Know your beef: the 10 cuts and what each one is for

Beef is not a single meat; from the loin to the shank, every cut has its own texture, its own fat, its own job. The harder the animal worked a muscle, the tougher — and the more flavourful — that cut. Knowing this lets you ask the right question at the counter.

The loin works least, so it is the most tender. Ribeye and striploin belong on the grill and in the steak pan: high heat, short time, then rest. Tenderloin is the leanest and most delicate of all; it cooks in moments, and one second too long dries it out.

Ribs and chops are cuts on the bone, cuts of patience. They love the barbecue and the oven, at medium heat, unhurried. Bone draws in the flavour and gives it back — which is why a cut on the bone is always tastier.

The round — topside, silverside — is the cut for roasts, steaks and döner. Lean, with a clear grain. Medium cooking and thin slicing make it elegant; cut it thick and rush it, and it turns dry.

Neck, shank and brisket are hard-working muscles: tough at first, but cooked long and low they turn to gelatin and fall apart at the fork. These are the gold of stews, braises and slow roasts. They ask for patience, and they repay it many times over.

There are no cheap cuts; only cuts cooked the wrong way.

Knowing what to buy starts with knowing whom to ask. When you come to the counter, tell us what you’ll cook first; we’ll choose the cut together. The meat itself tells the rest.