Pillar Reference
Beef Cuts
Encyclopedia.
A cow yields roughly 60 named retail cuts. Most home cooks have tried 8. This page organizes every cut by primal, with the best method for each.
The 8 Primals
The carcass is broken down into 8 primals. Every retail cut comes from one of them.
| Primal | Location | Tenderness | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chuck | Shoulder + neck | Tough to medium | Braise, grind, slow-cook |
| Rib | Upper back, ribs 6-12 | Tender + marbled | Grill, roast, sear |
| Short Loin | Upper back, behind rib | Most tender | Grill, sear |
| Sirloin | Upper hip | Tender | Grill, sear, roast |
| Round | Rear leg | Lean and tough | Roast, slice thin, grind |
| Brisket | Lower chest | Tough | Smoke, braise |
| Plate | Belly (front) | Tough + fatty | Smoke, slice thin |
| Flank | Belly (rear) | Lean + grain | Quick grill, slice against grain |
Rib Primal Cuts
The most prized real estate on the animal. High marbling, tender muscle, big flavor.
- Ribeye (boneless or bone-in): The most popular premium steak in America. Cook guide →
- Tomahawk: Bone-in ribeye with long frenched rib bone. Cook guide →
- Cowboy Ribeye: Bone-in ribeye with bone trimmed shorter. Cowboy vs Tomahawk →
- Prime Rib (Standing Rib Roast): Whole or partial rib primal roast. Cook guide →
- Ribeye Cap (Spinalis Dorsi / Deckle): The outer cap muscle on the ribeye. The best bite. Deckle guide →
Short Loin Primal Cuts
The most tender real estate on the cow. Home of the tenderloin and the strip loin.
- NY Strip / Strip Loin / Top Loin: Bold flavor, less marbling than ribeye. Cook guide →
- Filet Mignon (Tenderloin): Most tender cut on the cow, leaner. Cook guide →
- T-Bone: NY strip + small filet, separated by T-shaped bone.
- Porterhouse: T-bone with larger filet section (1.25"+). Porterhouse vs Ribeye →
- Chateaubriand: Center-cut filet roast, 2-3 lbs.
Sirloin & Sirloin Cap
Less expensive than the loin, surprisingly tender, beefy flavor.
- Top Sirloin: Lean steak, good value, best grilled or cast-iron.
- Picanha (Sirloin Cap / Coulotte / Rump Cap): Brazilian favorite, fat-cap-on triangular muscle. What is Picanha → · Cook guide →
- Tri-Tip: Bottom sirloin triangle, Santa Maria barbecue tradition.
- Bavette (Sirloin Flap): Loose grain, beefy, like a better skirt. Bavette guide →
- Ball Tip / Knuckle: Lean roast cuts, often ground.
Chuck Primal Cuts (Underrated)
The shoulder primal is where the value cuts live. Slow-cook the tough ones, sear the hidden tender ones.
- Chuck Roast (Pot Roast): The classic braise cut. Wagyu pot roast →
- Chuck Eye Steak: Poor man's ribeye, from rib end of chuck.
- Flat Iron (Top Blade): Surprisingly tender after the silver-skin is removed.
- Teres Major (Shoulder Tender): Nearly as tender as filet at half the price. Teres major guide →
- Zabuton (Denver Steak / Under Blade): Marbled wagyu cushion cut. Zabuton guide →
- Short Ribs (English or Flanken): Braise or smoke. Cook guide →
Brisket, Plate, and Flank
The "barbecue belt" of the cow. Long-cook cuts that reward patience.
- Brisket (Point + Flat): The Texas king. Wagyu brisket guide →
- Skirt Steak (Inside + Outside): Diaphragm, loose grain, perfect for fajitas. Skirt vs Hanger →
- Hanger Steak: Butcher's prize, one per animal.
- Flank Steak: Lean abdominal cut, slice against grain. Cook guide →
- Plate Short Ribs: Bigger than chuck short ribs, "dinosaur ribs."
Buy the Whole Cow
Most of these cuts come standard on a whole or half animal share. You get the ribeyes AND the chuck AND the brisket AND the bavette. Per-pound pricing drops 20-30% versus retail.
See Share Pricing