If you serve beef on your menu, learn the different cuts and what they can be used for. The lesser known cuts are often cheaper and but might need to slow cooked. Your butcher should be able to advise you.
This will enable you to balance your menu to meet your target Gross Profit.
Buying a whole carcass direct from the producer is also often cheaper but you do need the skills in your brigade to butcher it with minimal waste. Consumers like to know where your ingredients come from and the more local the better, so not only will you be reducing your costs but you will also be able to use it as part of your marketing and story.
The Cuts of Beef are as follows, but there may well be regional variations in names of the cuts and the cuts themselves.
Beef Fillet
This also comes from the same area of the animal as Sirloin. Fillet is probably the most prized cut of beef, the fillet is very tender and very lean, as a steak it is suitable for quick cooking under the grill or frying. Larger peices are used for dishes such as Beef Wellington. Other names for cuts of fillet include Filet Mignon, Tenderloin, Tournedos and Chateaubriand.
Brisket
This sold “on the bone” or “boned and rolled” and sometimes salted. This joint is suitable for slow cooking or pot roasting. It is also used for lean mince.
Chuck & Blade
This cut is often sold as Braising Steak. A little more tender than stewing steak. UIt is usually used in casseroles, stews and to braise asit needs slow cooking. Blade steak is also somtimes known as “Flatiron Steak”.
Clod
This is an economical cut. that is flavorsome but a less tender meat. It is cut from the middle of the shoulder, Usually sold as stewing steak or used in burgers. Suitable for slow cooking in stews.
Fore Rib
Sold “Boned and rolled”, “French trimmed” or “On the bone”. Has good marbling throughout the flesh and with excellent fat cover on the outside making for a superb roast. Can also be cut into steaks”Ribeyes” for grilling, frying or BBQ.
Leg & Shin
Best suited for long, slow cooking to breakdown the high proportion of connective tissues and denser fibres and make thick sauces and gravy, it is usually sold as Stewing Steak
Neck
This cut is generally sold as stewing steak. Long and slow cooking will release a good flavor and produce tasty gravy or sauce.
Oxtail
One of the most, flavoursome and inexpensive cuts of beef . Oxtail is most often sold cut into individual vertebra. Long and slow braising will release their excellent rich flavour.
Rump
Although this is a prime cut, it’s often cheaper than fillet or sirloin because it’s not quite as tender. However many say that it has a far superior flavour than sirloin or fillet. Rump is suitable for quick cooking such as frying, stir-fry, grilling or the barbecue.
Silverside & Topside
Silverside was traditionally salted and sold as a boiling joint or salt beef. This very lean piece of meat is now most often sold unsalted as a joint for roasting. Topside is also a very lean joint and , often has a layer of fat tied around it to help baste and keep it moist. It is also suitable for cut into steaks for frying or grilling and in stir-fries.
Sirloin
This is typically sold boned and rolled. A prime cut which is suitable for a classic sunday roast. Sirloin Steak comes from the same area but cut into steaks such as “T”-bone, Porterhouse and Entrecote. Prime cuts which are suitable for grilling, frying, stir-fries and barbecuing.
Thick Flank
This joint is also known as Top Rump good for slow roasting as a joint or braised in pieces. Also sold as “stir fry” strips or flash fry steak.
Thin Flank
Meat from this area is often known as “Skirt”,” Hanger steak” (or “Onglet” in France). It has plenty of fat marbling which makes it moist and flavoursome. This cut is often used in Mexican recipies such as Fajitas. Good for grilling, frying or the BBQ
Thick Rib
This is typically sold as Braising Steak and is more tender than stewing steak. It is ideal for braising, cassrroles and stews.
Thin Rib
This is one of the more dense cuts and is usally sold as beef mince (ground beef).