1. Meat Identification
Lab manual – page

2. Objectives To identify types and cuts of meat
To relate cuts of meat and amount of connective tissue to optimum cooking and tenderness

3. Notes Toughness of meat: contributed to collagen activity of muscles
Terms:
Steak – thinner than 1 inch
Roast – thicker than 1 inch

4. Beef chuck Short loin Arm bone steak & roast Rib Sirloin
T-bone, porter house, fillet mignon
Rib
Sirloin
rib steak & roast
Sirloin steak & roast
Round
Round bone, round steak&roast
Areas circle in red indicate that those cut can use dry heat methods of cooking, all the others can use moist methods.
Brisket
Flank
Corned beef
steak
Fore shank
Short plate
Shank, stew meat
Short ribs

5. Blade bone, steak &roast
Pork
Jowl
Jowl bacon
Loin
Boston shoulder
Chops/roast
Blade bone, steak &roast
Ham
Leg roast, ham roast
Rib chop
center chop
End chop
Areas circle in red indicate that those cut can use dry heat methods of cooking, all the others can use moist methods.
Side
Spare ribs, bacon
Hocks
Picnic shoulder
Arm steak/roast
Round bone, pork hock

6. Notes
Cuts of meat can be identified by the size and shape of the bones and muscles.
The size, shape, and distribution of the muscle can be another means of identification.
For example, the bones in round steaks and arm steaks are quite similar. The muscles in the round steak are larger and less divided by connective tissue than arm steaks. Thus the steaks can be differentiated by the appearance of the muscles rather than by differences in the bone.
One must be familiar with the bone groups to identify groups of retail cuts. Bones used to help identify the seven groups of retail cuts of meat.
When bones are too similar in appearance to distinguish between them, the size, shape, and distribution of the muscle can be another means of identification
For example, the bones in round steaks and arm steaks are quite similar, The muscles in the round steak are larger and less divided by connective tissue than arm steaks. Thus the steaks can be differentiated by the appearance of the muscles rather than by differences in the bone.
Carcasses of meat are initially cut into primal or wholesale cuts of meat. The primal cuts of meat are often subdivided into subprimal cuts, such as a whole tenderloin or top round.

7. Notes Cuts of beef are sometimes classified by most tender,
medium tender and least tender cuts.
Most Tender Cuts Medium Tender Cuts Least Tender Cuts
Rib Chuck Flank
Short loin Rump Brisket
Sirloin Round Shanks

8. Beef and Pork Identification Slide Set
Courtesy of:
National Live Stock and Meat Board

9. Cuts of Meat to Study Porterhouse (beef) T-bone (beef)
#7 Blade Steak (beef)
Filet Mignon (beef)
Blade Roast (beef)
Brisket Boneless (beef)
Rib Eye Roast (beef)
Standing Rib Roast (beef)
Flat Bone Sirloin Steak
Flank steak
Arm steak
Pork leg (shank)
Back Ribs (pork)
Rib Chops (pork)
Center Rib Roast (pork)
Slab Bacon (pork)
Canadian Bacon (pork)
Spareribs

10. Primal Cut = Beef Chuck Retail Cut = Arm Steak
The Chuck Arm Steak is similar to the Chuck Arm Roast, thickness is the only difference. Note the round bone surrounded by many small muscles. This steak will usually not have any rib bones showing.

11. Primal Cut = Beef Chuck Retail Cut – Blade Roast
This large roast contains many small muscles and is easily identified by the blade bone located in the upper center of this cut. Note also that rib bones and a portion of the backbone are located along the lower left portion of the cut. However, these bones may be removed from this large roast before it is packaged and put in the meat counter at the local supermarket.

12. Primal Cut = Beef Chuck Retail Cut = Blade Steak

13. Primal Cut = Beef Chuck Retail Cut = Blade #7 Bone Roast

14. Primal Cut = Beef Chuck Retail Cut = Blade #7 Bone Steak
The Beef Chuck Blade Steak is similar to the beef chuck blade roast. It is usually cut less than one inch thick. The blade bone shown in this slide has the typical shape of the "seven bone", a term frequently used in the meat trade.

15. Primal Cut = Beef Brisket Retail Cut = Brisket Boneless
The Beef Brisket is a very course textured muscle. The heavy layer of fat and the sternum or breast bone have been removed. Due to the course texture of this muscle, cooking in liquid is recommended.

16. Primal Cut = Beef Flank Retail Cut = Flank Steak
The Beef Flank Steak is the only steak in the carcass containing an entire large muscle. Also, although most other steaks are cut across the muscle fibers, the flank steak fibers run the full length of the steak. To help tenderize these long fibers, you will notice the knife scores across the cut. Since the flank steak is one of the less tender steaks, it should be cooked with moist heat cookery

17. Primal Cut = Beef Rib Retail Cut = Standing Rib Roast (Large End)

18. Primal Cut = Beef Rib Retail Cut = Standing Rib Roast (Small End)
The Beef Rib Roast, Small End, contains several ribs, a portion of the backbone and one large muscle, the rib eye.

19. Primal Cut = Beef Rib Retail Cut = Rib Steak (Small End)
Steak contains a rib and portion of the backbone. Steaks from the small end of the beef rib contains only the large rib eye muscle.

20. Primal Cut = Beef Rib Retail Cut = Rib Eye Roast

21. Primal Cut = Beef Rib Retail Cut = Rib Eye Steak
The Beef Rib Eye Steak come from the large end of the beef rib and is made by removing back and rib bones

22. Primal Cut = Beef Short Loin Retail Cut = T-Bone Steak
This steak has the characteristic "T" shaped vertebrae and the large eye muscle. The smaller muscle located below the T-bone is the tenderloin.

23. Primal Cut = Beef Short Loin Retail Cut = Porterhouse Steak
The Porterhouse Steak is similar to the beef loin T-bone steak. However the tenderloin muscle is much larger and an extra muscle is located in the center of the porterhouse steak on the upper side.

24. Primal Cut = Beef Sirloin Retail Cut = Wedge Bone Sirloin Steak
The sirloin steak nearest the wholesale beef round is called the Beef Loin Sirloin Steak, Wedge Bone. Only one bone is usually seen, a wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of the cut near the center.

25. Primal Cut = Beef Sirloin Retail Cut = Flat Bone Sirloin Steak
The Beef Loin Sirloin Steak, Flat Bone is the least valuable type of sirloin steak if both the flat hip and backbones are left in the steak.

26. Primal Cut = Beef Sirloin Retail Cut = Pin Bone Sirloin Steak
The Beef Loin Sirloin Steak, Pin Bone is the first cut from the sirloin area of the beef loin. This steak looks much like the beef loin T-bone and porterhouse steaks in that it contains the T-bone the large eye muscle and the tenderloin muscle. However, it also contains an oval-shaped bone which you can see in the upper left corner of the steak. This bone is called the pin bone and is the tip portion of the hip bone.

27. Primal Cut = Beef Short Loin Retail Cut = Tender Loin Roast
The most tender retail cut from the entire beef carcass is the Beef Loin Terderloin Steak. This steak has a fine texture, is circular in shape and is usually about three inches in diameter.

28. Primal Cut = Beef Short Loin Retail Cut = Tenderloin Steak (Fillet Mignon)

29. Primal Cut = Beef Round Retail Cut = Round Steak
This steak is identified by the round leg bone and three muscles. At the top of the screen is the top round, at the lower left is the bottom round, and lower right is the eye of the round.

30. Primal Cut = Beef Round Retail Cut = Rump Roast
This represents a cut only moderately tender, moist heat is often used. However with a cut from choice and prime cattle, it is often cooked with dry heat

31. Primal Cut = Beef Round Retail Cut = Heel Round
The Beef Heel of Round represents a cut from the beef round immediately above the hock. This roast is composed of many small muscle groups, has a lot of seam fat, and is one of the least tender cuts of beef.

32. Primal Cut = Beef Round Retail Cut = Top Round Steak
The Top Round Steak is the most tender of the various round steaks. This boneless steak consists of a large muscle called the top or inside round. Note the cover fat on the curved top surface, the cut surface on the left side, and connective tissue along the bottom

33. Primal Cut = Pork Shoulder Retail Cut = Shoulder Roast Arm Picnic
Common Names: None.
Description: This roast contains the shank bone, the arm bone, and a portion of the blade bone. The arm bone will not be visible on the cut surface. This cut comes from the lower portion of the shoulder.

34. Primal Cut = Pork Shoulder Retail Cut = Arm Roast
Common Names: Arm Roast, Picnic Roast
Description: This cut comes from the Pork Shoulder. The round arm bone is located in the upper center.

35. Primal Cut = Pork Shoulder Retail Cut = Arm Steak
Common Names: Arm Chop, Picnic Steak
Description: This cut comes from the Pork Shoulder Arm Picnic Roast by slicing across the picnic. The round arm bone is located in the upper center.

36. Primal Cut = Pork Shoulder Retail Cut = Blade Steak
Common Names: Pork 7-Rib Cut, Pork Steak
Description: This cut is from the Pork Shoulder Blade Boston Roast. It contains the blade bone and several muscles.

37. Primal Cut = Pork Loin Retail Cut = Back Ribs

38. Primal Cut = Pork Loin Retail Cut = Center Rib Roast

39. Primal Cut = Pork Loin Retail Cut = Rib Chops

40. Primal Cut = Pork Loin Retail Cut = Center Loin Roast
Common Names: Center Cut, Pork Roast, Loin Roast Center Cut
Description: Most desirable loin from the pork carcass which contains the characteristic T-bone with eye muscle and tenderloin.

41. Primal Cut = Pork Loin Retail Cut = Top Loin Roast Boneless

42. Primal Cut = Pork Loin Retail Cut = Loin Chops
Common Names: Loin End Chop, Center Loin Chop
Description: This cut has the same muscle and bone structure as the beef loin t-bone steak.

43. Primal Cut = Pork Loin Retail Cut = Tenderloin Whole

44. Primal Cut = Pork Side Retail Cut = Spareribs
Common Names:
Description: Spareribs contain about 12 ribs and are intended to have a limited amount of meat. This cut is separated from the inside of the pork fresh belly. Pork spareribs are the highest-priced of the cuts.

45. Primal Cut = Pork Leg (Fresh Ham) Retail Cut = Leg Whole
Common Names: Fresh Ham
Description: This is made up of the round hip bone, the aitch bone, and consists of fat covering about halfway up the leg. This has a large amount of muscling.

46. Primal Cut = Pork Leg Retail Cut = Shank Portion
Common Names: Shank Roast, Leg Roast
Description: This portion of the fresh ham is the lower leg (shank) portion of the pork ham wholesale cut.

47. Primal Cut = Pork Shoulder Retail Cut = Picnic Whole
Common Names: None.
Description: This is fresh pork shoulder picnic that is cured and smoked. The retail cut is usually roasted or sliced and fried.

48. Primal Cut = Pork Hocks Retail Cut = Smoked Pork Hocks

49. Primal Cut = Smoked Pork Loin Retail Cut = Canadian Style Bacon
Common Names: Canadian Bacon, Back Bacon
Description: Cured and smoked eye muscle of the pork tenderloin. It contains no bone and has little fat.

50. Primal Cut = Smoked Pork Loin Retail Cut = Rib Chop
Common Names: Center Cut Chops, Smoked
Description: This is made by curing and smoking a fresh pork rib chop. The lean muscle will have a similar color to cured ham

51. Primal Cut = Smoked Ham Whole Retail Cut = Whole Ham
Common Names:
Description: This comes from the fresh whole ham that has been cured and smoked. The aitch bone and hip bone are in this portion of the pork ham.

52. Primal Cut = Smoked Pork Ham Retail Cut = Shank Portion
Common Names: Ham Shank End
Description: This cut is the lower leg (shank) portion of the cured and smoked pork ham wholesale cut.

53. Primal Cut = Smoked Pork Ham Retail Cut = Center, Slice Ham

54. Primal Cut = Smoked Pork Ham Retail Cut = Rump (Butt) Portion
Common Names: Ham Sirloin End, Ham Butt End, Ham Butt Portion
Description: The small dark area near the top is the aitch bone. The aitch bone is the key to identifying this retail cut.

55. Primal Cut = Pork Side Retail Cut = Slab Bacon
Common Names:
Description: The wholesale pork side is usually smoked and cured. It is usually sliced into strips referred to as bacon.