What Is Meant by a Meat Cut?
A meat cut refers to a specific portion of the animal obtained during butchering. Each cut has unique characteristics in terms of texture and flavor, influenced by the part of the body it comes from, as well as the age and gender of the animal.
Cuts of Beef:
- Loin
- Rib
- Tenderloin
- Topside
- Round
- Rump
- Silverside
- Eye of Round
- Chops
- Undercut
- Shoulder Clod
- Chuck Tender
- Shoulder Eye
- Shoulder Clod
- Neck
- Prime Rib
- Brisket
- Shank (front and rear)
- Neck
- Flank
The Tenderloin: The Most Precious Cut of Beef!
The tenderloin is a muscle that is rarely used by the animal due to its structural position, retaining an incredible tenderness that distinguishes it. Its wonderful organoleptic properties make this cut very easy to cook: just grill it over charcoal for a few minutes to satisfy all your senses.
The Rump
A highly prized piece of meat that is so tender you could cut it with a fork. Our advice? Grill it for just 2 minutes on each side, add coarse salt after cooking it, and drizzle with Chianti olive oil! In Milan and Verona, this first-class cut is known as rump. However, in Bologna, it’s called “fetta”; in Florence, it’s known as “melino,” while in Genoa, it’s “cassa del belin.” In Naples, it’s known as “colarda,” in Palermo as “sotto caduta,” and in Turin as “sotto filetto spesso.”
The Veal Round
This part of the beef is a tender, first-class piece of thigh. It’s perfectly round shape makes it ideal for a Chianti roast with Cetica potatoes or a succulent summer tartare. In Belluno, Mantua, Milan, Padua, Perugia, Rovigo, Trento, Treviso, Verona, and Vicenza, this cut is commonly called “noce.” In Bari, Foggia, Naples, and Potenza, it’s known as “pezza a cannello.” In L’Aquila and Perugia, it’s called “tracoscio,” while in Macerata, it’s “scannello.” In Mantua, it’s known as “spola,” in Messina as “tanno,” in Genoa as “pescetto,” and in Venice as “culatta.” In Bologna, it’s called “bordone,” while in Turin, the round becomes “boccia grande.”
The Inside Round
A low-fat part preferred rare in Florence, excellent when briefly seared on the grill and seasoned with garlic oil and aromatic herbs. This cut also gives great satisfaction in the classic evergreen: roast beef! For people in Mantua, it’s simply “coscia.” In Reggio Calabria and its province, it becomes “entroscoscia.” In Venice, the inside round is called “lai di dentro,” while in Naples, it’s known as “natica.” In Milan and Macerata, it’s chosen as “rosa,” while in Genoa, it’s known as “schenello.” In a more classic and quick way, in Belluno, Padua, Rovigo, Turin, Trento, Verona, and Vicenza, the inside round is simply called “fesa.”
The Outside Round
In Treviso, it’s known as “codino,” in Vicenza as “contro fesa,” and in Messina, it’s called “contro lacerto.” In Reggio Calabria, it’s named “dietro a caduta.” In the cities of Bari, Foggia, Naples, Palermo, and Potenza, the outside round is called “dietro coscia.” In Florence, it’s known as “lucertolo,” in Belluno as “taglio lungo la coscia,” while in Milan, it’s called “fetta di mezzo.”
The Neck
The neck is excellent for preparing boiled meat or a good broth for risotto. Alternatively, the neck is ideal for making a nice minced meat to be pressed and seasoned. In Florence, it’s called “giogo,” in Bologna “guido.” For Reggio Calabria, it’s known as “coddu,” while in Naples and Potenza, it’s called “lacena.” In Venice, it’s called “modegal,” while in Bari and Foggia, it’s “roschiale.” In Palermo, it’s known as “spinello,” in Messina as “sapira.” In all other provinces, it’s simply defined by its original name: “collo.” Knowing the specific name of a meat cut is useful for finding the perfect ingredient.
The Ossobuco
It’s derived from the shank, a cut corresponding to the last muscle of the bovine leg. It can be either very rich in connective tissue or more prized because it’s more tender.
The Rib
One of the delicacies you can find at the Braciere Malatesta Trattoria: a meat cut used as a Florentine steak without the tenderloin. A very flavorful piece of meat, excellent for cooking on a smoking grill.
The Flank
The flank is a third-category beef cut. The largest among various cuts, weighing up to 50 kg, is generally used for stews and boiled dishes.
The Brisket
The brisket is a second-category beef cut. It’s usually used for broth, at least in Italy, because its meat is quite tough and stringy, and it has a significant fat content. It’s located in the front part of the animal, adjacent to the prime rib, shoulder, and front leg.
The Eye of Round
The eye of round is a cut of meat located at the rear of the thigh. A prized part, lean and free of nerves. Perfect for preparing roasts, cutlets, and delicious meat “alla pizzaiola!”
The Shoulder
The shoulder is a second-category beef cut. It’s usually used as meat for broth or stew, but few know that it can also be used to prepare steaks or sliced meat. The shoulder is mainly composed of the infraspinatus muscle, making it the most tender part after the tenderloin.
The Loin or Short Loin
The loin is a first-category beef cut. One of the largest cuts, it includes the entire back of the bovine, containing the famous tenderloin. Here we come to the short loin, a part of the loin that includes the first 6 vertebrae. Among all, this cut is famous thanks to the Florentine steak you can enjoy at the Braciere Malatesta Restaurant.
The name “lombata” is mostly used in Florence, Genoa, Macerata, Vicenza, and Verona. In the provinces of Rome, Bari, Rovigo, Potenza, Perugia, L’Aquila, Turin, and Bologna, it becomes “lombo.” In Milan, Padua, Treviso, Mantua, and Belluno, it transforms into “lonza.” Even roast beef changes its name depending on the area: in Naples, it’s called “biffo” or “scorsa a filetto,” in Parma, it’s known as “controfiletto,” in Venice – with its unique spirit – it’s called “La sottile,” while in Palermo, Messina, and Reggio Calabria, it’s called “trinca.”
