Beef is a dietary and lean meat compared to pork, which is why it is especially popular with adherents of a healthy diet. Cow meat can also be used in baby food, starting from an early age of the baby.

But in order for the meat dish to turn out tender and tasty, the cook must understand the parts of the carcass, since each of them is suitable for a certain type of dish.

Cutting scheme

Looking at the offered goods on the window, you can easily determine the purpose of a particular piece, if you know the generally accepted scheme for cutting carcasses.

Let's start in order with the head of the beef body. The head is rarely found on sale, as it is not a full-fledged meat piece. However, in the villages, from time immemorial, parts of the head have been used to make rich soups, jelly, and are also twisted into minced meat.

Neck. The neck cut is also called a cut. It is characterized by a large number of tendons.
Shoulder blade and shoulder. Meat of varying degrees of rigidity with fatty layers, depending on the location.
Back. This part is subdivided into several cuts at once, which have different purposes in cooking. Thick edge - a solid layer of meat, sometimes with some ribs left, has thin delicate fibers. The loin on the ribs is often referred to as "thin edge" due to the smaller amount of meat layer compared to the thick edge.

Ribs- rib bones cleaned of meat.
Entrecote- soft meat left after cutting from the ribs.
Loin, loin. It can be both on the bone and without. It is schematically divided into a thick edge - buttocks (meat with a small amount of fatty layers, located in the pelvic region of the carcass) and a thin edge - tenderloin (tender meat mass, considered the most valuable and at the same time lean).

ribs

Entrecote

Butt

tenderloin

Brisket. In the uncut form, it is a sternum with ribs in the anterior part and cartilaginous processes of the ribs in the posterior. The meat is interspersed with layers of fat and films. On sale can be both on the bone and without.
Kostets. Tender varietal meat located in the hip part and exciting backbone.
Thigh. Upper thigh of the animal's hind leg. It has a soft structure, especially on the inside.
Rump. The middle part of the thigh, which, in turn, is divided into the inner side - the probe, and the lower part - the cut.

Brisket

Kostets

thigh

Rump

Flank, or peritoneum, curl. The meaty part of the abdomen and groin. The meat is rough, with fat, cartilage and films.
Rulka. Part of the meat from the front leg of the animal, the main content of which is muscle, tendons and bone.
Shank. The brain bone of the hind leg, which, when cooked, releases a large amount of gelatin. The shank also contains a mass of connective tissue.

Which part to use for what?

Experienced chefs advise before buying a cut, first determine the culinary purpose of a particular part. In order not to get confused in the variety of names and not be misled, it is better to follow the recipe clearly. To do this, you need to remember or write down in your culinary notebook what use is suitable for a particular cut of beef.

For cooking

Beef makes excellent dietary broths. For the preparation of first courses, any bones of the carcass, as well as the trachea, are suitable. For lumpy meat in the soup, the neck cut, shoulder part, knuckle and shank are suitable. Soups and broths, jelly, minced meat for cutlets are prepared from them.

For frying

For extinguishing

For stews, most often they take the hip and shoulder part of the cut, rump, bone, thigh, and kidney mass.

It can also be meatballs, beef stroganoff, stewed kidneys.

For baking

For baking, brisket, rump, tenderloin and buttocks are suitable. They make excellent roast beef in English, brisket with spices.

Definition of quality

The quality of meat is often influenced by factors that cannot be determined with the naked eye - this is the sex of the animal, its age, diet and conditions of detention, and the correct cutting of the carcass is of great importance.

But still, when choosing meat, there are nuances that should not be neglected if you want beef dishes to turn out to be culinary masterpieces.

The uniform distribution of reddish shades of color indicates the freshness of the cut. Too dark color, leaving in brown and brown, has old meat. Too scarlet tones signal chemical additives to preserve the presentation.
The meat should not be covered with a dense crust. If there is one, then the cut has lain on the counter for too long. The slippery surface of the meat indicates improper storage conditions - most likely, the meat simply suffocated in polyethylene.
Bloody smudges on the showcase under the cut are obtained if the meat has been defrosted and an unscrupulous seller is trying to pass it off as fresh chilled.
Small pinkish crystals on frozen meat will also indicate that the cut is not subjected to primary freezing.
No less important is the elasticity and elasticity of the piece - after pressing with your fingers, the meat should not leave dents and pits.

You can see how to choose the right fresh and high-quality beef in the next video.

Recipes for meat dishes

Despite the fact that the preparation of any meat requires certain culinary skills, there are recipes that even a beginner can implement.

Consider several diverse recipes - a hot dish, a cold appetizer and a dietary version of beef. The recipes are easy to make and don't take much time or ingredients.

Stew

You should prepare a deep frying pan in advance or use a saucepan in addition.

Cooking.

Rinse the meat, dry with paper towels, remove the veins and bones if necessary. Cut into pieces, not too big, but not small, so that it is convenient to prick them on a fork.
Prepare vegetables - peel onions, carrots, garlic. If desired, you can add a small amount of tomatoes and slices of zucchini to the vegetables. Vegetables are cut in an arbitrary or standard way: carrots - into small cubes, onions - into half rings, zucchini - into large cubes.
Pour oil into a frying pan or saucepan, heat the dishes well and put the onions. Fry until slightly transparent, add beef cubes. While stirring, let the meat brown for 5 minutes.
Add vegetables and spices. Continue stirring for another 5 minutes. Vegetables should be golden brown.
Add bay leaf, put potatoes, pour water or broth so that the liquid covers the potatoes.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a minimum and simmer for 1 hour.
Finely chopped greens can be added 5 minutes before cooking or directly on the plate before serving.

Carpaccio

This Italian cold appetizer dish is considered gourmet cooking. According to the cooking technology, it resembles the familiar stroganina, but its recipe uses not fish, but beef tenderloin.

For a classic carpaccio, you will need the following ingredients:

250 g beef tenderloin;
1 bunch of arugula;
120 ml of olive oil;
1 st. a spoonful of wine vinegar;
2 tbsp. spoons of lemon juice;
1/3 teaspoon of salt.

Meat for carpaccio should be chosen the freshest, chilled, not previously frozen. Old meat of dark shades is not suitable for this dish, and young veal meat would be ideal.

Cooking.

Rinse the tenderloin well and pat dry with paper towels. Wrap in cling film and place in the freezer for 1 hour.
Prepare arugula and sauce. Rinse greens and drain excess moisture. In a bowl, mix wine vinegar, lemon juice and salt.
After an hour, take the frozen meat out of the freezer, let it rest for 2-3 minutes and start slicing. Slices are cut with a sharp thin knife. The slices should be almost transparent.
To increase the subtlety, each piece can be lightly beaten off with a culinary mallet.
The meat is laid out on a plate in one layer, decorated with arugula leaves and poured with sauce.

Diet beef

Beef meat itself is dietary, contains a lot of fiber and a minimum of fat. However, its nutritionists categorically do not recommend frying it to avoid the formation of harmful cholesterol. Therefore, the dietary method of cooking is stewing or boiling.

Tie the baking bag around the edges with thick threads and tie it to the handles of the pan so that the products are completely submerged in the water.

Boil meat with vegetables for 3 hours.

The principle of preparation is in the steam bath. Meat and vegetables are boiled in their own juice, which does not mix with water and does not evaporate.

Benefit and harm

Beef is considered dietary meat and is shown primarily to people on a diet. The product is slowly absorbed by the body, and the feeling of hunger is significantly removed even after eating a small portioned piece.
Due to the fibrous structure, beef acts on the gastrointestinal tract like fiber - it removes toxins and cholesterol from the body.

Among the contraindications can be called the excess of the daily intake of this product. Beef, like any meat, is not an easy food, which can lead to digestive problems, heaviness in the stomach, and a general breakdown.

Today, cattle breeding for meat production is one of the most promising types of business. The main reason for the interest is the high cost of beef on the market.

Unfortunately, not all farmers understand what a beef cutting scheme is. If this procedure is carried out incorrectly, you can spoil the main part of the carcass. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study the scheme for cutting beef, which will be presented in the article.

Main parts

It is necessary to proceed directly to cutting after removing the skin and removing all the insides. The scheme implies the initial division of the carcass into two parts. After that, the half-carcasses are divided into cuts, which will be easier to debond and trim. The beef cutting scheme consists of several stages.

First stage

The half-carrot is divided in half. With a sharp knife, the flank is cut along the line of the last rib to the spine. This is done in such a way as to free the bone from muscle tissue. Next, you need to cut the ridge between the 13th and 14th vertebrae.

shoulder blade

Let's move on to the second step. It is necessary to cut off the shoulder blade from the half carcass. This is done as follows: initially, the muscles that connect the scapular bone to the sternum are carefully separated, and then the tissue under the shoulder bone is cut off.

Neck

Next, carefully process this part. With the help of a billhook, the meat is cut along a line that starts from the sternum and ends at the first vertebra. Then, a cut is made at the junction of the dorsal and cervical spine.

breast cut

Next, the meat of the front is cut. So we separate the chest cut. On the half-carcass that remains, it is necessary to make an incision in the pulp in the area of \u200b\u200bthe junction of the lumbar and dorsal spine, as well as along the line of the last rib.

Back treatment

A notch is removed along the entire spine. To do this, it must be separated from the ilium. Further, pulling the meat on itself more and more, the deboner separates the tenderloin from each vertebra.

Pelvic part

It must be cut by cutting the ridge in the zone of separation of the lumbar and sacral. The inguinal region is separated along the contour of the hind limb.

Lumbar

The lumbar region with the flank is separated from the pelvic region, as well as with the upper costal part, which is called the hem.

Please note that at meat processing enterprises, beef carcasses are not divided into separate components, but only into quarters. It turns out an enlarged processing. Only after this is the beef carcass cut according to the scheme. Let's consider in order.

To obtain a quarter, the carcass is cut along the entire length of the ridge. Further, each half carcass is divided by a cut, starting from the lumbar vertebra and ending with the line of passage of the 13th rib.

The hindquarter is further disassembled into a pelvis with a sacrum, a loin and a flank. The remaining front part includes the chest region, shoulder blade, back with ribs and neck. As a rule, with such a culinary cut of beef, the weight of the forequarter will be at least 55% of the total weight of the carcass.

deboning

Immediately after cutting the main parts of the beef, a finishing process must be carried out. It's called a collapse. This procedure consists in separating the pulp from the seeds. It is carried out with the help of special knives. The ideal option is if there is not the slightest piece of meat left on the bones, and there are no deep cuts on the pulp.

Deboning of each area is carried out individually. This procedure is implemented by the following method of cutting beef carcasses:

The meat of the shoulder blade is first separated from the tendons. After that, with the help of a knife, the muscles are cut off from the radius and ulna. After that, the meat is separated along the entire line of the shoulder. The bone of the scapula is removed. At the end of the process, all veins are cut off from the resulting piece of meat.
From the cervical region, all the pulp is removed in one piece, it is carefully cut off at the points of attachment to the vertebrae.
The chest part is separated from the dorsal cut in the area of its fusion with the ribs. At the same time, a line is made with a knife through the cartilage from the first to the end of the 13th rib of the carcass.
Thick edge. This segment of muscle tissue is cut off especially carefully. It starts from the 13th rib. An almost horizontal cut is made along the connection line of the thick edge with the hem to the 4th rib. Then the meat is separated with a knife about 3 ribs down, and then again horizontally brought to the first.
Pulp under shoulder blade. In fact, it must be removed from the bones at the same time as the previous part. Only after performing this procedure, the square layer of muscle tissue is separated.
Hemline. It must be carefully cut from the ribs in one whole piece, from which you can then cut the beef into steaks.
Thin edge. During the separation of this part, it must be carefully cut along the ridge. Then the meat is removed from the remaining bones, the flank is removed in parallel.
Posterior pelvic region. The first step in deboning this cut is the separation of the tibia from the femur. To do this, in the area of \u200b\u200bthe connection, it is necessary to remove all the tendons, meat, cut the joint. Next, the iliac bone is separated. At the end of the procedure, the meat is cut along the femur. It is removed when all the pulp has been removed.

It is important to note that after completing this type of cutting of beef, the bones must additionally be cleaned of meat residues.

Cleanup

After completing the above steps, the next step must be carried out without fail. This is meat cleaning. It involves the removal of veins, remnants of fat, cartilage, as well as thick films. During stripping, all excess rims must be removed from the pieces.

It is necessary to process almost all layers of meat that were obtained after cutting. During stripping of the neck, it is necessary to remove parts of the periosteum, after which all the tendons. It is necessary to remove excess fatty deposits and films from the meat of the shoulder blade. From the sternum, the remnants of cartilage connected to the rib, as well as all excess fatty tissue, are cut out. To give the thick edge the most attractive appearance, it is necessary to remove not only the veins from it, but also the marginal thin sections.

Particular attention should also be paid to the posterior pelvic cut. The fact is that in the limbs of cattle there are many veins and tendons. In addition, certain reserves of fats are concentrated here. All this must be carefully removed from the pulp.

Cutting by grade

What is beef grading? All obtained parts of meat, depending on taste, structure and other factors, are divided into several grades: the highest, the first, the second.

The main classification criterion is the presence of thin films and veins. For example, in premium meat, such components should not exceed 4% of the total mass of the piece. This category includes:

Meat from the back.
Brisket.
Fillet part.
Rump.
Butt.
Rump.

The pulp, which belongs to the first grade, should contain no more than 5% of connective tissue. This product has a less delicate texture. The following parts should be included in the first grade:

Pashin.
Shoulder pulp.
Shoulder blade.

It is necessary to pay special attention to the fact that, in addition to quality, the type of meat determines the recommended methods of its heat treatment. For example, meat of the 2nd grade is used to make rich broths. You can cook delicious barbecue. As for the pulp of the first and highest grade, it is most often fried, cooked on coals or baked.

A little about juiciness

We will give some useful tips on the proper processing of beef meat. The juiciness of the finished dish will directly depend on the fat content of the meat. For example, the lean flesh of marbled beef alternates with thin streaks of fat. This makes the steak taste juicy and tender. For the preparation of shish kebab, second-rate meat is used, which contains a sufficient amount of fat.

Of great importance in juiciness is also played by the method of frying. The more moisture the meat loses in the pan, the tougher and drier it will turn out. That is why it is not necessary to cook a good tenderloin in oil or fat. It is best to fry juicy and fresh meat in a hot dry frying pan for just a few minutes on each side. Salt should be done only after the flesh is browned.

It is best to beat the meat on a board that is pre-moistened with cold water. The fact is that a dry tree strongly absorbs the juice of the pulp.

Cutting meat consists of the following operations: cutting into separate parts, deboning parts (separating the pulp from the bones), trimming and stripping the parts (removing tendons, films, cartilage). The main purpose of cutting and deboning is to obtain parts of meat that are different in their culinary qualities.

Carcasses are cut in a room with an air temperature not exceeding 10 ° C. The carcass is cut or sawn lengthwise into two half-carcasses. The half carcass is divided in half along the last rib into fore and hind quarters.

The forequarter is cut into the shoulder blade, neck and dorsal part. To separate the scapula according to the determined

the contour is cut into the muscles connecting the shoulder blade with the chest part of the carcass, and cut off. Then the neck is separated along the last cervical vertebra, the dorsal-thoracic part remains, consisting of a thick edge, subscapular part, hem and brisket.

Deboning and cleaning.Deboning - is the separation of the pulp from the bones. This operation is performed so that no meat remains on the bones, and the resulting pieces of pulp do not have deep cuts (no more than 10 mm).

At mopping up parts of meat remove tendons, rough surface films, cartilage and excess fat. In addition, thin rims are cut off from the edges of pieces of meat. Intermuscular connective tissues and thin surface films are left. If the beef came with a tenderloin, then first of all, the tenderloin is separated so as not to cut it during further cutting. Then the quarter is divided into the lumbar part and the hind leg.

At the lumbar part, the meat is cut along the dorsal vertebrae and cut off in a whole layer. The resulting pulp is divided into a thin edge, hem and flank.

When deboning the hind leg, the pelvic bone is cut out, the meat is cut along the femur and the inner part of the hind leg is cut along the separating layer. After that, the femur and tibia are cut out. The resulting pulp is cut off the shank and the remaining pulp is cut into films into the upper, side and outer parts. After separation from the bones, the pulp is cleaned from tendons, excess fat, and the rims are cut off.

As a result of the culinary cut and deboning of the hindquarter of beef, a tenderloin, thin edge, hem, flank, shank, inner, upper, lateral and outer parts of the hind leg, as well as lumbar bones, sacral vertebrae, pelvic, femur and tibia are obtained.

Losses during meat processing are 26% for category I beef, and 32% for category II.

Sorting meat. Tenderloin - the most delicate part, used for frying large, natural portions and small pieces.

Thick and thin edges used for frying large, natural portioned, breaded and small pieces.

Inner and upper parts used for stewing large and natural portioned pieces, for frying - breaded portioned and small pieces.

Outer and side parts boiled, stewed in large, natural portioned and small pieces.

Shoulder blade, subscapular part, brisket, hem (I category) used for cooking and stewing in small pieces.

Beef has always been popular in markets and supermarkets due to its nutritional value and lower calorie content compared to other types of meat. It is chosen by both unbridled meat-eaters and adherents of dietary nutrition. And veal is suitable even for baby food. For beef and veal to be truly beneficial to our health, they must be of only good quality.

Definition of quality

When buying beef, first of all, pay attention to the color: high-quality meat is distinguished by a rich red color. It darkens as the animal ages. The veal is much lighter and has a pinkish tinge. The older the animal, the more clearly the yellowness of the fat is visible. Adults have a dark yellow hue of fat. If the color of the beef seems too brownish, then this piece must have been stale on the counter. Also keep in mind another indicator of the age of the animal - the stiffness of the meat.

General tips for determining the quality of meat of any kind, including beef, can be read

Carcass cutting - choose the desired part

Immediately before buying, the buyer must not only check the quality of the meat, but also correctly select and determine the part of the beef carcass, its purpose. The figure and table below will help the buyer understand this.

Figure - Beef carcass cutting scheme (varietal cuts)

Table - Description of the parts of cutting beef carcass

№	Name of the part of carcass cutting (cuts)	Variety	Characteristics, features of the carcass part	The purpose of the part of the carcass
1	Neck, cut	3	Contains a considerable amount of tendon, but has good taste.	Cooking (including long-term), stewing. Dishes: dressing soups and broths, minced meat, meatballs, goulash, cholent, aspic (jelly).
2	Dorsal part (thin edge, thick edge, entrecote)		May be sold with bones. Thick edge - soft, fine-fibered meat, contains 4.5 ribs. The thin edge has excellent palatability, contains 4.5 ribs. Entrecote is a selected soft intercostal part of the meat, located along the vertebrae.	Frying, baking (including large pieces), stewing. Dishes: soups (rib part), chopped cutlets, goulash, roast, steak (from a thin edge), roast beef (thin, thick edge), meat on ribs, entrecote.
3	Thick loin, sirloin		Tender meat, thin layers of fat.	Frying (including fast), stewing. Dishes: cutlets, cue balls, meatballs, beef steak, beef stroganoff (upper part of the butt), zrazy, rolls, various minced meats and fillings.
4	Tenderloin, fillet		The most valuable and tender part of the meat, lean, without streaks	Frying, baking a piece. Good for grilling. Dishes: roast beef, steak, chops, barbecue, azu.
5	Rump		Distinguished by its softness. Good taste qualities. The inside is the most valuable.	Stewing, boiling, frying, minced meat, baking. Dishes: cutlets, meatballs, beef stroganoff (inner part), soup, broth.
6	Rump (mid-thigh), probe (inner thigh), butt (lower thigh)		Low-fat fine-fiber meat, good taste.	Stewing, boiling, baking. Dishes: cutlets, roast beef, soups, broths.
7	Peritoneum, flank (curl)		The texture of the meat is rough, but the taste is not bad. May contain fat, bone, cartilage and film.	Minced meat, boiled. Dishes: meatballs, meatballs, rolls, soups, zrazy, borscht, broth.
8	edge trim		The meat contains layers of fat. It has excellent taste qualities.	Boiling, stewing, minced meat. Dishes: goulash, azu, meatballs, dressing soups.
9	shoulder blade		Slightly coarse fibers. The shoulder part is lean meat, may have thick streaks.	Cooking, stewing, minced meat. Dishes: steak, goulash, azu, chopped cutlets, roll.
10	Brisket		The meat has a layered structure, contains fatty layers. Good taste qualities.	Boil, stew, bake, chop (stuff). Dishes: roasts, soups, borscht.
11	thigh		Not the best in consistency, but has a good taste and aroma (thanks to gelatin).	Slow frying and stewing in large chunks. Dishes: goulash, azu, soups.
12	Shank		A lot of tendons, connective tissues. Contains marrow and gelatin. Good taste qualities. Stickiness after cooking.	Slow cooking. Dishes: broths, jellies (jelly). From the pulp it is possible: cue balls, meatballs, meatballs, rolls, etc.
13	knuckle		Same as the shank.	Like a shank.

Beef storage

Like any meat, beef is best stored in the refrigerator.

The shelf life of frozen beef is slightly longer than that of and - about 10 months. Veal - 8 months.

The duration of maturation of beef after slaughter is approximately 2 weeks at a temperature of 1-2 degrees Celsius. As the storage temperature increases, so does the maturation time. Without the use of a refrigerator, the meat will ripen within a few days, but in this case, the shelf life will decrease dramatically.

Cutting beef carcasses and features of cut pieces

Cutting a beef carcass

This is the simplest carcass cutting scheme.

Even inexperienced amateur cooks are well aware that one of the criteria responsible for the softness of various cuts of beef is the ability to choose the right piece from the cut of the carcass. Pieces of meat from the middle part of the back (muscles are located here that only support the body and are not involved in movement) have a more delicate structure.

The entrecote and sirloin parts taken from here, including, among other things, the sirloin tenderloin and a thick edge, are great for cooking many dishes, including steaks.
In the forearm, thigh, chest and rib cuts, on the contrary, the connective tissue is highly developed.
The average development of connective tissue is in the dorsal and scapular-cervical cuts.
The meat on the back of the carcass is more tender, well suited for frying and grilling, while the meat on the front is strong-smelling, tougher, and requires slow cooking with the addition of liquid.

There are various ways to cut beef: American, British, Dutch, Italian, German, Danish, Australian and South American.

American carcass cut

British way of butchering

Dutch way of carcass cutting

The South American scheme is also common, in which the whole carcass is divided into 19 numbers, let's look at this scheme in more detail

Front cut:

No. 1 - entrecote on the bone (Cube Roll)
No. 2 - thick edge (Ribs)
No. 3 - brisket (Brisket)
No. 4 - shoulder blade (Shoulder)
No. 5 - shoulder-shoulder part (roast from the shoulder blade)
No. 6 - false fillet (Blade)
No. 7.8 - shank (Shank)
No. 9 - thin edge (Thin ribs)
No. 10 - neck (Neck)

Rear cut:

№11 - thick fillet (flat roast beef) (sirloin)
№12 - fillet (tenderlion)
No. 13 - butt, rump (rump)
No. 14 - the top of the rump (Top rump, Nuss - German)
No. 15 - the pulp of the thigh (Silver side)
No. 16 - the inner part of the hip cut (Top side)
No. 17 - flank (flank)
No. 18 - back ankle (shank)
No. 19 - white meat for roasts (Weiß Braten)

If you buy, for example, dry-frozen meat in a supermarket, it always has a number on it, and you know exactly which part you are buying.
But alas, even here, there are differences in the number distribution system.

And when buying on the market, it is still desirable to know why you need a piece of meat, what part of the carcass it is from and what this part is called.

Russia has adopted its own beef cutting plan(by the way, not much different from those above) and its own terminology, which will be useful for all avid meat-eaters to know:
1-2.Neck(upper and lower part) - this meat belongs to the second grade, it is better to buy it in the form of minced meat. The lower part of the neck used to be called a hryvnia, and the upper part was called a cut.
3. shoulder blade- this meat belongs to the first grade, it is quite suitable for stewing (goulash, stew) and frying, but it requires a long time to cook.
4-5. Rib part (thick edge)- first-class meat, in its entirety consists of 13 ribs: the first 3 are attached to the lower part of the shoulder blade, they are removed; the next 4 ribs are usually sold as a whole piece, which is cooked like bone-in meat, but the bones can be cut off and the meat can be made into a roll; the next 3 ribs contain more meat; the rest of the ribs are a rather expensive cut of tender meat.
6. Loin (thin edge, roast beef)- a first-class cut of tender meat that can be fried and grilled; in the middle of this part is a tenderloin (fillet).
7. Rump- First-class lean meat for frying and grilling.
8. Ham (rump, thigh)- first-class meat, lean cut, which is well suited for stewing in a pot, and for a steak with blood; this part of the carcass can be salted, stewed or fried. The part closest to the tail is called the “hump” and goes to the roast.
9. Shank- lean beef of the third grade, intended for stewing (the name refers only to the back leg) or for boiling broth.
10-11. Barrel (flank)- rather cheap meat of the second grade, used for stews or stews.
12. Upper rib (hem)- lean meat; it is freed from bones, rolled up and used, for example, for stewing in a pot.
13. Brisket- first-class meat; it is sold without bones in the form of a roll and is suitable for boiling, stewing, soups (for example, for pickle), in stews and pilaf.
14. knuckle- meat of the third grade, requires long cooking (the name refers only to the front leg).

A few words about the juiciness of beef - for sure, some of the former meat-eaters moved to the enemy camp of vegetarians, dislocating their jaw in an attempt to chew a sole-shaped entrecote or breaking a tooth on a granite steak ... Supporters of low-fat diets will have to come to terms - the juiciness of beef (alas!) directly depends on its fat content. In one of the best varieties of American beef, called "marble" (marble beef), lean flesh alternates with the thinnest fatty streaks - they make the taste of meat so juicy and tender.

Of great importance for the juiciness of meat is the method of frying. The more moisture the meat loses in the pan, the drier and tougher it becomes. Therefore, you should not cook excellent tenderloin in fat or oil - fresh juicy meat is best fried in a dry hot frying pan for several minutes on both sides, and salt each side only after browning. By the way, it is best to beat beef on a board moistened with cold water, as a dry tree absorbs meat juice.

For the preparation of meat dishes, it is best to use the meat of young animals. It is easy to distinguish by color. The meat of animals under the age of six weeks has a color from light pink to light red and dense white internal fat. The meat of young animals (up to two years old) is light red in color with almost white fat. The meat of adult animals (two to five years old) is juicy, tender, red. In older animals (over five years old), the meat is dark red, the fat is yellow pork. The best nutritional properties have beef obtained from animals under the age of five years, pork - from animals 7-10 months of age and lamb - from 1-2-year-old animals.

Benign meat is covered with a thin crust of pale pink or pale red color and does not stick to the fingers in the places of incisions. When feeling its surface, the hand remains dry, the pits from the pressure of the fingers quickly disappear. To determine the freshness of meat, you can pierce it with a heated knife or fork. If it is of poor quality, the knife or fork acquires an unpleasant odor.

Choose the desired part of the beef carcass

Figure - Beef carcass cutting scheme (varietal cuts)

Table - Description of the parts of cutting beef carcass

№	Name of the part of carcass cutting (cuts)	Variety	Characteristics, features of the carcass part	The purpose of the part of the carcass
1	Neck, cut	3	Contains a considerable amount of tendon, but has good taste.	Cooking (including long-term), stewing. Dishes: dressing soups and broths, minced meat, meatballs, goulash, cholent, aspic (jelly).
2	Dorsal part (thin edge, thick edge, entrecote)	1,2	May be sold with bones. Thick edge - soft, fine-fibered meat, contains 4.5 ribs. The thin edge has excellent palatability, contains 4.5 ribs. Entrecote is a selected soft intercostal part of the meat, located along the vertebrae.	Frying, baking (including large pieces), stewing. Dishes: soups (rib part), chopped cutlets, goulash, roast, steak (from a thin edge), roast beef (thin, thick edge), meat on ribs, entrecote.
3	Thick loin, sirloin		Tender meat, thin layers of fat.	Frying (including fast), stewing. Dishes: cutlets, cue balls, meatballs, beef steak, beef stroganoff (upper part of the butt), zrazy, rolls, various minced meats and fillings.
4	Tenderloin, fillet		The most valuable and tender part of the meat, lean, without streaks	Frying, baking a piece. Good for grilling. Dishes: roast beef, steak, chops, barbecue, azu.
5	Rump		Distinguished by its softness. Good taste qualities. The inside is the most valuable.	Stewing, boiling, frying, minced meat, baking. Dishes: cutlets, meatballs, beef stroganoff (inner part), soup, broth.
6	Rump (mid-thigh), probe (inner thigh), butt (lower thigh)		Low-fat fine-fiber meat, good taste.	Stewing, boiling, baking. Dishes: cutlets, roast beef, soups, broths.
7	Peritoneum, flank (curl)		The texture of the meat is rough, but the taste is not bad. May contain fat, bone, cartilage and film.	Minced meat, boiled. Dishes: meatballs, meatballs, rolls, soups, zrazy, borscht, broth.
8	edge trim		The meat contains layers of fat. It has excellent taste qualities.	Boiling, stewing, minced meat. Dishes: goulash, azu, meatballs, dressing soups.
9	shoulder blade		Slightly coarse fibers. Shoulder - lean meat, may have thick streaks.	Cooking, stewing, minced meat. Dishes: steak, goulash, azu, chopped cutlets, roll.
10	Brisket		The meat has a layered structure, contains fatty layers. Good taste qualities.	Boil, stew, bake, chop (stuff). Dishes: roasts, soups, borscht.
11	thigh		Not the best in consistency, but has a good taste and aroma (thanks to gelatin).	Slow frying and stewing in large chunks. Dishes: goulash, azu, soups.
12	Shank		A lot of tendons, connective tissues. Contains marrow and gelatin. Good taste qualities. Stickiness after cooking.	Slow cooking. Dishes: broths, jellies (jelly). From the pulp it is possible: cue balls, meatballs, meatballs, rolls, etc.
13	knuckle		Same as the shank.	Like a shank.

Like any meat, beef is best stored in the refrigerator.

The shelf life of frozen beef is slightly longer than that of pork and lamb - about 10 months. Veal - 8 months.

This cutting scheme is also common on the network.

1. Filey. This cut includes the last two dorsal vertebrae with their corresponding ribs, without the lower third, and the first five lumbar vertebrae. The muscle tissue of the sirloin is distinguished by exceptional tenderness and a fine-fibred structure, especially the internal lumbar muscles (tenderloin), located from the 1st lumbar vertebra to the ilium. As a rule, at meat processing plants, tenderloin is separated and sold as a semi-finished product at a price higher than meat of the 1st grade. Rump steaks, kebabs, roast pieces, boiled meat are prepared from the muscle tissue of the fillet.

2.Butt. This cut contains a large amount of tender meat on the last three ribs. The sirloin can be fried whole with or without the bones, or it can be cut into portions for frying steaks over an open fire or in a pan. The fillet steak is prepared without bones; to prepare a steak with a bone, the meat is cut off from the front part of the butt along with the rib: the steak from the back of the lumbar part of the butt contains a piece of tender tenderloin that lies under the spine. If the tenderloin is cooked separately, it can be fried whole, but is most commonly cut into pieces across the grain to make steaks.

3.Rump. A primal cut containing O lower vertebrae of the spine and pelvic bone. All bones are usually removed and the meat is cut across the grain in portions to make tender, delicious steaks. Rump steaks can be fried both on an open fire and in a pan. Pieces weighing more than 1.5 kg make an excellent roast beef, which is usually cooked over high heat.

4. Edge. Thick edge. A primal cut containing 4 or 5 ribs with relatively soft and fine-fibred meat. To make excellent roast beef, the ribs are usually cut short and the meat tied; the bones can be removed completely, in which case the meat is rolled up before tying. The meat can also be used for stewing or roasting in large pieces.
Thin edge. A primal cut containing 4 or 5 ribs, from which roast beef is usually made two or three ribs thick. The meat of the thin edge is very tender and is ideal for making roast beef. To preserve the aroma and juiciness, the thin edge should be baked in the oven along with the bones at a high temperature, after sawing through the upper parts of the dorsal vertebrae. Excellent taste and steaks from a thin edge, and meat on the ribs, cooked on the grill.

5. Little falcon. The front thickened part of the brisket (at the level of five ribs), called the falcon brisket, is the most valuable in terms of nutrition, is used for making fatty and fragrant cabbage soup, borscht and broths.

6. Rump. The rump is an excellent cut of meat between the sacrum and the pelvic bone. Most often, this meat is used to prepare high-quality roast beef by slow frying.

7. Brisket. After removing the breast bone and ribs, a long, flat piece of meat is left, which is usually rolled up and tied. Pieces of the required length are usually cut off from it and sold. The layered structure of the muscle tissues of the brisket is emphasized by fatty layers, the taste is good. Brisket must be cooked in a humid environment. Sometimes it is stewed, but more often it is boiled - either fresh or salted (the brisket is traditionally used for pickling).

8.Pobederok and probe, rump, sec. These four cuts together make up the top of the hind leg. probe- a cut of lean, thin-fibered meat from the inside of the thigh - good for slow frying and stewing. Meat sex a bit rougher but still good tasting and is commonly used for slow roasting or stewing, as well as for salting and simmering. This meat is most often used to make quality roast beef by slow roasting. The thigh is good for slow frying and stewing in a large piece, but quite often it is cut into portions, which are stewed or fried in a pan.

9. Flank. This cut consists of muscle tissue covering the ribs with layers of fat. Excellent meat for cooking. because it has good taste, and the layers of fat in it help retain moisture. The meat can also be stewed with or without bones, cut into slices or cubes. Quite often, pokromka is used to prepare minced meat.

10.Shoulder blade. The shoulder bone contained in the primal cut is removed by the butcher, and the meat is cut into portions for making steaks or for stewing. The palatability of the meat is high, the fat content is relatively low. Some pieces have thick streaks of connective tissue, with which the muscles attach to the scapular bone. This connective tissue is left on the meat, as it softens when cooked in damp heat, releasing sticky substances into the broth.

11. Neck. The meat of the neck contains a large percentage of connective tissue, and therefore, in order to acquire the required softness, it needs long-term heat treatment in a humid environment. However, it has good taste and is inexpensive. Neck meat is usually sold diced or minced.

12. Rulka. The muscular front leg (knuckle) contains a marrow and several narrow, pronounced muscles with a thick layer of connective tissue and tendons. After removing the bone, the meat is usually cut into circles across the fibers or into cubes for stewing. When cooked in a humid environment, the gelatin of the connective tissues turns into a decoction, forming a very tasty and nutritious gravy. The knuckle is especially suitable for French-style beef stew.

13. Zarez. The muscle tissue of the notch is dark red, coarse-fibrous, with a large amount of connective tissue. Use it for preparation of broths, jellies, forcemeat.

14.15.Shank. The fleshy part of the hind leg is rich in tendons: like the shank, it contains the brain bone and a large percentage of connective tissue. Usually the bone is removed and the meat is cut into thick slices or cubes. Delicate aroma and high content of gelatin give this meat excellent taste in stew.

Let's summarize our knowledge:

BEEF FOR COOKING:

broth - bones;
broth and boiled meat - rump, butt, brisket, brisket, knuckle, flank;
meatballs - meat of the III grade.
BEEF FOR FRYING:
entrecote - thick and thin edge;
brizola - tenderloin;
steak - tenderloin, thick and thin edge;
langeta - tenderloin;
rump steak - tenderloin, rump, rump;
spreader - thick and thin edge;
beef stroganoff - tenderloin, butt, rump;
chopped cutlets - shoulder blade, thigh.
BEEF FOR BAKED DISHES:
baked meat - rump or rump:
roast beef in English - sirloin;
clippings in English - clipping;
roll - shoulder blade, thigh.
BEEF FOR STEWING:
goulash - shoulder blade, brisket, knuckle, neck, rump, thigh, rump;
roast - rump or rump, shoulder blade;
shtufata - rump or rump, shoulder blade;
roll - rump or rump, shoulder blade;
zraz chops - rump or rump, thigh, thick and thin edge;
zraz chopped - spatula.
BY-PRODUCTS:
boiled - tripe, tongue, salted tongue, heart;
fried - brains, liver;
stewed - kidneys, goulash from the heart.

Another source and another diagram:

1 - head,
2 - neck, cut,
3 - sirloin,
4 - bang,
5 - thick edge,
6 - middle of the shoulder blade,
7 - thin shoulder blade, knuckle,
8 - thin edge,
9 - from the edge of the edge,
10 - sternum,
11 - thin fillet,
12 - arable,
13 - curl, arable land,
14 - thick loin,
15 - barrel,
16 - English fillet,
17 - rump,
18 - middle of the thigh,
19 - rump (not included in the picture, inner thigh),
20 - sec, thigh; ossicle, part of the section, with the acetabular bone,
21 - shank.

Beef is divided into 3 varieties.
Top grade includes:
- back,
- chest parts
- filet,
- shanks,
- rump and rump;

To the first- shoulder and shoulder parts, as well as flank;

To the second- notch, front and back shank. http://idilbay.ru/1gov.php