Meat Glossary
34 terms defined by a 3rd-generation butcher — from primal cuts to wagyu grading.
Primal Cuts
Brisket
The chest primal cut, consisting of the flat and the point, prized for low-and-slow smoking and braising.
Chuck
The large primal cut from the shoulder and neck area of the steer, known for rich flavor and connective tissue.
Flank
The lean, flat primal cut from the abdominal area, known for its strong beef flavor and need for proper slicing against the grain.
Loin
The primal cut along the upper back behind the rib, producing the most tender cuts including tenderloin, strip steak, and T-bone.
Plate
The belly primal cut below the rib, yielding short ribs, skirt steak, and hanger steak — rich, beefy, and full of flavor.
Rib
The primal cut spanning ribs 6–12, yielding some of the most prized and tender steaks including ribeye and prime rib.
Round
The rear leg primal cut, very lean with large muscles suited for roasting, braising, or slicing thin for sandwiches.
Shank
The lower leg primal, extremely tough when raw but produces the most gelatinous, deeply flavored braises when slow-cooked.
Sub-Primal Cuts
Cooking Methods
Braising
A slow, moist-heat cooking method using a covered pot with liquid, ideal for converting tough collagen-rich cuts into tender, flavorful dishes.
Grilling
A high-heat, dry cooking method using direct radiant heat from below, best suited for tender, well-marbled cuts.
Maillard Reaction
The chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars at temperatures above 280°F that creates the browned crust, complex flavors, and aromas of seared meat.
Resting Meat
Allowing cooked meat to sit undisturbed after cooking so that juices redistribute throughout the muscle, critical for a juicy result.
Roasting
A dry-heat oven cooking method using indirect heat, ideal for large, tender cuts like prime rib and tenderloin.
Smoking
A low-temperature cooking method using wood smoke over many hours, transforming tough cuts through slow collagen breakdown and smoke flavor absorption.
Sous Vide
A precision cooking method using vacuum-sealed bags in a temperature-controlled water bath, allowing exact doneness control impossible with traditional methods.
Grading & Quality
BMS (Beef Marbling Standard)
The Japanese marbling grading scale from 1 to 12, used to evaluate wagyu beef, where BMS 12 represents the highest possible marbling.
Marbling
The visible flecks of intramuscular fat within the lean meat, the single most important factor in beef flavor, juiciness, and tenderness.
USDA Choice
The second-highest USDA quality grade, representing the majority of graded beef sold in the US, with moderate marbling.
USDA Prime
The highest USDA quality grade, representing approximately 8-10% of all graded beef, with abundant marbling throughout.
USDA Select
The third USDA quality grade, leaner than Choice with slight marbling, requiring careful cooking to avoid dryness.
Yield Grade
A USDA measurement (1-5) estimating the percentage of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from a carcass, with 1 being the highest yield.
Butchery Terms
Dry Aging
The process of storing beef in a controlled environment (34-38°F, 80-85% humidity) for 21-120+ days to concentrate flavor and improve tenderness.
Fabrication
The process of breaking down a primal or sub-primal cut into retail-ready portions — steaks, roasts, and trim.
Grain (Muscle Fiber Direction)
The direction that muscle fibers run through a cut of meat, critical for slicing — always cut against the grain for tenderness.
Primal Cuts
The eight major sections a beef carcass is initially divided into: chuck, rib, loin, round, brisket, plate, flank, and shank.
Seam Cutting
A butchery technique of separating muscles along their natural connective tissue boundaries rather than cutting through the muscle.
Silverskin
A tough, silvery-white membrane of connective tissue (elastin) that covers some muscles and must be removed before cooking as it never breaks down.
Wet Aging
Aging beef in its vacuum-sealed packaging at refrigerated temperatures, allowing enzymatic tenderization without moisture loss.
Wagyu & Japanese Beef
A5 (Japanese Beef Grade)
The highest grade in the Japanese beef grading system, combining the best yield score (A) with the highest quality score (5).
Fullblood vs Crossbred Wagyu
Fullblood wagyu is 100% Japanese genetics; crossbred (F1–F4) is wagyu crossed with another breed, with each generation increasing the wagyu percentage.
Kobe Beef
A specific brand of wagyu from Tajima-strain Japanese Black cattle raised in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, with strict certification requirements.
Wagyu
Japanese cattle breeds (wa=Japanese, gyu=cattle) genetically predisposed to extraordinary intramuscular fat, including Japanese Black, Brown, Shorthorn, and Polled.