Wholesale Beef Cuts

Derived from the shoulder region of the animal, blade accounts for around 5.5% of the carcase. Flavoursome and versatile, it contains several muscles with layers of fat and connective tissue and performs well as a slow braise or roast.

The oyster blade is a muscle just below the shoulder blade bisected by a long line of connective tissue. It can be roasted whole, cut into steaks, thinly sliced or diced – or further prepared into flat iron steaks by removing the silver skin. Flat iron steaks are lean, juicy, tender and full of flavour.

COOKING METHOD
Slow braise, roast, sous vide, grill

The extremely versatile chuck is derived from the neck area of the animal accounting for around 5.7% of the carcase.

Made up of multiple muscles, it is a well used area so contains a great deal of connective tissue. Popular for its balance of meat and fat, the chuck offers ribs, roasts and steaks and suits a range of cooking methods.

Cheek is the hard-working, lean facial cheek muscle, housing an abundance of connective tissue, known as collagen.

This cut responds well to moist, slow extended cooking methods. As the collagen breaks down, it produces a tender and flavoursome result. Cheek performs well diced but also holds its shape well when cooked whole.

Shin Shank is prepared from the lower part of either the front or rear leg. Because it comes from a well-exercised muscle, it has little fat and abundant connective tissue.

Bone-in is often cut across the bone into osso-buco whilst boneless shin shank is prepared from either the shin shank area or the heel muscle in the silverside. Shin Shank suits moist low, slow cooking to allow the connective tissue to tenderise while enriching with flavour. The resulting meat is tender and rich in flavour.

The cube roll, or rib-eye roll, is prepared from the forequarter; running along the back of the animal from the 4th to the 13th rib between the chuck and the striploin.

Accounting for 2.8% of the carcase, it consists of muscles that are not heavily exerted, it is very tender and succulent and makes for flavoursome roasts and steaks. Rib Cutlets (Rib Eye) are prepared by slicing a standing rib roast into steaks – when the bone is removed, the steak becomes a scotch fillet.

There are two briskets per animal accounting for around 7.2% of the carcase.

Derived from the underside chest area between the front legs, brisket is a well exercised muscle with ample connective tissue. It is prepared by a straight cut which commences at the junction of the 1st rib and the 1st sternal segment through to the 13th rib and can be ordered bone in or out.

The striploin, also known as sirloin, is found along the spine in the hindquarter, running from the ribs to the rump. There are two striploins per animal, accounting for 4.4% of the carcase.

Coming from muscles that do less work, cuts from the striploin have less fat and connective tissue making them lean, tender and juicy. The sirloin roast is succulent, tender and flavoursome and can be further cut into steaks. While the T Bone offers two different textures and flavours – a tender fillet muscle on the smaller side and a juicy sirloin on the other.

The tenderloin is prepared form the hindquarter and removed in one piece, accounting for 1.6% of the carcase.

Fillet is one of the most tender cuts of beef; sitting along the spine, it’s the least weight-bearing muscle yielding little to no fat or connective tissue. Recognised for its leanness, delicate flavour and tenderness, it can be roasted whole or portioned for steaks. The butt fillet comes from the larger end of the tenderloin, it is a tender curt of beef which can also be roasted whole or portioned into steaks.

Also known as thick skirt, there is only one thick skirt per animal – it ‘hangs’ from the last rib, attached to the diaphragm.

Thick Skirt has a long membrane that runs through the centre which must be removed, resulting in long narrow strips of meat. With a coarse grain and robust flavour, thick skirt takes on marinades and rubs well but also stands alone. With more ‘chew’ than other steaks on the carcase, it should be served sliced across the grain.

Short ribs are taken from the forequarter after the brisket is removed. They’re made up of the rib bone and layers of rib meat and fat.

They can also be cut across-ways to create asado-style ribs. Simmering before cooking breaks down the connective tissue, ensuring a tender, moist result. Rich and full-flavoured, short ribs take on flavour well.

Located on the inside of the abdomen wall just below the ribs, inside skirt steak is either of two long, flat, well-marbled muscles: the diaphragm and the abdominal.

Inside Skirt steaks are versatile and full of flavour with more chew than other steaks. With a coarse grain, they easily take on marinade which can help with tenderisation. When cooked on high heat, the characteristic marbling imparts an outstanding flavour. Slice it thick against the grain before serving to ensure maximum tenderness.

Also known as bavette, this long flat steak is taken from a single muscle beneath the loin in the abdominal area.

Each carcase has only two, and because they’re practically free of fat and connective tissue, they require little trimming. Full of flavour, flank steaks are extremely versatile and easy to prepare. The distinctive coarse grain that runs along the length is porous, so they generously soak up rubs and marinades. Carve flank steak thinly across the grain before serving.

The knuckle, sometimes called the round, sits above the knee joint at the front of the hind leg.

It is prepared from the thick flank by removing the cap muscle and associated fat. Made up of three major muscles, the knuckle accounts for 3.3% of the carcase. Cuts from the knuckle are lean and are best suited to low and slow cooking or thinly sliced for stir fry. Eye of knuckle is the lean, centre weight-bearing muscle with little connective tissue and can be used for roasting or preparing further into medallions.

The rump is a boneless five-muscled primal that sits between the sirloin and topside. There are two rumps per animal accounting for 3.8% of the carcase.

Extremely versatile rump can be sliced whole into rump steaks or subprimaled to reveal a range of cuts with varying textures and tenderness. Rost Bif is succulent with marked flavour and comes to full potential when roasted whole; Rump Centre is taken from the heart of the rump which rich flavour, it is lean and tender with satisfying chew; the Eye Side is a short, lean, log shaped muscle that has the tenderness of fillet and the flavour of rump – roast it whole or slice into medallions for an economic steak; Rump Cap rests on top of the rump and is tender with a layer of fat that flavours and moistens the meat as it cooks – makes a tender roast or juicy, petite steaks when sliced against the grain; tri tip is the small boneless cut that gets its name from its triangular shape – tender and full of flavour it can be cooked whole or sliced across the grain into steaks.

Topside is derived from the inner thigh muscle, taken from the hind leg by following the natural seam between the knuckle and the silverside and accounts for 6.2% of the carcase.

A well-used muscle, it’s extremely lean with a lot of connective tissue and performs well when slow braised. Alternatively, it can be sliced into lean and versatile steaks which benefit from tenderising and are ideal for schnitzels or steak sandwiches. Because of its leanness, topside is also a popular cut for raw preparations.

Silverside comes from the outside of the rear leg and sits between the knuckle and the topside.

Made up of five distinct muscles, it’s named after the silver wall of connective tissue that sits on the side of the cut, which is removed before cooking. As a well-exercised group of muscles, knuckle cuts need gentle, moist cooking. The resulting texture melts off the fork.

The ox tail cut starts at the base of the spine. The fat is trimmed and the last two to three tail bones removed, before being cut into short joints. Slow cooking this distinctive cut brings out a robust, full-bodied flavour while creating meltingly tender meat.

Shin Shank is prepared from the lower part of either the front or rear leg. Because it comes from a well-exercised muscle, it has little fat and abundant connective tissue.

Bone-in is often cut across the bone into osso-buco whilst boneless shin shank is prepared from either the shin shank area or the heel muscle in the silverside. Shin Shank suits moist low, slow cooking to allow the connective tissue to tenderise while enriching with flavour. The resulting meat is tender and rich in flavour.