What Are the Nine Meat Cuts? (9 Meat Pieces Explained)

Knowing the nine cuts of meat is a valuable ability for any cook or butcher. It helps you seem knowledgeable and knowledgeable whether shopping for meat or serving clients.

Since not all slices of meat are scored similarly, knowing how to recognize each cut of meat will help you obtain better bargains when purchasing meat. So what are the nine beef cuts? The cut of meat differs from animal to animal. This tutorial will concentrate on cow flesh (beef).

Chuck, short loin, rib, sirloin, brisket, fore shank, short plate, round, and frank are the nine cuts of beef you should always know.

Let’s have a look at them one by one!

What Are the Nine Cuts of Meat?

When we’re talking about beef, the following cow meat cuts are available.

1. Chuck

The chuck is derived from the top portion of the cow, which comprises the neck, brisket, and foreshank, and is engaged in movement, resulting in extremely lean meat.

It is low in fat and may be somewhat harsh. Chuck eye steak, shoulder steak, boneless short ribs, and chuck 7-bone are the most common cuts.

These slices are best pot-roasted rather than roasted or seared since they are just too tough to chew through.

2. Rib

The rib is a piece of meat that runs from the chuck to the short loin. A cow has 13 ribs, and the chuck includes 7 of them; the remaining 6 are in the chuck.

Ribs are excellent for baking or grilling. Ribeye steaks are popular pieces of meat that perform well when cooked in the oven.

Ribeye steak is a particularly nice cut of meat because it includes a good mix of muscle and fat, which results in taste and juiciness.

3. Short Loin

This part comprises the upper to middle region of the cow and is another excellent steak cut. This category also includes tenderloin cuts. The short loin is ideal for roasting.

4. Sirloin

This is another cut seen on the top half of the cow, just beyond the short loin. The sirloin is divided into three primary cuts: top sirloin steak, tri-tip steak, and tri-tip roast. Tri-tip steak is comparable to tenderloin steak, however the quality is worse.

A Tri-tip roast, as the name suggests, is best roasted, but top sirloin steak is best pan-fried as long as it is not overdone.

5. Brisket

It may be found in the cow’s front and bottom sections, immediately below the chuck. The cut is very tough and yields a brisket flat cut. This stage is really difficult, and if you don’t have much expertise cooking this sort of meat, it may be challenging for you.

Since this cut is rough, it should be cooked for a longer amount of time over low heat. Brisket is often used to produce delectable pastrami.

6. Fore Shank

This section is located under the front legs, behind the brisket. It is composed of muscles and tendons and works well as a grilled or fried pan steak.

Braising is the finest way to prepare this cut since a lengthy show cook is just what you need to get the meat soft enough to cook.

7. Short Plate

The short plate cut is immediately beneath the cow’s belly. The short plate is lengthy and runs from the forelimbs to just before the rear legs, despite its name. These slices are exceedingly tough and may be quite flavorful.

This region is known for its skirt and hanger steaks, which are finest when braised and cooked for an extended period of time.

8. Round

The circular part is made up of the cow’s back end. It is likewise a harder cut of meat, and like the chuck, it is best when roasted and used in stews or any cuisine that will keep for a long period.

Since it is lean and simple to grind, butchers utilize this meat cut to make hamburgers.

9. Flank

This is the last primal piece of flesh, located below the short plate between the rear legs. Flank steak is made from the flank cut and, if cooked correctly, may be just as tasty as ribeye while costing less.

Flank steaks are ideally marinated overnight to help tenderize the meat before cooking. It is usually best grilled or pan-fried.

Why Is It Important to Know the Different Cuts of Meat?

Whether you buy a whole, half, or quartered chunk, knowing where your meat is situated in an animal is crucial since recognizing your sections of meat allows you to know the best part that matches your dish.

What Part of Meat Is the Ham?

This limb is derived from the hind leg of a hog. That is a pig cut of meat that was not addressed previously since we were discussing the cow cut of meat.

Conclusion

Now that we’ve covered the nine slices of meat, it’s crucial to know that the pieces of meat discussed above are for a cow. Various animals’ cuts are referred to in different ways.

Pig meat pieces include pork shoulder, pork belly, pork loin, pork butt (also known as ham), and finally, the head, while chicken meat cuts include drumsticks, wing, thigh, and breast.

Hence, if a foreshank or brisket isn’t listed while shopping for hog meat, don’t be alarmed; those animal portions aren’t reoffered in that fashion.