What are the best cuts of beef?
The cuts
- Chuck steak. Quite often sold as braising steak, chuck comes from around the shoulders and is often sold pre-diced to be used in certain dishes.
- Fillet. ...
- Onglet. ...
- Rib-eye steak. ...
- Rump. ...
- Shin. ...
- Silverside. ...
- Sirloin steak. ...
- Skirt. ...
- T-bone steak. ...
How to prepare a fillet of beef?
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 (fan 200C).
- Rub the fillet of beef with plenty of salt and pepper and the oil.
- Heat a large frying pan until very hot. ...
- Place the fillet in the centre of the roasting tin, arrange the whole garlic bulbs around the fillet and drizzle with a little oil. ...
How to cook hand trimmed whole fillet of beef?
Grill your whole beef fillet on a charcoal grill. Allow the coals to burn for about 30 minutes on medium-high heat and then pile them evenly on one side. Open your grill vents and place the meat on the grate on the cool side of the grill. Reduce the temperature by adjusting the vents. Put the lid down, but turn occasionally.
Is fillet steak the same as filet mignon?
Filets are steaks cut from the tenderloin, a little-worked interior muscle that runs from the ribcage toward the butt. Since the filet was traditionally cut from the smaller portion of the tenderloin, French butchers called these cuts “filet mignon.”. Today it is most commonly referred to simply as a filet.

What cut is beef fillet?
The fillet is a very tender steak muscle which comes from the lower middle of the back and forms part of the sirloin. The fillet muscle is so tender because it does the least work. It is also a very lean cut with little fat running through it, which means it doesn't have quite so much flavour as other steak cuts.
What is another name for beef filet?
tenderloinCutting a whole tenderloin into steaks of equal weight will yield proportionally very thin steaks from the butt end. The filet mignon or tenderloin steak is often the cut of meat prepared in beef Wellington.
What is the difference between beef steak and beef fillet?
A T-bone steak has meat on either side, one smaller in size than the other. When you cut them both away, the smaller one is the fillet (softer and leaner), and the other side is the steak which is not as soft but tastier because of the fat.
Is filet and filet mignon the same?
Fillet of beef is the same as what we call beef tenderloin in the U.S. Filet mignon is a steak medallion cut from this cut of beef. While not the most flavorful piece of beef, it definitely is the most tender. Due to it's low fat content, it's best cooked with dry heat.
What is filet mignon called in the grocery store?
In the U.S., both the central and large end of the tenderloin are often sold as filet mignon in supermarkets and restaurants. The French terms for these cuts are tournedos (the smaller central portion), châteaubriand (the larger central portion), and biftek (cut from the large end known as the tête de filet (lit.
Is beef fillet the same as beef tenderloin?
Tenderloin and Filet Mignon are really one and the same in terms of the cut of beef and the area that they are taken from on the animal. Both these cuts of beef are known for their tenderness and not really for their beef flavor.
What is the tenderest cut of steak?
filet mignonConsidered the most tender cut of all, a filet mignon is taken from the center of the beef tenderloin. It is lean yet delivers a melt-in-your mouth, buttery succulence. Perfect for grilling, pan-searing and broiling in the oven. Available in several weights, a filet is perfect for 1 person.
What is the most expensive cut of beef?
As its name implies, the tenderloin is the most tender cut of beef. It's also known as a filet. It's the most expensive cut there is because of its tenderness.
What steak is closest to filet mignon?
sirloin steakVery thin cut strips of sirloin steak can be nearly as tender as a filet mignon, making it an excellent value.
Why is my filet mignon tough?
Filet Mignon Temperature Tip: Aim for an internal temperature of 130-135ºF, after resting, for medium-rare. Remember, there isn't much fat in the lean filet. Higher heat quickly denatures the protein strands, making them tough and chewy.
Which is better top sirloin or filet mignon?
Sirloin offers more flavor and a heartier bite, whereas filet is so tender that it melts in your mouth. Neither one will require a great deal of preparation, but sirloin is a better choice if you want to marinate the steak.
Which is better tenderloin or filet mignon?
Size: Beef tenderloin is a larger cut of beef that includes the filet mignon. If you want to cook a large, shareable beef dish like beef Wellington, purchase the entire tenderloin (or a large piece of it) from your grocery store or butcher. If you want to cook one perfect steak, ask for the filet mignon.
What is another name for filet?
What is another word for filet?filletUKcutpiecesectionstripsegmentsliverbarlayerslab34 more rows
What's another word for filet?
In this page you can discover 41 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for fillet, like: bandeau, band, chaplet, crown, fish, garland, slice, cutlet, headband, listel and meat.
Is beef top sirloin the same as filet mignon?
Top Sirloin Sirloin is lean like the filet mignon, but it has a sturdier chew like the New York Strip. It's very easy to use this delicately in an appetizer, or you can marinate it for longer periods of time.
What's the difference between a filet and a sirloin?
Sirloin offers more flavor and a heartier bite, whereas filet is so tender that it melts in your mouth. Neither one will require a great deal of preparation, but sirloin is a better choice if you want to marinate the steak.
What Are the Primal Cuts of Beef?
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.
Forequarter Cuts: Beef Chuck
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.
Forequarter Cuts: Beef 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 .
Forequarter Cuts: Beef 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.
Forequarter Cuts: 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.
Forequarter Cuts: Beef 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 Cuts Chart
This first beef cuts chart is for those who’d like an at-a-glance overview of every cut of beef, with relative cost, how to cook them, and more.
Cuts of Beef Diagram and Infographic
Before we get into the in-depth article on all the most popular beef cuts, here is an overview infographic showing where every cut of beef comes from on the cow, recommended methods for cooking outdoors, and their relative costs.
Chuck
Cuts in the beef Chuck category originate from the ‘chuck primal’, in the neck and shoulder area.
Loin
Sometimes called the ‘Short Loin,’ this section immediately follows the Rib section in the upper middle area of the beef.
Round
The Round cuts are found at the very most hindquarter of the beef. Everything found here is nice and lean, and usually not too expensive, with a couple of exceptions.
Brisket
Coming back to the front of the cow, we find the beef Brisket in the breast section, below the first five ribs.
Plate & Flank
Together, the Plate & Flank make up the entire underbelly of the beef. Surprisingly, there are only a few cuts to be found in these sections.
CHUCK
Description: The chuck, also known as the seven-bone steak (in reference to the shape of the bone), is located near the shoulder and neck area of the cow.
ROUND OR RUMP
Description: The round, also known as the rump, is a lean cut of meat with very little fat. It is located at the back of the cow near the rear leg. Like the Shank, the round is a tough cut due to the constant use of the cow’s legs.
BRISKET
Description: Brisket is cut from the breast or the lower portion of the cow. Like the shank, it has a lot of connective tissue and can be quite tough unless cooked properly.
RIBS
Description: The rib includes some of the finest cuts of the cow, and is the known for its juiciness, tenderness, superb marbling, and flavour. The rib cut refers to ribs 6 through 12 on the cow.
SHORT PLATE
Description: The short plate is located on the front belly of the cow below the ribs. It contains a lot of cartilage and is kind of fatty and tough.
FLANK
Description: The flank is a long flat cut from the abdominal muscles of the cow. It is one of the toughest cuts of meat.
LOIN
Description: The loin is cut from the back of the cow, typically a portion of the hindquarter directly behind the ribs. It is one of the most tender and desirable cuts of beef.
Chuck
The chuck is the shoulder. As this is a very well-used muscle group, it is loaded with connective tissue, very lean and, as you can imagine, very tough. The chuck is usually ground into hamburger or cut into stew meat or pot roasts (arm and shoulder roasts), which require long moist-heat stewing or braising to break down the collagen.
Loin
The loin is actually two subprimal cuts—the strip loin (backstrap) and the tenderloin—and contains the most tender and prized cuts of meat. The strip loin, the larger of the two, is a cylindrical muscle running along the spine. The tenderloin is a smaller, snake-shaped muscle running parallel to and beneath the strip loin.
Round
The round is the hind leg of the animal. Like the chuck, it is a heavily used muscle that’s very lean and full of connective tissue…but unlike the chuck, it doesn’t contain hidden treasures like the flat iron.
Shank and Brisket
The foreshank (arm) is very flavorful and high in collagen, and is typically sold as “soup bone” for making soups and stocks. The brisket (breast) is very tough and contains quite a bit of fat.
Plate and Flank
The short plate contains the rib bones and is located directly beneath the primal rib cut. The flank, adjacent to the plate and below the loin, is basically the side of the animal. Short ribs come from the plate and are marinated and grilled or stewed.
Why So Tender?
The secret of the filet mignon’s tenderness is due to its location on the animal. The tenderloin is a non-weight bearing muscle and remains relatively unused. Inactivity keeps the muscle from growing too tough through repetitive movement.
Butcher Cut Matters
Every Omaha Steaks tenderloin is hand-selected for quality by an experienced beef expert, often by 5 th generation family owner Bruce Simon himself. Then, the beef is aged 28+ days for natural maximum tenderness and trimmed into filet mignon steaks by our team of master butchers. But… there’s more than one way to trim a steak.
How to Cook a Filet Mignon
Omaha Steaks butchers recommend cooking filet mignon rare to medium-rare – these lower temperatures are ideal for experiencing tenderness. Filet mignon is not the most marbled steak, so be careful – the steak will dry out if you overcook it. Season liberally with coarse sea salt and fresh black pepper to prep the steak.
Wagyu Filet Mignon
Wagyu is a rare breed of cattle prized the world over for producing the most intensely marbled beef. That marbling makes a unique filet mignon experience, since this steak is not normally the most marbled.
Nutrition labels for cuts of beef
Wondering which cuts of beef are the leanest? Check the label. The labels on cuts of beef are considered nutrition claims, so they're subject to government regulations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates whether cuts of beef can be labeled as "lean" or "extra lean" based on their fat and cholesterol content.
Selecting cuts of beef
Many cuts of beef now meet the USDA 's regulations to qualify as lean or extra lean. Of these, the following are considered extra lean:
Preparing cuts of beef
Even the leanest cuts of beef can become diet-busters if you prepare them in unhealthy ways. Here are a few simple methods to control the fat:
Everything in moderation
Even if you choose lean or extra-lean cuts of beef, don't go overboard. If you want to include beef in your diet, do so in moderation. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults eat no more than a total of 5.5 to 6 ounces (156 to 170 grams) of cooked lean meat, fish, shellfish or skinless poultry a day.