Beef Butchery
When Beef is first cut by the butcher, it is divided into two pieces (called sides) by cutting through the backbone. Each side is then cut into two pieces between the twelfth and thirteenth rib, resulting in two pieces per side called the forequarter and hindquarter.
During the next step, the butcher will divide the carcass into eight more cuts. These are known as the eight primal cuts of beef. The primal cuts can then be processed into even smaller cuts. This is called fabrication. Many restaurants prefer to purchase larger cuts of meat that can be fabricated on site. This allows the chef to save costs, and control the portion size to his/her own specifications.
Forequarter Primal Cuts include the Chuck, Rib, Brisket/Shank and Shortplate
Hind Quarter Primal Cuts includes Short Loin, Sirloin, Round, Flank
***Label the diagram. Lightly shade the tender primal cuts red and the less tender cuts blue