Top 89 Beef Cuts
in the World

Fraldinha is a meat cut that's traditionally used for churrasco and is made up of part flank, part short loin, and part bottom sirloin. This beef cut is long and thin, full of connective tissue. This strong marbling is the reason why the meat is traditionally cut against the grain before it's grilled. The name fraldinha is a diminutive for fralda, meaning flap or diaper in Portuguese. When prepared for churrasco, it usually has a browned crust at the edges, while the middle remains pink. It's recommended to top this meat cut with a sharp and vinegary salsa.Expand

Alcatra is a special cut of top sirloin. Large, long, and lean, this steak is prized for its succulence and a hearty beef flavor. The cut is often used for churrasco, the traditional Brazilian barbecue method. Alcatra is one of the largest cuts that's served as a part of churrasco. It should be perfectly seasoned with salt, then grilled with a layer of fat until most of it melts away, and the remaining fat becomes crispy. Before serving, it's usually expertly carved in respectable churrascarias.Expand

Bife de chorizo is an Argentinian beef cut equivalent to the US New York strip steak, strip steak, sirloin, and top loin traditionally used for asado. It is a thick, juicy steak with a sizable layer of fat on top. It comes in several varieties, namely the bife de chorizo angosto (thin sirloin) and the bife de chorizo mariposa (butterflied sirloin). And if you want to judge the quality of someone’s barbecue or the quality of a barbecue place, ask for this steak. Also, if you get one with more than a generous amount of fat, know you've been served a cheap and bad-quality one. Expand

Picanha is a fresh cut of beef that's especially popular and highly prized in Brazil. In the US, it's called sirloin cap, and in the UK, it's known as the rump cap. Picanha is situated on the back side of the animal, above the butt, where it sits on a fat cap. It's mostly used for churrasco – the meat is first grilled, then sliced off of a skewer. This cut holds very little fat in the meat, so it must be cooked perfectly in order not to make it tough. In Brazil, every churrasco has picanha, and all of the best churrascarias feature picanha on their menus. The name picanha is derived from the word picana, referring to the ranchers' pole used for herding cattle in Portugal and Spain. The technique was brought over to Brazil where the word picanha was used to refer to the part of the cow that was poked by ranchers with the pole.Expand

Known as the holiest of holies of Italian cuisine, the Florentine-style beef steak is prepared exclusively with dry-aged beef from the Chianina cattle, which is particularly prized for its tenderness. Even though bistecca alla Fiorentina is often described as a T-bone steak, it is much closer to a porterhouse - since it's cut closer to the center, the tenderloin is much larger than the one on a regular T-bone. Also, bistecca alla Fiorentina must be thick; the cut needs to be at least three fingers wide so that when the meat is grilled over a very hot flame, a nice, slightly charred crust forms on the outside of the steak while the inside remains succulent. In fact, bistecca alla Fiorentina is never, ever served medium or well-done, as any true Tuscan will insist that this dream of a steak should only be eaten sanguinoso, meaning rare. To enjoy your Florentine-style steak the Italian way, simplicity is the way to go - highlight the rich flavor of grilled beef with nothing more than a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, rosemary, and salt.Expand

Contrary to popular belief, the word Châteaubriand does not refer only to a cut of beef, but to a method used to grill or roast a thick cut of beef tenderloin. The steak was originally prepared by a chef named Montmireil in 1822 for a French author, diplomat, and statesman Francois René Vicomte de Chateaubriand. When served in France, Châteaubriand will always be accompanied by a sauce – most often either a traditional red wine sauce or Béarnaise sauce. The steak is usually served with a side of roasted new potatoes or tiny chateau potatoes.Expand

In Brazilian cuisine, costela refers to a specific cut of beef known as ribs in English, although it differs from the American style ribs as it encompasses both ribs (costela do dianteiro) and ponta de agulha (plate ribs). It's a popular and essential component of Brazilian barbecue culture (churrasco). Ribs are often skewered and grilled over an open flame to create flavorful and tender meat. It's seasoned with minimal ingredients like salt to enhance the natural flavors of the meat. The slow cooking process allows the meat to become tender and develop a delicious smoky flavor. In addition to grilling, "Costela" can also be used in other dishes. It's often braised or slow-cooked for stews and soups, allowing the meat to become fall-off-the-bone tender and infuse the broth with rich flavors.Expand

Considered probably the most popular and "noble" Brazilian beef cut, maminha is a beef cut from Brazil that best corresponds to the mix of the US flank and bottom sirloin. However, some sources will also say it corresponds to the US tri-tip cut. In any case, it is a very versatile cut, and in Brazil and South American countries, it is typically barbecued but can also be roasted whole, cubed and stewed, or cut into steaks and pan-fried. Also, besides being versatile, it is one of the leanest beef cuts as well, which is why it got the title "the filé mignon for the grill", meaning it's lean and tender as the filé but suitable for grilling. Maminha should be grilled only until medium done, or it will turn tough. But no matter how it's prepared, maminha should always be cut against the grain so it's more tender and easier to eat. In North America, if maminha is unavailable, bottom round roast and bottom round steak can be used instead. The first is for roasting whole or in stews, while the other is for grilling. Expand

In the American, English and German systems of primal beef cuts, the brisket (or rinderbrust) is a cut that comes from the breast or lower chest of the cow. The brisket is one of the nine primal cuts of beef and is particularly known for its size and for having a significant amount of connective tissue. This cut consists of two different muscles: the pectoralis major, known as the "flat," and the pectoralis minor, or the "point." The flat is leaner, while the point has more fat and marbling. Because of the high amount of connective tissue, brisket needs to be cooked slowly, over low heat, to allow the collagen in the meat to break down and become tender. This makes it a popular choice for slow cooking methods like smoking, braising, or slow roasting. Brisket is notably used in a variety of regional American barbecue traditions, particularly Texas-style barbecue, where it's often smoked for many hours. It's also traditionally used for making corned beef and pastrami.Expand