It’s a fact we all know, but often choose to ignore: the juicy grass-finished beef steak on our plate was once part of a bovine. At the farm, we strive to make our animals comfortable and content so that they will grow and develop in a stress-free environment. This is good for the animal, the forages, the land, and for the farmer. The cycle of life moves along until the measure of creation is fulfilled for the animal—and we omnivores continue that cycle at the dinner table.

A significant part of the field-to-fork process in the meat industry is the butchering of an animal. So I spent some time with my butcher the other day in order to share a behind-the-scenes look at butchering. The cutting of meat is somewhat of an art form, with lots of cultural variations. The standard American cuts that you see at the grocery store or on a chart such as this one distributed by the Beef Council tell only part of the story. Meat cutting is the art of identifying and separating the muscle groups from the bones and sinews. Once the muscle groups are separated, they can be sliced and trimmed into the familiar cuts of beef. Here’s a look at some of the most interesting beef cuts.

[Warning: The following photos may be too graphic for non-meat eaters! Read on at your own discretion.]

The T-Bone

This cut comes from the front of the back half of the spinal column and ribs; the area is known as the loin. There are three main muscle groups involved. Depending on the cutting of this section, the butcher can produce a porterhouse, T-bone or strip steak. By removing the bone, he can get a New York strip and tenderloin steak or filet (as in filet mignon). Surely every beef eater has had a T-bone steak and noticed the difference on each side of the T. The small side is more tender and less fatty. Taken alone, that piece is actually the tenderloin. The tougher and larger side of the T is the strip steak, or, without the bone, a New York strip steak. A porterhouse steak is the largest cut from this part of the animal and is larger because there is a third muscle group on the large side of the T, which is small and quite tender. Only four or five steaks cut from this area will qualify as porterhouse because the muscle is small and runs out as the meat section tapers smaller.

The next photo shows a T-bone on the left and a porterhouse on the right as mirror images, but note the additional round segment on the far right side of the porterhouse.

The Ribeye

The ribeye is my favorite steak. These cuts come from the back and rib section right in front of the T-bone area. Made into steaks with the bone in, it’s a rib steak, or de-boned, it’s a ribeye steak. Either way, it’s tender and flavorful and has just the right amount of fat. A ribeye steak is great for grilling or broiling. If this area isn’t cut into steaks, it will be cut as a bone-in or boneless rib roast. Sometimes this is referred to as prime rib, which may or may not be accurate; in the strict sense of the usage, this cut is only considered prime rib if it has been graded “prime” by a USDA inspector. When the word “prime” is used in this official sense, it means that there is a heavier internal fat content (aka marbling). Somehow, “choice rib” doesn’t have the same ring to it, but a rib roast graded to the USDA choice standard is pretty darn good if cooked properly.

The Lean Cuts

The large muscles at the rear of the cow provide the leanest cuts of beef. Sirloin steak is probably the most well-known cut, followed by rump roast. The rear-most muscle or round is most often cut into strips for fajita meat or stir-fry pieces. It can also be used to create round steak or kebab chunks.

The most interesting cut in this area is the tri-tip. This is a triangular muscle right at the bottom of the sirloin area, similar in size to the animal’s heart. The tri-tip is one of the best lean cuts because it is fairly tender. It can be grilled whole or cut into steaks. There are only two of these on the whole cow.

The Thin Muscles

The thin muscles are found on the underside of the cow, and from this area we get cuts such as brisket, skirt steak and flank steak. One common use of brisket is corned beef. Properly marinated and cooked, it is also makes a wonderful roast-style cut. The skirt and flank are very thin pieces of meat, which, ideally, should be marinated before grilling, then sliced into strips for flavorful fajitas. All of these cuts can also be cured into beef bacon or pastrami.
The Front Section

The front section of a cow is also known as chuck. The most common usage is for chuck roast or pot roast, which are usually slow cooked to tenderize the meat. The meat from the front section is a little tougher because it’s cut from muscles that are used a lot. However, there is also a lot of beef flavor for the same reason. One of the most flavorful steaks from the whole cow is a chuck-eye steak. It’s not very popular, probably because sometimes it can be kind of tough. This varies from one animal to the next, however, and the degree of toughness is not as predictable as tenderness measures on other steak cuts. Chuck steaks should be cut thin, perhaps tenderized, and not overcooked. The flavor can’t be beat.

So there you have it. Work with your local butcher to get your favorite cuts!

Note: All butchering images courtesy of John Brady.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/va-news-articles_2011-11-30?vaid=bd413d54c4a08ef8b003133906545dec&jQuery1327154881727=14

That’s a long link address for a short revealing article, so copy and past it to your browser. You’ll be amazed at what we’re feeding our kids…
I have been guilty of ordering these for my kids and grandkids. Maybe our bodies can cope with toxins occasionally, but should we really volunteer for it? With a steady diet of this, is it any wonder we have a nation of obesity? Nobody is forcing this on us. We’re voting with our dollars. Hope you’ll vote for real food; locally produced, fresh from the farm.

Although the term conjures up idyllic scenes of pastoral beauty, what are we really after when it comes to eating beef as part of a healthy, sensible, and interesting diet? Much has been written and researched about the health benefits, and environmental benefits of having cattle on pasture as opposed to a feedlot. Refer to other articles on my blog and elsewhere.

Before we go further, what does the term “finished” mean in beef? It means that the animal is physically mature in skeleton and muscle and that it has some fatty tissue as well. This fatty tissue will be both exterior of the muscle (fat cover) and also interior of the muscle (marbling). Much (not all) of the flavor and tenderness of the beef will be related to the fat content of the beef.

The term “Grass Fed” as it is now commonly used can refer to one of two possibilities:

1. The animal has been on grass or pasture prior to being put on a grain finishing ration, or
2. The animal is being butchered right off of the pasture while it is still in its growth or immature stage.

The result of the first scenario is a beef product no different than regular feedlot beef. The result of the second scenario is a very lean beef product that contains very little fat.

Now let’s look at the term “Grass Finished”. This is a much more descriptive term for what we really want. It means that the animal has been allowed to grow to a physically mature stage and then kept on grass until it begins to put on exterior and intramuscular fat. (The word grass is also a catch all term referring to grass, legumes, and other green vegetation and the hay made from such). No grain is ever fed to grass finished cattle. In most breeds of cattle this process will take 24 to 36 months. Much longer than the typical feedlot cattle period of 18-20 months. This is the “biggie” factor in the price difference between true Grass Finished and the less desirable grass fed. It is the factor that makes the eating experience and the health benefits of true Grass Finished so much superior.

Now that you’re informed, always choose the best—Grass Finished from Brady’s Beef.

Since it’s Halloween and your kids will be getting these as treats, I priced the “Fun Size” package at Walgreens with a total weight of 11.18 ounces at $3.49.  That’s just over 31 cents per ounce.

If you take 16 ounces  (1 pound) times 31 cents, thats $4.96.  Our healthy hamburger is only $4.50 per pound.  Our half beef price is only $5.50 per pound and you get all the steaks!  Which do you think is healthier?  And we’re not even counting the dental costs associated with that much caramel.

Lets give some thought to the real VALUE of grass finished beef.  Thanks.

There are some comments posted by readers following the article that are also interesting.  One that is noteworthy refers to the fact that when our government has sent cheap or free food to developing nations, it has actually displaced local farmers there because they could not compete and stay economically viable against “free” food.  Thus our handout became catalyst to the demise of local agricultural systems.  This acutally created more poverty and hunger.  There is now alot of work being done by private foundations such as the Benson Institute to help local farmers in these areas get back to productivity and self sufficiency in food production.  As the farmers get viable again, the whole community benefits.

We are not immune from the negative and disastrous effects of government “safety nets” and handouts in our enlightened “First World” country.  Local production of adequate food is central to our freedom and independence.

I believe that there is a common perception that “fat is bad”.  Let’s clear that up a little with the idea that too much fat is bad, and the wrong kind of fat is bad.  This debate about fat often gets pulled in to the grass fed vs. grain fed debate.

It is quite possible to “finish” a beef animal on grass and legumes.  It just takes longer than grain feeding.  Labratory testing has confirmed that grass fed animals have fat higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, and Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA).  See my other blog articles and our website www.bradysbeef.com for discussions about this.

Here at Brady’s beef, we have been selecting for breeds of animals that will finish with external fat cover and also internal fat or marbling within the muscles.  We also actually bring the animals to a finished state before harvesting.  By doing this, the eating experience is enhanced, the cooking is easier and more forgiving, and the overall nutritional value is much greater.

The great variation in qualities of grass fed beef comes because beef ranchers are not clear about the end product that their customer desires.  What the ranchers do know is that they have a certain kind  and amount of forage, and they have to pay bills and meet expenses.  When they try to meet their own needs by directly selling an animal to a customer who is unclear about what they really want in a meat cut–the resulting meat product becomes highly variable.

What really helps us ranchers is to have a customer that cares enough to get to know us and our product.  Then we can produce a final product that is great dining experience for the consumer and a profitable enterprise for the rancher.