Beef Cuts Explained
Not all cuts of meat are the same. At Bagley Farms Meat Market, we want you to know what makes each cut of meat unique, whether you are looking for beef, chicken, or pork.
There are three grades of beef- select, choice, and prime. The different grades are assigned based on the degree of marbling, or the small flecks of fat within the beef muscle, the age of the animal, and color/texture of the muscle. Bagley Farms Meat Market only carries Prime and Choice beef.
- Prime beef is produced from young, well-fed cattle and has abundant marbling. Produced in smaller quantities than other grades, it is often sold in hotels and restaurants. These roasts and steaks are best served roasted, grilled, or broiled.
- Choice beef is the highest quantity on the market and is high quality but has less marbling than prime. Roasts and steaks from the rib and loin are very tender, juicy, and flavorful, best cooked roasted, grilled, and broiled. Less tender cuts are perfect for slow-cooking.
- Select beef is leaner due to the lack of marbling and lacks the tenderness, flavor, and juiciness of higher-grade meats. Slow-cooking or marinating prior to grilling or broiling will make the meat more tender.
How Are The Beef Cuts Divided Up?
The cow is divided up into ten primal beef cuts: chuck, rib, loin, sirloin, round, shank (front and back), flank, plate, and brisket. Tender cuts, such as ribeye, porterhouse, and filet only make up about eight percent of the cow’s body weight and are therefore more expensive!
Although beef prices fluctuate regularly, these beef cuts are ranked from least expensive to most expensive (per pound):
- Chuck roast
- Round roast
- Sirloin steak
- Tri-tip steak
- Brisket
- Short ribs
- Flank steak
- T-bone steak
- Strip steak
- Prime rib
The Most Popular Beef Cuts At Bagley Farms Meat Market
At Bagley Farms Meat Market, the most popular beef products making up 80% of all fresh meat sold are cheeseburger bombs, filet grillers, ribeyes, filets, New York strips, and ground beef. An exclusive to Bagley’s is our steak blend which is made from the trimmings from other cuts of beef, especially tenderloin. Tenderloin trimmings are also used to make kabobs. If you want a cut of beef other than what you see in the case and do not need it right away, our butcher can carve you a custom cut in whatever quantity you need. We will begin producing posts about the most common cuts and other names they are known by with a recipe on how the best way is to prepare the beef cuts.
