BEEF, PORK, AND CHICKEN CUTS & COOKING TIPS

BEEF CUTS & COOKING TIPS

  1. Chuck - Beef chuck is most often cut into roasts or steaks or can be ground. Roasts are best when slow cooked while steaks can be grilled, broiled, or cooked in a skillet.
  2. Brisket - Brisket comes in flats or points. Both are best when slow cooked.
  3. Rib - The ribeye can be cut into roasts or steaks. Steaks are best prepared on a grill, broiled or cooked in a skillet. Roasts are best when slow cooked.
  4. Plate - This includes Short Ribs, Skirt Steaks, and is often used for making ground beef. This cut is best braised.
  5. Short Loin - This cut of beef includes Porterhouse, T-Bone, and Strip Steaks. These cuts are best grilled.
  6. Flank - This cut includes Flank Steaks and London Broil and can be grilled, pan-fried, broiled, or braised.
  7. Sirloin - This portion is cut into steaks and roasts and can be grilled, broiled, or braised.
  8. Tenderloin - This cut of beef can be cut into roasts or steaks and is good for grilling and roasting.
  9. Top Sirloin - Top Sirloin is cut into steaks and can be prepared by grilling, broiling, sautéeing, or pan-frying.
  10. Bottom Sirloin - This cut is less tender than the Top Sirloin and can be cut into roasts or steaks. It is best prepared roasted or braised.
  11. Round - Round steaks are best prepared by moist-heat methods such as braising. It is also commonly ground.
  12. Shanks - Beef Shanks are best used in soups or stews when cooked a long time in moist-heat.

PORK CUTS & COOKING TIPS

  1. Jowl - Often called jowl bacon, this cut can be fried and eaten or used as a seasoning in soups and stews.
  2. Shoulder - The pork shoulder contains cuts such as Blade Steaks, Boston Butt Roasts. These cuts are best slow cooked or roasted.
  3. Rack - This portion contains cuts such as Country Style Ribs and Baby Back Ribs. These are best roasted or grilled.
  4. Loin - The loin is cut into boneless and bone-in roasts and chops. These cuts are best roasted, braised, or grilled.
  5. Sirloin - The sirloin is cut into roast and chops and is best roasted or grilled.
  6. Ham - Hams are most often sold cured, but can be found uncured. Some are sold ready to eat and others require oven roasting before serving.
  7. Belly - Pork belly can be sold fresh for frying or braising or cured as bacon.
  8. Spare Ribs - Spare ribs are sold in slabs and are great for roasting or grilling.
  9. Arm Shoulder - The arm shoulder is often sold as Picnic Roasts or ground for Ground Pork or Sausage.
  10. Hocks - Ham hocks are great for seasoning in soups and stews. They are often sold smoked.

CHICKEN CUTS & COOKING TIPS

  1. Breast - Most often sold in bone-in, boneless, and tenderloin forms. Great for grilling, baking, and frying.
  2. Leg - Dark meat best for roasting, broiling, grilling, and braising.
  3. Thigh - Sold bone-in or boneless this is an economical cut of dark meat good for roasting, broiling, grilling, and braising.
  4. Wing - Great for roasting, broiling, grilling, and braising. They make a great party food.