Beef cuts chart

Find any cut on the cow, see what it is called elsewhere and how to cook it.

1Chuck2Hump3Ribeye4Striploin5Top Sirloin6Bottom Sirloin7Rump8Topside9Silverside10Knuckle11Hind Round12Tenderloin13Flap / Bavette14Shoulder Clod15Rib Plate16Brisket17Tri-Tip18Flank19Navel Plate20Oxtail21Shank22Marrow Bones

Tap a cut or a number to see its name.Click any cut to see its name and other names. Every cut is also listed below.

Cut lines are a guide: names and boundaries vary by country and by butcher. Dutch and Turkish names are common butcher usage; there is no official Turkish retail cut standard. How we name cuts

How a cow is divided into cuts

A beef carcass is first split into large sections called primals: the chuck (shoulder), rib, loin, round (hind leg), brisket, plate and flank. Butchers then cut each primal into the steaks and roasts you buy. Cuts from muscles that work hard, like the shoulder and legs, are tougher and suit slow cooking. Cuts from along the back, like the ribeye and tenderloin, are tender and suit fast, hot cooking.

All 22 beef cuts

The same cut can have different names in different countries. A UK sirloin is a US striploin, and US top round is UK topside. Each cut below shows its Dutch (NL) and Turkish (TR) names; the full cut guides add the US, UK and other European names and official codes. A dash means there is no common name for that cut.

1. 1ChuckNL: Schouder / onderrib · TR: Kürek

   Well-marbled working muscle from the shoulder. Ideal for pot roast, stews and burger mince. Best: braise, slow cook, mince.

2. 2HumpNL: — · TR: Hörgüç eti

   Found on zebu-type cattle. Rich and fatty, so it needs long, gentle cooking. Best: slow roast, braise.

3. 3RibeyeNL: Ribeye (ook: entrecote) · TR: Antrikot

   Heavily marbled and full of flavour. Cook hot and fast; medium-rare suits it best. Best: grill, pan-sear, roast. Full guide →

4. 4StriploinNL: Entrecote (dunne lende) · TR: Kontrfile

   Firm, beefy steak with a fat cap. Render the fat edge in the pan before searing the faces. Best: grill, pan-sear.

5. 5Top SirloinNL: Dikke lende · TR: Üst sırt

   Lean, good-value steak. Keep it at medium or below so it stays juicy. Best: grill, roast.

6. 6Bottom SirloinNL: — · TR: Alt sırt

   Leaner part of the sirloin. Good for roasts and skewers; slice across the grain. Best: roast, kebabs.

7. 7RumpNL: Staartstuk · TR: Sokum

   Full-flavoured and slightly firmer than sirloin. The fat-capped top is the cut known as picanha. Best: grill, roast. Picanha guide →

8. 8TopsideNL: Bovenbil · TR: Nuar

   Very lean. Roast rare to medium-rare and carve thinly across the grain. Best: roast, thin-sliced.

9. 9SilversideNL: Platte bil · TR: Tranç

   Lean and firm. The classic cut for salt beef and slow pot roasts. Best: pot roast, braise, salt beef.

10. 10KnuckleNL: Kogel · TR: Yumurta

    Lean leg muscle. Works as a roast or cut into strips for quick cooking. Best: roast, stir-fry, kebabs.

11. 11Hind RoundNL: Achterbout · TR: Arka but

    Hard-working leg meat. Best braised, minced or cooked slowly. Best: braise, mince, slow cook.

12. 12TenderloinNL: Ossenhaas · TR: Bonfile

    The most tender cut, and very lean. Sear hard and do not cook past medium. Best: pan-sear, grill, roast whole.

13. 13Flap / BavetteNL: Bavette / halve maan · TR: Böğür

    Loose, open-grained steak that loves a marinade. Grill hot and slice thinly across the grain. Best: marinate, grill hot.

14. 14Shoulder ClodNL: Bloemstuk · TR: Kol eti

    Shoulder muscles; the flat iron steak is cut from here. Otherwise best braised or slow roasted. Best: braise, roast, flat iron.

15. 15Rib PlateNL: Klapstuk / short ribs · TR: Kaburga

    Meaty bone-in ribs. Smoke or braise low and slow until the meat pulls from the bone. Best: smoke, braise, bbq.

16. 16BrisketNL: Borst (borststuk) · TR: Döş

    Tough and full of connective tissue. Becomes tender after many hours of low heat. Best: smoke, braise, corned beef. Full guide →

17. 17Tri-TipNL: Ezeltje · TR: Üçgen

    Triangular roast with great flavour. The grain changes direction, so slice each half across it. Best: grill, roast, smoke. Full guide →

18. 18FlankNL: Vinkenlap · TR: Karın

    Lean, long-grained steak. Marinate, grill quickly and slice thinly across the grain. Best: marinate, grill hot.

19. 19Navel PlateNL: — · TR: Karın döş

    Fatty belly meat; skirt steak and pastrami come from this area. Best: slow cook, pastrami, grill (skirt).

20. 20OxtailNL: Ossenstaart · TR: Kuyruk

    Bony and gelatin-rich. Braise for hours for a deep, silky sauce. Best: braise, stew, soup.

21. 21ShankNL: Schenkel · TR: İncik

    Lean leg meat with lots of connective tissue. Perfect for slow braises and broth. Best: braise, soup, stock.

22. 22Marrow BonesNL: Mergpijpen · TR: İlik kemiği

    Cut from the leg bones. Roast and spread the marrow on toast, or use for stock. Best: roast, stock.

How to choose a beef cut

For the grill or a hot pan: ribeye, striploin, tenderloin, rump and top sirloin. Cook them quickly and rest them before slicing.

For low-and-slow cooking: brisket, chuck, short ribs (rib plate), shank and oxtail. Hours of gentle heat turn their connective tissue into gelatin.

For roasting whole: topside, silverside, tri-tip and a boneless rib roast.