beef cuts

BEEF CUTS: WHERE THEY COME FROM
Section Names of cuts
Rib: Rib roast, rib steak, rib eye, back ribs
Short Loin*: Tip loin, T-bone, porterhouse, tenderloin
Sirloin*: Top sirloin, sirloin, Boston sirloin
Round*: Round steak, top round, bottom round, eye of round, tip steak, rump roast
Flank*: Flank steak
Plate: Skirt steak
Chuck: Chuck roast, arm pot roast, shoulder pot roast, short ribs
*Cuts that are lower in fat. through “rigor.” With time, the muscles relax and increase in acidity — a natural way to tenderize meat — and muscle proteins increase their water-holding ability, which enhances juiciness.
Aging is a process that relaxes the tissues, making the beef easier to chew and enjoy.
The original process of aging, now called dry-aging, demanded that a carcass hang in a cooler for 3 weeks or more. The surface would dry out and be thrown away. The remaining beef made excellent but expensive steaks. This process is now reserved for steaks bound for only the best steakhouses.
Less fatty cuts are preferred from a nutritional standpoint. However, they are less tender than those with fat marbled through the muscle fibers. “Choice” and “select” grades have less fat and marbling and can be tougher than the “prime” grade unless they are prepared to maximize tenderness.
High-Protein Foods 299
illness. In recent years, Escherichia coli (E. coli), a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause severe, bloody diarrhea, has become a concern with red meat, particularly ground beef.
Fortunately, proper cooking kills all microorganisms in meat. Preventing meat from contaminating other foods before cooking is important. Good meat-handling practices include thawing meat in the refrigerator, making sure juices from raw meat do not get on other food, and disinfecting cooking and preparation surfaces after handling raw meat. For more information about cooking meat and other protein foods properly, see Chapter 5, Cooking It Safe, page 149, and Food Safety, page 148.
The following pages contain more specific information on different types of meat and how to include them in a healthful diet.
From the book encyclopedia of food.