Beef meat can be part of your healthy diet once eaten in moderation. Beef is a good source of protein, vitamins, and other minerals appropriate for individuals engaging in muscle strengthening, athletes, and patients in surgery recovery. Beef meat can be cooked in so many different methods such as broiling, roasting, braising, pan-frying, or grilling.
Grilling is the usual method used by many beef steaks lovers as this can be done outdoors with family and friends with minimal use of ingredients, kitchen utensils, and appliances. Moreover, the cooking procedure of the meat will be based upon the cut and tenderness of the meat.
The utilization of appropriate methods is a way to preserve the quality of the beef. A tender cut is best cooked with dry heat, while the less tender cuts are tenderized with moist heat. With that said, here are some of the best beef cuts for grilling.
Chuck Primal Cut
This cut is located at the neck and shoulder region of the cow near the rib primal. Chuck primal has a tougher cut that requires a slow-cooking procedure. The cut can be marinated and cooked in moist heat under low heat to tenderize. A beef cuts diagram and infographic can help you know more about these cuts.
Moreover, a chuck cut can serve as a low-cost alternative for ribeye steak. It is also a popular source of ground beef for hamburgers, boneless short ribs, flat-iron steak, beef stew, pot roast, and Denver steak. This cut contains high fat that contributes to the deeper and rich flavor of the beef. Furthermore, you can cut primal chuck into smaller sections such as chuck tender, chuck roll, shoulder clod and square-cut chuck.
Rib Primal Cut
The ribs section is located at the middle portion of the cow. It is where most of the thick muscle and tender meat are located. Ribeye, prime rib, and short ribs are the cuts from this section. Most parts of these cuts are best when grilled, but for prime rib cuts, slow-cooking is appropriate to maximize its buttery texture.
One of the famous ribs recipes is the ribeye steak. It is best when grilled, it brings out the meat’s tenderness, richness, and juiciness. Once grilled, the rosy pink interior and a nice crust outside the grilled steak define the meat as ready to eat. Ribeye roll and Rib subprimal are the cuts for the smaller portion of the ribs, such as rib fingers and blade meat that’s best when roasted.
Short Loin and Sirloin
This portion is located at the cow’s back behind the rib section. Most expensive cuts include the T-bone, Porterhouse, Tenderloin, and New York strip. The loin is the tenderest cut of beef; it is lean that can be prepared in various cooking preferences. Grilling is one way of bringing out the deep flavors and juiciness of the steak.
Sirloin is located behind the short loin, closer at the butt of the cow. It is cut into smaller sections such as strips and cubes, tri-tip, and tenderloin. Sirloin steak and tenderloin are tender meat good for quick and dry heat cooking.
Flank Cut
This beef cut is located behind the plate and below the short loin at the cows’ bellies. It is a thin and tough part of the cow popular for flank and skirt steaks. It is marinade to tenderize it’s tough meat and can be cooked in various cooking preferences such as braising, grilling, and broiling, making it widely versatile.
When grilling, the meat should be marinated and be cooked at a medium to high temperature over a short time, but be careful not to overcook it. Overcooked meat will reduce its moisture and flavor. The flank cut is the best meat to grill for spicy recipes and cut into thin slices before serving.
Plate Cut
This region is located at the front belly of the cow below the ribs, where the delicious ground beef, short ribs, stew and skirt steak come from. They are fattier and richer in flavor. It is also where the cartilage is located and chopped for stew. Moreover, this beef section contains expensive short ribs, which are best for slow-cooking methods.
Furthermore, plate prime cuts can be divided into smaller cuts: hanger steak, inside skirt steak, outside skirt steak, plate short ribs, and flanken-style short ribs. Each of these cuts contains the flavorful meat utilized for specific dishes. These cuts are suited for fast cooking over medium to high heat until it reaches the desired doneness, such as grilling.
It is better to familiarize the different beef cuts to determine what recipes and cooking preferences are appropriate for the meat. This will also prevent you from unwanted expenses and meat waste.
