How To Cook Different Cuts Of Beef, According To Experts

Most people in the United States eat their beef in two ways: They enjoy as a steak or hamburger. Carnivores understand the allure of a juicy steak, or a perfectly grilled burger – but there are many more cuts of meat from a cow.

Chefs have long adopted the nose-to-tail approach with this versatile source of protein. For home cooks, however, it can be intimidating switching to a cut of meat they've never tried before.

We turned to three experts for their advice. Thomas Odermatt, founder of Roli Roti (the first gourmet rotisserie food truck in the United States), Tanya Cauthen, teacher and owner of Belmont Butchery, and chef Maricel Gentile, Asian cuisine expert behind Maricel's Kitchen, reveal how to cook 17 beef cuts.

All three experts agreed there was no better way than slow cooking for beef cheek. Tanya Cauthen, Belmont Butchery, questioned why anyone would want to attempt another method as it renders this cut "velvety and luscious."

Maricel Gentile, Maricel's Kitchen, said slow-braised, barbacoa-style cheeks become tender and juicy, making them perfect for tacos and added: "But you can also do a very quick pan fry, making the outside crispy and keeping the inside tender. That also works well in a taco."

For Thomas Odermatt, Roli Roti, beef cheeks are best cooked sous vide at 140 degrees F for eight hours, with great results. "Beef cheek has an incredible beefy flavor and [is] rich in gelatin, making it a fantastic meat for ravioli or Asian gyoza," he said.

For neck meat, "Low and slow is the way to go," advised Maricel Gentile, Asian cuisine expert at Maricel's Kitchen. "It is perfect in Filipino Bulalo (beef shank soup and bone marrow soup). Bulalo is ideal for those colder days: The soup is simmered for hours, allowing the collagen and marrow to melt into the broth and the meat to become fall-apart tender."

Tanya Cauthen, teacher and owner of Belmont Butchery, also suggested smoking. "Meat from the neck has huge flavor but is tough due to its location and usage on a steer. Low and slow will allow all the connective tissue to break down and turn to a velvety gelatinous texture, making the cut moist and succulent, much like an oxtail."

"I can almost write a whole story about the beef neck and how to use it," said Thomas Odermatt, founder of Roli Roti. He urged home cooks to get to know their butcher or visit local Latin or Asian stores to secure the beef cut he regards as underrated.

For Belmont Butchery's Tanya Cauthen, chuck primal cuts have good flavor because they are well-used muscles — but they are tougher. Typically they need to be slow cooked but, when cut properly, she said flatirons from the paleron, Denver, ranch, and chuck eye can be cooked quickly like steaks.

"Terises major, a lesser-known, often referred to as the 'butcher's secret' because it's both tender and flavorful," said Thomas Odermatt of Roli Roti. "Even though it's from the chuck, it has a tenderness similar to filet mignon but with a richer, beefier flavor."

For Maricel Gentile, Maricel's Kitchen, chuck eye steak is a "budget-friendly, tender ribeye with some good marbling. Flat iron steak is tender and flavorful, perfect for grilling. Chuck roast is tougher but does well with a slow braise or stew. Denver steak is tender enough to sear."

Asian cuisine expert Maricel Gentile turns to slow cooking or braising for chuck roast. "It is perfect for beef stew, such as beef Kaldereta, a tomato-based stew. It becomes a meal in your mouth when braised well." She also recommended grilling chuck steak and pairing it with a marinade made with gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame.

Thomas Odermatt, Roli Roti founder, uses boneless chuck short ribs instead of chuck roll to make a warming, succulent stew. For a tender Denver steak, he recommends cutting a whole short rib plate half an inch thick against the grain before grilling or pan-frying it.

"The beef plate comes from the belly just behind the brisket — it does have layers of soft fat. I use it to make beef bacon, thinly cut smoke and roast," said Roli Roti's Thomas Odermatt. For Maricel Gentile this cut is another candidate for the slow cooker. "Try short ribs braised in soy and Shaoxing wine or char siu-style braising."

And Tanya Cauthen of Belmont Butchery admits plate is not as cheap a cut of meat as it once was, but is still a tasty investment. "Cut into blocks, these are typically braised, left as a plate or as 'dino' ribs, these are typically smoked," Cauthen said. "Korean-cut, thinly (⅜ inch or so) across the bones, then marinaded for flavor and tenderness. They are quick cooked, hot and fast."

Brisket and flank cuts promise lots of flavor, according to Tanya Cauthen, teacher and owner of Belmont Butchery. "The brisket is a muscle off the chest of the steer, and flank is a muscle off the lower sides of the belly," she said.

Brisket is a top cut for Maricel Gentile, Maricel's Kitchen, who said: "When cooked long and slow, it becomes tender and melts in your mouth. Flank steak is leaner, has a strong beefy flavor, and should be grilled quickly and sliced thin to keep it tender."

"Everyone knows and loves Texas BBQ brisket: Slow and low over mesquite wood lends to a deep flavor and shreddable consistency," said Thomas Odermatt of Roli Roti. He added: "Flank steak to me is an everyday cut of beef ... I love to use flank steak for a Thai beef salad."

"It is an art to smoke brisket to perfection to have the right amount of smoke and bark," said Thomas Odermatt, founder of Roli Roti. In contrast, according to Odermatt, flank steak is versatile both in terms of how to cook it and flavor profile. "It is quick to prepare on a cast iron skillet," he said.

Grilling flank steak is the method of choice for Maricel Gentile of Maricel's Kitchen. "... don't overcook it, and then slice it thin against the grain," she recommended. "For brisket, slow braise it. Try a Texas-style braised brisket. Braise it in a rich, tomato-based liquid with onions, garlic, and spices."

Belmont Butchery's Tanya Cauthen is also a fan of low and slow cooking for brisket. "Flank is generally trimmed up and fairly lean," she said. "When cooked as a steak — hot and fast — you need to cut across the grain to cut the muscle fibers to create a relative tenderness."

Many people are surprised that beef ribs are bigger and should be cooked differently than pork ribs, according to Tanya Cauthen of Belmont Butchery. "Back ribs come off the rib loin, so typically cut close to the bone to maximize the ribeye ... Then you have plate ribs or chuck ribs — both fairly large — and need slow cooking."

Maricel Gentile, Asian cuisine expert, said: "Whether you are braising or smoking them, the connective tissue in the meat needs time to break down. Using high heat to fast forward the process will make them tough and chewy. When done right, the meat should fall off the bone."

Thomas Odermatt, Roli Roti, explained beef ribs are tricky to cook right, but they're delicious when you do. He recommended peeling the silverskin membrane on the bone side to help the meat break down.

While Belmont Butchery's Tanya Cauthen recommends braising or smoking beef shanks, Maricel Gentile, Maricel's Kitchen, suggested using a pressure cooker for faster results without sacrificing flavor. "If you don't have a pressure cooker, try slicing them thinly and then cooking them in a high-heat stir fry," she said.

"In Italy there is a very popular cut called stinco," Roli Roti's Thomas Odermatt said: "Ask your butcher to cut the shank osso buco style or buy the whole shank bone-in. At home, butterfly the shank, cut out the bone and roast in the oven until golden brown."

After marinating the stinco overnight in lemon, salt, rosemary, sage and black pepper, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and put it in a dutch oven. "Add 3 cups of beef broth, 1 cup of red wine, 2 tablespoons of tomato puree and braise for 2 hours, and serve over polenta."

The T-bone, porterhouse, and New York steaks come from the short loin cut of a beef cow, and are prized for their tenderness and rich flavor, according to Thomas Odermatt of Roli Roti. "Home cooks can prepare short loin cuts just as well at home with the right technique," he said, recommending using the grill or a cast iron pan (often used for deep dish pizza) for bone-in cuts, and sous vide for boneless cuts. 

Asian cuisine chef Maricel Gentile urged home cooks to keep it simple for short loin. "High-heat grilling or pan searing works best," she advised.

Overcooking a sirloin is top of chef Maricel Gentile's list of things not to do to this prime cut of beef. "Cooking it past medium can make it dry and chewy," she said. "Sirloin does not have a lot of fat, and it will dry out. Medium to medium-rare is perfect."

Tanya Cauthen, Belmont Butchery, cautioned against braising. "A sirloin is lean and still has relative tenderness. It should be cooked using a quick cook method," she warned. 

And Roli Roti founder Thomas Odermatt said even sirloin can be grilled or roasted to perfection. "The key to almost any meat cut is to let it rest after cooking before serving," he said. 

Everyone's tastes are different, as Tanya Cauthen, owner of Belmont Butchery, points out when asked about the value of tenderloin. "If you value tenderness above all else then yes, it's the steak for you. But to get that tenderness, you are giving up flavor," she said.

For chefs Thomas Odermatt and Maricel Gentile, there are better options on the table. "If you're trying to impress someone with a fancy cut, tenderloin is a great choice," said Odermatt. "But if you're looking for bold flavor and less expensive, I always go for the ribeye or a New York strip steak."

Gentile added: "Ribeye has a richer flavor and is more juicy because of its heavy marbling. Strip loin, also called New York Strip, has a meaty, beefy flavor and a firm texture. Both are great for grilling."

There is a world of difference between a ribeye and strip loin, according to chef Tanya Cauthen. "The 'eye' of the ribeye is what becomes the strip loin and on a ribeye that 'eye' is topped with an additional muscle — the spinalis. It usually has intense marbling," Cauthen said.

Maricel Gentile, Maricel's Kitchen, would choose a ribeye or strip steak but said: "Tenderloin is fantastic, and if you want to try something different than just grilling it, try beef Negimaki, which is where the tenderloin is thinly sliced and wrapped around scallions, then pan-seared in a sweet-savory sauce."

Summing up the difference between these cuts, chef Maricel Gentile said: "The rump has more marbling and flavor and is a bit more tender. Round steak is very lean and should be slow-cooked or marinaded to stay juicy."

It all boils down to location of the beef, along with tenderness and the amount of fat, noted Roli Roti's Thomas Odermatt. He explained that rump steak comes from the hindquarter, and is slightly more marbled. While Belmont Butchery's Tanya Cauthen said: "Round is lean and not tender, so if you want to cook [it] as a steak it needs help! Marinade it, tenderize it, don't overcook it." She added that a top sirloin, cut properly, makes a lean but great steak.

Both Tanya Cauthen and Maricel Gentile recommend a pressure cooker to tenderize beef tongue. When it's done, Gentile said: "Slice and sear it. This is perfect for dishes like Filipino lengua estofado — braised in tomato sauce with olives and capers."

Chef Thomas Odermatt agrees there is no quick way to cook it. "I start with the Italian Soffritto — onions, carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaf. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add your Soffritto, add the tongue into the water and simmer for two to three hours. When tender, cool the tongue in cold water and peel off the skin with a paring knife."

Odermatt also says that smoking tongue gives it a wonderful smokey flavor. He recommended slicing the tongue ¼ inch thick, smothering it generously with Italian salsa verde and serving at room temperature.

"The biggest misconception is that they are gross," said Tanya Cauthen, teacher and owner of Belmont Butchery. She suggested using them in world cuisines where the spices and cooking style would be suited to organ meats. "Start with chicken, rabbit, lamb, veal offal," she added.

Language has a part to play in attitudes toward organ meats, chef Maricel Gentile believes. People can't visualize common cuts like strip or rib, but tongue, liver, and kidney are reminiscent of a high school biology class. "I would suggest going to a restaurant or a friend who cooks these very well and trying their version," she said.

Thomas Odermatt, Roli Roti, grew up eating kidney and tripe. "My father often cooked tripe," he said. "It is okay for me to eat it if it is dunked in a spicy tomato sauce."

"The holy grail of offal cooking is practiced in Florence," said chef Thomas Odermatt. Classic Tuscan recipe Trippa alla Fiorentina is slow-cooked tripe in a rich tomato sauce. "It's a simple yet deeply flavorful dish that highlights nose to tail cooking at best," he said.

Maricel Gentile, Maricel's Kitchen, urged home cooks to keep it simple. "Liver is best lightly seared with garlic and onions," she said. "Tongue and heart shine in slow braises. Kidneys and tripe work beautifully in rich stews like kare-kare, or Filipino peanut stew."

Chef Tanya Cauthen is also a fan of the quick-cook method, and explained that beef heart can be treated like a steak: Seared and cooked rare to medium rare, sliced thin and accompanied by chimichurri. "Liver can be sliced thick and treated like a steak or cut thin and seared quickly," she added.

Resting all cuts of beef is crucial, according to chef Maricel Gentile, who recommends around five minutes rest for steaks and 20 minutes for roasts. "I also don't like dry and leathery, so undercook your steaks just a little." When it comes to seasoning, simple but bold is her motto: "Salt, pepper, soy sauce, or miso paste work well. Don't go wild; less is more."

Roli Roti's Thomas Odermatt was straightforward in his advice: "Cooking beef well is all about timing, seasoning, and technique and planning ahead as I strongly believe in tempering beef for at least 1 hour prior [to] cooking and resting at least 10 minutes after roasting, grilling."

And chef Tanya Cauthen urges you to think about what's appropriate for the meat: quick cooking or slow cooking. She said, "The better the meat, the less you need to do!" She explained that all a great steak needed was salt and pepper to accentuate the flavor without smothering it.

For chef Thomas Odermatt there is no right or wrong way of cooking. "I think more important is to understand the temperature used and understanding [the] lean point of any cut of meat," he said, including checking it for firmness. "The more firm the meat is it will lend itself for braising or slow cooking," he said.

Maricel Gentile, Maricel's Kitchen, has several suggestions: "Look at the cut's fat content, muscle structure, connective tissue, bone-in versus bone-out, and size. Fat is flavor: If it is a steak, use a high-heat grill or pan sear. If it's a larger piece, like a brisket, slow cooking is like braising or roasting," she said.

Low fat cuts like tenderloin or flank steak should be cooked quickly on the grill, broiler, or pan-seared, with fats like butter or a marinade for moisture. "When in doubt, ask your butcher," advised Belmont Butchery's Tanya Cauthen.

Everyone has their favorite cut of meat from a cow. For Thomas Odermatt, Roli Roti, the under-rated lesser-known cuts, such as onglets, tri-tip, and sirloin cap are the best. "My absolute favorite cut is the pectoral cut, better known as teres major," he said.

Tanya Cauthen, Belmont Butchery, said, "My 'celebration' cuts are New York strip and bavette. The New York strip still has massive bold beef flavor, but less fat than a ribeye. Bavette is much like a a skirt steak — bold, beefy but with finer graining."

And chef Maricel Gentile loves the rich marbling and deep flavor of short ribs. "Braise them in a soy-based sauce with some star anise and ginger, and they are delicious," she said.