“What cuts of beef will I get if I order a quarter, half, or whole cow?” is one of the questions we get asked most often by people who want to buy a lot of farm-fresh beef.
That’s a great question. You know that a steer is more than just steaks because you asked that question.
We hope to tell you more about each cut of beef and where to find the best ones in this post and video. Plus, we will discuss exactly what cuts you get if you order a quarter, half or whole beef.
When you break down a side of beef, the front quarter contains several excellent cuts of meat. Knowing the anatomy helps you get the most value from this section. Let’s explore the main cuts that come from a beef front quarter.
The 4 Primal Cuts
The front quarter contains 4 main primal, or large sub-sections:
Brisket
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Located at the chest Contains a lot of connective tissue.
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Cuts include brisket flat, point, and first cut.
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Best for braising dishes like corned beef, pot roast, or stew
Chuck
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From the shoulder region. Contains shoulder blade bone.
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Cuts include chuck roasts, chuck eye roast, chuck steak.
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Best for pot roasting, braising, or stewing.
Rib
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Includes ribs 6 through 12 along the back.
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Cuts include rib roast, ribeye roast, rib steaks.
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Best for roasting or grilling. Very tender, flavorful.
Foreshank/Brees
- Lower leg below the knee.
-Cuts include stew meat, ground beef.
- Best for stews and ground beef.
Other Notable Cuts
In addition to the main primals, the front quarter contains these other useful cuts:
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Short Ribs: From along the ribs, best braised.
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Skirt Steak: Thin, flavorful steak, best grilled fast.
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Hanger Steak: Also called butcher’s steak, flavorful.
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Flank Steak: Flat cut good for grilling or slicing.
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Plate: From below the ribs, use for stew meat.
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Pastrami: Cured, smoked plate meat.
Recommended Cooking Methods
Here are the best cooking methods for front quarter cuts:
Dry Heat (grilling, broiling, roasting)
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Rib steaks, rib roast
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Chuck eye roast
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Skirt, hanger, flank steak (cook fast)
Moist Heat (braising, stewing)
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Brisket
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Chuck roasts and steak
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Short ribs
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Foreshank
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Plate
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Ground beef
Getting the Most Value
To maximize value from a beef front quarter:
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Roast choice rib and chuck eye roasts.
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Grill juicy ribeye, chuck eye, and flap meat steaks.
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Braise brisket, chuck, and shank for stews and pot roast.
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Use foreshank, plate, flap, and trim for ground beef.
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Make ground chuck into burgers.
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Slow cook chuck roasts and brisket until tender.
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Cure pastrami from plate meat.
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Grill or slice flavorful skirt and flank steak.
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Use bones for soup stock.
Sample Front Quarter Breakdown
Here is an example front quarter breakdown with approximate weights:
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Chuck roast – 34 lbs
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Rib roast – 23 lbs
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Brisket – 16 lbs
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Short ribs – 9 lbs
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Stew meat/ground beef – 87 lbs
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Rib steaks – 10 lbs
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Skirt steak – 2 lbs
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Flank steak – 4 lbs
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Plate – 3 lbs
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Foreshank – 5 lbs
The front beef quarter contains excellent roasting and grilling cuts like rib and chuck eye, flavorful brisket and short ribs perfect for braising, stew cuts like chuck and shank, and trim for ground beef. Knowing the cuts helps you get the most from this primal section. Proper cooking methods and a bit of butchering skill let you enjoy amazing steaks, roasts, stews, and more.
What are the basic beef cuts?
The USDA divides a steer into eight regions. These eight areas are called the primal cuts, or the main cuts.
You should be very familiar with the eight primal cut names because they are an important part of how beef cuts are labeled.
Here are the eight primal cuts of beef:
- Chuck
- Rib
- Loin (short loin and sirloin)
- Round
- Flank
- Short Plate
- Brisket
- Shank
The primal cuts are then split into sub-primal cuts, which are then cut into steaks, roasts, and other retail cuts.
When you buy a quarter or half of beef from our farm or a nearby store, you get cuts that are the right size for your needs. A portion cut is individually wrapped, ready to cook cuts of beef like steak, roast, ribs, and brisket. [feast_advanced_jump_to] Beef Cut Butcher Chart with Cuts of Beef.
What are the best cuts of beef?
The center of the steer, in the loin or rib area, is always where the best, most expensive, and tender beef comes from. The four most popular cuts from this area are the tenderloin (a. k. a. filet mignon), ribeye, strip and T-bone steaks.
If you’re wondering, “why the center of the steer?” Take a moment and look at the diagram above. When an animal is alive, their legs and neck muscles do most of the work. So, the muscles there are firmer and that beef is the toughest. The loin and ribs are in the middle of the animal and don’t do much, so they’re soft cuts.
Your butcher may also say this: “Beef gets more tender as the distance from horn and hoof increases.” ”.
Cutting a BEEF – FRONT QUARTER!
FAQ
What cuts of meat do you get out of a front quarter of beef?
Which is better, front or hind quarter of beef?
Which primal cut of beef is from the front quarter?
What is the wholesale cut of the front quarter of a beef carcass?