Where your steak comes from on the cow can determine how you cook it — dry heat or wet heat. Learn more about the regions of the cow and how a butcher cuts those tasty steaks you see behind the meat counter.
Everyone wants their beef tender, but not all cuts start out that way. The tougher cuts of meat benefit from wet cooking methods like braising or slow cooking. But already-tender cuts like a New York strip or filet mignon are better cooked with dry heat such as smoking, grilling, searing in your cast iron before roasting in the oven, or reverse searing for thicker steaks.
Here’s a breakdown of every cut of beef and where it comes from on the cow.
But first, know that there are three categories of beef cuts: primal, subprimal, and retail. A butcher generally cuts each primal region into smaller sections known as subprimal sections. Those are then cut up further, and that’s what winds up behind the meat counter.
Why Some Cuts Are Tough and Others Are Tender
It comes down to how hard each muscle works. Muscles that move the cow all day, like the shoulder (chuck), chest (brisket), and legs (shank and round), build up lots of connective tissue, mostly a protein called collagen. Muscles that do very little work, like the tenderloin along the back, have much less, so they’re naturally tender.
That’s why cooking method matters so much. Collagen is tough and chewy when cooked quickly, but with time and moist heat, like braising, it slowly breaks down into gelatin. That’s what makes a braised pot roast or slow-cooked brisket so soft and juicy. Tender cuts don’t need that time. Long cooking would only dry them out, so quick, high-heat methods like grilling and searing work best.
Beef Cuts at a Glance
| Primal | Where It Is | Popular Cuts | Best Cooking Methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chuck | Neck and shoulder | Ground chuck, boneless short ribs, pot roast, flat-iron steak, stew meat, Denver steak | Longer cooking with wet heat, like braising |
| Brisket | Chest, below the neck and shoulder | Brisket, corned beef | Low and slow, like braising or barbecue |
| Rib | Middle of the cow | Ribeye steaks, prime rib, back ribs | Grilling or smoking; prime rib roasted low and slow |
| Plate | Front belly, below the ribs | Skirt steak, bone-in short ribs | Short ribs need longer cooking to break down cartilage |
| Short loin | Behind the rib section | Porterhouse, T-bone, New York strip | Dry heat, like grilling, searing, or reverse searing |
| Flank | Back of the belly, below the short loin | Flank steak | Quick cooking over high heat, or braising |
| Sirloin | Behind the short loin | Top sirloin, bottom sirloin, tri-tip | Grilling or pan-searing |
| Tenderloin | Runs through the short loin and sirloin | Filet mignon | Quick cooking with dry heat |
| Round | Hind leg | Rump roast, eye of round, London broil, bottom round | Roasting, like roast beef |
| Shank | Forearm or foreleg | Beef shank | Soups, stews, and braising |
Chuck
This is the neck and shoulder region of the cow. Chuck cuts tend to be tougher and have a lot of connective tissue. That’s why they usually need to be cooked longer and in wet heat to tenderize the meat.
You can find ground chuck, but other popular cuts come from chuck such as boneless short ribs, pot roast, flat-iron steak, beef stew, and Denver steak.
Brisket
Brisket comes from the chest of the cow below the neck and shoulder. It’s still fairly fatty and tough, and it comes with a lot of marbling. The best way to cook brisket is low and slow. It’s used to make baked corned beef, but barbecue-style brisket is also a popular choice.
Rib
Ribs anyone? This is the middle of the cow, where a classic rack of ribs comes from. Prime rib also comes from this section, as well as ribeye steaks. For the most part, these cuts are best grilled or smoked, whereas chuck and brisket benefit from wet heat cooking methods like braising.
Prime rib might be the only exception — better cooked low and slow in the oven, starting at high heat and then turning it down.
Plate
The plate is the front belly region of the cow below the ribs. Skirt steak comes from the plate region. It’s also where those delicious, tender bone-in short ribs come from.
Different from the boneless short ribs made from chuck, bone-in short ribs are more expensive. They’re fattier and, you might argue, have more flavor, but they also have more cartilage that needs to break down when cooking.
Short loin
This is toward the back of the cow behind the rib section. It’s where the more expensive steaks come from such as porterhouse, T-bone, and New York strip steak. All are tender cuts and best cooked in dry heat. For thick-cut steaks, try my reverse sear steak method for even doneness from edge to center.
Flank
Flank is behind the plate and below the short loin; it’s the back of the cow’s belly. As one of the leaner parts of the cow, it’s thin and tough, so cook flank steaks for a shorter amount of time at higher heat. Good for carne asada, but you can also braise them.
Sirloin, top sirloin, and bottom sirloin
Behind the short loin, closer to the butt of the cow, is the sirloin. It’s broken into small subprimal sections known as top sirloin and bottom sirloin. These cuts aren’t quite as tender as the short loin cuts, but sirloin steaks have lots of flavor. This section is also where tri-tip comes from.
Tenderloin
Tenderloin is also a subprimal of the sirloin, and as the name implies, it’s the most tender part of the cow. It cuts into the short loin section, so sometimes expensive cuts like porterhouse and filet mignon are credited to the tenderloin.
Don’t waste these meats in low heat for several hours. They’re already tender, so quicker cooking in dry heat is best. Tenderloin is also the classic cut for my Beef Wellington with Mushroom Sauce.
Round
This is the hind leg of the cow. You might see a full round at your butcher, which is a huge cut of meat, but it’s often divided into the top round and bottom round (the subprimals of the round).
From the bottom round comes rump roast and eye of the round, while London broil comes from the top round. Bottom round is also sometimes used to make roast beef.
Shank
Shank comes from either the cow’s forearm or foreleg. It is tough meat often used in soups and stews, or it’s braised to make it more tender. It is not ideal for dry cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
The tenderloin is the most tender part of the cow, and it’s where filet mignon comes from. Since it’s already so tender, it’s best cooked quickly with dry heat.
Steaks from the rib and short loin, like ribeye, porterhouse, T-bone, and New York strip, are great on the grill. Leaner flank steak also grills well when cooked quickly over high heat, and tri-tip from the sirloin is a classic choice.
Tougher cuts with lots of connective tissue benefit from low, slow, moist heat. Chuck (pot roast, beef stew, and boneless short ribs), brisket, bone-in short ribs from the plate, and shank are all great for braising, stews, and the slow cooker.
Jamal Ashraf says
Good evening,
Which is best part of meat for shawarma recipe?
Jessica Gavin says
Beef flap meat or flank steak are good choices. You want a tender cut with some marbeling.
Jerry Jimmin' says
What’s popping meat butchers, I used to be vegan but my friend gave me a nice Angus burger and it changed my perspective, you guys are responsible for many happy people ANGUS is some hot stuff and the animals involved make it more than worth it
Nelson says
Thanks to a nice teacher jessica.much lovee fam Kenya.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Nelson!
Bob greissrgreiss says
Tri tip ? Where does that come from bob
Jessica Gavin says
Tri-tip comes from the bottom sirloin.
Tim says
Jessica,
PRIME RIB can only be obtained from USDA PRIME GRADE BEEF. Otherwise, it’s a STANDING RIB ROAST. Please correct .. THANKS!
Maria Estrada says
Thanks for the class on beef parts,it’s funny but I felt sad thinking about the cow parts and how much these animals suffers at the place where they are killed.I am NOT a vegetarian but will try to eat more of your veggies recipes.