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An Easy Guide To Never Mistake Cuts of Beef Again

Need help understanding cuts of beef?
Can’t figure out which cuts are best for grilling and which ones are best for stew?
Ever stand in the grocery and look at all the different names on the fresh beef packages?
Or worse, buy and prepare fresh beef and then not be able to chew it?

Well then (I’m assuming your answer was “yes” to at least one of the above questions), use the handy chart shown below for reference next time you shop for beef. It shows the different cuts of beef along with preferred cooking methods for each cut of beef.

How to read the Beef Cuts Chart:
If a covered pot (whether it be blue, tan or purple on the chart) is shown underneath your intended cut of beef you better make sure you have all afternoon to slow cook that piece of beef. If, on the other hand, the red grill square is shown underneath your cut of beef then you should be assured a tender main dish without much fuss or time involved in the marinating or cooking process.

Cuts of Beef

Part of the Problem

Cuts of beef can be deceiving since it is hard to tell just by looking if the meat will be tough or tender once prepared. Tenderness of beef depends upon the area of the animal from which it was cut along with how you prepare it once purchased. Yes, you should also look for a gentle marble (some specks of white fat running through the red meat) and avoid large strands of muscle or fat in the piece you choose. The most important step in cooking beef is to buy the proper cut of beef for your intended cooking method. If you overcook a tender cut, it can become almost as tough as undercooking a tough cut of beef. Likewise, you can turn a tough cut into a melt-in-your-mouth delight with the proper cooking for that cut of beef.

The general rule is that the better the cut of beef, the more expensive the meat and the less time needed to properly cook the meat. Browse the above chart for all the details on all cuts of beef.

Now maybe luck will be on your side when choosing the best cuts of beef for your next meal.

To find out how long other foods are good for, please visit the Dairy, Drinks, Fruits, Grains, Proteins, Vegetables and Other sections of Eat By Date or use the search function below.