Guide to Beef Cuts

1kg sirloin or rump of beef

Heat the oven to Gas Mark 7, 220C (2!"#$
%la&e the garli&, pepper an' mustar' in a small bo(l, a'' in the oil an' mi) to a paste$ *ub the mi)ture
all over the beef, then pla&e it in a roasting tin along (ith the &arrots an' onion$ +eason (ith a little salt$
*oast for 2! minutes, then lo(er the heat to Gas Mark , 1,0C (-!0"#$ *oast for another hour for rare
an' 1 hours for me'ium rare$ .ake the meat out of the oven, transfer to a &arving boar', &over (ith
foil an' allo( to rest for 1!/20 minutes before &arving$
TIPS FOR ROASTING BEEF
Let the meat come to room temperature before you cook it.
Roast the beef at a high temperature (240C/fan220C/gas 9, or as high as
your oen !i"" go# for about $% minutes to get the heat through to the centre of
the &oint. 'hen re(uce the temperature to $90C/fan$)0C/gas % an( continue
to roast for $2*$+ minutes per %00g for rare, $)*$, minutes per %00g for
me(ium, or 22*24 minutes per %00g for !e"" (one.
Rest the meat before caring. 'his a""o!s the meat -bres . !hich contract
in the oen . to re"a/ again, so the meat !i"" be more ten(er.
From rib eye to rump steak, sirloin to silverside, get to know your
cuts of beef and what to do with them with Celia Plender's guide
BUYING BEEF
Quantities: When shopping for roasting joints allow 100-175g of raw meat per person
for boneless joints and 225-350g for bone-in joints.
What to look for: Buy your beef from a deent buther if you an and try to get
well matured meat as this will ha!e a lot more fla!our.
" well-aged piee of meat should be dar# red in olour. $t should smell meaty% but not
unpleasant or sour. "ny fat on the meat should be white or ream and feel firm and
wa&y.
IFFERENT !UTS FOR IFFERENT IS"ES
" ow is di!ided into two fore'uarters and two hind'uarters. "s a rule the fore'uarters
are a little tougher than the hind'uarters so uts from that part of the animal are good
for stewing% braising and slow oo#ing as these methods help to tenderise the meat.
(ind'uarter uts are ideal for 'ui#er oo#ing and roasting.
STEWING AN S#OW !OO$ING
Shin
)hin omes from the foreleg and is usually bought in medallions with the bone in or
out. $t*s perfet for rih stews% asseroles or braised dishes.
Re%i&e su''estion: $ate an( Wills)s *e((in' &ie
Brisket
+a#en from the belly and rolled into a joint% bris#et is eonomial and ideal for slow
roasting% or pot roasting with melt-in-the-mouth% tender results.
Re%i&e su''estion: Slo*+roaste( ,eef ,risket
!hu%k an( ,la(e
,hu# and blade ome from the fore ribs. +hey are usually slied or died into hun#s
for stewing or slow oo#ing.
Re%i&e su''estion: Pot roast ,eef
ROASTS
To&si(e-Sil.ersi(e
+a#en from the hind'uarter% topside is lean and !ery tender. +opside and sil!erside are
often sold rolled with a sheet of fat around them to stop the meat from drying out.
)il!erside is slightly tougher than topside% so it an also be used to ma#e salt beef or
orned beef.
Re%i&e su''estion: Roast ,eef *ith all the tri//in's
Ri, of ,eef
-arbled with reamy fat% roast rib eye is a juiy joint as the fat helps to #eep it moist.
.ou an hoose if you want yours bone in or bone out.
Re%i&e su''estion: Roast /ustar( %ruste( ri, of ,eef
Sirloin
(ailing from the hind'uarters% sirloin is usually boned and rolled. $t*s leaner than the
rib eye and ma#es for another !ery tender roast.
Re%i&e su''estion: "u'h)s roaste( sirloin
STEA$
Ri, e0e
,ut from the eye of the fore rib% rib eye stea#s ha!e a little more fat than other
stea#s% whih helps to #eep them moist. +hey*re ideal for har-grilling or frying.
Re%i&e su''estion: Butter roaste( ri, e0e steak
T+,one
,ut aross the bone of the sirloin% +-bone stea#s are fillet on one side and sirloin on the
other% ma#ing them both tender and tasty. +hey wor# well simply fried with a little
seasoning.
Re%i&e su''estion: T+,one steak *ith &arsni& an( *asa,i i%e %rea/
Fillet steak
,onsidered the most lean and tender stea# of all% fillet is ideal for 'ui# oo#ing% and
lends itself well to oo#ing rare in dishes li#e %ar&a%%io.
Re%i&e su''estion: Fillet steak *ith *ater%ress &esto
Ru/&
"lthough rump is a little firmer in te&ture than fillet% it*s said to ha!e more fla!our. $t is
usually 'uite a large stea#% and an be ut into strips or hun#s for frying too.
Re%i&e su''estion: 1a/ie)s steak In(ian St0le
Flank-,a.ette
/lan# is ommonly used for minute stea#s. $t*s heap% tends to ome ut thinly% and
responds well to !ery 'ui# oo#ing. Be areful not to o!eroo# it as it an end up a
little tough. /lan# an also be stewed or braised.
Re%i&e su''estion: Shre((e( ,eef ta%os
$mages and ad!ie pro!ided by EB#E2
.he roun' is the rear leg of the &o($ 0 fre1uentl2 use' mus&le, the meat from this area is lean
but tough$
3ottom *oun'4 5ne area is tougher than the other, an' it6s usuall2 'ivi'e' into t(o smaller
&uts // bottom roun' roast an' rump roast (the en' that &omes to a point#$
3ottom *oun' *oast4 *oasts from the bottom roun'$ 0 bit tough an' best suite' as &orne'
beef or pot roast$ .his is &alle' beef silversi'e in the 78, 9relan', 0ustralia an' :e( ;ealan'$
<2e *oun' *oast=+teak or <2e of the *oun'4 0 boneless roast that looks like ten'erloin, but it
is mu&h tougher$ 7se' as a roast or &ut into steaks$ +teaks &ut from the roast are use' in
ste(s or pro&esse' into &ube steak$ 0lso &alle' breakfast steak, (afer steak, san'i(&h steak,
minute steak$
>on'on 3roil4 .he name of the finishe' 'ish, not the &ut of meat$ 3ut&hers (ill use the name
>on'on 3roil for flank steak, top roun' steak or top bla'e steak$
.op *oun' +teak or 3utterball +teak4 .hi&k steaks from the top of the roun'$ 7suall2 broile',
braise' or &ooke' in li1ui'$
*oun' +teak4 ?er2 lean, but not as ten'er an' @ui&2 as other &uts$ +erve' broile', braise' or
&ooke' in a li1ui'$
*oun' .ip *oast or .ip *oast or +irloin .ip *oast or .ip +irloin *oast4 0 &ut a(a2 from the
sirloin se&tion, this roast is ten'er enough to be oven roaste' or use' as kabobs$ Ahen
trimme' it6s &alle' a trimme' tip roast or ball tip roast$
*oun' .ip +teak4 0 steak &ut from the untrimme' roun' tip roast$
*ump *oast4 Cut from the bottom roun'$ Ahen the bone is left in, it is &alle' a stan'ing rump
roast$
.op *oun' *oast4 0 lean an' fairl2 ten'er &ut as &ompare' to the other &uts from the roun'$
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The meat guide: beef
0ritish beef is regar(e( as some of the best in the !or"(. 'he e/perience an(
kno!"e(ge of the farmers, together !ith our c"imate an( rich pastures, pro(uces
-rst*c"ass meat. 'his gui(e inc"u(es a(ice on ho! to buy an( cook eery cut .
an( some (e"icious recipes to try.
0eef shou"( be hung after s"aughter for an optimum perio( of t!o !eeks,
a"though some prefer to "eae it for four or more. 1anging beef gies the en2ymes
an( bacteria in the meat time to start breaking (o!n the -bres, !hich, in time,
makes the meat more ten(er an( gies it more 3aour. 4t he"ps the meat "ose
moisture . making it better for cooking . an( (arkens the 3esh to a (eep*re(
co"our. 'o ensure you are buying goo( beef, a"!ays buy from a reputab"e butcher
an( (on5t be afrai( to ask ho! "ong the meat has been hung.
BUYING TIPS: W"AT TO #OO$ FOR
0eef from a goo(*6ua"ity, in(epen(ent butcher is more "ike"y to be !orth
eating.
0eef shou"( be (eep, (ark re( in co"our.
Look for marb"ing7 the "itt"e streaks of fat running through the "eaner
musc"e. 8arb"ing enab"es the beef to 9baste5 itse"f from !ithin (uring cooking.
: "ayer of -rm, creamy*!hite fat aroun( the outsi(e of a nice"y marb"e(
&oint is a sign of a proper"y reare(, goo(*6ua"ity anima". :fter it has baste( the
meat an( a((e( 3aour (uring cooking, fat can be (raine( a!ay or cut o;.
<oo(*6ua"ity, proper"y hung beef shou"( "ook (ry an( be s"ight"y sticky an(
yie"(ing to the touch, but not 3abby or !ithout form.
BEEF !UTS
0ecause of a co!5s si2e, it is -rst (ii(e( into four7 t!o fore6uarters an( t!o
hin(6uarters.
'he FOREQUARTER runs from the neck to the "ast rib bone. 'hese musc"es hae
ha( to !ork har(est, so cuts ten( to be "ess ten(er. 'hey re6uire s"o!er metho(s
of cooking, such as ste!ing, braising, mincing an( pot*roasting.
'he NE!$ is usua""y ma(e into best*6ua"ity beef mince for s"o! cooking.
'he RIBS are rough"y sub*(ii(e( into three7
'he !"U!$ AN B#AE is from the -rst t!o ribs an( is usua""y s"ice( or (ice(
for braising.
'he 3I#E RIBS often carry more fat than the chuck. 0one( an( ro""e( into a
&oint for s"o! cooking, or s"ice( an( (ice( for braising.
'he FORE RIBS are shape( "ike a "ong "ine of "arge beef chops, an( are
consi(ere( one of the prime cuts for roasting on the bone. Can be bone( an(
ro""e( into a neat &oint, or s"ice( across into RIB+EYE STEA$S.
'he BRIS$ET is from the be""y. =sua""y bone( an( ro""e( an( i(ea" for s"o! or pot*
roasting.
'he S"IN is often s"ice( to gie neat, me(a""ion*shape( pieces of meat. 4(ea" for
ste!ing.
'he "INQUARTER is the back en( of the anima". 'hese cuts are more ten(er .
i(ea" for roasting an( 6uicker cooking metho(s.
'he SIR#OIN is bone( an( ro""e( into a neat &oint or s"ice( across into SIR#OIN
STEA$S. 0ut if the sir"oin musc"e an( the un(er"ying -""et are "eft on the bone, it
can be s"ice( across to pro(uce T+BONE STEA$S. : PORTER"OUSE STEA$ is a
"arge, chop*shape( steak, cut from the rib en( of an unbone( sir"oin.
'he FI##ET or UNER!UT can be ro""e( into a &oint or s"ice( intoFI##ET
STEA$S. >ery "ean an( ten(er, !ith "ess 3aour than cuts from the rump or
sir"oin but more e/pensie.
'he F#AN$ is !hat butchers usua""y trim of e/cess fat an( use for cheaper beef
mince.
S$IRT refers to arious musc"es near the 3ank, rump an( inner thigh. 4t is ery
"ean an( tasty but a"so tough, so re6uires "ong, s"o! cooking.
'he RU3P is a ery "ean, ten(er cut that is a"!ays s"ice( into steaks.
'he TOPSIE is a "arge, "ean cut of beef, ro""e( an( (ii(e( into t!o or three
bone"ess &oints.
'he SI#4ERSIE is ery simi"ar to topsi(e, but re6uires s"o!er cooking. =se( to
make sa"t beef or corne( beef.
'he TOP RU3P or T"I!$ F#AN$ is a "ean cut that is i(ea" for roasting, or can be
thin"y s"ice( to proi(e an ine/pensie FRYING STEA$.
'he #EG is the top of the back "eg, !hich is usua""y s"ice( an( has simi"ar 6ua"ities
to shin. 0est suite( to s"o!, moist metho(s of cooking.
!UTS OF 3EAT

RIB

BRIS$ET

S"IN

SIR#OIN

SIR#OIN STEA$

T+BONE

FI##ET STEA$

S$IRT

RU3P

TOPSIE

SI#4ERSIE

TOP RU3P

FRYING STEA$

3IN!E

3ORE BEEF RE!IPES
3ORE STEA$ RE!IPES
T"E BEST !UTS FOR PAN+FRYING5 GRI##ING AN GRI#ING