Beef or veal is one of the most popular types of meat. This is due not only to taste and nutrition, but also to the presence of vitamins A, B, C, riboflavin, folic acid, as well as beneficial trace elements. Parts of the body of a cow or calf have different nutritional values and are suitable for preparing various dishes. Consider how the cutting of beef, and especially the meat.
Tongue and neck
The cervical part of beef is considered one of the most sinewy, so it will take a slightly longer amount of time to cook it. Despite these features of meat, it has a rather pleasant taste and, moreover, has a low cost. Most often sold chopped into small pieces for goulash and similar dishes.
The language is considered a delicacy and is sold only in its entirety. It is a dietary and easily digestible food product.
The spinal edge of the neck is a rather large cut when cutting beef. On this part there are bones that are removed by the butcher before the sale. The spinal edge of the neck has a reduced fat content, which is why it is used as a dietary food.
Shoulder blade
GOST cutting of beef involves the removal of bone from the scapular part of the animal. At the same time, the pulp is cut into pieces for cooking steaks. The beef shoulder blade has a high palatability and low fat content. Some slices of meat may contain a small percentage of connective tissue with which they were attached to the scapula. It is not necessary to remove it, since during cooking it softens and ceases to be stiff.
Thick and thin edge
When cutting, these parts of beef are cut from the back of the carcass. Both the thick and thin edges contain 5-6 rib bones, the meat on which is ideal for cooking roast beef or baking in large pieces. Tasting qualities are on top, so the aroma and juiciness are preserved regardless of which processing method was chosen.
Shackles
Beef meat, when cut into cuts, produces a different taste and density depending on the part of the carcass from which it was obtained. The shackles are the most tender tenderloin of the three lower ribs. It is equally suitable for baking with bones, as well as for preparing previously separated meat from them. The rind has a delicate texture, which is well suited for batch cooking, and for baking in one piece.
Rump
When cutting beef, one of the most delicious parts is rump. It practically does not participate in the physical activity of the animal, therefore it has a rather soft texture. Rump is a piece of meat located on the lower vertebrae of the spine and pelvic bone.
More often than not, all solid inclusions are removed before being sold by the butcher, and the flesh is cut across the fibers in batch portions. Rump is considered the highest grade of beef meat for its high palatability.
Rear end
Technical conditions for cutting beef into cuts suggest the distribution of the back into the following pieces:
- The probe is the most fibrous part of the calf leg. Receive from the inner thigh.
- Chop - the stiffest meat that is cut from the upper leg.
- A stump is a cut from a carcass taken between the pelvic bone and the sacrum.
- The winner is the lower thigh, which is considered the third grade.
Shank
A knuckle or bulldog is a part of the leg that is below the knee joint. Both the back and the front contain a brain bone, from which an excellent rich broth is obtained. Often such a cut of meat is used to cook jellied meat or jelly. It is very important to process the shovel over a long period of time in order to give it softness.
Diaphragm
When cutting beef, the muscle, which is located between the chest and stomach cavities, has the appearance of a long thin strip. The diaphragm divides the carcass into two side parts. It is ideal for preparing broths, as well as for frying on the grill. From it you can get a steak or goulash. Such dishes have a rich taste.
Pokromka
This part of the carcass consists of an overlapping rib of muscle tissue. Pokromka is often used for cooking minced meat, as it has an ideal ratio of meat and fat.
Peritoneum
The undercoat is located under the ribs, so it has a large number of small cartilage, as well as connective tissue and veins. A variety of rolls and minced meat are prepared from such meat. It is important to choose the meat of a young animal. The reason is as follows. The meat of an old cow has a rigid structure and a large number of veins that are hard to chew.
Breast
Part of the meat, which is separated from the ribs and sternum, has good taste. However, it is not suitable for baking a whole piece, as it has a large amount of fat. Most often used for pilaf, roast and potato dishes.
Varieties of meat
When cutting, beef meat is divided into categories:
- Dairy veal. The age of the animal is from two weeks to three months.
- Dairy beef. From three months to three years.
- Beef. From three years or more.
Moreover, the younger the cow or calf, the more tender the meat will be.
According to varietal differences, beef is divided into several varieties:
- First grade. Tenderloin, thick and thin edges, upper and inner hind legs.
- Second grade. The lateral and outer parts of the legs, shoulder blade and brisket.
- Third grade. Podcherevok, neck, shank, hem.
These types of meat differ in taste characteristics, as well as in the presence or absence of bones, veins, fat. The first grade is considered the most suitable for dietary nutrition, as it contains the least amount of heavy adipose tissue.
The nuances of choice
Beef can be steamed, chilled, and frozen. Despite the fact that the first is the freshest, it is recommended to refrain from acquiring it. The reason is as follows. It is believed that after slaughter, at least 4-6 hours should pass before the meat becomes fit for food. The steam room has a much less saturated taste, and also did not have time to soften well enough.
Chilled meat is fresh beef, after slaughter of which more than 4-6 hours have passed. It has the most pronounced taste characteristics, a pleasant texture and color.
Chilled meat is most often frozen. When processed, it loses part of its useful properties. That is why it is recommended to choose chilled for eating.
Despite the large number of specialized stores and other points of sale, it is quite difficult to purchase fresh and high-quality beef meat. A good product should have the following qualities:
- Color can vary from pink to bright red. A cherry shade indicates that the beef was frozen.
- Fat should have a dense structure and white color. You should refrain from buying meat with yellowish or greenish fat.
- The cut should be smooth, slightly convex.
- The meat should also be tight. When pressed on good beef, a fossa from the finger is formed, which quickly aligns. If the dent remains, then you do not need to take such a piece.
It should also be remembered that parts of the carcass are suitable for preparing various dishes. This feature must be considered when purchasing.