In the supermarket, you find a great variety meat cuts, but maybe you do not know which one choose or what is the best method for cooking each. Meats are an excellent source of high-quality protein, but they are also high in fat, so moderation is the key. By selecting lean cuts, you can reduce the amount of fat in your diet and therefore enjoy them in a healthy way.
The primary cuts of meat are: chuck, brisket, shank, ribs, short plate, top sirloin, flank, and round. Sub-primary cutsare obtained from the primary cuts, and are the ones that are ready to prepare, cook, and eat.
| Primary Cuts of Meat | Characteristics | Cuts Sub-Primary | Preparation and Cooking Tips |
| Chuck | Hard texture, but full of flavor. | Meat to stew, short ribs, ground meat. | Wet-heat cooking methods, such as stews and casseroles. Ground meat can be used to make hamburgers or stewed with chili beans. |
| Brisket and Shank | Very hard meat with a high amount of fat. | - | They are well cooked in stews or boiled at low heat, which softens them. The brisket can be cured and seasoned with pepper to make pastrami. |
| Ribs | Tender and with an exquisite flavor, due to its high content of fat. | Bones | Prepared and served with barbecue sauce. |
| Short plate | Has rib bones and cartilages. | Short Ribs and Skirt Steak | Short ribs taste delicious when stewed. Skirt steak is long and thin. Marinate it and make "fajitas." |
| Top sirloin | This is the section where we find the most tender, popular, and expensive cuts of meat. | Loin Eye Muscle and Tenderloin | This is where we get the T-Bone and the Porterhouse fillet, which can be grilled. The loin can be prepared into nuggets, as a filet mignon, or baked as a whole. |
| Sirloin | With or without bones, it is tender and rich in flavor. | - | Dry cooking methods: baked, roasted, or grilled. |
| Flank | Boneless, rich in flavor, but its texture is hard. Has a high content of fat. | Ground Meat and Flank Steak | Flank steak can be grilled. |
| Round | Rich in flavor, slightly tender. Very lean and limited intramuscular fat. | Top Round, Bottom Round, and Shak | You can make an excellent casserole. Bottom round is great to stew. |
Source:
Labesnky, S. & A. Hause. 2003. On Cooking. A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals . 3 rdedition. United States of America, Prentice Hall
