UNDERSTANDING THE BEST CUTS OF BEEF USED IN HAMBURGERS
THE ART OF THE
Chuck
Brisket
Shank
Shank
Flank
ShortLoin
Rib
Sirloin
Top Sirloin
Tenderloin
BottomSirloin
Round
Plate
Burger Blend
INTRODUCTION
T here are many cuts of beef available — but which ones are the best for Hamburger blends?
That’s a great question and honestly, the answer is subjective. Sure, you could blend any of them together, but that might not appeal to everyone.
No matter which cuts you put into your blend, it’s really not a Burger unless it’s made with chuck. Chuck has that classic Burger taste that we all know and love. It boasts that buttery and decadent flavor that we crave when we dream about eating a Burger.
Classically, most Burgers are ground from pure chuck. However, in recent years — fueled by a growing interest in barbecue cuisine, nose-to-tail butchering and culinary innovation — many chefs and butchers are using more than just chuck to create artisanal and premium-blended Burgers.
Sure, a chuck brisket Burger sounds good. But it’s not going to taste like a plate of Texas-smoked brisket.
So, what do those cuts of beef really add to your burger?
That’s why we came up with this guide to help you learn about cuts of beef — specifically, the ones that taste really, really, really good in premium Burger blends. There are other cuts you could use, but these are the very best.
And as Sam Schweid used to say: “If you put only good meat into your Burgers, only good things will come out.”
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TASTE
Cuts of Beef3
Chuck
Shank
Shank
Flank
ShortLoin
Rib
Sirloin
Top Sirloin
Tenderloin
BottomSirloin
Round
PlateBrisket
• Commonly cut into the classic pot roast.
• Comes from the upper inner shoulder of the animal.
• The chuck can be cut down into many smaller boneless cuts like the chuck eye, chuck fillet, and roast.
NICKNAMES & OTHER CUTS
7-Bone Roast, London Broil, English Steak, Shoulder Steak, Top Chuck
TASTE / FL AVOR
Decadent, buttery beef flavor
OTHER DISHES
Pot roast, stew
Chuck
ATTRIBUTES
Cuts of Beef4
Chuck
Shank
Shank
Flank
ShortLoin
Rib
Sirloin
Top Sirloin
Tenderloin
BottomSirloin
Round
PlateBrisket
• Comes from the breast area of the carcass, containing two main muscles, one of which is heavily marbled.
• Generally a pretty tough cut of beef, which makes ideal for slow cooking over indirect heat.
• Fat deposited in the brisket is very rich and buttery in flavor due to the types of fatty acids in large quantities in the brisket.
NICKNAMES & OTHER CUTS
Boneless Brisket, Brisket Center Cut, Brisket First Cut
TASTE / FL AVOR
Rich, buttery beef flavor
HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE TASTE WHEN BLENDED WITH CHUCK
Will add a more buttery beef flavor
OTHER DISHES
Traditional corned beef, pastrami, smoked brisket, burnt ends, pot roast
Brisket
ATTRIBUTES
Cuts of Beef5
HangerNICKNAMES & OTHER CUTS
Bistro Steak, Butcher’s Steak, Arrachera, Hanging Tender
TASTE / FL AVOR
Very robust, strong flavor
HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE TASTE WHEN BLENDED WITH CHUCK
Stronger beef flavor
OTHER DISHES
Mexican cusine such as fajitas, French onglet
• A hanger steak is a cut of beef steak prized for its robust flavor.
• Typically a moderately tender cut of beef. It’s recommended that it’s marinated and cooked quickly over high heat.
• It used to be known as the “butcher’s steak” because they used to keep it for themselves instead of selling it to customers. Was a rather obscure cut up until recent years.
Chuck
Shank
Shank
Flank
ShortLoin
Rib
Sirloin
Top Sirloin
Tenderloin
BottomSirloin
Round
PlateBrisket
ATTRIBUTES
Cuts of Beef6
Chuck
Brisket
Shank
Shank
Flank
ShortLoin
Rib
Sirloin
Top Sirloin
Tenderloin
BottomSirloin
Round
Plate
• Comes from the inner shoulder area, large muscle (Serratus ventralis) and is found in the chuck, rib, and plate primals.
• Contains a lot of marbling that contributes to its rich beef flavor.
• Can be separated and cut into short lengths known as “English Cut,” cut across the bones or into boneless steaks.
NICKNAMES & OTHER CUTS
Chuck Flap, Thin Ribs, English Ribs, Jacob’s Ladder (UK)
TASTE / FL AVOR
Rich flavor
HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE TASTE WHEN BLENDED WITH CHUCK
Will become richer in flavor
OTHER DISHES
Traditionally braised in the French style
Short Rib
ATTRIBUTES
Cuts of Beef7
Chuck
Shank
Shank
Flank
ShortLoin
Rib
Sirloin
Top Sirloin
Tenderloin
BottomSirloin
Round
PlateBrisket
• Comprises two parts: the top and bottom sirloin.
• T-bone, porterhouse, and club steaks are cut from the sirloin.
• Comes from the rear back portion of the animal off the short loin.
NICKNAMES & OTHER CUTS
Tip Steak, Crescent Roast, Breakfast Steak, Sirloin Butt Steak, Tri-Tip
TASTE / FL AVOR
Beefy
HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE TASTE WHEN BLENDED WITH CHUCK
Great complement to chuck as it will intensify the beefiness
OTHER DISHES
Commonly used in quick-cook applications such as arrachera, carne asada, stir fry, or as a steak in the French bavette style
Sirloin
ATTRIBUTES
Cuts of Beef8
Chuck
Brisket
Shank
Shank
Flank
ShortLoin
Rib
Sirloin
Top Sirloin
Tenderloin
BottomSirloin
Round
Plate
• Most tender beef cut of beef.
• Cut from the porterhouse, filet mignon, and tenderloin steaks.
NICKNAMES & OTHER CUTS
Tenderloin Tips, Loin Wing
TASTE / FL AVOR
Has a soft bite and a delicate flavor
HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE TASTE WHEN BLENDED WITH CHUCK
Will likely make the flavor more defined
OTHER DISHES
Tenderloin tips are sometimes sautéed or cooked as a beef bourguignon
Steak Tail
ATTRIBUTES
Hanger, Chuck, Brisket & Short Rib muscle photos provided courtesy of Certified Angus Beef®.
Thank you to Dr. Phil Bass and Erin Mohler from Certified Angus Beef® for beef facts, information & consultation.
Sirloin & Steak Tail photos provided courtesy of the great people at The Beef Checkoff.
Thank you to Laura Hagen & Alison Krebs from National Cattlemen’s Beef Association for coordinating photos.
Development Editor: David “Rev” Ciancio
Design & Layout: Patrick M. Design
Burger Maker, Inc. Carlstadt, NJ
THANK YOUS
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Schweid & Sons is a family-owned fourth generation ground beef purveyor, supplying restaurants, grocers and special events across
the nation. In the late 1800s, Harry Schweid began selling quality meats to butchers and restaurants in New York City’s Lower East Side. By the 1930s, his son Sam Schweid continued in his father’s footsteps and established a successful meat shop in Harlem.
In 1978, Sam’s son David Schweid took his family’s long withstanding heritage in the meat purveyor industry and founded Schweid & Sons, a company that would focus on one product — ground beef. Today, that same passion, commitment and work ethic is carried on through David and his two sons Jamie and Brad, all with a dedication to producing the best-tasting, highest-quality Burger.
Located in Carlstadt, NJ, the mission of Schweid & Sons is to to bring “The Very Best Burger” to consumers by offering a range of high-quality ground beef blends and products including Certified Angus Beef®, custom blends, USDA Prime®, All Natural, Certified Hereford Beef®
Wagyu, among others.
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For retail & supermarket business inquiries, contact Roger Ghosh [email protected]
For food service business inquiries, contact Bill Schmitt [email protected].
For marketing and public relations business inquiries, contact Rev Ciancio [email protected]
CONTACT
ONLINE
schweidandsons.com
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