Cooking Guide to Cuts – Grass Fed Beef & Lamb

Every cut of beef and lamb is great – so long as it is cooked appropriately for the properties it has.  I love the slow cooked goodness of osso bucco, but you might be a little disappointed if you threw it on the bbq to grill. So let us help you with how to get the most out of your beef and lamb by cooking it in the best way suited for each cut.

Many people who have grown up on a farm are familiar with all the cuts because they were raised on ‘killers’ – animals killed and butchered on the farm for the family to eat.  This obviously, included all the cuts from an animal – no wastage.  If you’re not familiar with all the cuts however, we’ve put together this guide on how to best prepare and enjoy each cut.

How To Use This Guide & General Tips

The cuts are listed alphabetically (as per the markings on our packs), so if you have a cut you’re wondering how to cook, you can scroll straight to it.  When we refer to slow cooking, we mean either a stew on the stove top or a casserole in the oven – iterations of the same approach.

Cutting a steak into strips for stir fry is best done across the grain of the meat – so you’re creating lots of little short fibres of meat, instead of long ones the length of the strips; another trick to tender eating. Cook quickly on a high heat when you stir fry meat.

Bring your steaks near to room temperature prior to cooking, which will prevent cooling the hotplate down and consequently stewing the meat instead of getting a lovely caramelized char on the outside. Ditto for stir frying – or adding too much meat to the pan at a time.

I was going to include an ‘our favourite way to cook it section’, but it just so varies with the time of year and how we feel!

Beef cuts are listed first, then lamb cuts.

BEEF

BBQ Blade Steak

Best cooked  *Grilled  *Sliced & stir fried  *Diced & slow cook.

This steak is from the shoulder area of the animal and is a great, tasty steak to grill, albeit not a Scotch Fillet, it still grills up nicely, with the bonus of a bone to chew on! There is a line of connective tissue running through it which is easily cut around as you eat it. Alternatively, slice across the grain (and around the connective tissue line) into thin strips and stir fry – beautifully tender.

Dice and stew or casserole; throw the bone in the cooking pot for the extra goodness and wonderful anti-inflammatory, anti-stress & all round health benefits that the collagen provides as it partially melts into the stew during the slow cooking

 

Blade Roast

Best cooked  *Pot Roast * Oven Roast

Oven roast – a deliciously, tasty roast.  Be sure to rest before carving.  The heat inside the roast will help to keep it warm while resting, especially if placed under a large warmed bowl. To test if it is cooked, insert a skewer into the middle from above and if the juices are light pink, it is cooked enough (if there are clear juices, it is definitely time to come out!). Now, “who’s gonna make the gravy?” Learn how from Derek here.  Alternatively, cook as a pot roast – cooked in stock with vegetables in the pot on the stove top.

 

Boneless Blade Steak

Best cooked   *Sliced & Stir fried  *Tenderized for minute steaks or crumbed steak

Great cut into thin strips across the grain and stir fried hot and quick.  May also be diced for slow cooking, but it is a leaner cut, so we prefer the stir fry option.   Tenderise for this fabulous crumbed steak recipe.

 

Brisket

Best cooked   *Slow cooked or smoked

The brisket is found under the chest area, below the ribs and if you’re ordering one of these, I suspect you know what you’re doing and don’t need tips.  Brisket is a cut for slow cooking or smoking as a whole piece of meat. It has long muscle fibres, which break down through the slow cooking process.  Slow cook either covered in a tray in the oven, then finished off uncovered for a sticky, crispness, or however you like to do it in a smoker.

Served pulled with creamy mashed potato and steamed seasonal vegetables, or with coleslaw on a freshly baked roll. Also try this Rendang Curry. Speak to us if you would like brisket included in your hamper.

 

Chuck Steak – Diced

Best cooked  *Slow cooked

Slow cook as stew or casserole. Chuck is the same muscle that the scotch fillet comes from, just further forward on the animal. Within the chuck is connective tissue (including collagen and some fat) which partially melts during the longer cooking recommended for this cut, providing a healthy, super nourishing meal.  Definitely my favourite cut for a stew.  Comes in our hampers,  pre-diced in packs of around 750g.

 

Eye Fillet Steak

Best cooked   *Grilled

A smaller steak and the most tender cut coming from the tenderloin. Save these gems for grilling or pan frying.  Alternatively, the whole tenderloin may be seared in the pan then oven roasted – whole muscle only available with a Half Body Hamper.

 

Mince

Best cooked   *Endless ways!

Herb rissoles, Shepherd’s Pie, Meatloaf, Chilli Con Carne, Mini Sausage Rolls, Lasagne and Savoury Mince to roll up in Burritos… & we all love a good Spaghetti Bolognaise!  Versatile & quick. What more can we say…

 

Osso Bucco/Shin

Best cooked   *Slow cooked

Osso Bucco is a cross cut of the beef shin, with the marrow filled bone in the centre.  Stew or casserole as whole pieces and enjoy the nourishing health benefits of the collagen released with slow cooking.

 

Ribs – Beef Short Ribs

Best cooked   *Slow cooked, finished off oven roasted with a glaze.

There’s plenty of beef on these little guys – the meat attached to a rib bone section.  Slow cook initially, either in slow cooker or in a covered tray with oven down low (must keep moisture locked in for this part) then finish by basting with a glaze or sauce and roasting for 20 minutes or so uncovered, for wonderful sticky, flavourful ribs.

 

Round Steak

Best cooked  *Slow cooked

A lean cut, from the hind quarter – great diced for stews and casseroles, the slow cooking breaks down the fibres, providing lovely tenderness. Think Thai red curries, braised beef in stout, traditional English curries, hearty beef and vegetable casserole, Panang Curry, beef and red wine pies.

 

Rump

Best cooked   *Grilled  *Stir fried  *Diced & Marinated for Kebabs

This is a versatile cut for grilling/pan frying, slicing for stir fries or marinating for kebabs. Try grilling on the BBQ or pan fry as a steak, rubbed with olive oil, ground cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper & sea salt…. rest, then slice thinly for wraps with Greek yoghurt, grated carrot, leaves & sliced shallots. Pop all the ingredients on the table and let everyone wrap their own – they’ll love making them!

 

Scotch Fillet

Best cooked     *Grilled

Save these beauties for grilling or pan frying.  In our view, the tastiest of the steaks with a small amount of fat rippled through and also very tender.  Love the flavour and the sweetness of the fat.

 

Silverside – Roast

Best cooked     *Pot roast  *Home corned

Often corned with a preservative, which gives it the pink colour when cooked, but we leave ours untreated, because we want our beef to be preservative free. You can corn it yourself with a no-preservative traditional salted method. Cook as a pot roast or roast in the oven. Pot roast with salt, spices, bay leaves, stock and vegetables, and you can even include a little vinegar.  If oven roasting, rest before carving. Leftovers are great as cold meat for lunches.  See our home corned silverside here.   See other tips here, including a lovely Rendang Curry.

 

Sirloin Steak

Best cooked   *Grilled

Also known a Porterhouse or New York.  Makes up the large side of the T-bone.  The thin line of fat on this cut is super delicious.  Grill or pan fry on a slightly lower heat than scotch fillet, as it’s a little leaner. Serve whole or sliced after resting atop a couscous salad, rice or leaf salad.

 

Sausages

Best cooked   *Grilled

Well, what can we say – an all-time favourite. If you like to prick sausages, do so when partially cooked to prevent splitting.  If you’d rather not stand at the BBQ cooking them, pop them in a tray in the oven to cook.  All our sausages are preservative and gluten free and we can also provide paleo sausages (grain free) on request.  As well as grilled – try curried sausages, sausage pasta, serve with brown onion gravy & more.

 

T-Bone Steak

Best cooked   *Grilled

This is from the middle of the back area, between the rump and the ribs. Small side of the T is an eye fillet steak, large size of the T is a sirloin steak.  Bring this steak (including the bone) close to room temperature just before cooking to ensure even cooking – ie. that the beef at the bone is cooked through while the beef at the edges is not overcooked. Grill or pan fry.

 

Topside

Best Cooked   *Stir fried   * Tenderized for minute steaks or crumbed steak *Roasted Whole

A leaner steak from the hind quarter which is great for slicing across the grain into thin strips for stir fries. My favourite way is tenderised into minute steaks and covered in this herbed crumb and pan fried. Alternatively, it can be left whole and oven or pot roasted.

 

Bones

Best cooked   *Slow cooked for broth/stock

We offer grass fed beef bones as an extra with all our hampers.  These can be made into a nourishing bone broth, or added to stews for extra goodness (when using cuts with less collagen in them – like round steak), for making gravies or for a hearty base for winter soups like minestrone.

 

LAMB

Butterflied Leg Lamb

Best cooked  *Browned on grill, finished in oven

This is the lamb leg roast boned out to be a flat piece of meat. I love this cut for when we have visitors – marinate in advance, a quick sear on the BBQ plate, then just 30 or so minutes in the oven.  There are variable thicknesses across the piece of meat, so some will be slightly rarer than other parts – so everyone’s happy.  Tasty, relatively quick & can be served up in so many ways. Try as a traditional roast or sliced atop this Warm Roast Lamb Salad.

 

Chump Chops

Best cooked  *Grilled

Chump chops are the equivalent of the beef rump (with a bone). Cut off the bone, you may have heard of lamb rump.  So, like a rump steak, they are relatively lean.  With the small bone in the chop, be sure to bring the meat and bone to near room temperature to ensure even cooking.

 

Cutlets

Best cooked  * Grilled

Rub a bit of oil on them and rosemary if you like, then straight on the grill or pan.  Delicious with the sweet edge of fat on them, oh so tender and complete with handle on which to hold when chewing the last morsels! Can be kept as racks for roasting if you request.

 

Diced Lamb

Best cooked  *Slow cooked

Pre-diced lamb, perfect for a traditional slow cooked casserole or stew.

 

Easy Carve Roast

Best cooked   * Traditional roast

The lamb leg roast boned out and tied back into a boneless roast, with shank bone left in the end to hang on to for ‘easy carving’.

 

Forequarter Chops

Best cooked  *Slow cooked *Grilled

Forequarter chops are the shoulder roast cut into chops.  Grill them or slow cook a lamb casserole or curry with the chops whole.  Try this Lamb Korma Curry with Sweet Currants.

 

Loin Chops

Best cooked   *Grilled

Tender chops (lamb equivalent of a T-bone) with a sweet delicious edging of fat.  The tail of a loin chop must be one of life’s best enjoyments!

 

Mince – Lamb

Best cooked  *Endless choice!

Think Shepherd’s Pie, Lamb Koftas, Savoury Mince, Meatballs, Gozleme, Lamb Burgers…

 

Neck Chops

Best cooked  *Slow cooked

Sometimes called rosettes, these are cut cross sections of the neck.  Slow cooked they make a lovely hearty meal, with collagen and fat for flavour.  Look out for the smaller bones that can be released once the connective tissue and meat cooks down.

 

Ribs/Riblets

Best cooked  * Slow cooked, finished off oven roasted with a glaze.

Slow cook covered first to soften the meat on the ribs (only a couple of hours required with lamb ribs) then glaze and finish off roasting uncovered for a lovely tasty, sticky rib.  Try these Asian Lamb Ribs.

 

Shanks

Best cooked  *Slow cooked

The lower part of the leg of the lamb. Casserole or stew, a lovely hearty meal. Lovely in a red wine stew which goes nicely with the bit stronger flavour of the shank meat.

 

Whole Leg Roast

Best cooked  *Traditional roast

The whole lamb leg – a lean roast with the bone in the middle. Simply rub with oil, salt, pepper, sprinkle with rosemary and roast.

 

Whole Shoulder Roast

Best cooked   *Traditional roast  *Diced & slow cooked

The whole lamb shoulder, as a roast with the bone in the middle.  A little more fat in the shoulder roast than the leg, so alternatively, cut from the bone, dice and casserole or stew.

 

All of these beef and lamb cuts can be found in different combinations in our beef and lamb mixed hampers – made all the better by being raised consciously, 100% grass fed and chemical free.