How To Perfectly Slice Meat

Any local wet market is truly a shop of pleasure for many food enthusiasts. There are lots of various
meats in different cuts on display. However, it can be confusing for others since most people buy their
meat in a packed form of big cuts, or mince. Sometimes it is also bought ready prepared; sausages,
burger patties, and hams.

This article is about the different cuts of beef and pork as well as how to cut them perfectly.

What Are The Common Types Of Beef Cuts?

Beef is the used to refer the meat from cattle. Beef is muscle tissue and can be also harvested from
bulls, heifers or steers. So when choosing your beef from either your local grocery, or butchers, it is
always worthwhile to ask the various cut of beef, and which of them will be the most suitable for the
recipe you are going to prepare.

 Beef Chuck – A chuck is a rectangular cut of meat located around the shoulder and neck area of
the cow, which consists of the neck, shoulder blade and upper arm. Chuck is useful for making
braised dishes like beef stew. And due to its high fat content, beef chuck is excellent for making
ground beef.
 Brisket – Brisket comes from the breast section of the cattle which lies over the sternum, under
the first five ribs and the connecting cartilage. Brisket is a tough cut of meat, which makes it very
popular for barbecuing.
 Beef Round – The round is a lean and tough cut of meat with very little fat. It can be harvested
at the back of the cow near the rear leg. Steaks and roasts from the beef round can be tough,
since those muscles get a lot of exercise.
 The Ribs – Basically, there are two types of beef ribs; back ribs and short ribs. Also known as
beef spare ribs, back ribs are harvested from the cow's rib section. on the other hand, short ribs
are beef ribs taken from the plate cut. Beef ribs are well suited for various forms of dry-heat
cooking. Meat from the rib section tends to be tender and well marbled with the fat that makes
steaks and roasts juicy and tasteful.

What Are The Popular Cuts Of Pork?

Like beef, pork is can be cut into various cut which determines the fat content and the appropriate
cooking method. Although a lot of people try to limit their consumption of pork due to its high fat
content compared to poultry and fish, Pork remains to be one of the most commonly consumed meats
in the world.

When you visit the meat section in a local market, you'll find many different cuts of pork arrayed in front
of you. And if you aren't familiar with the various cuts of pork, it could take a while to decide which one
to get.

 Pork Shoulder – Pork Shoulders are meat taken from the shoulder of the pig. There are two
types of cuts that get called pork shoulder; The Boston cut and the Picnic cut. The Boston cut is
an inexpensive cut of meat that comes from the top of the pig’s shoulder. The picnic cut, on the
other hand is harvested at the bottom part of the pig's shoulder. It has less fat than the Boston
 butt, so it needs long time to make it tender. The Picnic is more fatty and juicy which makes it
tender during cooking.
 Pork Loin – Considered as the most tender cut, the pork loins are taken from a muscle of the
part of the pig which runs alongside the backbone.
 Pork Belly – Pork belly is a fatty cut of meat harvested from the abdominal area of the pig. It has
complex flavor and a texture that lends itself particularly well to slow cooking.
 Pork Legs – Legs are taken from the hind legs of a pig, which may be sold either with or without
the shank bone. Hams are from this part of the pig. A ham is pork leg that has been cured and
sometimes smoked.

How To Slice Meat Perfectly?

So you already know the various cuts of meat. Surely, the only thing left to do is how to cut these chunks
of meat the right way.

Luckily, there are 3 easy ways that can help you cut meat so it's at its best.

Freeze The Meat Before Slicing

Usually we slice our meat when it's completely unfrozen. However, the truth is, frozen meat is going to
slice far easier. When the meat is frozen, the water inside the meat begins to turn to ice, that gives
firmness and structure to the meat making it easier for slicing. Just make sure that the meat is firm to
the touch, and not frozen solid.

Pick The Right Meat

Ever wondered why we discussed the various types of meat cuts above? The meat slicing process
actually begins at the time you are purchasing the meat. Certain meats often slice better than others,
and knowing the various cuts can affect the whole recipe and the cooking time.

Cut The Meat Against The Grain – THE MOST IMPORTANT

Cutting against the grain simply means finding the muscle fibers of the meat and slicing perpendicular to
them since the grain is the most important to be considered when slicing a meat.

So what exactly is GRAIN?

The Grain is the direction which the muscle fibers of the meat are aligned, and properly identifying it can
make the difference between tough and tender meat that can be chewed far more easily

To cut against the grain, carefully determine which way the grain goes. When you see the individual
strands of meat that run lengthwise along the meat. That is the grain. The type of knife you use to cut
meat against the grain depends on what cut of meat you are slicing. So it is also important to know the
most appropriate knife for this job. But in general, a simple kitchen knife should do the trick.

You may now start slicing the meat across those strands, not parallel to them.

That's it! You've sliced the meat against the GRAIN.

Final Thoughts

Knowing where meat comes and how to cut them properly helps you know how to prepare, cook and
serve it.

For instance, by knowing the various types of cut and the proper cutting of the meat, it will be easier to
identify which part and the kind of cut cooks quickly and which ones need more time, as well as which
ones offer more flavor while others might offer more texture.