Meat
Beef
Beef is among the most widely eaten meats in the world, prized for its rich umami flavour, suitability across roasting, grilling, braising, and curing, and the wide range of cuts available from premium steaks to economical braising joints. Breed, finishing method, and ageing all strongly influence tenderness, marbling, and flavour. From Sunday roasts to restaurant chateaubriand, beef anchors cuisines across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Understanding cuts, breeds, and provenance helps match the right product to slow cooking, quick searing, or charcuterie.
Explore further
Back Ribs
Bavette
Bone
Bottom Round
Brain
Brisket
Chateaubriand
Cheek
Chuck
Clod
Club Steak
Coulotte
Cowboy Cut
Denver Cut
Eye of Round
Fat
Feather Blade
Fillet
Flank
Flat Iron
Forequarter
Ground
Hanger
Heart
Heel
Hindquarter
Kidney
Knuckle
Liver
Mince
Neck
Onglet
Oxtail
Oyster Blade
Picanha
Plate
Porterhouse
Prime Rib
Ribeye
Round
Rump
Scotch Fillet
Shank
Shin
Short Rib
Silverside
Sirloin
Skirt
Spleen
Striploin
Sweetbread
T-Bone
Tenderloin
Testicle
Tomahawk
Tongue
Topside
Tri-Tip
Tripe
Udder
Breeds, cuts & preparations
Variety
Source
Provenance
Preparation
CommonCharacteristic
Grading systems
Australia — MSA
MSA
Europe — EUROP
E · O · P · R · U
Japan — JMGA
A3 · A4 · A5 · B5
United States — USDA
Choice · Prime · Select · Standard
History
Cattle were domesticated from wild aurochs in the Near East and spread with early agriculture across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Selective breeding accelerated in Britain with documented herd improvement for meat and dairy production.
Refrigerated transport and Chicago stockyards enabled industrial beef distribution across North America.
Global beef production expanded with grain-finishing systems and internationally recognised grading standards.