Meat parts of beef. Description of cow body parts

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1. Neck.

The neck (cut, back of the head) is relatively inexpensive because it is muscle tissue, a significant proportion of which is tendons. The neck is suitable for making goulash, but when preparing the meat, care should be taken to remove the tendons. In addition, neck pieces can be used to make a good stew or a strong broth for soup. This type of meat requires a long cooking time at high temperature and in the presence of liquid, therefore the main methods of its preparation are boiling and stewing.

2. Back of the head.

This part is known by different names (neck, roast meat). The neck meat has layers of fat and tendon, but with enough cooking time it can produce a juicy roast. The upper part of the neck is used for preparing marinated meat, for roasts or for minced meat.

3. Shoulder blade with shoulder edge.

This part of the back, bordering the lower back, is sometimes called the thick or table edge. It is sold with or without bones. The shoulder meat is finely fibrous with marbled layers, which indicates a significant proportion of fat in it. The shoulder blade of a young animal is suitable for roasting and grilling. in addition, it is valued as especially tender boiled meat. To reduce cooking time, the meat is cut into chop-sized pieces.

4. Pulp of the shoulder blade.

This best part of the shoulder, also called the shoulder or shoulder part, is comparable to parts such as the thigh or rump. The meat has relatively delicate fibers and is used mainly for preparing dishes such as beef stroganoff, fried and stewed rolls.

5a. Spatula.

This part of the shoulder is also called the shoulder part. It has fibers that are not as delicate as the pulp of the shoulder blade. Often marketed as "front quarter roast meat", it is, however, more suitable for braising and tender cooked meats.

5 B. The pointed part of the shoulder (scapula).

This part is also called "false fillet" and is used to prepare stuffed roasts, stews, soups and vegetable aintropes.

6. front part of the brisket (shank-falcon).

This part has almost no bones, is rich in fat and is suitable for preparing eintropf and broth, and in all cases the fat should be removed

7. Brisket core.

This part refers to the valuable parts of the beef carcass. It is sold either in in kind with bones or without bones. in the form of rolls or pickles. The core of the brisket includes the breast bone, has a fatty layer and is covered with fat. if you use a piece with a bone, you should warn the butcher and saw the bone, rather than chop it, so that bone fragments do not get into the broth. The kernel produces juicy, dense boiled meat.

8. Middle part of the brisket.

This is one of the best parts of beef brisket. It contains some bones and is the leanest but quite nutritious part of the brisket. It is used to make soup or stew.

9. Brisket.

This is a piece from the front quarter of the carcass, forming the chest. Thanks to the favorable combination of meat, fat and bones, it is a good meat for soups, eintropfs, strong broths, which should be degreased after cooking.

10. Flank (curl).

This part makes a good broth. One third of this classic boiling meat consists of bones and cartilage. After removing the bones and tendons, you get soft-fiber meat for cooking.

11a. Fillet.

This is the best and most expensive part of the beef carcass. It belongs to the dorsal part and is located under the ribs. This is meat for frying. Chateaubriand is cut from the middle, tournedeau from the thinnest part, and filet mignon from the sharp end of the fillet.

11b. Tenderloin.

This most valuable part of the beef carcass is the outer part of the animal's back. The famous roast beef is cut from the tenderloin; the structure of its fibers is loose and tender. You can cook a large piece of roast or roast beef from the tenderloin; you can cut it into pieces and prepare steaks and other dishes.

12a. Rear flesh.

The meat is lean and at the same time drier and tougher than rump meat, so before frying it should be stuffed and covered with lard. In addition, this type of meat can be used to prepare instant dishes, such as beef stroganoff.

12b. Part sirloin, part rump.

It has thin layers of fat and a loose fiber structure. This part can be cut into pieces for quick frying, stewing and frying.

13a. Part rump, part sirloin.

Lean meat is exceptionally good for fondues and small rolls with delicious fillings.

13b. "Meat for the burgomaster."

As can be concluded from the name, meat for the burgomaster, also called lady's slipper, is different good quality. It's flavorful, juicy, and makes exceptionally good stews, marinated roasts, tender goulash.

14. Ox tail.

It is used to make a popular soup (ox tail soup) and an excellent stew. Before cooking, the tail is cut into pieces about 5 cm long.

This part is lean, somewhat coarse-fibrous and dry, despite the fact that the inside is covered with a thin layer of fat. Small rolls are prepared from its middle part, meat from the end part is stuffed and an excellent roast is obtained.

14a. Upper part of the thigh.

The German name "tafelspitz" also means "the main meat dish of the table" and at the same time the national Austrian dish from the upper part of the thigh, which is of generally known high quality. It works best if the meat is stewed rather than boiled.

14b. Part of the thigh.

This lean, coarse fiber meat is suitable for frying, grilling or stewing. It can be deliciously cooked on skewers or spits.

15. Thigh (rump).

Lean thigh meat is traditionally used to make tender rolls. They are cut from the soft tissue adjacent to the lower part of the femur. Of these you can prepare the most best fondue and raw steak tartare.

16a. Shanks.

The illustration shows the back and front shanks. They are cut into pieces (commercially called “shank pieces”). The shanks of very young bull or veal are suitable for roasting and grilling, but require quite a long grilling time.

166. Pieces of shanks.

Pieces 4-5 cm thick are offered for sale. Together with the marrow bone and tendons, which harden into jelly during cooking, they are suitable for making jellied meat, as well as for cooking soups and eintopf with a variety of dressings. The meat of the shanks is extremely tasty, lean, and due to its delicate consistency, after removing the bones, it can be successfully used to prepare a tender stew.

Assortment, preparation methods and serving rules, quality requirements, shelf life and sale of porridge dishes

Providing the population with high-quality meat depends on the carcass cutting schemes used. Proper cutting carcasses and sorting of meat is, first of all, the possibility of its rational use and the organization of a differentiated pricing policy depending on food and biological value, which is of great economic and social importance.

It is unprofitable to sell meat in the form of carcasses and half-carcasses. The process of dividing meat carcasses and half-carcasses involves dismembering them into parts of appropriate sizes and weights (cuts) according to anatomical characteristics in order to facilitate the subsequent separation of soft tissues from the skeletal bones (boning). Individual parts (cuts) of the same carcass differ in morphological and chemical composition, nutritional and biological value, taste and culinary purpose. The division into parts is called cutting, and their division into varieties is called varietal cutting (sorting) of meat. The degree of use of raw meat and the quality of the finished product meat dish(ultimately, the profitability of production) largely depends on how correctly the cutting of the carcass is carried out (on the cutting method) and the choice of the appropriate type of meat. The best varieties meat is obtained from the back and dorsal parts along the spinal column. High-grade meat can be used to produce natural portioned semi-finished products, and low-grade meat can be used to produce minced semi-finished products or relatively cheap sausages. The boundaries of isolating semi-finished products from cuts are determined by the morphological composition, the convenience of isolating muscles or their groups, and the optimal methods of heat treatment for various muscle groups.

Currently, the industry has developed many cutting schemes (about 30) for beef and pork half-carcasses, depending on the range of products being produced. The choice of a specific cutting scheme depends on the needs of production and the quality of incoming raw materials. Conventionally, they can be classified according to the direction of use of individual parts of half-carcasses or cuts into the following groups:

* For sausage production;

* for semi-finished products;

* for smoked meats;

* large pieces;

* for natural semi-finished products;

* for packaged meat;

* for industrial processing and distribution to the retail chain;

* for highlighting meat premium for natural semi-finished products, smoked meats and traditional sausages

Cutting cattle carcass (beef)

For retail, carcasses are divided into half carcasses, which are divided into quarters between the 13th rib and the first lumbar vertebra - this is a varietal cut of beef. The forequarter includes the cervical, scapular, dorsocostal and thoracic parts. The hind quarter includes the lumbar, hip and sacrum parts and the flank. Hip, lumbar, back and shoulder cuts (about 50% of the carcass weight) are the most valuable and are intended for sale in their natural form. According to GOST 7595-79 “Meat - beef. Cutting for retail trade" beef carcass is divided into 3 grades (Fig. 1). The total yield of grade 1 cuts is 88% of the weight of the half carcass, 2 - 7%, 3 - 5%. Grade 3 cuts are the least valuable and contain a lot of bones, connective tissue and little muscle tissue.

The composition and nutritional value of cuts depends on their anatomical location.

Rice. 1 Scheme of cutting a beef half carcass into varietal cuts: 1 – shoulder cut, 2 – fillet, 3 – neck cut, 4 – shoulder cut, 5 – back cut, 6 – lumbar cut, 7 – hip cut, 8 – hind shank, 9 – flank, 10 – breast cut, 11 – front shank

The anatomical boundaries of the separation of grade 3 cuts are as follows: cut - between the 2nd and 3rd vertebrae; anterior shank - along a transverse line passing through the middle of the radius and ulna bones; hind shank - along the transverse line at the level of the lower third of the tibia. Meat 2 grades: neck cut, cut between the 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae; flank - along a line running from the knee joint to the articulation of the true and false parts of the 13th rib and further along the costal arch to the sternum.

When obtaining raw meat for salted products, too large parts are divided into smaller ones. Salting is carried out according to variety. To speed up salting, the thick soft parts are cut, and the bones are cut from the inside obliquely or across (the number of cuts is 2-4).

In accordance with commercial and culinary cutting, some parts of the cuts have their own names. Thus, the fleshy part located along the vertebrae is called entrecote, the front dorsal part is called thick, the back part is called thin edge, the rib part is called selvedge, the lumbar part is called sirloin (best cut), the thigh part is called rump.

In the production of sausages and canned food, beef half-carcass, which is used as a whole, regardless of the fatness category, is divided into 7 cuts (Fig. 2). The scapular part is separated between the muscles connecting the scapular bone to the thoracic part; neck cut - between the last cervical and first thoracic vertebrae (that is, all cervical vertebrae are left in this cut); the thoracic part along with the costal cartilages - at the junction of the cartilages with the ribs; the dorsocostal part from the lumbar - between the last rib and the first lumbar vertebra (all ribs remain in the dorsocostal part); the lumbar part with the flank from the hip - along the line passing between the last lumbar vertebra and the sacrum bone; the sacral part from the hip - along the line passing between the sacral and pelvic bones (this cut is advisable to use for stew).

Rice. 2 Scheme of sausage cutting of beef half carcass: 1 – shoulder blade, 2 – cervical, 3 – thoracic, 4 – dorsocostal (box), 5 – lumbar, 6 – posterior (tenderloin, psoas muscle), 7 – sacral (posterior)

When cutting beef of the first and second categories, the tenderloin is first separated to produce semi-finished products.

The boundaries of cutting carcasses according to the above scheme are determined by the unequal labor intensity and complexity of their dismemberment and subsequent deboning, since the composition and structure of the parts of the half-carcass, as mentioned earlier, are different. This has no effect on quality characteristics meat, since during further processing it is lived into grades depending on the content of fatty and connective tissue.

The cutting scheme for the production of large-sized semi-finished products also provides for the division into similar seven cuts listed above, which are subjected to deboning with the subsequent separation of large-sized semi-finished products.

Based on the scheme for commercial cutting of beef (GOST 7595-55), combined schemes were developed for industry (OST 49/36-67, OST 49/46-72, OST 49/74-74), in which cuts with high culinary merits (lumbar , back, hip and brisket, constituting about 50% of the carcass weight) were sent for sale or for the production of semi-finished products, and the rest - for sausage and canning production.

In foreign schemes for cutting beef carcasses, along with differences due to national characteristics meat consumption and the range of products produced are typical for most countries general principles, which form the basis of varietal cutting schemes (Fig. 3 and 15): selection of the best parts in terms of nutritional value for sale to the public in their natural form; industrial preparation of meat cut for culinary purposes; differentiation of retail prices.

Scheme of cutting a veal half carcass, shown in Fig. 3 gives a visual representation of the location of the main (varietal) cuts, each of which has a specific number. Below we provide enlarged illustrations of cuts and explain which additional processing These cuts are processed before being sold. This cutting scheme veal carcass It is most often used in France and today makes it possible to most effectively sell large, but very expensive carcasses of milk-fed calves.

Rice. 3. Cutting a calf carcass: 1- neck, 2- neck part of the carcass, 3- dorsal part of the carcass, 4- meat for chops, 5 - lumbar part of the carcass, 6 - rump, 7 - thigh, 8 - drumstick and shank, 9 - flank, 10 - brisket, 11 - shoulder (shoulder), 12 - trim

The neck portion of the carcass contains bones and tendons, which are removed. Meat can be sold in large pieces for stewing or cut in portioned pieces(Fig. 4) for boiling. It can also be cut into cubes for stewing with vegetables. Neck bones with pieces of meat are very good for making broth.

Cut 2 rice. 3 includes the first 4-5 ribs. After removal of the scapula, these ribs are partially exposed (Fig. 4); the meat of the neck part of the carcass, as a rule, is completely separated from the bones and goes on sale in one piece for frying in the oven or cut into portions for stewing.

Rice. 4. Neck

High-quality meat from the middle ribs of the dorsal part of the carcass (Fig. 5) is usually cut into portions (with or without bone) to prepare cutlets on open fire or in a frying pan. If the cutlets are cooked over an open fire, they must be watered with vegetable or melted water. butter. The meat may also be sold in large pieces (with or without bones) for roasting in the oven.

Rice. 5. Neck and back parts of the carcass

On the last 3-4 ribs (part 4 of Fig. 3) the meat is very tender and is usually sold in the form of chops. When preparing meat for sale, protruding parts of the vertebrae and the ends of the ribs may be removed. The meat can also be cut into thicker portions - similar to chops from the lumbar part of the carcass (part 5 of Fig. 3). This cut contains tender and very lean meat, which is usually sold as chops for grilling over an open fire or frying pan. The meat can also be completely separated from the bones and rolled (with or without the fillet located under the spine) for roasting in the oven. The fillets can be cut into rounds called medallions for pan-frying (Figure 6).

Rice. 6. Meat from the lumbar part of the carcass

Rump is a high-quality cut (part 5 of Fig. 3), its meat is used for frying in the oven ( big piece), for frying over an open fire (portioned pieces), for frying in a frying pan (escalopes). In France, the rump is usually cut into two parts intended for roasting in the oven: the smaller one is called a culotte, the larger one is called a quasi. English butchers often process the rump and thigh as a single cut, which is then cut into portions to make escalopes. Rump fillets can be cut into medallions (Fig. 7).

Fig.7. Parts and pieces of rump

Thigh - This cut is cut into pieces along the contact lines of the three main thigh muscles, each of which can be perfectly roasted in the oven or stewed, or cut into thin portions for frying escalopes in a pan. Shchup is a very tender, fine-fibered meat from the inside of the thigh, perfect for preparing large escalopes of the highest quality. The thick flank also contains tender meat that makes good but not very large escalopes. The muscle fibers of cut meat are thicker and a little rougher, and their bundles are surrounded by more developed connective tissue, so cut escalopes are not as tasty. The cut is well suited for frying in the oven or stewing, lining it with strips of fat, or for stuffing (Fig. 8 and 9).

Rice. 8. Thigh

Rice. 9. Escalopes

Both the shank (back leg) and knuckle (front leg) are cuts (Fig. 10) containing tasty meat, tendons and glutinous substances; They are best cooked in a humid environment. Knuckle or shank meat can be stewed or boiled with or without bones. When braising with slices, such as osso buco, it is better to use a beefier shank with a thick layer of meat around the bone, which in turn contains more bone marrow. The not very meaty shank is often used for cutting into cubes. Both shank and shank are excellent cuts for making broth.

Rice. 10. Shank and knuckle

The abdominal wall of the veal (flank) is one of the thinnest cuts, in which layers of meat alternate with developed layers of connective tissue (Fig. 11), and therefore needs heat treatment in a humid environment to achieve the required softness. Flank can be rolled and boiled (sometimes together with minced meat) or cut into slices (cubes) for stewing with vegetables. Flank is also good for cooking chopped veal.

Rice. 11. Flank

In the brisket, the bony cut itself has layers of meat interspersed with layers of fat and films. The front part of the brisket contains the breastbone (sternum) and ribs, and the back part contains the cartilaginous ends of the ribs (Fig. 12). The whole brisket or half of it can be completely separated from the bones, filled with minced meat and rolled into a roll for boiling; the meat can also be cut into slices for stewing or boiling.

Rice. 12. Brisket

The shoulder muscles are cut into pieces that have varying degrees of softness (depending on their location in the cut). The meat is used according to its quality: usually roasted boneless in the oven or stewed. Some carefully trim one or more shoulder muscles and cut into portions to make escalopes, but the quality will not be very high.

Rice. 13. Shoulder blade (shoulder)

The middle part of the trim (Fig. 14) is usually completely separated from the bones and cut into slices for stewing or boiling: in order to soften the connective tissues of this meat, it requires heat treatment in a humid environment. The laminated texture of the trim meat is similar to that of a brisket, so many British butchers cut the brisket together with the adjacent portion of the trim. The taste of the meat is high, and the fat layers help it maintain juiciness during cooking.

Rice. 14. Hem

Beef half carcasses intended for Russian meat processing enterprises are cut into cuts in the USA in accordance with the classification: canned and sausage carcasses, Utility, Canner/Cutter and grain-feed carcasses of the highest industrial quality.

Grain-grade beef of the highest industrial quality is cut into five types of cuts: round back sirloin with edge, round shoulder sirloin, boneless sirloin end, tenderloin and shank with the knee joint removed.

Utility class feed beef is cut into six types of cuts: in addition to the listed cuts in the previous class, there are cuts from the inner and outer flesh of the thigh.

Canner/Cutter grade beef is primarily cut into four cuts: inner thigh, shank, round, and sirloin.

Currently, to simplify international trade in meat, under the auspices of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), a standard for beef carcasses and cuts has been developed (Fig. 16 and 17).

Rice. 15. Australian beef cutting scheme:

silverside - the outer part of the hip cut; outside – meat from the outer part of the beef thigh (ham); outside flat - thin edge of the ham; eye round - boneless beef - rump; sirloin butt – thick beef fillet, rump edge; rump - rump, rump; top sirloin - upper part of the sacrum; D-Ramp - upper part of the hip cut; Rostbiff – (Rumpheart) - removal of the top part of the hip cut (D-Ramp) and fat; Striploin - thin edge; Blade (Clod) - the middle part of the shoulder blade (scapular-humeral part); Chuck – neck part of beef carcass (thick edge); neck – neck part of beef carcass; chuck square cut - a straight cut from the neck of a beef carcass; chuck roll - rounded blade part; Chuck tender - front loin of the shoulder blade

Rice. 16. Standard Beef Cuts: External Side

Rice. 16. Standard beef cuts: inside

This cutting is carried out taking into account the structure of the carcass, according to which the dismemberment of carcasses and half-carcasses into separate parts is carried out at the junction of bones and fusion of muscles. The cuts and boneless parts obtained as a result of such cutting are covered with a film of connective tissue (fascia), which increases shelf life, reduces drying losses and promotes preservation. High Quality and sanitary condition of raw meat.

VNIIMP developed GOST R 52601-2006 “Meat. Cutting beef into cuts”, which involves cutting beef in accordance with European standards and principles. This GOST unifies the classification and evaluation of raw meat, brings the quality of raw meat closer to the European level, that is, it provides for the grouping of carcass parts by grade depending on their nutritional value, excluding from commercial cuts parts of carcasses of reduced nutritional value (thigh, trim with curl), and reduces the yield of the breast and back cuts compared to the cut according to GOST 7595-55.

The quality of meat obtained from different parts of the carcass varies. Cuts vary nutritional value, culinary merits and purpose, ratio of muscles, fat and bones. In this regard, carcasses are cut into separate varietal cuts.
Our country has adopted a unified scheme for cutting up carcasses for retail sale:

1) Neck; 2) brisket; 3) brisket; 4) thick edge; 5) thin edge; 6) sirloin; 7) tenderloin;

8) peritoneum; 9) peritoneum; 10) shoulder blade; 11) thigh; 12) flank; 13) rump; 14) shank.

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

Spatula

The shoulder bone contained in the cut is removed by the butcher, and the meat is cut into portions for preparing steaks or for stewing. The taste of the meat is high, the fat content is relatively low. Some pieces have thick veins of connective tissue that attach the muscles to the shoulder blade bone. This connective tissue is left on the meat because when cooked in moist heat it softens, releasing sticky substances into the broth. The shoulder contains many layers of fat, so it remains juicy even after prolonged heat treatment. You can make it from a spatula meatloaf, prepare minced meat.

Brisket has a layered structure of muscle tissue with layers of fat. It is prepared in a humid environment - added to soup, stewed or boiled, and used for pickling. The best part The brisket is located exactly in the middle of the cut, with cartilage and fat.

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 from it and sold. The layered structure of the muscle tissue of the brisket is emphasized by layers of fat, taste qualities good ones. Brisket needs to be cooked in a moist environment.

Hind leg of carcass- shank is well suited for making jellies or jellied meat.
The animal's legs have very developed muscles, so they should be subjected to prolonged heat treatment at low temperatures and in a humid environment to soften the connective tissue and prevent the meat from drying out until the fibers soften.

Pashina

It is an excellent meat for cooking because it has good taste, and the layers of fat in it help retain moisture. Meat can also be stewed with or without bones, cut into slices or cubes. Well suited for cooking and also for stewing. Can be used to make rolls or minced meat.

Thick edge located along the ridge, from the neck, contains 4-5 ribs. Used for stewing, baking, suitable for soups, meatballs, roast beef, minced meat.

(from English Roast beef - literally " fried beef") - a dish of English cuisine, which is a large piece baked in the oven beef meat weighing 1.5-2 kg. Sometimes roast beef is cooked on a grill or stewed.

To prepare excellent roast beef, the ribs are usually cut short and the meat is tied; the bones can be removed completely; in this case, the meat is rolled into a roll before tying. The meat can also be used for stewing or baking in large pieces.

Traditionally, beef is chosen for roast beef. You can choose from different parts of the meat carcass: thick edge (first 4 - 5 ribs), thin (next 4 - 5 ribs), sirloin, and also tenderloin. However, it should be remembered that all parts differ in meat structure, fat content and taste.

Thin edge can be distinguished from the thick one; at the thick edge, the front blade cut off from it is noticeable. Contains 4-5 ribs. The meat is tender. To preserve juiciness and aroma, the thin edge is baked at high temperature along with the bones, after sawing through the upper parts of the dorsal vertebrae. Suitable for cooking steaks and roast beef. Both thin-cut steaks and rib meat cooked on the grill are excellent in taste.

Tenderloin- a valuable part of the carcass, this is the outer part of the animal’s back, the fibers are loose and tender. Used for cooking steaks, roast beef, roasts.

Chopped neck meat

A cut with the long humerus bone, which is removed during deboning and sold with other marrow bones. Excess fat usually cut from the cut by the butcher. Neck meat is similar in quality to neck meat (1) and is usually sold diced or minced.

Spinal edge of the neck

A large and relatively lean cut of high-quality stewing meat, consisting of bundles of muscle fibers from the brachialis muscle. After removing the bones, the cut is cut into portions to prepare steaks. The meat from the spine of the neck can also be cut into cubes for stewing. It requires long-term heat treatment in a humid environment to soften the connective tissue.

This cut contains a large number of the most tender meat on the last three ribs. The sirloin can be roasted whole, with or without bones, or cut into portions for frying steaks over an open fire or in a frying pan. Sirloin fillet steak is prepared without bones; To prepare a steak with a bone, the meat is cut from the front part of the rib along with the rib: a steak from the back lumbar part of the rib contains a piece of tender tenderloin that runs under the spine. If the tenderloin is cooked separately, it can be roasted whole, but most often it is cut into pieces against the grain to prepare steaks.

Kostrets

A varietal cut containing the lower vertebrae of the spine and the pelvic bone. All bones are usually removed and the meat is cut across the grain into portions to create tender steaks with excellent flavor. Rump steaks can be fried over an open fire or in a frying pan. Cuts weighing more than 1.5 kg make excellent roast beef, which is usually cooked over high heat.

Probe, sec, rump, thigh

These four cuts together make up the upper part of the hind leg. Shchup - a cut of lean, fine-fiber meat from the inside of the thigh - is good for slow roasting and stewing. The meat of the cut is a little rougher, but also has good taste and is usually used for slow frying or stewing, as well as for pickling and simmering. Rump is a superior quality cut of meat between the rump and the pelvic bone. Most often, this meat is used to prepare high-quality roast beef by slow roasting. Podbederok is good for slow frying and stewing in a large piece, but quite often it is cut into portions that are stewed or fried in a frying pan.

shank

The tendon-rich, fleshy part of the hind leg: similar to the knuckle, it contains marrow bone and a large percentage of connective tissue. Typically the bone is removed and the meat is cut into thick slices or cubes. Subtle aroma And high content gelatin gives this meat excellent taste when stewed.

Diaphragm

Consists of a variety of relatively small-sized internal muscles, the best culinary qualities, among them are the muscles of the inner part of the flank, the muscles adjacent to the inner part of the rump.

Despite the fact that steaks from the meaty part of the diaphragm have a coarse-grained structure when cut, they contain very little fat and have excellent taste if they are cooked over an open fire or in a frying pan without being completely browned. In order for the meat to cook completely, it must be simmered for a long time. The third type of steak from the meaty part of the diaphragm is sometimes called "butcher's steak."

It is very rare to buy such meat, since it is cut from the central internal muscle, the only one in the entire carcass. Try every chance you get. buy it because thanks to its delicate taste and wonderful aroma it is perfectly suited for frying on a sieve.

Edge

This cut consists of muscle tissue covering the ribs with layers of fat. It is an excellent meat for cooking because it has good taste, and the layers of fat in it help retain moisture. Meat can also be braised with or without bones, sliced or boneless, sliced or diced or diced. Quite often, the edge is used to prepare minced meat.

The muscular foreleg (knuckle) contains the medulla and several narrow, distinct muscles with a thick layer of connective tissue and tendons. After removing the bone, the meat is usually cut into slices across the grain or into cubes for stewing. When cooked in a moist environment, the gelatin of the connective tissues decocts, forming a very tasty and nutritious gravy. The knuckle is especially suitable for cooking beef stew French.

Shoulder part of the scapula

This cut includes part of the largest muscles of the shoulder; The ribs and adjacent muscles are located closer to the rear of the carcass. The cutting of the shoulder blade depends on local traditions, but most often it is simply cut off big pieces excellent-tasting pulp for subsequent slow frying. The meat can also be cut into portions for stewing.

The taste of the meat depends on the quality of the meat used in cooking. ready-made dish. So, for example, having received in a restaurant juicy steak, at home, using the same recipe, you can get a completely dry, non-greasy dish. The reason lies in what category the beef belongs to, what grade it is and what part of the carcass is used.

Thus, it is customary to divide beef not only into varieties, but also into categories.

Beef varieties

In trade, it is customary to distinguish three varieties of beef:

Top grade- rump, rump, sirloin and breast, sirloin and back;
2nd grade- neck, flank, shoulder and shoulder blade;
3rd grade- cut, front and back shank.

Beef categories

In addition to the type of meat, it is customary to distinguish product categories. The category is influenced by the age of the animal, the fat content of the product and the age of the livestock.

Beef of the first category must have the following indicators: well-developed muscle tissue, a fat layer at least covering the carcass up to 8 ribs from the tail, a large amount of subcutaneous fat. As for young cattle, it is quite acceptable to have no fat deposits.

Beef of the second category - small deposits of fat on the lower back, ischial tuberosity and last ribs, distinct highlighting of the ischial tuberosities, muscles are slightly developed.

Except meat I and II categories, highlight lean beef. However, meat from this category is used exclusively for industrial processing.

You can determine whether beef belongs to one category or another using the mark that is placed on all meat intended for sale. So, a round purple spot indicates that the product has sufficient quantity fat But the square mark indicates that the cattle were less well-fed. Among other things, a mark in the form of the letter M is placed on the head of a young animal.

Useful properties of beef

IN beef liver, contains vitamin A (8.2 mg%), E (1 mg%), C (33 mg%), B6 (0.7 mg%), B12 (60 mg%), PP (9 mg%), B2 (2.19 mg% ), B1 (0.3 mg%), etc. Beef meat is also a supplier of mineral salts (sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, cobalt, etc.). The highest iron content found in beef liver is 8.4 mg%.

Beef is one of the main suppliers of complete proteins in human nutrition. When cooked, beef loses up to 40% water, 2% protein and 1% fat. Almost all proteins are used in the diet. For the most valuable protein nutrition It is best to use the tenderloin, the softest part of the carcass.

Vitamin B12 (formed due to the fact that a cow chews cud - green grass) is involved in the process of absorption of iron in our body. Beef helps to successfully cope with fatigue, is useful for iron deficiency anemia, and British doctors advise men who have high level bad cholesterol, eat up to 200 grams. a day of lean beef. They found that with such a diet, cholesterol is reduced by almost 20%.

Old beef is more difficult to digest; it is not recommended for children and the elderly to eat; it is better to replace it with veal.

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 rampant meat-eaters and devotees dietary nutrition. And veal is suitable even for baby food. For beef and veal to truly be beneficial to our health, they must only be of good quality.

Definition of quality

When buying beef, first of all pay attention to the color: high-quality meat has a rich red color. As the animal ages, it darkens. Veal is much lighter and has a pinkish tint. The older the animal, the more clearly the yellowness of the fat is visible. Adults have a dark yellow tint to the fat. If the color of the beef seems too brownish, then the piece has probably been sitting on the counter. Also keep in mind another indicator of the age of the animal - the toughness of the meat.

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

Cutting the carcass - selecting the desired part

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

Figure - Scheme of cutting beef carcass (high-quality cuts)

Table - Description of beef carcass cutting parts

№	Name of the carcass cutting part (cuts)	Variety	Characteristics, features of the carcass part	Purpose of the carcass part
1	Neck, cut	3	It contains a considerable amount of tendon, but has good taste.	Cooking (including long-term cooking), stewing. Dishes: dressing soups and broths, minced meat, cutlets, goulash, cholent, jellied meat (jelly).
2	Dorsal part (thin edge, thick edge, entrecote)		May be sold with bones. The thick end is soft, fine-fiber meat and contains 4.5 ribs. The thin edge has excellent taste and contains 4.5 ribs. Entrecote is a selected soft intercostal part of meat located along the vertebrae.	Frying, baking (including large pieces), stewing. Dishes: soups (rib part), chopped cutlets, goulash, roast, steak (thin edge), roast beef (thin, thick edge), rib meat, entrecote.
3	Thick fillet, sirloin		Tender meat, thin layers of fat.	Frying (including fast), stewing. Dishes: cutlets, meatballs, meatballs, steak, beef stroganoff (top part of the rump), zrazy, rolls, various minced meats and fillings.
4	Tenderloin, sirloin		The most valuable and tender part of meat, lean, without streaks	Frying, baking in pieces. Good for grilling. Dishes: roast beef, steak, chops, kebab, azu.
5	Kostrets		It is distinguished by its softness. Good taste. 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), cut (lower thigh)		Lean, fine-fiber meat, good taste.	Stewing, boiling, baking. Dishes: cutlets, roast beef, soups, broths.
7	Peritoneum, flank (curl)		The consistency of the meat is rough, but the taste is not bad. May contain fat, bones, cartilage and films.	Minced meat, boiled. Dishes: meatballs, meatballs, roll, soups, zrazy, borscht, broth.
8	Edge edge		Meat contains layers of fat. It has excellent taste.	Boiling, stewing, minced meat. Dishes: goulash, azu, cutlets, dressing soups.
9	Spatula		The fibers are a little rough. The shoulder part is lean meat and may have thick veins.	Cooking, stewing, minced meat. Dishes: steak, goulash, azu, chopped cutlets, roll.
10	Brisket		The meat has a layered structure and contains layers of fat. Good taste.	Boiled, stewed, baked, chopped (stuffed). Dishes: roasts, soups, borscht.
11	Underthigh		Not the best consistency, but has a good taste and aroma (thanks to gelatin).	Slow frying and stewing in large pieces. Dishes: goulash, azu, soups.
12	shank		Lots of tendons and connective tissues. Contains marrow and gelatin. Good taste. Stickiness after cooking.	Slow cooking. Dishes: broths, jellies (jellied meat). Possibly made from pulp: balls, cutlets, meatballs, rolls, etc.
13	Knuckle		The same as for 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 beef maturation after slaughter is approximately 2 weeks at a temperature of 1-2 degrees Celsius. As the storage temperature increases, the ripening time also increases. Without use refrigeration chamber The meat will ripen within a few days, but in this case the shelf life will be sharply reduced.