From the animal to the counter
Large sections called primals are divided into smaller cuts. The Beef Checkoff groups the short loin under its loin category. We label it separately on the map because it is a familiar counter name. Exact names and trimming vary between butchers.
The tenderloin runs inside the loin across the short loin and sirloin. It can be sold whole or cut into filet steaks. USDA's beef cut specifications describe its sirloin and short loin portions separately.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to read each cooking note.
| Region and location | Cuts you may see | A useful cooking direction |
|---|---|---|
| Chuck Shoulder and front end | Chuck roast, chuck eye steak, flat iron | A chuck roast suits a braise or slow cook. Specific steaks such as chuck eye and flat iron suit grilling, so do not treat every chuck cut alike. |
| Rib Upper back behind the chuck | Ribeye steak, rib roast, back ribs | Grill a ribeye or roast a rib roast. A rack of back ribs has a different shape and cooking routine from a steak. |
| Short loin area Back between rib and sirloin | Strip steak, T bone, porterhouse | These loin steaks suit grilling or broiling. Ask about thickness and the bone when choosing portions. |
| Sirloin Back toward the hip | Top sirloin steak, tri tip, sirloin bavette | Top sirloin suits grilling. Tri tip can be grilled or roasted. Confirm which sirloin cut you have rather than using one method for the entire region. |
| Round Rump and hind leg | Top round, bottom round, eye of round, sirloin tip | Lean roasts can be roasted and sliced thin or prepared with a suitable moist cooking method. Sirloin tip belongs to the round despite its name. |
| Brisket Lower chest below the chuck | Whole brisket, flat, point | Choose a long smoke or braise. Ask whether the package is a whole brisket or just one of its two main portions. |
| Plate Underside below the rib | Plate short ribs, skirt steak | Short ribs suit a braise or smoke. Skirt steak takes a different path, with a hot grill and thin slices across the grain. |
| Flank Lower side below the loin | Flank steak | Marinate and grill, then slice thin across the grain. Flank and skirt are different cuts even when used for similar meals. |
| Shank Lower leg | Shank cross cuts, soup shank | Braise for dishes such as osso buco. This working leg muscle needs a different approach from a quick grilling steak. |
The table follows Kansas State's primal and portion cut guide and the Beef Checkoff's cut descriptions. Its guides to chuck, round, and plate are useful reminders that one region can produce cuts with very different jobs.
Choose the cut, then the meal
Start with the exact name on the label. Brisket has a portion guide here, and our current beef recipes use ground beef. For steaks and roasts, the links below lead to the Beef Checkoff's cut descriptions and cooking ideas.
Chuck
A chuck roast is a slow cooking project. Chuck eye and flat iron are steaks with a different plan. Buying ground chuck instead? Use the ground beef recipe notes and check the lean percentage on the package.
Rib
Ribeye steaks, rib roasts, and back ribs share this region. They do not share one cooking routine. Choose the specific steak, roast, or rack before following a recipe or estimating the shopping weight.
Short loin
Strip steaks, T bone steaks, and porterhouse steaks come from this part of the back. These are grilling and broiling cuts. Thickness and bone size still matter when choosing a cooking plan.
Sirloin
Top sirloin steaks are one option. Tri tip and sirloin bavette are others, from the bottom sirloin. The whole region is more useful as a starting point than as a complete recipe instruction.
Round
Top round, bottom round, and eye of round are lean cuts from the rear. Sirloin tip belongs here too, despite its name. Pick a method for the exact roast or steak, rather than treating every round cut alike.
Brisket
The lower chest is a long smoke or braise, rather than a quick steak dinner. Check whether you are buying a whole brisket, a flat, or a point. Our guide helps separate cooked servings from the raw weight to buy.
Plate
Short ribs and skirt steak come from the underside below the rib. Short ribs can take a smoke or braise. Skirt steak suits high heat and a different cooking plan. Confirm which cut you have before choosing a recipe.
Flank
Flank steak comes from the lower side, behind the plate. A marinade and a hot grill are a familiar approach. Slice thin across the grain for serving. Flank and skirt are different cuts, even when the meal ideas overlap.
Shank
Shanks come from the legs and are often sold in cross cuts. Braising suits this working muscle. For a matching dish, the Beef Checkoff has a beef osso buco recipe using shank cross cuts.
Ground beef is a separate choice
Ground beef is not one outside region on the animal. The Beef Checkoff lists ground chuck, round, and sirloin among its names. These recipes use ground beef rather than whole steaks or roasts. Check the lean percentage requested by the recipe. The meatballs also use ground pork.
Three questions before it gets wrapped
- Which exact steak or roast is this?
- For a fast steak dinner, ask for a cut suited to grilling. For pulled or braised beef, describe that result. A broad name such as chuck or sirloin leaves more than one possibility.
- Can the steaks be cut to the same thickness?
- Give a thickness and a count. Similar portions are easier to plan around than one thin steak beside one much thicker steak.
- What weight will I actually cook?
- Ask about bones and the fat left for you to trim. For brisket, confirm whole, flat, or point before using a portion estimate.
Put the cut into a meal
Use the brisket portion guide for shopping weights, or open the meal planner for steaks and mixed menus. For ground beef, our Vidalia Cheeseburger Sliders use small patties rather than a whole muscle cut.
Explore pork cuts and chicken cuts, or return to Meet the butcher.