Beef head is a delicacy best enjoyed with a large group of good company, but it also requires many hours of roasting in a traditional oven. It is best to find a whole head, not one that has been deboned. Your butcher can help you find the right one. It is also best for the head to come from a young animal.

Beef cheeks are tough, lean muscles from the head with plenty of connective tissue—what we know as collagen. Since cattle are ruminants, they spend much of their lives chewing their food, which makes these particular cheek muscles very tough, but also very flavorful when cooked properly.

Cheeks are perfect for boiling, giouvetsi, or braising in tomato sauce.

It is certainly one of the cuts of beef we are least familiar with. If you can get past your initial reservations or fears, its flavor will more than make up for it. Beef tongue is a delicacy in many countries around the world, especially in Scandinavia.

Beef tongue is tender when properly cooked and very tasty, especially when served with plenty of sauce, making it perfect as a snack with wine. It can be braised, sautéed, grilled, or fried.

Tender beef with little fat.

All cooking methods are suitable for this cut. You can boil it, stew it, cook it in a tomato sauce, make it giouvetsi-style, lemon-braised, braise it, or grill it.

It is suitable for all cooking methods except grilling, and also for mincing. The pieces of chuck near the bone are tender, while those closer to the outer surface are tougher and better suited for mincing.

Chuck is suitable for all kinds of cooking (braised in tomato sauce, lemon sauce, or stew), as well as for boiling, soups, and mincing, but not grilling. The pieces of chuck (neck) near the bone are tender, while those closer to the outer surface are tougher and better suited for mincing. You can ask your butcher for it bone-in or boneless.

The king of beef steaks.

The Tomahawk gets its name from its distinctive long, stripped bone, which closely resembles the distinctive single-bladed tomahawk axe of the Native Americans. It is a bone-in rib-eye steak, cut from between the 6th and 12th ribs of the beef carcass.

A Standing Rib Roast, also known as Prime Rib, is a cut of beef from the primal rib, one of the nine primal cuts of beef. While the entire rib section includes ribs six through 12, a rib roast can contain anywhere from two to seven ribs.

It is often roasted “standing” on the rib bones so that the meat does not touch the pan. An alternative cut removes the rib tips for easier carving.

For all cooks who love a prime rib with the bones intact, this cut is ideal.

Ribeye is one of the most important beef cuts today. It is expensive and highly sought after, at least in good restaurants.

A cow's backbone consists of 13 thoracic vertebrae, or simply 13 ribs. Butchering from the 1st to the 6th vertebra gives us the chuck, or, as it is more commonly known, the chuck steak. From the 7th to the 13th vertebra comes the rib eye, also known as the prime rib steak. Once the bone is removed, this cut yields the finest-quality steak, comprising two distinct muscles (one of them with a characteristic, almost round shape) and an excellent distribution of fat. Each animal has two such cuts, and each rib eye cut weighs about 4.5 kg on average. It is usually portioned into 300 g pieces. It is easy to see that each cow yields about 30 steaks of 300 g each. 

It should be noted here that reputable meat distributors limit rib eye production to the 8th through 12th vertebrae for even better quality. It is therefore clear that rib eye is a premium cut that is not available in abundance, since even the monthly orders of a good restaurant often require a small herd. For this reason, combined with its popularity, some unscrupulous sellers pass off chuck steaks as rib eye. 

A cut of meat taken from the top blade of the shoulder is as tender and delicate as a feather steak.

The shoulder is located on the calf, below the neck. It is one of the leaner cuts.

All shoulder cuts can be cooked in a pot (with lemon or wine), pot-roasted, baked with orzo, made into stifado or kokkinisto, cooked in a clay pot, or roasted in the oven. They can also be stuffed and wrapped in parchment paper, or minced. The thin cut is suitable for grilling or boiling.

It is located on the outer side of the two front quarters of the veal, above the shoulder blade. It usually weighs 2-3 kg. An inner layer of collagen makes it particularly tender.

It is often cut into portions and cooked in a tomato sauce, with lemon, as a stew, or with orzo, or sliced for grilling.

It comes from the outer side of the beef shoulder. This very tender, lean cut is one of the most tender and delicious, with a low fat content.

Ideal for braising in tomato sauce, lemon sauce, giouvetsi, pot roast, or slow-roasting in a covered dish.

Greek beef chuck rib steak. These are the first 4 - 5 ribs along the back. They are usually cut into pieces about 3 - 4 centimeters thick, perpendicular to the spine, and are mainly intended for quick-cooking dishes. They can also be sold boneless as a single cut for oven roasting.

A versatile beef cut prepared to order. The short rib is the horizontal extension of the beef steak, taken from the brisket and ribs. It is a muscle attached to the ribs, with an internal marbling of fat, making it especially flavorful and juicy.

It is ideal for slow cooking over charcoal or in the oven, allowing the outside to sear while keeping the inside juicy.

It is a cut from the beef brisket, made up of two muscles, one leaner and one fattier. It is a classic American cut that, thanks to barbecue competitions, has begun to gain popularity in Europe as well.

Cooking brisket does not take much effort, but it does take patience. It is difficult to estimate the exact cooking time in advance, as it depends on the thickness of the meat and its fat content.

 Brisket should not be cooked over direct heat on the grill. It needs to be cooked very slowly, with smoke! If you do not have a covered grill, the best way to cook it is in the oven in a good Dutch oven.

It is one of the most flavorful cuts of beef.

Although considered a tough cut with a lot of connective tissue, it makes an excellent “steak” for grilling.

Both Inside Skirt and Outside Skirt are boneless cuts from the diaphragm muscle. Inside Skirt, also known as the inner diaphragm, is a long, flat, fibrous muscle with a deep, meaty flavor.

This cut was not commercially popular in America. However, it became a hit in Mexico (as it was much more affordable) because it was used to make fajitas.

This changed in the 1980s, when the fajita dish grew in popularity in America, inevitably driving up the price of the cut.

A bold choice of specialty beef cut. It comes from the cow's belly and is a well-exercised part of the animal (as it helps the animal walk and turn), quite fibrous, with a very low fat content. It is less tender but especially flavorful, with intense aromas. Once you learn how to buy and prepare it, it may become one of your favorite cuts of beef.

It is especially tender and is usually minced. However, it can also be braised in a pot and grilled, roasted in the oven, or pan-fried.

It is widely considered one of the most popular cuts worldwide. It is a classic, premium choice of beef steak.

T-bone steak is cut from the first short loin steaks and includes a tenderloin “mignon.” It gets its name from the distinctive T-shaped bone between the strip steak and the tenderloin. It is a lean steak that is especially flavorful and tender.

To qualify as a T-bone steak, the tenderloin portion must measure at least 1.3 cm across from its edge to the vertebra, and the steak must be at least 3 cm thick.

Striploin steak is renowned as the most versatile of all classic cuts, and is a juicy steak with a rich flavor.

It is characterized by long, dense muscle fibers and a low intramuscular fat content. It comes from the rear part of the beef back, next to the short loin. It is cut from the thin end of the tenderloin, located in the beef's lumbar region after the 13th rib.

It is ideal for grilling over charcoal or cooking on another heat source. The ideal doneness is medium (it should first be cooked over high heat and then over low heat). This steak is best seasoned with just salt and pepper, so that nothing interferes with the flavor of the meat.

Striploin steak is renowned as the most versatile of all classic cuts, and is a juicy steak with a rich flavor. It is characterized by long, dense muscle fibers and a low intramuscular fat content.

Flap steak, or bavette, is a long, flat cut of meat taken from the abdominal muscles of the steer, just below the bottom of the sirloin. It has an irregular structure and is rich in intramuscular fat. It is thicker than skirt steak and flank steak, with a bold, beefy flavor that stands up well to rich sauces and sides.

It is located relatively close to flank steak and has a similar texture, but is slightly thicker and fattier, making for a juicier result. It is a distinctive cut of beef from the lower rear part of the animal and is very thin.

Many people can tell a ribeye from a strip steak. Quite a few know T-bone steak. But very few have ever enjoyed a porterhouse steak.

Porterhouse steak comes from the part of the animal where the tenderloin (specifically, its “tail”) meets the strip steaks: along the back, just before the rump—in the short loin.

It is the finest cut in terms of eating quality and can be divided into three parts: the head, the center and the tail of the tenderloin. The head and center are used for various steaks, tournedos and chateaubriand, while the tail is used for medallions, filet mignon, etc.

It is cut into slices for grilling or cooking in a non-stick pan. It can also be cooked whole in the oven.

It is the small, triangular muscle located at the back of the veal loin, at the end of the sirloin, between the belly and the leg.

This is a fine, boneless cut with a layer of fat on the outside and diagonal muscle fibers inside, and it is one of the most flavorful cuts of meat. When trimmed (removing the fibers, membranes, etc.) and sliced properly after cooking, it has a rich, meaty flavor, a satisfying bite, and a juicy texture. It is an excellent cut for grilling, either sliced or whole in the oven.

Tri-tip is an excellent cut for grilling, either sliced or whole. However, care is needed when cooking it because of its low fat content, to keep it juicy.

It is the front outer part of the thigh, extending to the knee. It is particularly tender meat, with little fat.

It is cooked like the rump, but has less fat. Its high collagen content helps sauces thicken.

This is a tender cut of diaphragm that “hangs” between the rib and loin of the beef, hence its name (hanger). It is also known as onglet (in French bistros).

It belongs to a category of beef known as “flat steaks.” It has little intramuscular fat and is a boneless muscle with a mineral finish. Its pleasantly fibrous texture and exceptionally pronounced, deeply meaty flavor are particularly enhanced when cooked rare.

Prime beef, American-style cut. Also known as a steak from the rump.

It comes from the rear of the back, specifically above the round and the tail, behind where the tenderloin is cut, and includes the last vertebra of the spine and the pelvic bone.

It is one of the toughest and most heavily exercised, “working” parts of the animal, after the tail.
It is a lean, particularly flavorful cut, often chosen as an alternative to tenderloin.

Rump steak is larger and firmer in texture than tenderloin, and is often considered to have a rich, deep, intensely meaty flavor.

This is the cap of rump. The name essentially describes a triangular, almost wedge-shaped cut at the back of the animal, between the last striploin and rump steaks. It is also known as the beef “cap.”

It is an especially flavorful and tender cut of beef, protected on the outside by a layer of fat. It comes from muscles that are not used much throughout the animal’s life, which is why it is so tender.

It can be grilled on a spit or served as a steak. If you want to serve it like one large souvlaki, cut it into thick semicircles at least 9-10 cm thick, then carefully thread them onto a large, oiled skewer so they do not sag and cook evenly. The thicker the pieces, the more securely and evenly they will sit on the skewer. If you want to serve it as steaks, cut it into thick steaks in the same direction as the grain.

The front shank (shin) is a meaty cut, particularly rich in collagen. Ideal for children.

It is usually chosen for boiling or soup, making stocks, and casseroles, as it is a tough cut. This cut also provides the gelatin for stocks.

Osso buco takes its name from the Italian dish it is used to prepare. Essentially, it is a bone-in shank. It is slow-cooked the traditional way, with red or white sauce. It also works well in a casserole with vegetables, cooked in the oven for several hours. It is a very tasty cut of meat, thanks to its high collagen content, and its flavor is enhanced by the marrow in the bone.

If you're excited about large cuts of meat, this Beef Hammer is just the thing for you.

This cut weighs between 2.8 and 3 kg and is ideal for your barbecue (if your barbecue is big enough, that is).

This huge Limousine Beef shank is ideal for low-and-slow BBQ and, if prepared properly, is just as tender as osso buco.

This is a cut of meat with exactly the same structure as the shank, but due to its anatomical location, it is much more tender than the shank. It is suitable for the same dishes as the shank.

The animal’s tail. It usually weighs 1-2 kg. Its distinctive feature is that, due to the calf’s anatomy, it is thick at one end and thin at the other. It’s best to buy two tails together to ensure you get more large, hearty pieces.
There may not be much meat on the tail, but it is incredibly delicious (its rich flavor usually comes from the bones and marrow, while its dense texture is due to the collagen released during slow cooking (slow cook)).

It can be cooked in a pot or in the oven. It requires slow cooking to bring out the meat’s best qualities. It has a good balance of lean meat and fat.