The Chuck is mostly the shoulder section of the cow, consisting of a network of strong, hard-working muscles as well as Ribs #1-5. As a general rule of thumb, the harder a muscle works, the tougher it is. With that said, the Chuck also tends to have fantastic marbling, particularly in Wagyu specimens. Butchering has greatly improved over the years to yield some exciting sub-primal cuts:

• The Denver Steak, also known as the Bottom Chuck Steak or Under Blade Steak is cut from the center of the Under Blade. These gorgeous steaks are packed full of marbling, have a beautiful beefy flavor and are tender enough to grill
• The Flat Iron is cut from the top muscle blade of the chuck and professionally known as the Top Blade Steak. This tender, versatile steak is also very well marbled and boasts a rich beefy flavor. Buyers of Flat Iron steaks need to be careful to source from a knowledgeable Butcher that has removed the tough connective tissue to avoid unnecessary toughness (The Meatery’s Flat Irons have this removed)
• The Chuck Eye Steak is extracted from the 5th rib of the cow, whereas Ribeye steaks are taken from the 6th-12th ribs. Lovingly known as the “Poor Man’s Ribeye”, the Chuck Eye Steak is full of marbling and beefy flavor similar to a ribeye. While lower-grade cuts of Chuck Eye (such as USDA Select or Choice) benefit the most from low-and-slow cooking, The Meatery’s Wagyu Chuck Eyes are tender and marbled enough to be treated more like a standard Ribeye, cooked on a grill or (our favorite) in a Sous Vide with a sear finish
• Chuck Short Ribs are cut in a variety of ways, of which The Meatery carries a number. The most common is flanken-style, or “Korean Short Ribs.” They are also prepared as Tomahawks, boneless, or as a rack of the first 5 ribs. Chuck Short Ribs tend to be the meatiest ribs, yet also the leanest. Because of this, they are often braised or smoked for long periods of time to make them more tender.

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The Rib is comprised of Ribs #6-12 and are located under the front section of the backbone. The ribs provide support for the cow, and are also some of the most flavorful, sought-after cuts on a cow. The Meatery carries the following cuts from The Rib:

The Ribeye is one of the most common sub-primal cuts. Known for its intense marbling, beefy flavor and tenderness it is no surprise it is one of the most popular cuts that exists. The ribeye is most commonly served boneless, but is also cut Bone-In, in various bone lengths. A standard Bone-In Ribeye has the bone cut in line with the end of the meat. “Cowboy” style leaves a small, frenched bone and “Tomahawk” cuts boast a large bone and make for a great presentation. The Meatery also sells “Monsterhawks” that are extra-large cuts, weighing up to 5 pounds!

The Ribeye Roll, otherwise known as the Prime Rib is located between the Chuck and Loin primals. The difference between a Prime Rib and a Ribeye steak is simply a whole roast vs. individually-cut steaks. Prime Rib is traditionally served bone-in, and can contain up to 7 bones (bones #6-12).

Beef Back Ribs are created when the bones are removed from the Ribeye Roll. These ribs are less meaty than their Short Rib counterparts and because of that, less expensive. When cooked correctly, they are fantastic as the meat they do have comes from the Ribeye Roll and is very flavorful.

The Rib Cap is removed from the outside of the Rib, and is often also referred to as Lifter Meat or Cap Meat. This is one of The Meatery’s most popular Wagyu cuts. Traditionally a rather tough piece of meat, when sourced from a Japanese Wagyu cow it still packs incredible intramuscular marbling and flavor with a palatable “beefy” chew.

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The Short Loin is located next to The Rib and consists of the Top Loin and Tenderloin. The Short Loin provides some of the most recognizable steaks on a cow.

The New York Strip, otherwise known as a Strip Steak or Top Loin Steak is cut from a muscle that does particularly little work, the longissimus, making it a particularly tender steak. This steak is most often butchered boneless, but is sometimes sold bone-in. The NY Strip was previously universally called the “Kansas City Strip” until Delmonico’s, a NYC restaurant began calling them New York Strips and the name stuck.

The Porterhouse is a bone-in steak cut from the point that the Top Loin and Tenderloin meet and are separated by a T-shaped bone. Porterhouse steaks are cut from the furthest rear-end of the short loin and include the largest portion of Tenderloin steak alongside a large strip steak.

The T-Bone is also a bone-in steak but it is cut from the furthest point of the Top Loin and Tenderloin’s intersection and contains a smaller section of Tenderloin paired with a large strip steak. There is no formal measurement to differentiate between a T-Bone and Porterhouse, and consumers searching for a larger portion of Tenderloin should be sure to pick their steak out in person or utilize a service such as Meatery Live so they can pick their exact steak out.

The Sirloin is an entire primal but is best described when split in half.

The Top Sirloin Butt contains lean, tender cuts that are suitable for grilling. These include the Coulotte (Picanha), Top Sirloin Filet, Sirloin Roasts, and Sirloin Steaks.

The Tenderloin (Psoas Major) runs through the Short Loin to the Sirloin. It is the most tender part of the cow as this muscle does the least amount of work on a cow.

The Tenderloin is traditionally cut in a few ways. We will discuss the ways The Meatery sells Tenderloin.

The Filet Mignon is the most popular preparation of the tenderloin. It is a medallion, typically 6-8oz in size cut from the center of the tenderloin.

Filet Mignon Skewers are our preparation of tenderloin meat that cannot be cut into pretty “center cut” Filets. This is still Psoas Major meat (the exact same meat), just sourced from a different part of the loin and skewered. It provides an economical entry point to high-end Filet Mignon as the price is traditionally about half that of the center cut filets.

Whole Tenderloins are offered by The Meatery most frequently during holidays. This is an entire Tenderloin that is trimmed with the chain left on.

The Round, also known as the Beef Hip consists of the Rump and rear legs. These heavily-worked muscles are leaner in nature and most suitable for slow-cooked roasts.

If you're a BBQ enthusiast then you definitely know the Brisket. The Brisket is located on the breast portion of the cow and are pectoral muscles that are used to keep the cow upright. The beautiful thing about these hardworking muscles is the amount of fat and connective tissue that is has, making it an intensely flavorful and tender piece of meat when properly prepared.

The Short Plate is home to some absolutely amazing cuts including Hangar and Skirt Steak. These steaks are very well marbled and are grillable.

The flank is located below the Loin and Sirloin. The most popular steak cut from the flank is Flank Steak, with London Broil a close second. By nature, Flank steaks are very lean and are best cooked after a long marinade. It is important to cut a Flank Steak against the grain to increase tenderness.

The Bottom Sirloin is comprised of steaks that are most-frequently cooked for longer periods of time such as the Tri Tip,Flap Meat, Petite Sirloin Steaks and Bavette Steaks.