Did you know that there are around 40 different cuts of beef, not counting ground beef? And 29 of those cuts are classified as lean? And there are just as many ways to cook beef as there are cuts to cook. Yum!
Some of these are easy to figure out what to do with. Steak? Grill. Ground beef? Brown and mix with anything. Roast? Crock pot. Check.
But ribs, tenderloin, flank steak? Sorry, I’m lost. I know these cuts of beef are good… I’ve had them plenty of times, but I’ve never cooked them. And I didn’t know where to start.
Lucky for me (and maybe for you too), beef cattle farmers have joined together to save the day! Or, to at least save dinner.
This website, sponsored by the Beef Checkoff has an interactive meat case. You can browse through the many different beef selections, click on the cut you want to try, and it will give you suggestions for how to best cook it.
So if you think you might like to try boneless short ribs, but don’t know where to start, this is the place! Their recommended cooking method is braising (which means to start on really high heat for a very short time, and then cook it forever on low heat).
Does braising sound intimidating? Don’t worry. There’s a video to walk you through it. (It starts with stir-frying and then goes into braising. Trust me.)
They even have a link to recommended recipes. There are six recipes listed here for boneless short ribs.
I love cooking with beef, and we are able to buy our beef from a local farmer here. But I’m often left with these random cuts of meat in my freezer, and I don’t know what to do with them. This site will come in very handy!
But, because I’m not always at my computer (gasp!), I also found a printable cheat sheet. This one-page cooking guide was put together by the same beef farmers. I found it available on the Maryland Cattleman’s Association website. I printed a copy, and keep this handy in my kitchen.
It’s even color-coded for quick reference about cooking techniques. Shoulder petite tender? Why, I think I will broil or roast that. Chuck steak? Of course, that needs to be marinated before it is grilled, or it can be braised.
Ta da, instant beef cooking expert! Enjoy!
Aleta Crowe says
Don’t overlook putting roast in a pressure cooker! A 2 inch thick roast only takes about 10-15 minutes of cooking time (after the cooker heats up and starts to ‘jiggle’). Then you can open the cooker up, add potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery, (I also add a little ketchup) .This is the way my family prefer to have roast!
Marybeth says
I’m a little scared of the pressure cooker. I borrowed my mother-in-law’s last summer to do some canning, and I was nervous the whole time I was using it! I may need to branch out and practice with that a little more.
Lana says
I’m with you about being scared of the pressure cooker. One of these days…….tongue is very good cooked in there, just sayin’ 😉
Jeremy Thompson says
I like how you shared this “cheat sheet” as it does have a very helpful description of the beef cuts which would be very useful once I go out shopping next week for groceries. Additionally, it also has some images and pointers on the beef and how best to cook them. I’ll be sure to keep this in my kitchen at all times and have a copy whenever I go out to the shop. Hopefully, this would solve my issues with beef cuts and where they are best suited. Thanks!
Marybeth Feutz says
Thank you! Glad to help!