A plain-English guide to every cut we sell: where it comes from on the animal, how to cook it, and what it tastes like. Before you fill out a cut sheet, read this.
A beef animal divides into eight primal regions. Each one produces a specific set of cuts with distinct flavor, texture, and cooking needs. Understanding the map makes every decision downstream easier.
The hardest-working part of the animal, which is why the chuck has bold flavor and a lot of connective tissue. Traditionally a braising region, but tucked inside are a handful of underrated steaks that drink beef flavor straight from the source.
Cut from right next to the ribeye muscle, it inherits much of the marbling and flavor at a fraction of the cost. Cooks a lot like a ribeye but benefits from a quick rest and not being pushed past medium.
The second-most tender cut on the animal (after the tenderloin), with deep beefy flavor. Modern butchery removes the tough center sinew, giving you a uniform steak perfect for the grill or a hot pan.
A relatively new cut, identified in the early 2000s as a hidden gem in the chuck. Rich, well-marbled, and affordable. Slice against the grain after a quick sear for the best results.
A Sunday-dinner classic, with lots of connective tissue that breaks down into rich, gelatinous braising liquid. Made for low heat, liquid, and time. Pot roast, Mississippi roast, or shredded for sandwiches.
The glory region. This muscle does almost no work, which means abundant marbling and tenderness in equal measure. The rib produces the most famous steak in American cooking, and it deserves the reputation.
The king cut. Heavy marbling, rich flavor, and a bone that adds flavor and visual drama. Best handled with a simple salt-pepper seasoning and high heat. Don't overthink a good ribeye.
Tenderness central. The short loin produces both the strip steak and the tenderloin: two of the four most tender cuts on the animal. Premium prices for premium eating.
Slightly firmer than ribeye, with more concentrated beef flavor and less visible fat. The steakhouse classic. Likes high heat, a finishing butter, and being cooked no further than medium-rare to medium.
The most tender muscle on the entire animal: buttery texture, mild flavor. Because it's so lean, it benefits from a quick sear and a pat of compound butter or a rich pan sauce. Don't overcook.
The everyday workhorse. Less tender than the loin but bigger, more affordable, and more flavorful than many give it credit for. If you grill during the week, the sirloin is probably your cut.
Leaner than ribeye or strip, with beefy flavor and a firm chew. Takes well to a marinade and rewards slicing thinly against the grain. A weeknight workhorse for grilling, stir-fry, and steak salads.
A working muscle group: lean, firm, economical. Handled right, the round delivers honest beef flavor on a budget. Handled wrong, it becomes shoe leather. Slice thin, cook hot and fast, or low and slow. Never in between.
Lean and firm. Two winning strategies: cube and slow-cook in liquid (classic Swiss steak), or slice paper-thin and use for stir-fry, fajitas, or jerky. Avoid medium-well and beyond.
A classic Sunday roast. Lean, so benefits from either a low-temp oven roast to medium-rare (slice thin against the grain) or a long braise with liquid for shredded pot roast sandwiches.
Central Texas gold. A tough, collagen-rich slab that transforms after 12+ hours in the smoker into the most celebrated barbecue in the country. Patient cooks, pay attention. This is the one.
The bucket-list cook. A whole brisket is two muscles (the leaner flat and the fattier point) separated by a layer of fat. Low and slow on a smoker at 225–275°F until the collagen breaks down (usually 10–14 hours). Rest for an hour before slicing. Worth the investment.
Long, thin, grainy muscles with deep beef flavor. This is the cut list for tacos, fajitas, Korean BBQ, and the short-rib bone broths that built American soul food. Small quantities, big flavor.
Heavy marbling and connective tissue that render into silky, rich braises. English-cut (long strips, 3-4 inches) is classic for braising. Flanken-cut (thin cross-sections) is the Korean kalbi style. Also spectacular smoked.
Three related cuts that cook the same way: high heat, fast, medium-rare, sliced thin against the grain. Flank is leaner, skirt is fattier (the original fajita cut), flap is between the two. Marinate, sear, slice. Taco night's best friend.
The foundation cuts: shank bones for stock, and ground beef that draws from trim across the whole animal. Often the most-used parts of any beef purchase.
Cross-sections of the leg with a marrow bone in the middle. The most collagen-rich cut on the animal. Makes the deepest, richest stock you've ever had, and cooked whole becomes osso buco. Free foundation for months of cooking.
Our ground beef is an estimated 85/15 blend of trim from across the animal, meaning you get flavor from chuck, rib, and sirloin in every pound. One-pound vacuum-sealed packages, ready for the freezer. Burgers, chili, tacos, meatballs, Bolognese.
When Michael walks you through the cut sheet, he'll ask how you cook. Use this as a starting point.
Prioritize the premium steaks and weeknight workhorses. You want variety: a few ribeyes for special nights, strips for date nights, and sirloins for Tuesday grilling.
Go heavy on ground beef and ask for more sirloins, flat iron, and fajita cuts. These cook fast, take marinades well, and turn into dinner in 20 minutes.
Roasts are your thing. Ask for larger rump and arm roasts, keep short ribs for braises, and plan for long, slow cooking that fills the house with good smells.
The bucket list is short and glorious. Keep the brisket whole, get all the short ribs you can, and make sure you have shank bones for stocks to inject moisture into your cooks.
Lean into ground beef (tacos, spaghetti, burgers) and quick-cooking cuts that don't require marinades or overnight planning. Avoid anything that needs babysitting.
Save the tenderloin for anniversaries, the bone-in ribeyes for birthdays, and one whole brisket for the annual summer cookout. Rest of the animal goes to everyday eating.
Call Michael and we'll walk through it together. Takes about 15 minutes. No wrong answers, just the one that fits your kitchen.