A cut apart

As shows like Masterchef and Top Chef take over prime time television, us urban Bangladeshis have acquainted ourselves with words such as rib-eye, chuck etc. Our traditional butchers do not usually maintain any certain cuts of meat, and that is the way it has been for ages. So we, having learnt from our parents and traditions, did not realise the various ways of cooking different parts of the beef, except more recently. 

Now, for the beef enthusiasts, the bad news is, you will be hard pressed to find a butcher who is an expert at preparing standard cuts of meat too easily, if at all. 

The good news here is that you can yourself direct the cutting and participate in the process, and hence get the desired cuts, but you must first teach yourself about what you want specifically. 

FOR SLOW COOKING, CURRIES, POT ROAST

Chuck

While we do not have a specific guideline for cuts we generally use for our curries such as 'bhuna', 'rezala', 'mejbani beef' etc. it is suggested that as we simmer them over a long period of time using meat from the shoulder region, the chuck. As it is tough and has a lot of fat it retains tenderness and enhances the flavor even when cooked for long.

Beef short ribs

Meanwhile we also have what is called the beef short ribs, near the 'plate' described below, which when braised, the cooking method our home kitchens are more familiar with, creates a gelatinous broth, excellent when paired with bread or 'ruti'. In Sylhet for example, it is a tradition to have breakfast on the second day with the previous day's beef curry or a fresh batch paired with ruti prepared using rice flour. 

Brisket

Another cut of meat similar to the chuck, also tough and fairly fatty, it is the meat taken from the breastbone, the brisket. When cooked on a low heat for a long time, the meat will fall apart at the touch of a spoon. This piece is also ideal for all those barbeques we have planned with friends and family, and, cooked slowly on the heat, the aroma will whet the guests' appetites as they catch up with each other.

Shank

The beef shank comes from the legs. Again, this takes very long to cook, and so it is ideal to slow cook it on medium or low heat, in order to break the connective tissues.

FOR THE VARIOUS STEAKS 

Ribs and short loin

The most tender cuts of meat include the ribs, and the short loin, which begins at the end of the ribs. This is a premium cut given that this is where we get the porterhouse steaks and t-bone steaks from, given that the tenderloin is not separated. 

The beef ribs are where you can source the rib-eye steak. This meat is tender, so keep in mind it does not require as long to cook, and overcooking can take away its moistness and make it chewy instead. 

Plate

As for the beef plate, situated right beneath the ribs near the belly, it contains the diaphragm muscle which while being flavourful is also a very thin layer of meat so needs to be cooked very quickly over intense flame.

Sirloin and tenderloin

If the beef sirloin and tenderloin are to be handled separately, the former can be used for grilling or barbecuing depending whether it is the top or bottom sirloin, the bottom sirloin being slightly tougher because it is closer to the legs, while the tenderloin itself is quite tender and can only be cooked using the dry heat cooking method. 

Flank

The beef flank, which is near the belly, in line with the brisket and plate, is where we have the flank steak. This meat is slightly tough but as long as it is not overcooked it will have wonderful texture and flavour. 

Round

The beef round, which is the rear end of a cow, is quite as tough but not as fatty as the chuck, thus, the best cooking method for this cut is to roast it so that it tenderises without losing all its flavour which come from the 

fatty tissue.

By Ayesha Rahman Chowdhury