Bullish on Beef

Rib. The rib section, located just behind the shoulder or chuck, is not a well exercised part of the animal. That means it is tender and well-marbled, so save your marinades. The rib produces our rib roast and ribeye steaks.

The Short Loin. Located just behind the ribs, this section produces the tenderest and most valuable cuts of beef. Cuts from the loin require very little work to taste exquisite. Dry cooking works best. From here comes the Tenderloin, also known as filet mignon and the Marshall John’s Strip Steak.

Sirloin. The sirloin is located at the mid-part of the hindquarters and contains parts of both the backbone and the hip bone. Sirloin cuts are flavorful, tender, and lean—though a touch less tender than short loin cuts. Cuts from the sirloin include the Top Sirloin Steak and the Sirloin Tip Steak. All sirloin cuts are particularly delicious using dry-heat cooking methods.

Round. The round is a kind word for the rear end. Since those muscles are well exercised, round cuts tends to be a bit less tender but more lean than loin cuts. But thanks to a steer's muscle structure, meat from the round is generally more tender than front leg cuts. Round cuts excel with moist heat cooking and can be roasted, as long as they’re not overcooked. Cuts from the round are known for their leanness. They include the tender eye of round and top round steaks.

Brisket and Shank. The brisket and shank are underneath the chuck and encompass the foreleg of the animal. The brisket is fairly tough and fatty but lends itself extremely well to flavorful slow cooking in liquid or smoking.

Chuck. The chuck comes from the shoulder of the animal and yields some of the more flavorful and value-oriented cuts of beef. This is a heavily exercised part of the animal, so the meat tends to be a little less tender, with more connective tissue than other cuts. Chuck cuts become more tender with longer cooking at moderate heat and also benefit from marinating, tenderizing, or being slow cooked in liquids. Chuck cuts include chuck roast, chuck steak, stew meat, and ground chuck.

For more information about beef cuts:
www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/aboutbeef/types.asp  
www.beefcookoff.org/pdf/beef_cuts.pdf  

Marshall John's™ Beef. Reward Yourself.