The word beef covers a lot of bases in regards to the different types of beef, the way it can be prepared and also, of course, no matter what the cut of beef is, it contains protein, so back to the question, “What is Beef?”.
Beef is the name for meat from bovines, the most common bovine for consumption comes from cattle.
Beef usually comes from cows, bulls, steers or heifers and then is cut or divided up into many different types of cuts to be cooked thereafter.
When being prepared the muscle of the animal which can be referred to as beef muscle meat can be cut into steaks, roasts, brisket, stew beef or short ribs and more, these cuts are the ones usually bought and eaten when you go to the butcher or supermarket to buy.
The tender cuts of beef usually come from the ribs and the loin and the tougher cuts come from the rump and the shoulder areas.
The rest of the animal is used for eating alone or ground and minced up for sausages and other similar foods.
Humans have been eating and having beef in their diets since before 8000 BC where it was shown in cave paintings and have continued to do so through the whole of history.
There are still old cattle breeds around too where we still get our beef from and also in more recent times these breeds have been added to increase meat yield.
The cuts of the beef vary from country to country but the initial cut which is called the primal cut is generally the same, this primal cut of the cattle separates the basic sections of the meat ready for the smaller cuts into steaks and roasts etc.
The main reason for the smaller cuts is that these portions are suitable for family or individuals and also in the end the cooking of each different cut changes too depending on what it cut it is.
Red meat for beef contains a concentrated source of protein, vitamins and minerals and also a bit of fat, so in regards to protein it is great but you wouldn’t eat it for every meal.
Beef also contains Carnitine and also is a source of Creatine as well, now if you have been interested in supplements over the years these two ingredients will be very familiar to you.
Each different type of cut of beef has a different protein, fat and calorie make up to it, so the key if you are looking at adding beef to your daily diet is finding the cut that suits you in regards to cooking (Time and how it is cooked), price and nutritional value.
In Australia there are many cuts to choose from in regards to the beef we eat and here is a list of them for you, these are the basic cuts for cooking, not the Primal and Sub Primal Cuts for you;
Shin
Boneless Shin / Gravy beef
Shin Bone In / Osso Bucco
Silverside / Topside
Topside Roast
Topside Steak
Silverside Minute Steak
Rump
Rump Steak
Rump Roast
Rump Minute Steak
Rump Medallion
Rump Centre Steak
Knuckle
Round Steak
Round minute Steak
Knuckle Medallion
Tenderloin
Fillet / Tenderloin Steak
Eye Fillet Centre Out
Butt Fillet
Skirt
Skirt (Diced or Rolled)
Striploin
Sirloin Steak / Porterhouse / New York
Sirloin Roast
T-Bone
Cube Roll
Rib Eye / Scotch Fillet Steak
Rib Eye / Scotch Fillet Roast
Standing Rib Roast
Rib Cutlet
Blade / Chuck
Blade Steak
Blade Roast
Boneless Blade Steak
Chuck Oyster Blade Steak
Blade Minute Steak
Boneless Blade Steak Bone In
Brisket
Rolled Brisket
Other Beef Cuts for Cooking
Diced Beef
Beef Stir Fry Strips
Beef Mince
Looking through this list I can say I have had pretty much all the different varieties of beef cuts over my life time.
These cuts change from country to country generally, the variance can come in the cut and also in the name the cut is given.
There is also there is different food grades from country to country, these also apply to beef and the different byproducts of beef as a protection to the end consumer in regards to labeling and also the grading quality guarantee that the cut and quality of meat they are buying is the one they are paying for.
There is many different ways to cook, prepare and eat your beef too, grilling, barbeque, griddle, frying, boiling, roasting, stewing, smoking, cured, braising, dried, pot roasting and I’m sure there are plenty more other ways too to get your beef fix as well as in some countries raw beef is considered a delicacy too.
So there you have a brief run down on beef, the different cuts and also the many ways it can be prepared prior to cooking, beef certainly contains protein and the different cuts and preparations also all have different protein levels to them too.
So I will have my work cut out for me covering all of these over time, but it should be great fun learning a bit more about this part of our one of Australia’s favourite meats and I have already started to learn a lot more than I knew before.
See you back here soon.