Being familiar with the different types of meat that are out there is a really useful skill to have. For one, you look smart and informed at the butcher shop. It’s also helpful to know when you’re getting a good deal at the grocery store or eating out on a restaurant. Not all cuts of meat are created equally, and understanding the quality of eat cut can help you identify great meat and make a good choice of meal or launch.
Some of these can be found on nearly any restaurant menu or in any grocery store, while others are hunted in the wild. Some meats are more regional, while others are popular everywhere.
The differences between meats can be extreme, such as comparing seafood to pork. But other times, meats can be quite similar and difficult to differentiate, like bison versus beef. In nearly all cases, they can be used to create flavorful, incredible dishes.
Before start expain each type of meat is very helful to have an idea of meat cuts.
CHICKEN
Chicken is a popular source of meat. Countries worldwide eat chicken and cook it in various dishes, including hot stews and cold sandwiches. If you like chicken, you either like white meat or dark meat.
Generally speaking, white meat consists of chicken breasts and tends to be drier, while dark meat comes from thighs, legs, and wings. Dark meat is juicier and has more fat.
You can find cooked chicken on a restaurant of fast food grilled, smoked, baked, boiled, and in about any way imaginable. An excelent choice is grilled chicken wings, covered in a good barbecue or hot sauce, and eat them directly off the bone.
BEEF
Now let’s talk about red meat. Beef comes from cattle and is one of the most well-known red meats.
It is slightly higher in saturated fats than other meats, like chicken, which means that it is full of flavor. Like chicken, beef is a versatile meat that is used and cooked in countless ways.
While you love a grilled simple steak seasoned with nothing but salt and pepper, perhaps the most common method of eating beef is also by lighting up the barbecue to fry up a burger.
But those aren’t the only two options.
Find below different cuts of beef:
Beef chuck comes from the forequarter. Consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade, and upper arm, beef chuck produces tough but very flavorful cuts of meat.
This primal cut has a good deal of connective tissue. That makes chuck a good choice for braised dishes like beef stew or pot roast, both of which tenderize tough cuts. Due to its fat content, beef chuck is also excellent for making ground beef that produces juicy burgers and ground beef stew.
The classic 7-bone roast comes from the beef chuck, as do the increasingly popular flat iron steak and Denver steak.
With conventional butchering, the beef chuck is separated from the rib primal between the fifth and sixth ribs. This means that it also contains a few inches of the longissimus dorsi muscle, which is the same tender muscle that rib-eye steaks are made from.
Chuck
At some point, anyone who cooks beef is curious about where the major cuts come from on the cow. This handy guide will show you the location of major beef cuts, like chuck, rib, loin, and brisket. You'll also discover which cuts are considered the best and the most reliable ways to cook each one.
The Basics of Beef Cuts
Beef is divided into large sections called primal cuts, which you can see in our beef cuts chart. These primal beef cuts, or "primals," are then broken down further into subprimals, or "food-service cuts." These are then sliced and chopped into individual steaks, roasts, and other retail cuts.
A side of beef is literally one side of the beef carcass that is split through the backbone. Each side is then halved between the 12th and 13th ribs. These sections are called the forequarter (front of the cow) and the hindquarter (back of the cow).
The most tender cuts of beef, like the rib and tenderloin, are the ones farthest from the horn and hoof. The toughest areas of the animal are the shoulder and leg muscles because they are worked the most.
Rib
Made from the top part of the center section of rib specifically the sixth through the twelfth ribs the beef rib primal cut is used for the traditional standing rib roast (also called prime rib). It's also the source of the delectable ribeye steak as well as the classic French entrecôte.
Since they're already tender, steaks and roasts from the beef rib primal can undergo various forms of dry-heat cooking and remain tender. It's nearly impossible to describe a beef primal cut without discussing adjacent cuts. In this case, the beef rib primal is situated directly above the beef plate. Exactly where it's divided is somewhat arbitrary. Nevertheless, the lower parts of those ribs -whether we attribute them to the rib primal or the plate primal are where beef short ribs come from.
Plate
Also called the short plate (or "long plate" depending on where it's separated from the rib primal above it), the beef plate primal includes the short ribs. It is also where the skirt steak is located, which is used in carne asada.
Skirt steak is the diaphragm muscle. It's attached to the inside abdominal wall by a system of thick connective tissue, which needs to be carefully trimmed away. This steak is extremely flavorful. It's also a thin piece of meat, allowing you to cook it quickly over high heat. Just don't overcook it. Since it has coarse muscle fibers, be sure to slice it against the grain or it will be chewy.
Beef plate contains a lot of cartilage, especially around the ribs, which is why beef short ribs are ideal for braising. This process of cooking with moist heat at a low temperature will dissolve cartilage and turn it into gelatin.
The beef plate is also fairly fatty, so it can be used in making ground beef.
Brisket
Beef brisket is one of the most flavorful cuts of meat, although it is tough and needs to be cooked in just the right way. It's also a moderately fatty cut of beef, but this can work to your advantage because it tenderizes into succulent, meaty perfection.
Taken from the area around the breastbone, the brisket is basically the chest or pectoral muscle of the animal. The characteristically thick, coarse-grained meat needs a lot of time and low-temperature cooking to break down and tenderize.
Brisket is frequently used for making pot roast, and it's the traditional choice for corned beef. Another very popular technique for preparing brisket is to slow cook it in a barbecue or smoker.
Shank
The beef shank is the leg of the animal's thigh. Each side of beef has two shanks, one in the forequarter and one in the hindquarter. It is extremely tough and full of connective tissue.
Beef shank is used in making the luxurious Italian dish osso buco.
Short Lion
Moving on to the beef primal cuts from the hindquarter, or back of the animal, the short loin is where we find the most desirable cuts of meat. These include T-bone and porterhouse steaks, as well as the strip loin or strip steak.
The beef short loin is only about 16 to 18 inches long. It will yield anywhere from 11 to 14 steaks, depending on thickness. The steaks from the short loin are cut starting at the rib end and working toward the rear. The first-cut steaks are club steaks or bone-in strip steaks. The center-cut steaks are T-bones, of which there may be six or seven. Finally, a butcher may be able to get two or three porterhouse steaks at the sirloin end.
The tenderloin extends from the short loin back into the sirloin. It's interesting to note that if the tenderloin is removed, there can be no T-bone or porterhouse steaks. Both of these steaks include a section of the tenderloin muscle. Dry-heat cooking is best for the tender cuts from the short loin.
Sirloin
Beef sirloin is another large section of the carcass that runs from the 13th rib all the way back to the hip bone and from the backbone clear down to the flank (or belly). The full sirloin is itself subdivided into top sirloin and bottom sirloin. Top sirloin is generally fabricated into steaks that are good for grilling. Since the sirloin is closer to the rear leg of the animal, the muscles get a bit tougher. Still, a first-cut sirloin steak sometimes called a pin-bone steak because it includes a section of the hip bone is very similar to a porterhouse.
After separating it from the top sirloin, the bottom sirloin is usually divided into three main components: the tri-tip, ball tip, and flap, which do well with roasting and barbecuing (and they are sometimes made into ground beef).
Although it's not obvious in a two-dimensional diagram, the back end of the tenderloin, called the butt tender, is also situated within the sirloin, and it's either removed altogether when fabricating a whole tenderloin, or the back end is sold as a roast. Beware of butchers who use the name filet mignon to describe a butt tender, because that comes from the other end of the tenderloin.
Tenderloin
The most tender cut of beef is the beef tenderloin and it is found within the loin. This is where we get filet mignon, which is made from the very tip of the pointy end of the tenderloin. Chateaubriand is made from the center cut of the tenderloin.
The tenderloin extends from the short loin into the sirloin. The pointy end is actually situated within the short loin, and the section in the sirloin is sometimes called the butt tenderloin. Even so, butchers will often remove the entire tenderloin and sell it whole or as individual steaks and roasts. Beef tenderloin should only be cooked using dry-heat methods, such as grilling and broiling. The meat is already super tender, so long cooking times are unnecessary. Keep it quick and the heat high.
Flank
Beef flank can be cooked on the grill. Since it has tough muscle fibers, it can get even tougher if it's overcooked, so be careful.
The best technique for flank steak is to grill it quickly at a high temperature. Marinating the meat first can help prevent it from drying out, but avoiding overcooking really is the best prevention. When you're ready to serve it, remember to slice this steak thinly against the grain so it isn't chewy.
Beef flank is also good for braising and it's often used for making ground beef.
Round
The beef round primal cut basically consists of the back leg of the steer. Muscles from the round are fairly lean, but they're also tough because the leg and rump get a lot of exercise. Just like the sirloin primal is separated into two subprimals, top sirloin and bottom sirloin, beef round likewise consists of multiple subprimal cuts: the top round (inside round), bottom round (outside round), and the knuckle. The bottom round is where we get rump roast and eye of round. Although you might braise a piece of beef round out of necessity, chuck always produces a more delicious piece of meat. There's a good reason for this.
The top round and bottom round are lean and don't contain much collagen. Collagen is the type of protein that turns into gelatin when it's braised slowly. This means that braised rump roast isn't as succulent as braised chuck roast.
More often than not, the best use of round roasts is to roast them slowly so they turn out medium rare. They can then be sliced thinly and used for sandwiches or even served as roasts. Slicing thinly and against the grain is crucial.
TURKEY
When I think of turkey, Thanksgiving comes to mind. For many people across the United States, it’s the day to cook a whole turkey, usually in the oven or deep fryer, and serve it up to the family.
The anatomy of a turkey is quite similar to that of a chicken, but turkey is generally much bigger and slightly leaner.You can eat it as a deli meat, precooked, smoked, and ready to eat in sandwiches. You will find turkey regularly to substitute for other meals like ground turkey burgers and even turkey bacon.
DUCK
Another type of poultry, in addition to chicken and turkey, is duck. It is high in cholesterol and saturated fat, giving it a rich and flavorful taste, making it a popular type of meat globally.
Two dishes is highly recommend for duck meat. The first is a simple duck confit with cured, marinated, and poached duck legs that can be incredible.
The other dish featuring duck is Peking duck. It is a Chinese dish that features thin crispy skin that will make your mouth water. The skin of a Peking duck might be my favorite poultry item.
PORK
Many people consider pork the most versatile type of meat, a main or partial ingredient in scores of flavorful dishes. The meat comes from domesticated pigs and pork is one of the most consumed meats on the planet. Pork has been a staple of the human diet for thousands of years.
It can be consumed freshly cooked but preserved or cured pork products such as ham, bacon, sausage, and smoked pork are incredibly popular. Preserving them allows them to last longer and requires less refrigeration.
Nothing compares to the smell or taste of freshly cooked bacon. It can be added as a topping for many dishes or consumed on its own, especially at breakfast. Not something easy to include on a low-calorie diet though.
There are some different cuts of pork that you can prepare and season in nearly every way you can think of.
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Boston Butt
Despite what its name might indicate, the pork butt, also called the Boston butt, comes from the upper shoulder of the hog. Consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade, and upper arm, the pork butt is a moderately tough cut of pork with a good deal of connective tissue. Pork butt 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.
The Basics of Pork Cuts
Pork is divided into large sections called primal cuts, illustrated in the pig diagram. These primal cuts are then broken down further into individual retail cuts, which is what you find at the grocery store.
The most tender cuts of pork are from the rib and loin. It's where the expression "high on the hog" comes from. The most desirable cuts of meat come from higher up on the animal. By contrast, the shank and shoulder muscles produce the toughest cuts. With ​proper cooking, even those tougher cuts can be luscious and tender.
Shoulder (Picnic)
Another tough cut, the pork shoulder (also called the picnic shoulder) is frequently cured or smoked. Pork shoulder is also used for making ground pork or sausage meat. The pork shoulder is sometimes roasted, but it's not really ideal for this.
Pork shoulder is a triangular cut from the area just above the front leg of the pig. It is a relatively inexpensive cut often sold with the skin on and a layer of fat. It is included in the picnic ham cut, which also has the leg bone. The shoulder is an area (unlike cuts from the interior of the pig, like the loin) that gets a lot of exercise when a pig is alive. As a result, it is flavorful but there is less fat marbling and the meat will be tough unless cooked correctly.
Lion
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 pork 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.
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 ham steaks as well.
The ham hock, which is used extensively in southern U.S. cuisine, is taken from the joint at the shank end of the ham where it joins the foot. The ham hock is often braised with collards or other greens.
Pork Belly
The pork side (also called the pork belly) is where pancetta and bacon come from. Pork belly meat can also be rolled and roasted or even cut into steaks.
Once considered scrap meat, pork belly is now featured on trendy restaurant menus around the world. It's a fatty piece of meat, but when handled properly, it is delicious. This braised pork belly recipe is succulent and flavorful because it sits in a dry rub overnight and is then slowly cooked in a flavorful liquid. Enjoy this pork belly with such sides as mac and cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, or salad.
Spare Ribs
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. Pork spareribs can also be braised or cooked in a crock pot.
Varieties of Pork Ribs
Several different types of ribs are available, depending on the section of the rib cage from which they are cut. Each cut varies in thickness of the meat and bone, as well as fat content, which affects the flavor and texture of the cooked ribs.
Baby back ribs: The ribs you usually hear described as baby back ribs come from high up on the back of the hog, where they wrap around the loin. They're actually the same ribs that are found in bone-in pork rib chops, without the loin muscle attached. Technically, baby back ribs are ribs from a younger animal. Baby back ribs have a slight curvature to them to match the curvature of the loin. They're leaner, meatier, and a bit more tender than spareribs, and they contain less cartilage. Back ribs are usually between three and six inches wide, and they taper toward the front. A rack of back ribs will consist of between eight and 13 ribs.
Pork Spare Ribs: Spare ribs come from the belly of the hog, the lower section of ribs, extending all the way to the front of the animal and including parts of the sternum and brisket bones. Because they come from the belly, spare ribs have a bit more fat on them, and they're a little tougher since the muscles around the rib cage expand and contract quite a lot. But long slow cooking, whether in a smoker, a barbecue or even in the oven, will ensure that the meat falls off the bone. Spare ribs are straighter than back ribs, and maybe six to eight inches wide. A full rack will consist of 11 to 13 ribs.
St. Louis Cut Ribs: St. Louis ribs simply refers to a specific cut of ribs. Basically, the St. Louis cut is spare ribs that have been trimmed to remove the brisket bones, sternum, and the flap of meat that hangs over the last rib. St. Louis ribs are squared off and flat, uniformly five to six inches wide all the way up and down. The diaphragm or skirt steak is also removed from the inside of the ribcage.
Country-Style Ribs: True country-style ribs are basically pork rib chops from the shoulder end of the loin. They're made by splitting the loin down the middle, leaving a narrow portion of rib bone with meat attached, and a narrow portion of feather bone with meat attached. Boneless country-style ribs are long strips of loin muscle along with the intercostal meat (i.e. the meat in between the rib bones).
Pork Jowl
The pork jowl is mostly used in making sausages, although it can also be cured and made into bacon. In Italian cooking, cured pork jowl is referred to as guanciale.
Pork 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 in the pork foot and tenderizes the meat. Pork feet can also be cured, smoked, or even pickled. Pig feet are a key ingredient in the traditional Mexican menudo.
LAMP
While not quite as common as the other types of meat listed, lamb is another popular option for meat. Lamb refers to the meat obtained from a less-than-one-year-old animal, while mutton is the name of meat from a sheep.
I think that lamb shanks might be the most delicious way to prepare lamb meat. The meat gets to fall off the bone and is packed with flavor.
Leg of lamb roasts are also quite common, as are cuts from the shoulder, rack, loin, and breast.
Lamb is also great barbecued and pairs great with sides like blue cheese and grilled asparagus.
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COAT
Goat is not a common protein in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. However, goat meat is consumed in large swaths of the world.
The meat from a goat can be a bit gamier in flavor, and even though it is technically red meat, it contains less fat and cholesterol than many other types of meat.
If you travel to many parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, you can find goat meat served in many delicious dishes.
Slow roasting goat meat is an excellent method to use as it can transform the otherwise tough meat into a delicate and savory meal.
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PHEASANT
Many hunters love pheasant because of the excitement of hunting it for their meal.
It is a widely known game bird. Many areas artificially introduce pheasants for hunting.
As expected from a wild bird, the meat from a pheasant has a gamier flavor and can be tougher than other bird meats like chicken. But it can also be farm-raised, which decreases the gamey flavor.
Pheasant works well roasted with lots of herbs, spices, and flavors to let its natural flavors shine. It can also bring brightness to a stew.
RABBIT
While not popular in the United States, rabbit is a great source of protein and many people choose it as their go-to meal.
People also hunt wild rabbits with the help of falcons or dogs and farm them for their meat and fur. Either way, rabbit meat is a delicious treat.
You can serve rabbit in many different ways, including stewing, barbecuing, and pan-cooking it. I find that rabbit has a similar taste to chicken but a slightly earthier flavor and tougher meat.
I like mine the best when in a stew with some great root vegetables.
BISON
If you want a lower-fat red-meat alternative to beef, bison is the place to go. Bison meat, also called buffalo or American buffalo meat, is similar to beef in many ways.
Ground bison meat is a popular alternative to beef patties used in hamburgers. I think you might get away with serving either interchangeably.
If you know how to cook them the right way, your guests will likely not be able to tell whether they’re eating beef or bison burgers.
I like bison done on the grill after marinating it to make sure the steaks are juicy. If you’re tempted by a steak, make sure that you adjust your cooking time because the fat content of bison is less than the fat content of beef.
VENISON
Another popular game meat that people still hunt in the wild is venison. Venison refers to meat from elk, deer, and antelope. It can be finer in texture but also slightly leaner than beef.
Having less fat makes venison a bit of a challenge to prepare well. Some venison recipes call for an additional source of fat added to the dish.
Even though you might start with a lower-fat meal, adding some bacon might negate that. As many people are trying to maximize their protein intake, venison is worth checking out. The only problem is that it is generally harder to find unless you’re willing to head out on your own to hunt it.
WILD BOAR
Wild boar is an ancestor to domesticated pigs and has been part of human diets for millennia.
In certain places, wild boar have been part of the natural ecosystem for a long time, while other areas are dealing with a problematic foreign invasion.
The meat from a wild boar is somewhat similar to pork, but it is a deeper red and usually has a more intense flavor, often described as nutty.
Boar also generally has less fat than pork, so marinated dishes and slow cooking methods enhance the juiciness.
VEAL
While beef is the meat from mature cows, veal is the meat of young calves. It is generally a more expensive meat than beef, and with that premium price comes a premium taste and texture.
Veal is usually more delicate than beef. You can use it in flavorful Italian, French, and Mediterranean dishes.
I love veal cutlets, but you can also use them in a stew if you prefer leaner meat.
