Beef Cuts

Grades of Beef

Prime: Highest designation, highly marbled
Choice: for low fat cuts, nearly indistinguishable from prime
Select: Much leaner than prime or choice; still tender; not as juicy or flavorful as higher grades

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Stewing Cuts of Beef

Chuck
Brisket
Flap meat (a.k.a. sirloin tip)- weighs 2-3 pounds
Round (bottom round is best; eye of round is leanest and has tendency to dry out)
Short Ribs- $2.79 on sale at New Grand Mart

Steak-House Cuts of Beef

Ribeye
Strip
Tenderloin
T-bone
Porterhouse

Butcher or Chef Cuts

Hanger Steak
Skirt Steak
Flank Steak
Short Ribs
Tri-Tip
Flap Meat (aka Sirloin Tip)

Beef Roasts

Rib Roast
Top Sirloin Roast
Tenderloin
Chuck Eye Roast

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Chuck Eye

Sale Price: $4.99
Not a lean cut of beef
Rich flavor similar to Rib Eye, but costs less
Tougher cut
Great for grilling or pot roasts
Don't cook it well done
Recipes
- All American Pot Roast
  - anchovy fillets
  - Marmite (optional)
  - dry red wine
  - potatoe
- Short Rib Chili with Beans
  - jalapeno
  - anchovy fillets
  - Marmite
  - ancho, pasilla, or mulato chiles
  - New Mexico red, California, costeo, or choricero chiles
  - casabel, arbol, or pequin chiles
  - 28 oz crushed tomatoes

*Flat Iron Steak (a.k.a. Top Blade Steak)

3 out of 4 for tenderness
3 out of 4 for flavor
Ranked #2 most tender
Sale Price: $6.99 (Regularly priced at $7.99)
Grass Fed Price: $12.77
Not a lean cut of beef
Can be grilled, broiled, braised, pan fried, or marinated
Can be used in stir-fries, kebabs, or stews
Slice on the bias to serve

*Flank

2 out of 4 for tenderness; 7/10 for tenderness
3 out of 4 for flavor; 5/10 for flavor
Ranked #7 for tenderness
Price: $9.99
Lean cut of beef
Sale Price: $6.99 (Regular: $7.99)
Very flavorful but slightly chewy
Should not be cooked past medium
Similar to skirt steak
Common in fajitas and Asian stir fries
Slice thinly to serve
Grill, pan-sear, broil, or braise; most often marinated (or grilled and then cut across the grain)
Doesn't soak up marinades as well as hanger or skirt, but still worth marinating
Requires either super-slow or super-fast cook to become chewable
Recipes
- Steak House Style Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
  - anchovies
  - marmite (optional)
  - fresh chives
  - shallot
- Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas
  - ancho chiles (optional)
  - guajillo chiles (optional)
  - 1 each- red, yellow, green bell pepper
  - jalapeno (for pico de gallo)
  - cilantro (for pico de gallo
- Beef Shwarma
  - red onion
  - garlic
  - red wine
  - tahini
- Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce
  - rice wine or dry sherry
  - Asian chile paste/sauce
  - fresh ginger
  - broccoli
  - green onion
- Chipotle Marinated Steak
  - orange juice
  - dates
  - garlic
- Beef Satay
  - fresh ginger
  - fresh garlic

Hanger Steak (8 oz each)

7/10 for tenderness
8/10 for flavor
pan-sear or grill to at least a medium-rare or medium
best cooked to medium (or to 125-130 degrees before resting) and then thinly sliced
high heat is relatively essential since they are thine
Recipes
- Pan-Seared Hanger Steak with Herb and Garlic Marinade
  - garlic
  - fresh parsley
  - fresh thyme
- Steak House Style Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
  - shallot
  - fresh chives
  - marmite (optional)
  - anchovies
- Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas
  - ancho chiles (optional)
  - guajillo chiles (optional)
  - 1 each- red, yellow, green bell pepper
  - jalapeno (for pico de gallo)
  - cilantro (for pico de gallo)
- Cooler-Cooked Hanger Steak with Chimichurri
  - fresh thyme
  - shallots
  - fresh parsley
  - fresh cilantro
  - fresh oregano

Skirt Steak

2 out of 4 for tenderness; 6/10 for tenderness
3 out of 4 for flavor; 7/10 for flavor
Ranked #10 for tenderness
Walmart Price: $8.62
$7.99 on sale at Martin's
Not a lean cut of beef
Similar to flank steak in flavor but slightly tougher
Especially beefy taste
Good option for fajitas, but can also be cooked whole
Grill, pan-sear, or stir-fry; absorbs marinades well but doesn't need them
Very thin -> High heat is essential to brown without over cooking
Cook over the highest heat possible from start to finish
Recipes
- Steak House Style Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
  - anchovies
  - marmite (optional)
  - fresh chives
  - shallot
- Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas
  - ancho chiles (optional)
  - guajillo chiles (optional)
  - 1 each- red, yellow, green bell pepper
  - jalapeno (for pico de gallo)
  - cilantro (for pico de gallo)
- Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce
  - garlic
  - rice wine or dry sherry
  - Asian chile paste/sauce
  - fresh ginger
  - broccoli
  - green onion
- Beef Satay
  - fresh ginger
  - fresh garlic

*Tip Sirloin (a.k.a. Flap Meat)- 2-3 pounds

2 out of 4 for tenderness; 6/10 for tenderness
3 out of 4 for flavor; 6/10 for flavor
Sale Price: $3.99 for roast ~3 pounds (Regularly Priced $5.99)
Sale Price: $6.99 (Regularly Priced $8.49)
Walmart Price: $6.42
Sale Price at Aldi: $2.99-$3.99
Lean cut of beaf
More affordable than top sirloin; leaner too
Should be marinated before cooking because it is lean and can become dry
Cook: grill, pan sear, pan roast, stir fry, kebabs, or simmer in soups/stews
Slice thinly against the grain after cooking
Recipes
- Grilled Skirt Steak Fajitas
  - ancho chiles (optional)
  - guajillo chiles (optional)
  - 1 each- red, yellow, green bell pepper
  - jalapeno (for pico de gallo)
  - cilantro (for pico de gallo)
- Steak House Style Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
  - anchovies
  - marmite (optional)
  - fresh chives
  - shallot
- Shish Kebab
  - garlic
- Sirloin Kebobs
  - mushrooms
  - red onion
  - grape tomatoes
- Beef Satay
  - fresh ginger
  - fresh garlic

**Strip Steak (a.k.a. Top Sirloin, Top Loin, NY Sirloin, Shell, Sirloin Strip Steak, Sirloin Butt, Top Butt, Center-Cut Roast, Top Round First Cut, Top Round Steak Roast)

2-3 out of 4 for tenderness; 8/10 for tenderness
2-4 out of 4 for flavor; 6-7/10 for flavor
Ranked #3-9 for tenderness
Kroger Price: $11.49 or $8.49 for family pack (Sale Price: $5.99)
Walmart Price: $5.82-8.37 ($6.86-9.57 for choice cuts)
Grass Fed Price: $11.96-15.96
Aldi Sale Price: $4.99 for top sirloin, $5.39 or $8.49
very tender and juicy
no heavy marbling
lean cut of beef
Basically, the thick side of the T-bone
Pleasantly chewy texture and big beefy flavor
Lean, tender, and flavorful (classic steak-house cut)
Essentially, a T-bone steak with the tenderloin meat removed
Grill, pan-sear, or broil; salt/seasoning and a hot grill is all you need
Recipes
- Quick and Easy Pan Seared Steaks
  - shallots
  - fresh thyme
- Shish Kebab
  - garlic
- Sirloin Kebabas
  - mushrooms
  - red onion
  - grape tomatoes
- Mushroom Beef Skewers- mushrooms, zucchini

Bottom Sirloin (a.k.a. Tri-Tip)

5/10 for tenderness
4/10 for flavor
Less tender than top sirloin
Great with dry rubs and hot grills
Skillet, grill, broil, roast
Season generously and serve with flavorful sauce

Chuck Arm Steak

Ideal for Kebabs and Stews
Perfect for braising (grilling not recommended)
Tends to get tough
Recipes
- Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
  - red wine
  - beef stock
  - potatoes
  - celery

Shoulder Steak (a.k.a. Chuck Steak)

2 out of 4 for tenderness
2 out of 4 for flavor
Price: $5.99
Walmart Price: $6.86
Relatively lean with a moderately beefy flavor
Can be a bit tough; slice thinly after cooking
Grill or pan-roast

Rib Eye Steak

3 out of 4 for tenderness; 7/10 for tenderness
4 out of 4 for flavor; 9/10 for flavor
Ranked #6 for tenderness
Kroger Price: $11.49 (Sale Price for Choice Value Pack: $6.99, Sale Price: $6.99-7.99, Sale Price for Choice: $8.99)
Walmart Price: $9.86-10.26 ($10.86-11.26 for choice cuts)
Sale Price for Aldi: $5.99 (roast), $9.49
Not a lean cut of beef
Essentially, a boneless piece of prime rib
pricey
remarkably juicy, rich flavor
tender and juicy with pronounced beefiness
grill, pan-sear, or broil; use a dry rub
Recipes
- Quick and Easy Pan Seared Steaks
  - shallots
  - fresh thyme

Tenderloin Steak (a.k.a. Filet Mignon)

4 out of 4 for tenderness; 10/10 for tenderness
1 out of 4 for flavor; 2/10 for flavor
Ranked #1 most tender
Kroger Price: $22.99 ($9.99 sale price)
Walmart Price: $17.83
Lean cut of beef
Most tender and most expensive of all cuts
Grill, pan-sear, or broil
Cooks faster because it is leaner; prone to drying out
Grill while whole and then cut into steaks; Pair with flavorful sauces

**T-Bone Steak

3 out of 4 for tenderness
4 out of 4 for flavor
Ranked #5 for tenderness
Kroger Price: $10.49 (Kroger Sale Price: $5.99-$7.99)
Manager Special Price: $8.24
Walmart Price: $9.86-10.26 ($10.86 for choice cuts)
Lean cut of beaf
Contains bone, strip, and tenderloin
Grill, pan-sear, or broil (pan-searing is difficult since irregularly shaped); meat speaks for itself--just give it a dry rub
Position so that the tenderloin is the farthest from the heat source

Porterhouse Steak

3 out of 4 for tenderness
4 out of 4 for flavor
Ranked #4 for tenderness
Walmart Price: $11.36
Not a lean cut of beef
Essentially, just a huge T-Bone steak with a larger tenderloin section
Grill, pan-sear, or broil (pan searing is difficult since irregularly shaped); meat speaks for itself--just give it a dry rub
Position so that the tenderloin is the farthest from the heat source

Round Steak (a.k.a. Top Round, London Broil)

Ranked #8 for tenderness
Eye round, bottom round, and top round connected in a single cut
Top round:
- Price: $5.99
- one of the toughest and leanest cuts
- popular for jerky and stew
- braising or slow roasting; often marinated
- Recipes
  - Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
    - garlic
    - red wine
    - beef stock
    - potatoes
    - celary
Bottom round:
- Walmart Price: $6.24
- requires tenderization or long cooking times to reach its peak flavor
- lean cut of beef
Eye round steak:
- Walmart Price: $5.96-6.99
- lean cut of beef
I used chuck top round steak in spirals recipe. The flavor was delicious, but it was a bit tough.

Short Ribs

6/10 for tenderness
10/10 for flavor
High in fat, take longer to cook
Grill or pan-sear
Recipes
- Short Rib Chili with Beans
  - jalapeno
  - anchovy fillets
  - Marmite
  - ancho, pasilla, or mulato chiles
  - New Mexico red, California, costeo, or choricero chiles
  - casabel, arbol, or pequin chiles
  - 28 oz crushed tomatoes

Rib Roast (Prime Rib)

7/10 for tenderness
9/10 for flavor
ribs 6-9; "small end" "first cut" "loin end"; tend to be leaner
ribs 10-12; "large end" "chuck end" "blade end" "second cut"; chewier and slightly better flavor; includes the NY strip, rib-eye, and Delmonico steaks
plan on 1 pound per person
Sale: $8.99 (or $5.99 with coupon)
Recipes
- Roasted Prime Rib

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Chuck

5/10 for tenderness
6/10 for flavor
Walmart Price: $5.86-6.26
Not a lean cut of beef; High fat content
Flavorful and balanced
Extremely fatty and full of connective tissue
Tendency to fall apart when roasted
Best cooked slowly in liquid; pot roast
Recipes
- All American Pot Roast with Gravy
  - anchovy fillets
  - Marmite
  - tomato paste
  - red wine

Brisket

Price: $6.99
Lean cut of beef
Very tough
Requires long, slow cooking to tenderize; pot roast
Recipes
- Beef Brisket with Merlot and Prunes
  - red wine
  - prune juice
- Oven Barbecued Brisket

Shank

toughest cut
requires long, slow cooking
popular cut for beef stew

Lamb Cuts

Leg of Lamb

New Zealant/ Australia
- small in size
- leg 5-6 pounds
- grass fed
- more gamey flavor
- lower in fat
- not as tender or rich
- more affordable than American
American
- larger, fattier, sweeter
- grass fed but not grass finished
- larger protective layer of fat around the legs
- better marbling
- richer flavor, more similar to a steak
- juicier
- leg can weigh ~15 pounds
- more expensive than import
Two ends
- shank end
  - part near the ankle
  - slightly more flavorful
- sirloin end
  - part near the hip
  - fattier and more tender than the shank end
can be roasted
includes shank and sirloin
Boneless Lamb: $6.49 (Aldi)
Bone-In Lamb Leg Shank: $5.99 (Aldi)
Boneless Australia Lamb: $4.99 (Martins)
Semi-Boneless Leg Lamb: $3.99 (Martins)
Recipes
- Slow Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb with Garlic, Rosemary, and Anchovies
  - garlic
  - fresh rosemary
  - anchovy fillets
- Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Cumin and Fennel

Rack of Lamb

good for roasting
$10.99
Recipes
- Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb
  - fresh thyme
  - shallot

Sirloin Chop

inexpensive
can be grilled or broiled

Stew Meat/ Lamb Shoulder

stew meat from the shoulder is best, because it becomes very tender during braising
Recipes
- Middle Eastern Lamb Stew
  - Garlic
  - Fresh spinach

Rib Chops

FILL IN

Square-Cut Shoulder

pronounced sweetness
less tender
good for slow roasting or braising

Loin Chops

consist of loin and tenderloin
leanest, tenderest, and priciest
good for cooking on grill or under broiler (carmelized crust and pink center)

Top Round

1-2 pounds
full flavor of tougher cuts
tender enough to be grilled or pan-roasted

Arm Shoulder Top

inexpensive
can be marinated and pan-fried, broiled medium-rare, or braised in red wine and herbs

Fore Shank

muscular bottom portion of leg
good for slow braises that require rich flavor, such as North African tagines
long cooking makes it tender
takes well to bright-tasting garnishes or sweet ones

Neck Slices

inexpensive
full of flavor
stews, braises, ragus, and other slow-cooked dishes