What are the primal cuts of beef?

The eight primal cuts are chuck, rib, loin (short loin and sirloin), round, brisket, plate, flank and shank. The tenderloin runs beneath the short loin and sirloin.

Which beef cuts are the most tender?

Cuts from the middle of the back, which do little work: the tenderloin, rib and short loin. Filet mignon, ribeye and strip steak come from these.

Where does London broil come from?

London broil is a cooking method. Flank steak is the traditional cut, and top round from the rear leg is often sold under that name.

Why are some cuts tough?

Muscles that work hard, like the shoulder (chuck), leg (round and shank) and chest (brisket), have more connective tissue. Slow, moist cooking breaks it down into tender, rich meat.

Beef Cuts Chart: Where Each Steak Comes From and How to Cook It

Every steak and roast at the meat counter comes from one of a handful of large sections of the steer, called primal cuts. Knowing where a cut comes from tells you how tender it is and how to cook it: muscles along the back do little work and are tender enough to grill, while the shoulder, legs and chest work hard and need slow cooking.

Primal cuts and the steaks from each

Primal cut	Steaks and roasts	Tenderness	Best cooking
Chuck	Chuck roast, chuck eye steak, flat iron steak, ground chuck	Flavorful; mostly tough except flat iron	Braise or pot roast; grill flat iron steaks
Rib	Ribeye steak, rib roast (prime rib), back ribs	Very tender and well marbled	Grill, pan-sear, roast Try: Cast-Iron Ribeye with Garlic Thyme Butter, Prime Rib Roast (Standing Rib Roast), Reverse-Seared Thick-Cut Steak
Short loin	Strip steak (New York strip), T-bone, porterhouse	Very tender	Grill, pan-sear, broil Try: Grilled New York Strip with Herb Butter
Tenderloin	Filet mignon, chateaubriand, whole tenderloin roast	The most tender cut, very lean	Quick high heat; roast whole Try: Filet Mignon with Red Wine Pan Sauce
Sirloin	Top sirloin steak, tri-tip, sirloin steak	Moderately tender, lean, beefy	Grill, broil, kabobs Try: Pirate Steak (Beer-Basted Grilled Sirloin), Meal on Kabobs (Marinated Sirloin Kabobs), Thai Cobb Steak Salad with Lemongrass and Peanut Dressings
Round	Top round (often sold as London broil), bottom round, eye of round, round steak, cubed steak	Lean and firm	Braise or stew; roast or broil and slice thin Try: Beef Steak and Potato Scallop, Shortcut Cubed Steak Stew
Brisket	Brisket flat and point, corned beef	Tough, with lots of connective tissue	Low and slow: braise or smoke
Plate	Skirt steak, plate short ribs	Very flavorful, coarse grain	Grill skirt steak hot and fast; braise short ribs
Flank	Flank steak	Lean, long grain	Marinate, grill or broil hot, slice thin across the grain Try: London Broil with Sauteed Onions, Butter and Lemon Beef Marinade
Shank	Beef shank, soup bones, ground beef	Very tough	Braise or simmer in soups and stocks

Tender cuts: cook hot and fast

The rib, short loin, tenderloin and top sirloin are the classic steak cuts. They need nothing more than salt, pepper and high heat, and they are best between rare and medium. Our steak doneness chart shows the temperature for each level, and the cooking times chart tells you how long a steak of any thickness takes.

Tougher cuts: cook low and slow, or slice thin

Chuck, brisket, shank and much of the round have connective tissue that turns rich and tender with long, moist cooking in a braise, stew or casserole. Lean, long-grained cuts such as flank, skirt and top round are the exception: cook them quickly to rare or medium-rare and slice them very thin across the grain, as in our London Broil.

Frequently asked questions

What are the primal cuts of beef?: The eight primal cuts are chuck, rib, loin (short loin and sirloin), round, brisket, plate, flank and shank. The tenderloin runs beneath the short loin and sirloin.
Which beef cuts are the most tender?: Cuts from the middle of the back, which do little work: the tenderloin, rib and short loin. Filet mignon, ribeye and strip steak come from these.
Where does London broil come from?: London broil is a cooking method. Flank steak is the traditional cut, and top round from the rear leg is often sold under that name.
Why are some cuts tough?: Muscles that work hard, like the shoulder (chuck), leg (round and shank) and chest (brisket), have more connective tissue. Slow, moist cooking breaks it down into tender, rich meat.

More charts: Cooking times by thickness | Steak doneness chart | Beef cuts chart | Fish chart | Safe temperatures