The primal cuts of the beef carcass are the basic cuts separated from the carcass during butchering. Click on a cut below to see information about the derived sub-cuts. The term "primal" is not the same as "prime" which characterizes the higher quality cuts.
Brisket
There are two briskets per animal accounting for around 7.2% of the carcase. Derived from the underside chest area between the front legs, brisket is a well exercised muscle with ample connective tissue.
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Point end brisket
Being a well exercised muscle, the point end has a high degree of connective tissue and is best suited to slow wet cooking methods such as braising and casseroling. This beef cut is perfect for shredding as it literally pulls apart when cooked.
Navel end brisket
The Navel End is more square shaped than the point end brisket and slices up more neatly. Same as the point end brisket, this cut needs to be cooked low and slow.
Blade
Derived from the shoulder region of the animal, blade accounts for around 5.5% of the carcase. Flavoursome and versatile, it contains several muscles with layers of fat and connective tissue and performs well as a slow braise or roast.
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Bolar blade roast
Beef bolar blade roast is from the shoulder blade of the beef. It is a very flavourful cut that is versatile enough to be cooked whole as a roast, sliced into steaks and cooked on the barbecue or in a pan, thinly sliced for a stir-fry or diced for slow cooking in a braise or casserole.
Blade steak
Blade steak comes from the shoulder blade. It is a versatile cut that can be barbecued and pan-fried, cut into strips and stir-fried or diced for slow-cooking in a braise.
Oyster blade roast
The oyster blade is connected to the shoulder blade of the beef. It is a very flavourful cut that is versatile enough to be cooked whole as a roast, sliced into steaks and cooked on the barbecue or in a pan, thinly sliced for a stir-fry or diced for slow cooking in a braise or casserole.
Flat iron steak
Although oyster blade steak can sometimes be referred to as flat iron steak, true flat iron steak has all of the connective tissue and silver skin removed from the oyster blade and is cut into easy to use portions that are lean and extremely tender, juicy and full of flavour.
Oyster blade steak
The oyster blade sits on the shoulder blade and when separated from the shoulder can be cut into steaks for pan-frying or barbecuing. It has a thin line of gristle that runs through the centre of the steak which should be scored to prevent curling when cooking. It is also a perfect cut for stir-frying with its full flavour and tenderness.
Cheek
Cheek is the hard-working, lean facial cheek muscle, housing an abundance of connective tissue, known as collagen.
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Cheek
This cut responds well to moist, slow extended cooking methods. Cheek is perfect diced in curries, braises and stews, but also holds its shape well when cooked whole.
Chuck
Made up of multiple muscles, chuck is a well used area so contains a great deal of connective tissue. Popular for its balance of meat and fat, the chuck offers ribs, roasts and steaks and suits a range of cooking methods. Perfect for curries and stews with great full flavour and a fantastic gelatinous texture.
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Chuck roll
Because of its high amounts of connective tissue, the chuck roll is popular as a slow cook or braising cut. And it’s also good for thinly sliced Korean style grill cooking.
Chuck ribs
Chuck ribs are a crowd favorite, known for their richness and meatiness. Best slow-cooked for a flavourful, moist and tender result.
Chuck Steak
Slow-cook to bring out its full, savory flavor.
Chuck eye log
Chuck eye log is a boneless tender cut. It is therefore extremely tender and juicy with exceptional flavour.
Cube Roll
The cube roll, or rib-eye roll, is prepared from the forequarter; running along the back of the animal from the 4th to the 13th rib between the chuck and the striploin.
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Standing rib roast
The standing rib roast is the scotch fillet with the rib bones attached. Because it's taken from muscles not heavily exerted, the meat is very tender and succulent. The retention of the rib bones impart extra flavour during cooking.
Rib cutlet
Take a beef standing rib roast and slice it into steaks. This gives you a rib cutlet. If you remove the bone from the steak it becomes a scotch fillet. Like a scotch fillet, rib cutlets are tender, full of flavour and perform best when cooked in a pan, on a barbecue or sliced thinly for a beef stir-fry.
Scotch fillet steak
Scotch fillet steak is prepared from a boneless beef rib set. The scotch fillet is found on the back of the animal and runs from the striploin (sirloin) to the chuck. Being a 'support' muscle not subjected to the heavy work of moving the animal around, scotch fillet steaks are tender, tasty and moist and perform best with fast hot cooking methods such as pan-frying and barbecuing or stir-frying when thinly sliced.
Scotch fillet roast
The scotch fillet or cube roll sits between the chuck and the striploin (sirloin) muscles over the back of the animal and is a very tender, moist and flavourful cut of beef perfect for a special roasting occasion. Given its tender nature it can also be sliced into steaks to barbecue and pan-fry or strips to stir-fry.
Flank
Also known as bavette, this long flat steak is taken from a single muscle beneath the loin in the abdominal area.
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Flank steak
The flank steak is extremely versatile. Perfect for thin slicing for a stir-fry, flank steak also performs extremely well under slow-cooking conditions. After slow-cooking, this beef cut can be shredded with a fork and added to burritos or salads.
Hanger
Also known as thick skirt, there is only one hanger per animal - it 'hangs' from the last rib, attached to the diaphragm.
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Hanger
Hanger steaks can be hard to find as there's only one per animal. While not particularly tender, it has a robust flavour and is best cooked quickly over high heat.
Knuckle
Knuckle - Beef Cut
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Eye of knuckle
The knuckle sits above the knee joint at the front of the hind leg. Made up of three muscles, it's prepared from the thick flank by removing the cap muscle and associated fat. Eye of knuckle is the lean, centre weight-bearing muscle with little connective tissue. Used for roasting or preparing further into medallions, it produces a notably tender and delicious result when cooked with moist, slow methods.
Ox Tail
The ox tail cut starts at the base of the spine. The fat is trimmed and the last two to three tail bones removed, before being cut into short joints.
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Ox tail
Slow cooking this distinctive cut brings out a robust, full-bodied flavour while creating meltingly tender meat.
Rump
The rump is a boneless five-muscled primal that sits between the sirloin and topside. Extremely versatile rump can be sliced whole into rump steaks or subprimaled to reveal a range of cuts with varying textures and tenderness.
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Rump Steak
A great all-rounder steak, rump is perfect for a variety of cooking methods. It can be eaten as a steak, diced for kebabs or sliced into strips for a stir-fry.
Rump roast
Lean and economical, this cut is best for feeding a crowd. When roasted in the oven, slice thin against the grain to maximise tenderness.
Rostbif
Rostbif is a cut of beef that is in some countries considered to be the best cut of beef due to its marked flavour. Rostbif can be roasted whole in a hot oven, barbecued whole or cut (across the grain) into steaks or sliced into thin strips for a tender and delicious beef stir-fry.
Rump cap
Rump cap is a cut of beef that is in some countries considered to be the best cut of beef due to its marked flavour. It is famous and well liked in South American countries, especially Brazil where it is known as "Picanha". Rump cap can be roasted whole in a hot oven, barbecued whole or cut (across the grain) into steaks or sliced into thin strips for a tender and delicious beef stir-fry.
Rump centre steak
The lean centre muscle of the rump, this steak is best suited to quick cooking on a hot barbecue or pan. For best results, do not cut more than 1.5cm thick and do not cook more than medium-rare. Given its tender nature it can also be thinly sliced into strips to stir-fry.
Rump medallion
One of the 5 muscles that make up the whole rump, eye of rump is a short, lean, log-shaped muscle ideally suited to cutting into medallions. These appealing medallions are perfect for fast cooking on a hot surface like a barbecue or pan, but are versatile enough to be sliced for a stir-fry or diced for a braise or casserole. It can also be kept whole and tied with string to form a uniform shape for roasting. Perfect for a Beef Wellington or wrapped in bacon for mignons.
Shin
Because it comes from a well-exercised muscle, shin has little fat and abundant connective tissue. Bone-in is often cut across the bone into osso-buco whilst boneless shin is prepared from either the shin area or the heel muscle in the silverside. Shin suits moist low, slow cooking to allow the connective tissue to tenderise while enriching with flavour. The resulting meat is tender and rich in flavour.
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Shin bone-in/ Osso Buco
Shin bone-in is prepared from the bottom portion of either the front or rear leg. As this cut comes from a muscle used constantly for movement, it contains a high amount of connective tissue. This tissue breaks down when prepared using slow moist cooking methods such as casseroling and braising imparting a rich, full bodied flavour and a delicious gelatinous texture.
Boneless Shin
Much like other well exercised cuts of Beef, slow-moist cooking methods, such as braising and stewing are best used to break the connective tissues and soften up the meat.
Short Ribs
Short ribs are taken from the forequarter after the brisket is removed. They’re made up of the rib bone and layers of rib meat and fat.
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Short ribs
Full of flavour and fall-off-the-bone tender, but also available boneless. Grill or slow-roast for a succulent beef dish.
Silver Side
Silverside comes from the outside of the rear leg and sits between the knuckle and the topside. Made up of five distinct muscles, it’s named after the silver wall of connective tissue that sits on the side of the cut, which is removed before cooking. As a well-exercised group of muscles, knuckle cuts need gentle, moist cooking. The resulting texture melts off the fork.
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Corned silverside
Being a muscle heavily used for walking, the silverside requires the gentle moist cooking of corning to produce a tender and delicious beef dish.
Skirt
Located on the inside of the abdomen wall just below the ribs, skirt steak can be either of two long, flat, well-marbled muscles: the diaphragm and the abdominal muscle.
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Skirt steak
Skirt steaks are versatile and full of flavour. When cooked on high heat, the characteristic marbling imparts an outstanding flavour. Slice it thick against the grain before serving to ensure maximum tenderness.
Striploin
The striploin is located along the spine in the hindquarter and runs from the ribs to the rump, sitting above the tenderloin.
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Sirloin steak
The word sirloin was derived from the Old French word surlonge, meaning sur la longe or above the loin. Sirloin roast is the piece of beef between the rump and the ribs. Coming from an area of the animal where the muscles do less work, the sirloin is tender and flavourful and well suited to roasting. If you don’t feel like a roast though, this cut can also be sliced into steaks or stir-fry strips.
T-bone
The t-shaped bone in the T-bone steak is from the back of the animal. The fillet and sirloin muscles sit on opposite sides of this t-shaped bone to form the T-bone steak. With little or not fat or connective tissue the T-bone is a quintessential Aussie steak perfect for pan-frying or barbecuing.
Tenderloin
A long and lean muscle, this is the most tender cut of beef available. The tenderloin is the source of tenderloin steak or filet mignon, and is a component of the T-Bone and scotch fillet steaks.
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Fillet steak
Typically the tenderest cuts of beef with the least amount of connective tissue are those cuts that sit along the spine of the animal as they do the least amount of work. The fillet or tenderloin (as the name suggests) is one such cut. With little or no fat or connective tissue the fillet is best suited to portioning into steaks for pan-frying and barbecuing or strips for stir-frying.
Butt fillet
The butt fillet comes from the larger end of the tenderloin and is a tender cut of beef due to the little amount of work it undertakes. Butt fillet can be roasted whole or prepared further into steaks. Because it's so lean and tender, it is best suited to fast, hot cooking methods to ensure it retains moisture, flavour and tenderness.
Top Side
Topside comes from the inside of the hind leg, between the thick flank and the silverside. Topside is extremely lean and performs best when diced for slow-cooking in a hearty casserole or braise.
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Topside roast
As a well-used muscle, the topside roast is extremely lean with a lot of connective tissue. Topside roast also performs well diced and cooked slow in a casserole or braise.
Topside steak
Topside steak is sliced from the whole topside which comes from the inside of the hind leg, between the thick flank and the silverside. Although sold as steak, performs best when diced for slow-cooking in a hearty casserole or braise.
