Beef is divided into large sections called primal cuts, which you can see in the beef cuts chart above. These beef primal cuts, or "primals," are then broken down further into subprimals, or "foodservice cuts," and then into individual steaks and other retail cuts.
A side of beef is literally one side of the beef carcass that is split through the backbone. Each side is then halved between the 12th and 13th ribs into sections called the forequarter and hindquarter.
The most tender cuts of beef, like the rib and tenderloin, are the ones furthest from the horn and the hoof. By contrast, the shoulder and leg muscles are worked the most, which makes them tougher.
Chuck
Consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade and upper arm, beef chuck yields tough but very flavorful cuts of meat with a good deal of connective tissue. This makes it a good choice for making braised dishes like beef stew or pot roast. Because of its fat content, beef chuck is also excellent for making ground beef.
The classic 7-bone roast comes from the beef chuck, as do the increasingly popular flat iron steak and Denver steak.
By convention, the beef chuck is separated from the rib primal between the 5th and 6th ribs. What this means is that it also contains a few inches of the longissimus dorsi muscle, which is the same tender muscle from which ribeye steaks are made.
Price: Chuck steak usually goes for between $4 and $8 per pound. Plan to buy at least a pound per person for a good meal.
Rib
Made from the top part of the center section of rib, specifically the 6th through the 12th ribs, the beef rib primal cut is used for the traditional standing rib roast (sometimes referred to as prime rib). It's also the source of the popular ribeye steak as well as the classic French entrecôte.
Because it's so tender, steaks and roasts from the beef rib primal are well suited for various forms of dry-heat cooking. See How to Roast Meat and How to Cook a Steak.
It's nearly impossible to describe a given beef primal cut without discussing the ones adjacent to it. In this case, the beef rib primal is situated directly above the beef plate, and precisely where it's divided is somewhat arbitrary. Nevertheless, the lower parts of those ribs (whether we attribute them to the rib primal or the plate primal) are where beef short ribs come from.
Price: Prime rib usually goes for between $8 and $12 per pound. Again, plan to buy at least a pound per person for a good meal.
Plate
Also called the short plate (or "long plate" depending on where it's separated from the rib primal above it), the beef plate primal includes the short ribs and the skirt steak, which is used for making carne asada.
Skirt steak is the diaphragm muscle, and it's attached to the inside abdominal wall by a system of thick connective tissue which needs to be carefully trimmed away. Skirt steak is extremely flavorful, and it's a thin piece of meat, which allows you to cook it very quickly over high heat. Just don't overcook it. And because it has coarse muscle fibers, be sure to slice it against the grain or it'll be chewy.
Beef plate contains a lot of cartilage, especially around the ribs, which is why beef short ribs are ideal for braising, as the process of cooking with moist heat at a low temperature will dissolve cartilage and turn it into gelatin.
It’s generally fatty and tough, but it does yield two gems: the skirt and hanger steaks.
Price: Skirt $6-$8 per pound. Hanger steaks don’t come cheap. You can easily pay $30 per pound for one, so maybe share a steak between the two of you.
Brisket
Beef brisket is the cut of meat from a cow’s breast or lower chest.
A brisket is another tough cut frequently used for making pot roast. Beef brisket is also the traditional choice for making corned beef.
Price: Brisket should cost around $6 $8 per pound. Plan to serve one pound per person.
Shank
The beef shank is the leg of the animal, and is extremely tough and full of connective tissue. (Note also that each side of beef has two shanks, one in the forequarter and one in the hindquarter.) Beef shank is used in making the luxurious Italian dish osso buco.
Price: If you pay any more than $4 per pound for beef shanks, you’re being ripped off. A pound per person, again, is a good rule of thumb to follow when serving.
Short Loin
Beef short loin is where we get many of the most desirable cuts of meat, including T-bone and porterhouse steaks, as well as the strip loin or strip steak.
The tenderloin, which is the tenderest cut of beef, extends from the short loin back into the sirloin, which is the adjacent primal cut, toward the rear of the animal.
The short loin is only about 16 to 18 inches long, so it will yield anywhere from 11 to 14 steaks, depending on thickness.
The first cut steaks from the short loin, starting at the rib end and working toward the rear, are club steaks, or bone-in strip steaks. The center-cut steaks are T-bones, of which there may be six or seven. Finally, there are usually only two or three porterhouse steaks at the sirloin end.
Note that if the tenderloin is removed, there can be no T-bones or porterhouse, since both of these steaks have a section of the tenderloin muscle in them. You can read a lot more about the beef short loin.
Dry-heat cooking is best for the tender cuts from the short loin.
Price: Porterhouse steaks don’t come cheap. Expect to pay nearly $1 per ounce for these gems. So a meal for two could easily cost around $40.
Sirloin
Beef Sirloin:
Beef sirloin is another relatively tender cut, but as we move toward the rear leg of the animal, the muscles do get a bit tougher. Still, a first cut sirloin steak, sometimes called a pin-bone steak because it includes a section of the hip bone, is very similar to a porterhouse steak.
Other parts of the sirloin include the sirloin butt and tri-tip, both of which are good choices for roasting or barbecuing.
Price: Anywhere from $2 and $4 per pound is a good price for a top sirloin roast. Again, expect to feed each person on a pound of uncooked meat.
Beef Tenderloin:
The most tender cut of beef, the beef tenderloin is found within the loin, and is where we get filet mignon, which is made from the very tip of the pointy end of the tenderloin (as seen above). Chateaubriand is made from the center cut of the tenderloin.
Now, the tenderloin extends from the short loin into the sirloin. The pointy end is actually situated in the short loin, and the section in the sirloin is sometimes called the butt tenderloin. Even so, butchers will often remove the whole tenderloin and sell it whole, or as individual steaks and roasts.
Beef tenderloin should only be cooked using dry heat methods such as grilling and broiling.
Flank
Though often grilled, beef flank can be tough when prepared this way, which is why it is usually marinated first. Beef flank is much better suited for braising or for making ground beef.
Price: A flank is a decent buy at $4 per pound, but its price has risen dramatically in the past few years. Buy a pound per person.
Round
The beef round primal cut basically consists of the back leg of the steer. The round is a fairly lean cut, but also tough, since the leg muscle gets a lot of exercise.
Beef round is best prepared using moist-heat, and it's a good choice for making pot roast. Subprimal cuts taken from the round include the top round (or inside round), eye round and bottom round. Beef round is traditionally where we get cube steak.
Price: Eye of round, which is one of the best round roasts, can cost up to $5 per pound. Budget one pound per person.
Types of Beef Steaks:
Choosing the correct cut of meat is very important when grilling. Some of the best steaks for grilling are the premium cuts. Thickness of the steak is very important. Each cut should be between 1 inch and 1 ½ inches thick. The strip steaks and top sirloin should be a little less expensive than the filet mignon, t-bone, porterhouse, and rib eye.
Filet Mignon
The filet mignon is a stylish cut taken from the heart of the beef tenderloin that has outstanding taste as well as texture. They're the most tender steaks you can buy, though not the most flavorful. Also known as: Tenderloin Tournedos Chateaubriand Beef Medallion
New York Strip
The New York strip is such an excellent cut for grilling, many grilling experts refer to it as the "ultimate" steak for cooking out. Also know as: Strip Loin Shell Steak Kansas City Strip New York Strip Steak
Rib Eye
Another classic cut, the rib eye has marbling throughout the meat - making it one of the juiciest cuts as well as very tender. Also know as: Scotch Fillet Delmonico Steak
Porterhouse
The Porterhouse is a very large steak that is actually a combination of two steaks: the New York strip on one side and a tender filet on the other. Many believe these to be the best of all steaks. Also know as: T-Bone Short Loin
T-Bone
Named for its distinguishing T-shaped bone, this choice cut is almost identical to a Porterhouse steak, only it doesn't have as much of the tenderloin muscle in it. The T-bone steak is a succulent cut that is a favorite of steak fans. It is both a strip sirloin (with the bone) and a tender filet mignon. Also know as: Short Loin Porterhouse Club Steak
Top Sirloin
The sirloin is near the rump, so the meat's a bit tougher than cuts from the loin or the rib. The top sirloin is a juicy cut taken from the center of the sirloin - the most tender part - and a great cut for grilling.
