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At the end of this lecture the
STUDENTS will:
1. Become familiar with the basic
cuts of meat
2. Become familiar with terminologie
involving meat
3. Learn the name of meat cuts and
cooking methods for each cut.
4. Learn how to fabricate meat
OBJECTIVES
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BEEF
divided into large sections called
primal cuts
These cuts are then broken down
further (or fabricated) into individual
steaks and other retail cuts
The most tender cuts of beef, like
the rib and tenderloin, are the ones
furthest from the horn and the hoof
By contrast, the neck and leg
muscles are worked the most, which
makes them tougher
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CHUCK
Consisting of parts of the neck,
shoulder blade and upper arm, the
chuck is a tough cut of meat with a
good deal of connective tissue.
This makes it a good choice for
braising and stewing, particularly
for making pot roast
Because of its fat
content, chuck is also
excellent for making
ground beef
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RIB
made from the center section of
rib
this cut is used for the traditional
standing rib roast (sometimes
referred to as prime cut).
Because it's so
tender, it is well suited
for various forms of
dry-heat cooking
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PLATE
Also called the short plate, this cut
includes the short ribs and the skirt
steak, which is used for making
carne asada
Contains a lot of cartilage, making
it good for braising
It's also used for making
ground beef
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SHANK
This is the leg of the animal, and
is extremely tough and full of
connective tissue
NOTE also that each side of beef
has two shanks, one in the
forequarter and one in the
hindquarter
The shank is used in
making the luxurious
Italian dish osso buco
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SHORTLION
Here's where we get many of
the most desirable cuts of meat,
including T-bone and
Porterhouse steaks, as well as
the strip loin or strip steak
Dry-heat cooking is best for
these tender cuts
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SIRLION & TENDERLION
TENDERLOIN
the finest cut of beef
found inside the loin
where we get filet mignon, which is
made from the very tip of the pointy
end of the tenderloin
The tenderloin should only
be cooked using dry heat
methods such as
grilling and broiling
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FLANK
Though often grilled, the flank
can be tough when prepared this
way, which is why it is usually
marinated first
The flank is much better suited
for braising or for making
ground beef
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ROUND
This is a fairly lean cut, but also
tough
Best prepared using moist-heat,
as in a crockpot
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BOSTON BUTT
comes from the upper shoulder of the hog
Consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder
blade and upper arm
Boston butt is a moderately tough cut of
meat with a good deal of connective tissue
It can be roasted or cut into steaks, but it is
also well suited for braising and stewing or
for making ground pork or sausages
Just above the Boston butt is a section of fat
called the clear plate or fatback,
which can be used for making
lard, salt pork, or added to
sausage or ground pork.
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PICNIC SHOULDER
Another tough cut that is
frequently cured or smoked
It's also used for making ground
pork or sausage meat
The picnic shoulder is
sometimes roasted, but it's not
really ideal for this.
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LOIN
Hogs are bred to have extra long loins, so
they can have up to 17 ribs — unlike beef
and lamb which have 13
The entire pork loin can be roasted, or it
can be cut into individual chops or cutlets
The tenderloin is taken from the rear of the
loin, and baby-back ribs come from the
upper ribcage area of the loin
Above the loin is another
section of fatback which
can be used for making
lard, salt pork, or added
to sausage or ground pork
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HAM
The back leg of the hog is where we
get fresh, smoked or cured hams
Serrano ham and prosciutto are
made from hams that are cured,
smoked and then air-dried
Fresh hams are usually roasted,
but they can be cut into steaks
as well.
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SPARERIBS
Taken from the belly side of the
ribs where they join the
breastbone
pork spareribs are often prepared
by grilling very slowly over low
temperatures, although they can
also be braised or
cooked in a crockpot
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FOOT
High in collagen, pork feet are
excellent sources of gelatin and are
frequently added to soups and stews
Long, slow simmering breaks down
the tough connective tissues and
tenderizes the meat
They can also be cured, smoked or
even pickled
Pig feet are a key
ingredient in the
traditional Mexican
menudo