The Different Cuts of Steaks

If you have never purchased steak before, you may be unfamiliar with the cuts you have to choose from. Here is a list of each cut to help guide you when you go to purchase your next roast.

Shoulder/Chuck – This meat can be bought bone-in or boneless. This meat works well in soups, chili, and stews. When ground, this meat makes a good burger. Shoulder and chuck can also be cooked as beef roasts or steaks.



Rib – This is one of the more favored cuts of meat. This meat is tender and delicious. It can be used as steaks or roasts. It can be grilled, broiled or fried.



Loin/Sirloin – Steaks taken from the area closest to the rib are known as short loins. These include club, T-bone and porterhouse. Cuts taken closest to the rump are known as sirloins. These cuts of meat work well as roasts or steaks. They also can be ground up for hamburgers.



Rump/Round – These cuts of meat are not as tender as the previous cuts. Therefore, they need to be stewed, boiled or braised slowly to make it tender. The rump cuts can work well for steaks and roasts, and as ground hamburger. When purchasing round cuts, you should know that top round is more tender than bottom round.

How to Keep Your Variety Meats Fresh

One way to ensure that your variety meats will keep longer is to freeze them upon delivery. If you're buying fresh meat, you should make sure that the meat you are buying has not been previously frozen. If you're buying meat for shipment, many meats come vacuum-sealed and last for years in your freezer. To freeze your variety meats, you should first wrap them in aluminum foil. Next, place them in a freezer bag. Label the bag according to its contents and the date in which they were placed in the freezer. Variety meats should be consumed within three months, as they do not keep longer than that – even in a deep freeze.

Identifying Certified Organic Beef

True organic beef is beef that is raised on land that is certified organic. This means the land is free from pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers for at least three years. When beef is labeled organic, you can be assured that the animals were not fed grain, hormones, steroids, or that they grazed in pastures that were treated with chemicals. Be mindful when purchasing organic beef. Many meat dealers will try to persuade you their meat is organic, when it is not. True organic beef dealers will list their practices and be open to questions by you, the consumer. If you have any questions, simply ask. If your questions are ignored, it may be a sign that the meat dealer has something to hide.