Front Quarter Cuts of Beef

Click on a section of the Front Quarter to view the cut of meat processed from this Section of Beef.
At the bottom of this page, you will find a text description of each cut of the hind quarter and cooking tips for each cut!

Beef Steaks Different Names

Interactive Beef  Hind Quarter Cuts Page

To learn how to cook the various cuts of beef on the hind quarter, check out the beef cooking times.

There are 5 Grades of Beef:

Prime Grade - is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. Only 2% of the beef in the U.S. is graded Prime. It has abundant marbling and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels. Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for dry-heat cooking (i.e., roasting, broiling, and grilling).

· Choice Grade - is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful and are, like Prime, suited to dry-heat cooking. Many of the less tender cuts, such as those from the rump, round, and blade chuck, can also be cooked with dry heat, but be careful not to overcook them. Using a meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking and assures a safe internal temperature: 145 ° F is medium rare; 160 ° F, medium; and 170 ° F, well done.

Choice Grade is also subdivided further by Yield Grades.
Yield Grade 1 is the best.
Yield Grade 5 is the "Least" best.

· Select Grade - is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades. Only the tender cuts (loin, rib, sirloin) should be cooked with dry heat. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or cooked with moisture to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor.

· Standard and Commercial grades – frequently are sold as ungraded or as "store brand" meat.

· Utility, Cutter, and Canner grades - are seldom, if ever, sold at retail but are used instead to make ground beef and processed products.

Find almost every recipe and fact for Beef Steaks at

The following website, YellowSheet.com, has a picture of every cut available on the front quarter!  Very informative and quick loading.

Another excellent site about the different cuts of beef AND how to cook them with many recipes provided for each cut of beef!

To learn how to cook the various cuts of beef on the hind quarter, check out the beef cooking times page.

Brisket

Traditionally used for corned beef, brisket is chewy and tough, and should be prepared with moist heat. The best preparation methods for fresh brisket are stewing, braising, and pot-roasting.

Brisket First Cut - This is a leaner cut of the brisket, for those who want the flavor but not the fat of a brisket pot roast.
Brisket Front Cut - Fork tender and wonderfully succulent, a pot roast made with this cut cannot be beat!

Foreshank - A wonderful stew meat.

Plate

This is a very tough section of the animal. It is best used for stew meat, where its rich, beefy flavor can be appreciated. Do not expect it to become especially tender, no matter how long it is cooked.

Chuck

Meat is muscle. Meat that has been heavily exercised tends to be tough, and chuck fits this description. However, chuck does have a saving grace. There is a lot of connective tissue in this area, in particular collagen. Collagen melts during cooking, making the meat intensely flavorful. Cuts from this area benefit from slow wet cooking methods, such as stewing, braising, or pot-roasting.

Blade Roast - This inexpensive cut lies next to the ribs, and is more tender than most chuck. It makes an excellent roast. Alternatively, you can be cut the roast into a rib-eye steak, and use the meat above and below the bone for stir-fry dishes.

Chuck Steak - A good choice for kabobs if well marinated

Ribs

The ribs are tender and flavorful, and can be cooked in a number of ways - roasted, sauteed, pan-fried, broiled, or grilled.

Rib Roast - Available with the bone, known as a standing rib roast, or without the bone for convenient slicing. It is one of the best choices for dry roasting. A 7 bone prime rib roast can be quite a hefty addition to the dinner table. It is great for a crowd, but for a small family of 3 or 4 a bone roast will do. If you can't find what you want at the supermarket, you can ask the butcher to cut it to order.

Rib Steak - Cut from the rib section, these tender steaks can be purchased bone in or as boneless rib-eye.

Last Updated:  Wednesday, February 10, 2016 03:19 PM