Many of us cook meat regularly and also for special occasions. It’s very important to use the correct cut of meat for the cooking method.
As a general rule, more tender expensive cuts of meat can be roasted, fried or grilled, while cheaper cuts are tougher and need long slow cooking with liquid to bring out the rich deep flavour and to ensure they are tender.
Braising Steak is from the front half of the animal and contains more muscle, so it needs to be cooked gently to tenderise it. Slow cooking is the best method, either in the oven or on the hob, with liquid and usually vegetables, the meat becomes deliciously tender.
Brisket, a cut taken from just below the shoulder, is a fairly firm cut of beef that tenderises during long, slow cooking. It is usually cooked in one piece on the hob or in the oven for 30-40 minutes per 450g plus 30-40 minutes (check your recipe for specific cooking instructions and timings).
Fillet is very tender and is cut from the centre of the sirloin along the back of the animal. A boneless beef fillet joint may be stuffed and roasted whole. It is also sold cut into individual steaks. Fillet steaks are lean and tender steaks cut across the sirloin.
Minced Beef is chuck steak, from the front shoulders of the cow, and flank, from the cow’s belly. It will also probably include trimmings of meat from steaks, roasting joints and other more expensive cuts. Neck is generally sold as stewing steak. Long slow cooking in liquid results in lots of flavour.
Oxtail cut from the tail of the animal is a tasty, old-fashioned cut that benefits from long, slow braising to release its full flavour.
Ribs and rib-eye steak – Ribs are kept together to make a roasting joint or cut into individual ribs to serve two people. The centre of the rib is called the ‘rib-eye’. This can be filleted off the bone then cut into ‘rib-eye’ steaks, which have a marble of fat in the middle and can be fried, grilled or barbecued. Boned and rolled or bone-in rib of beef is a tender tasty joint cut from above the brisket; it is also known as fore rib.
Short Ribs, also called braising ribs, are rectangular sandwiches of fat, meat, and bone that are often cut into 7cm sections. The meat between the rib bones is very heavily marbled, so is full of flavour, but as it is tough, it’s best to slowly braise them.
Rump Steak is a tender cut from the rump of the animal, which is quick to cook depending on the thickness of the steak and how well cooked you like your steak.
Shin is usually taken from the front of legs and is the toughest cut of beef. But when cooked slowly in a stew, it becomes meltingly soft and delicious.
Silverside is a lean boneless cut of meat that comes from the hindquarters of the animal. Silverside is a versatile cut and can be roasted, pot roasted or braised.
Sirloin is a prime roasting joint, with very tender meat. Sirloin steaks are cut from the end of the sirloin. Porterhouse steak is prepared from the 3-bone rib section of the sirloin. The name comes from the time when it was served in public alehouses that also served a dark beer called porter.
T-bone Steak is cut from the middle section of the short loin and is usually grilled or fried.
Thin Flank is often known as Skirt and has plenty of fat marbling, which makes it moist and flavoursome.
Top Rump, also known as thick flank, is a very lean cut that tenderises during long, slow cooking methods.
Topside from the hindquarter is a lean, tender joint, which is available boned and rolled for roasting. To retain its moisture it should be barded (covered in a layer of fat) with beef dripping, olive oil or butter before roasting for best results.