People often ask

Prime vs Choice: grade, not cut. Prime rib is not necessarily Prime grade.

Worth knowing

Only around 5 to 8 percent of graded beef makes Prime, and much of it goes to steakhouses.

Try this

Salt, pepper, high heat, butter, rest.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Ribs 6 through 12. The big eye is the same muscle as the strip; the crescent around the top edge is the cap (spinalis), the most marbled, most prized bite on the animal.

How to cook it

Grill or cast iron. Under 1.5 inches: hot sear 4 min a side. Thicker: reverse sear (250 oven until 115 inside, then sear 1 min a side). Salt 45 min ahead or right before, not in between.

What it tastes like

Rich, buttery, big beef flavor from the marbling. Tender with a little chew. The fat needs heat to melt, so ribeye eats better at medium rare to medium than rare.

People often ask

Ribeye vs strip: ribeye is fattier and richer, strip is leaner with more chew and a cleaner beef taste. Ribeye vs filet: flavor vs tenderness.

Worth knowing

A rib roast (prime rib) is just uncut ribeyes. Prime rib means the rib primal, not USDA Prime grade. Delmonico is argued over; most places mean a thick boneless ribeye.

Try this

Cast iron ribeye: dry it, salt, hot pan with a little oil, 3 min, flip, add 2 tbsp butter, garlic, rosemary, baste 2 to 3 min, rest 8 min.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Ribeye sliced paper thin.

How to cook it

Hot griddle, oil, onions first, then the meat, chop it with the spatula, 2 to 3 min, cheese on top, roll.

What it tastes like

Ribeye, cooked in seconds.

People often ask

For a cheesesteak this is the answer. Minute steak is the budget substitute.

Worth knowing

The cheesesteak was invented in 1930 by Philadelphia hot dog vendor Pat Olivieri.

Try this

Cheesesteak: shaved ribeye, onions, provolone or Whiz, a soft roll. Bulgogi: soy, sugar, pear, garlic, sesame, 1 hour, hot pan.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Bone-in ribeye with the entire rib bone left on and frenched, 5 inches or more of handle. Around a pound of it is bone.

How to cook it

Same as the cowboy. Needs a big pan or a grill. Carve the meat off the bone before slicing.

What it tastes like

Ribeye.

People often ask

Same meat as the cowboy steak, more bone, better photo.

Worth knowing

Named for the axe it looks like. Became a steakhouse and social media thing in the 2010s.

Try this

Reverse sear, carve, slice, lay the slices back against the bone with flaky salt.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw meat. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. Bone is part of the sold weight.

What it is

Cut from the rear of the short loin where the tenderloin is thickest. One T-shaped bone, strip on the big side, filet on the small side.

How to cook it

1.5 inches minimum. Two-zone grill with the filet side toward the cooler side since it cooks faster, or reverse sear. Pull at 125, rest 10, cut both muscles off the bone, slice across, fan back on the bone.

What it tastes like

Two steaks in one. The strip side is firm and beefy, the filet side is soft and mild.

People often ask

Porterhouse vs T-bone: same bone, same two muscles. USDA line is the filet: at least 1.25 inches wide for porterhouse, at least half an inch for T-bone. Porterhouse is from further back, so bigger filet, so more money. Feeds two.

Worth knowing

Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a giant porterhouse from Chianina cattle, grilled over coals, served rare. The name most likely comes from 1800s New York taverns (porter houses) that served porter ale.

Try this

Fiorentina: 2.5 inches, room temp, no oil, very hot coals 5 min a side plus 5 min standing on the bone, salt after, rest, slice, olive oil and lemon.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. Bone is part of the sold weight.

What it is

The strip loin, the muscle along the back behind the ribs. Same muscle as the ribeye's eye, but by the loin it has lost the cap and most of the marbling.

How to cook it

Grill or pan, 1 to 1.5 inches, medium rare (pull at 128). Stand it on the fat edge for a minute to render. Don't go past medium.

What it tastes like

Firm, meaty, a satisfying chew, clean beef flavor, with a band of fat along one edge. Less rich than ribeye, more tender than sirloin.

People often ask

This is the strip, not the sirloin. New England says sirloin strip; people from away say New York strip. A porterhouse is a strip and a filet on one bone.

Worth knowing

The New York name comes from Delmonico's in Manhattan in the 1800s. Bone-in it is a Kansas City strip or, in New York, a shell steak.

Try this

Salt overnight uncovered in the fridge, out 30 min, hot grill 4 min a side for 1.25 inches, rest 8, flaky salt and butter.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Same bone and muscles as the porterhouse, cut from toward the rib end of the short loin where the tenderloin narrows. Smaller filet.

How to cook it

Same as porterhouse. Often cut a little thinner, so 1.25 inches and hot.

What it tastes like

Strip on one side, a taste of filet on the other.

Worth knowing

T-bones come from the front of the short loin, porterhouses from the back, and the club steak (no filet at all) from the very front against the rib.

Try this

Two-zone grilled T-bone with garlic herb butter melting over it while it rests.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. Bone is part of the sold weight.

What it is

The whole tenderloin, trimmed, 4 to 6 lb.

How to cook it

Tie it, salt, sear all over in a hot pan, then 425 oven to 120 to 125. Rest 15. Tuck the thin tail under and tie so it cooks evenly.

What it tastes like

Filet mignon in roast form. Lean and mild; it wants a sauce.

People often ask

Tenderloin vs rib roast for a holiday: tenderloin is faster, leaner, elegant, easy to carve. Rib roast is richer and feeds more for the money.

Worth knowing

Beef Wellington uses a center cut of this.

Try this

Peppercorn crust, sear, roast, cognac cream sauce from the pan.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The psoas muscle, tucked under the spine inside the loin. It barely works, so it is the most tender muscle on the animal.

How to cook it

Hot pan, 1.5 to 2 inches thick. Sear in a little oil, add butter, garlic, thyme, baste 2 min, finish in a 400 oven if thick. Pull at 125 for medium rare. Past medium it dries out fast because there is no fat to save it.

What it tastes like

Butter-soft, fine grained, mild. Not much fat, so not much beef flavor on its own. People buy it for texture.

People often ask

Filet vs ribeye: filet is the tender one, ribeye is the flavorful one.

Worth knowing

Filet mignon is French for dainty fillet. The whole peeled tenderloin is the roast, the thick middle is the chateaubriand, the thin end is the tail. Bacon-wrapping solves the flavor problem.

Try this

Pan sauce: after searing, pour off the fat, soften a minced shallot, splash of brandy or red wine, reduce, swirl in cold butter off the heat.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The tapered end of the tenderloin. Same tender meat, just thin and uneven, so it cannot be cut into a proper steak.

How to cook it

Cube or strip it and cook fast: steak bites, stroganoff, stir fry, kebabs. Or fold the thin end under and tie it into a small roast.

What it tastes like

Identical to filet mignon.

People often ask

Best value on the whole tenderloin. Filet texture for a lot less.

Worth knowing

Butchers used to keep the tails for themselves.

Try this

Garlic butter steak bites: 1-inch cubes, dried well, screaming hot cast iron, 1 min a side, off the heat, toss with butter, garlic, parsley.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Top sirloin butt, sold whole as a primal or cut into sirloin steaks. Leaner and cheaper than strip, good for grilling and roasting.

How to cook it

Hot and fast, medium rare, never past medium. Slice against the grain on a big one. Kebabs, steak salad, stir fry.

What it tastes like

Lean, firm, big beef flavor, noticeable chew. The everyday steak.

People often ask

NY sirloin vs strip sirloin: strip is more tender and pricier; sirloin is leaner and cheaper with more chew.

Worth knowing

Sirloin comes from the French surlonge, above the loin. The Sir Loin knighting story is folklore.

Try this

Kebabs: 1.5 inch cubes, olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano, 2 hours; grill 8 min turning.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The cap muscle on top of the sirloin with its thick fat cap left on. Triangular, 2 to 3 lb.

How to cook it

Brazilian: cut into 3 or 4 thick strips with the grain, fold into a C, skewer, coarse salt, grill fat side to the heat first, medium rare, slice thin. Whole: score the fat, salt, 250 to 120, sear fat side down.

What it tastes like

Beefy, juicy, moderately tender. The fat cap bastes it and crisps.

People often ask

Picanha vs tri-tip: both sirloin, picanha has the fat cap and is richer. Picanha vs sirloin steak: picanha is the cap sitting on top of that muscle.

Worth knowing

Named for the picana, the pole Brazilian and Argentine ranchers used to prod cattle. Brazilian churrascarias made it famous in the US.

Try this

Skewered picanha with coarse salt, sliced thin, with farofa and a tomato-onion vinaigrette.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

How to cook it

Grill two-zone or reverse sear to 130, rest 10. The grain runs two directions and meets at the point: cut it in two at that seam and slice each half against its own grain.

What it tastes like

Lean but flavorful, tender for its price, between sirloin and flank.

People often ask

Tri-tip vs picanha: both sirloin. Tri-tip is lean and triangular; picanha has a thick fat cap. A roast that cooks like a steak, feeds 4 to 6.

Worth knowing

Ground or cubed until a Santa Maria, California grocer started grilling it whole in the 1950s. Santa Maria style is salt, pepper, garlic over red oak.

Try this

Santa Maria rub: 2 tsp each salt, black pepper, garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne. Indirect to 125, then sear over the coals.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Lean eye round or top round sliced thin for drying.

How to cook it

Marinate overnight (soy, Worcestershire, brown sugar, black pepper, liquid smoke), dehydrate at 160 for 4 to 6 hours, or the oven's lowest setting with the door cracked, on racks. Bend test: it should crack but not snap.

What it tastes like

Depends entirely on the marinade.

People often ask

Why lean: fat goes rancid in jerky. Slice with the grain for chewy, across for tender.

Worth knowing

Jerky comes from the Quechua ch'arki, dried salted meat, by way of Spanish charqui.

Try this

Peppered jerky with the marinade above and extra cracked pepper pressed on before drying.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. About 1 oz finished jerky per 3 oz raw.

What it is

The outside round as a roast.

How to cook it

Braise 3 hours as pot roast (it slices), or roast rare at 325 and slice thin. Sauerbraten is the classic.

What it tastes like

Lean, beefy, holds a slice.

People often ask

Bottom round vs chuck for pot roast: bottom round is leaner and slices; chuck shreds.

Worth knowing

Sauerbraten marinates bottom round in vinegar and wine for days, then braises it and thickens the gravy with gingersnaps.

Try this

Sauerbraten: 3 days in red wine vinegar, red wine, onion, bay, cloves; brown; braise 3 hours; thicken gravy with crushed gingersnaps.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The outside of the hind leg, next to the eye round. A little more marbling than eye, less than top.

How to cook it

Swiss steak: pound, flour, brown, braise with onion and canned tomatoes at 325 for 1.5 hours. Or slice thin for stir fry.

What it tastes like

Lean and beefy, chewy unless braised or sliced thin.

People often ask

Swiss steak is the classic use. Not a grilling steak.

Worth knowing

Swiss in Swiss steak refers to swissing, running fabric or meat through rollers to soften it, not Switzerland.

Try this

Swiss steak: pound 1/2 inch slices, dredge in flour, brown, braise with onion, canned tomatoes, a little stock, 325 for 1.5 hours.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Round steak run through a mechanical tenderizer that leaves cube-shaped dents.

How to cook it

Chicken fried steak: flour, egg, flour, shallow fry 3 min a side, cream gravy. Or Swiss steak braised in tomato.

What it tastes like

Lean, tenderized, made for breading or gravy.

Worth knowing

Chicken fried steak is Texas's answer to schnitzel, brought by German immigrants.

Try this

Chicken fried steak with black pepper gravy.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The whole eye of round log.

How to cook it

Salt, 225 oven to 125, rest, slice paper thin. Or the old trick: 500 oven 7 min per pound, oven off, door closed, 2.5 hours. Never pot roast it.

What it tastes like

Very lean and mild. Best sliced paper thin.

People often ask

Best for deli roast beef and jerky, worst for pot roast.

Worth knowing

The cheapest roast beef you can make at home, and good if you keep it rare.

Try this

Deli roast beef: 3 lb eye round, salt and pepper overnight, 225 oven to 125, rest, chill, slice thin.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Slices of the football-shaped log in the middle of the round. Leanest steak in the case.

How to cook it

Marinate and pan fry fast to medium rare, slice thin. Or pound and bread it. Good jerky meat.

What it tastes like

Very lean, mild, tight grain. Tender only sliced very thin. Dries out fast.

People often ask

Eye round looks like tenderloin and fools people. It is the opposite: cheap and lean.

Worth knowing

One of the few cuts that is better cold than hot.

Try this

Thin-sliced eye round stir fry with velveting (cornstarch, soy, a little oil, 20 min) before a hot wok.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Round trim, about 10% fat.

How to cook it

Tacos, chili, meat sauce, stuffed peppers, meatballs with breadcrumb and egg for moisture. Burgers dry out.

What it tastes like

Cleaner, leaner, less juicy.

People often ask

Lean costs more per pound but shrinks less, so real cost is closer than it looks.

Try this

Meat sauce: 1 lb ground round, onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, pinch of sugar, simmer 45 min.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Thin-sliced top round or sirloin, about 1/4 inch.

How to cook it

Very hot pan, oil, 60 to 90 seconds a side. Steak and eggs, steak sandwiches, steak tacos.

What it tastes like

Lean and quick. Fine for a sandwich, dry if you dawdle.

People often ask

Minute steak vs cubed steak: minute steak is thin and untouched; cubed steak has been through a tenderizer.

Worth knowing

Named for the cooking time, not the muscle. A diner-era term from the 1920s.

Try this

Minute steak sandwich: sear, pile on a roll with caramelized onions and provolone.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Where the round meets the sirloin. Leaner than chuck, a little more tender than bottom round.

How to cook it

Pot roast (braise 3 hours, it slices rather than shreds) or roast to medium rare at 325 and slice thin. Don't roast it past medium.

What it tastes like

Lean, beefy, holds a slice.

People often ask

Rump vs chuck: rump slices neatly, chuck falls apart. Rump vs bottom round: close to interchangeable.

Worth knowing

In New England, rump is the traditional Yankee pot roast cut alongside chuck.

Try this

Yankee pot roast with root vegetables, braised in beef stock with a splash of cider vinegar.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The inside round as a roast.

How to cook it

Roast beef: salt overnight, 250 oven to 125 inside, rest 20, slice thin. Makes the best deli-style sandwich beef. Not a pot roast cut; it dries out braised.

What it tastes like

Lean and mild. Best sliced thin.

People often ask

For rare roast beef this is the one.

Worth knowing

Most supermarket deli roast beef is top round.

Try this

Salt and pepper overnight, 250 oven to 125, rest, chill, slice thin for sandwiches with horseradish mayo.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The big lean muscle on the inside of the hind leg. Jerky meat and minute steak often come from here.

How to cook it

Marinate, broil or grill to medium rare, slice thin across the grain. That is London broil. Or slice paper thin raw for stir fry or cheesesteak.

What it tastes like

Lean, mild, fine grained. Tender sliced thin, chewy cut thick or cooked past medium.

People often ask

Top vs bottom vs eye round: top is the most tender and best for roast beef; bottom is for pot roast and braising; eye is the leanest, log-shaped one. London broil is a method, not a cut.

Worth knowing

The round is the leg, and the leg works hard, so round is cheap and lean with long fibers.

Try this

London broil: soy, olive oil, lemon, garlic, 6 hours; broil 5 min a side 4 inches from the element; rest; thin slices on the bias.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The chest. Two muscles: the flat (lean, even, the slicing muscle) and the point (fatty, marbled, sits on top, the burnt-ends muscle). A whole packer has both.

How to cook it

Smoke: salt and pepper, 225 to 250, 10 to 14 hours, wrap at the stall (160 to 170), pull at 200 to 205 when a probe slides in like butter, rest 1 hour. Braise: 325 covered 3 to 4 hours on onions with stock. Corned beef and pastrami are cured brisket.

What it tastes like

Fatty and gelatinous done right, dry and tough if rushed. Big beef flavor.

People often ask

Whole or flat? Flat is leaner and slices clean; point is fattier and better for burnt ends.

Worth knowing

Texas barbecue brisket came out of German and Czech meat markets in Central Texas. Corned beef's corns are the big salt grains once used to cure it.

Try this

Braised brisket: brown, sliced onions underneath, 2 cups stock, tomato paste, bay, covered 325 for 3.5 hours, chill overnight, slice cold against the grain, reheat in the juices.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Hangs from the diaphragm near the kidneys. One per animal, two lobes joined by a tough membrane that has to come out.

How to cook it

Remove the center membrane, salt, hot pan or grill 3 to 4 min a side, rest, slice across the grain.

What it tastes like

Deep, mineral, almost liver-like beefiness. Tender and juicy at medium rare, tough past medium.

People often ask

Hanger vs skirt: hanger is thicker, more tender, more mineral; skirt is thinner and fattier. Hanger vs flat iron: both cheap-for-tender; hanger has the bigger flavor.

Worth knowing

Called butcher's steak because butchers kept it. In France it is onglet, the classic steak frites cut.

Try this

Steak frites: hanger, salt, hard sear, shallot and red wine reduction finished with butter, fries.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Short ribs cut across the bones, 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, three or four little bone cross-sections per strip.

How to cook it

Marinate 4 to 24 hours, grill or broil very hot 2 to 3 min a side. Eat off the bone.

What it tastes like

Short rib flavor in a piece thin enough to grill in minutes.

People often ask

Korean vs English short ribs: same ribs, two cuts, two methods.

Worth knowing

LA galbi is named for Los Angeles, where Korean butchers adopted the American flanken cut. Grated Asian pear in the marinade has enzymes that tenderize.

Try this

Galbi: 1/2 cup soy, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 grated Asian pear, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 scallions, black pepper.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. Bone is part of the sold weight.

What it is

Meaty rib sections from the chuck and plate, layered with fat and collagen, one bone per chunk.

How to cook it

Braise: brown, red wine and stock, covered, 325 for 2.5 to 3 hours until the bone slides out. Smoke: 250 for 6 to 8 hours to 203. Pressure cooker: 45 min.

What it tastes like

Rich, fatty, deeply beefy, spoon-tender after a long braise.

People often ask

Bone-in vs boneless: same eating; bone-in braises richer and looks the part. Korean style is the same ribs cut thin for grilling.

Worth knowing

Short because they are the short section of rib left after the rib roast and brisket are taken.

Try this

Red wine short ribs: 3 lb, brown, saute onion carrot celery, tomato paste, a bottle of red, 2 cups stock, thyme, 325 for 3 hours, skim, reduce.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. Bone is part of the sold weight.

What it is

Short rib meat off the bone, usually chuck short rib.

How to cook it

Braise or smoke the same way. Also cuts into excellent stew, or sous vide then grill.

What it tastes like

Same as bone-in.

People often ask

Easier than bone-in, no waste, same flavor.

Worth knowing

Boneless short rib is what many restaurants use for braised short rib on the menu.

Try this

Boneless short rib ragu: braise, shred, fold into the sauce, over pappardelle.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The diaphragm muscle. Outside skirt is the prized restaurant cut; inside skirt is most of what retail sees. Long, thin, loose ribbony grain.

How to cook it

Pull the membrane if still on. Marinade optional. Hottest heat you have, 2 to 3 min a side, rare to medium rare. Rest, slice thin against the grain.

What it tastes like

The most flavor per ounce of any steak. Fatty, rich, coarse. Chewy if overcooked or sliced wrong.

People often ask

Skirt vs hanger: both from the diaphragm area; hanger is thicker and there is only one per animal. Skirt is the fajita steak.

Worth knowing

Fajitas were created by Tex-Mex ranch hands paid partly in skirt steak. Ninfa's in Houston made them famous in 1973.

Try this

Fajitas: lime, garlic, cumin, oil, 2 hours. Grill with peppers and onions, slice, warm flour tortillas.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

The flat, long-grained muscle from the belly below the loin. One per side.

How to cook it

Marinate 2 to 24 hours, grill or broil very hot, 4 to 5 min a side to medium rare, rest 10, slice thin across the grain on a bias. Or slice raw for stir fry.

What it tastes like

Lean, intensely beefy, long visible grain. Chewy sliced wrong, tender sliced thin across the grain.

People often ask

Flank vs skirt: flank is leaner, thicker, tighter grain, pricier. Skirt is fattier, looser, more flavor, cooks faster. Either works for fajitas or carne asada.

Worth knowing

Flank was cheap until fajitas and stir fry made it popular. Braciole is the Italian way: rolled around a filling and braised.

Try this

Carne asada: lime, orange, garlic, cumin, cilantro, jalapeno, 4 hours, grill hot, slice thin, tacos.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package.

What it is

Marrow bones, knuckles, joints. For stock, bone broth, roasted marrow, dogs.

How to cook it

Broth: roast bones at 400 for 40 min, simmer 12 to 24 hours with onion, carrot, celery, and a splash of vinegar, skim. Marrow: canoe-cut bones, 450 for 15 min, spread on toast with parsley and salt.

What it tastes like

Marrow is rich and buttery. Broth is as good as the simmer is long.

People often ask

Bone broth is just stock simmered longer for more gelatin.

Worth knowing

Marrow bones were a fine-dining item in Victorian England, eaten with a special long spoon.

Try this

Roasted marrow bones with parsley, shallot, caper salad and grilled bread.

What it is

The tail, cut into segments. Bone, cartilage, and marbled meat.

How to cook it

Brown, braise 3 to 4 hours (pressure cooker 50 min) until the meat falls off the bone. Skim the fat. Jamaican oxtail with butter beans, Italian coda alla vaccinara, Korean kkori-gomtang, oxtail soup.

What it tastes like

The most gelatinous, luxurious braise there is.

People often ask

Why so expensive now: it used to be a throwaway. Caribbean and Asian home cooking made it sought after.

Worth knowing

Oxtail soup was a Victorian British staple and the canned version is still sold there.

Try this

Jamaican oxtail: brown, braise with allspice, thyme, scotch bonnet, soy, brown sugar; butter beans in the last 20 min.

Nutrition

Per 4 oz raw. Typical USDA values for this cut, not measured on this package. Bone is a large share of the weight.

What it is

Frozen beef feet, for gelatin-rich stock and cow foot soup.

What it is

Frozen beef heart. Lean, steak-like when trimmed and sliced.

What it is

Frozen beef kidney.

What it is

Grass-fed ground chuck from local Maine farms, sold by the pound.

People often ask

It comes from two Maine farms, Hines Clan in Bradford and Spear Farm in Nobleboro. Leaner and beefier, cook it a little less.

Worth knowing

Local grass-fed beef from Hines Clan Farm in Bradford and Spear Farm in Nobleboro.

What it is

Whole inside round with the cap removed, so less trim for the buyer, which is why it costs more per lb than the regular inside round.

What it is

Frozen pork bones for stock.

What it is

Bone-in primal holding both the strip and the tenderloin, the section T-bones and porterhouses are cut from.

What it is

Frozen beef tripe.