By Georgia Harding, Well Nourished: Food Blogger and Naturopath
There are many ways to enjoy the many cuts of beef. This guide ‘Beef – Simple cooking methods to enjoy it’ lists the most common cuts of beef and the best way to cook them. The cut of meat you choose will have a unique amount of fat, tenderness and flavour depending on what part of the animal it is from. Additionally, it’s important to know which cooking technique to use so you can cook with confidence and best utilise each cut of meat.
Chuck (Diced Beef) and Skirt Steak
These cuts of beef are tasty and economical. Cooking Method: They should be cooked slowly at a low, moist heat, as this breaks down the muscle fibres and increases the tenderness of the meat. Great for slow-cooking in stews, casseroles and curries.
Beef Brisket
This cut can be quite tough as it is the muscle that supports the weight of the cow [in general, the more work the muscles do, the tougher they will be to eat]. Brisket can also be quite fatty, so should be trimmed as desired before cooking. Cooking Method: Brisket requires slow cooking [in oven or casserole type dishes] to break it down. This cut is perfect for any pulled beef recipes because it will start falling apart while cooking.
Silverside (Yearling) and Topside
Silverside is commonly used for corned beef, but is also well suited to slow-cooking. Cooking Method: Great for slow-cooking methods like roasting or braising.
Oyster Blade
This steak cut is really versatile. Cooking Method: Can be rubbed with olive oil, seasoned well and cooked on the bbq or pan fried. Can also be stir fried, diced or even slow cooked. The blade roast on the other hand is fantastic cooked as a whole roast. You can also cut this into steaks.
Short Ribs
Cooking Method: Tastes best when slow roasted, as this tenderises the meat and brings out it’s rich and meaty flavour.
Rump
Rump is renowned for it’s rich flavour, but as the rump is a working muscle, it can be tough if cooked incorrectly. Cooking Method: Rump is a versatile cut that can be either roasted, grilled or pan fried. The roast tastes best when it is slowly oven-roasted or slow-cooked in casseroles, curries or stews.
Steak – Sirloin, Porterhouse, Fillet, Tenderloin, T-Bone
These steaks are moist and flavoursome. Cooking Method: Rub with extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper and pan-fry, grill or bbq. Also leave fillets whole, sear in the pan and roast.