Beef goes way beyond burgers, steaks, and roasts—it’s a whole world of flavors, textures, and cooking methods, all influenced by where the cut comes from on the animal.
Butchers divide a beef carcass into primals (the large sections), which are then broken down into subprimals and finally into the individual cuts you find at the store, on a menu, or as part of your freezer beef when you purchase in bulk.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Knowing the primals helps consumers envision which part of the animal a particular cut comes from and better understand why a ribeye is buttery and tender while a round roast needs slow cooking. Understanding individual cuts helps you shop smarter, stretch your dollar, and expand your cooking repertoire.
For processors, understanding cuts is necessary for maximizing yield, creating consistent products, and meeting customer expectations. It can also guide which cuts your customers might need a little more information about, so they know how to prepare them!
If you’d like a deeper dive into how beef is broken down in the processing plant, check out our Meat Processing Explained: From Harvest to Packaging post.
WHERE’S THE BEEF?
To understand how a whole cow becomes steaks, roasts, and ground beef, it’s helpful to know how carcasses are broken down post-harvest.
Since the carcass is typically split lengthwise down the backbone into halves during the harvest process, the two sides are then each split in half (a quarter beef) between the twelfth and thirteenth ribs. If you stop here, this is where you get quarters, halves, and wholes (both halves) for bulk beef.
After quartering, the carcass is then split into the eight main primal cuts: chuck, ribs, loin, round, brisket, plate, flank, and shank. Each of those is then split into subprimals, which then become the retail cuts you know and love (and some that are probably new to you!).
If you’re interested in more of the post-harvest process, learn more in our Where Does Beef Come From? Part 2: Processing and Distribution post.
CHUCK
This is the shoulder section of the cow. It’s a firmer cut of beef that is inexpensive and versatile. Since the shoulder is a well-exercised area, there is a lot of connective tissue, but also tons of flavor.
- Retail cuts: ground chuck, chuck roast, flat iron steak, shoulder tender medallions, and blade steak.
- Less common cuts: 7-bone roast, arm roast
RIBS
This is (you guessed it!) the cow’s rib area. Not the whole thing, though—this primal is actually just the last six ribs. The rest are included in the chuck or short plate. These cuts are tender and well-marbled, and are some of the most recognizable higher-end cuts.
- Retail cuts: ribeye steaks, Tomahawk steaks, or rib roast (often called prime rib; includes ribs 6-12, also called a standing rib roast).
- Less common cuts: back ribs (ribs left over from boneless ribeye cuts).
LOIN
The loin primal is located behind the rib, under the backbone. Since these muscles aren’t used much, this is where the most tender cuts are found, and thus the most expensive. These cuts dry out fast, making them great for grilling, and include some of the best-known steaks.
This primal has two parts: the short loin and the sirloin. The short loin is closer to the center of the cow, so this is the most tender section of the loin.
- Retail cuts: filet mignon, T-bone steak, New York strip.
- Less common cuts: porterhouse, top loin.
The sirloin is in the lower back part of the animal, closer to the hindquarters. It’s less tender than the short loin but still very tender and full of flavor.
- Retail cuts: sirloin steak, tri-tip roast/steak, top sirloin.
ROUND
The round is the top of the back legs/rump, near the cow’s hind legs—so it is lean and tougher. It’s important to research the cooking method for each of a round’s cuts, as some require high heat and short cooking times (top, bottom, and eye cuts) while others require low-and-slow-cooking (rump and eye roast).
- Retail cuts: round steak, top round roast/steak, bottom round roast/steak.
- Less common cuts: tip roast/steak, boneless rump roast, eye of round roast/steak.
BRISKET
This is the part of the cow that is between the front legs. It’s tougher with a lot of connective tissue but lots of flavor. This is a low-and-slow cut to marinate. When prepared correctly, it can be melt-in-your-mouth tender and feed a crowd.
- Retail cuts: brisket point and brisket flat.
PLATE
This is the belly of the cow, or the part under its ribs. High fat and a lot of connective tissue means slow-cooking or marinating and grilling—plus excellent flavor.
- Retail cuts: skirt steak, short ribs.
- Less common cuts: hanger steak.
FLANK
The flank is the abdominal area of the cow underneath the loin. There are no bones here, the meat tends to be tougher because of the muscle, and the flavor is fantastic.
- Retail cuts: flank steak, bavette (sirloin flap).
- Less common cuts: beef bacon.
SHANK
Shanks are the forelegs above the kneecaps. They’re the leanest, cheapest cut and can be challenging to find in retail stores. As a highly-used part of the animal, they’re lean, tough, and flavorful. Shanks are generally used for soups, broth, or osso buco.
- Retail cuts: shank cross cuts (for stews and broth).
VARIETY MEATS (AKA OFFAL)
While not their own primal group, this is a standalone category. In beef, variety meats (also known as offal) refers to the edible parts of the animal other than the standard muscle cuts (like steaks and roasts). These are the internal organs and other non-skeletal muscle parts that are harvested and consumed.
- Retail cuts: liver, kidneys, heart, tongue, oxtail.
- Less common: tripe (stomach lining), sweetbreads (thymus and/or pancreas), brain, other edible organs and glands (e.g., spleen, testicles, lungs in some markets)
For processors, finding a way to market variety meats can add value—and revenue—to your operation. For consumers, variety meats provide more adventurous culinary experiences and some of the most nutrient-dense portions of the animal. They may not always be the first cuts people think of, but when marketed well, they can transform byproducts into profit and connect eaters to a more nose-to-tail appreciation of beef.
If you’re curious about what’s included here or want more ideas on how to handle edible and inedible byproducts, check out our post on Creating Value-Added Products from Waste in Small Meat Processing Facilities.
WHAT ABOUT GROUND BEEF?
You’ll notice that there isn’t one primal that has “ground beef” listed as a cut. Ground beef comes from every part of the animal. It’s the trim, or the parts of the meat that are cut off when fabricating the cuts listed above, or that the customer doesn’t want (e.g., for custom processing, customers can choose more ground vs. more roasts). This means that no meat goes to waste and helps the process be more sustainable and economical.
FINAL CUT
For consumers, being open to a range of cuts means more variety at the table, more bang for your buck, and a deeper understanding and appreciation for where beef comes from. Exploring beyond the usual favorites also helps processors utilize full carcasses, which helps make beef more affordable and sustainable.
For processors, knowing which cuts your customers value can guide how you break down carcasses and market products, ultimately driving a more profitable operation. Do they prefer traditional retail cuts, or are they willing to try something new? Which resources or education can you provide so they’re willing to expand their horizons?
From the steaks we all know and love to less common but flavorful cuts like hanger steak or 7-bone roast, understanding beef cuts helps you shop (or process!) smarter—and opens up a wider world of meals beyond your go-to ribeye or filet.