Don’t Be Intimidated by the Meat Case

Walk up to a meat case and there can be an awful lot going on.

Ribeye. Chuck roast. Sirloin. Round. Marbling. Choice. Prime. Grass-fed. Grain-finished. And packages that look almost exactly alike—until you notice the prices certainly don’t.

So how do you know what to choose?

Here’s the first thing we’d tell you: the most expensive cut isn’t always the best cut for what you’re cooking.

Sometimes that beautiful ribeye is exactly what you want. Other times, give us a chuck roast, a Dutch oven and a few hours and we’ll happily call it Sunday dinner.

Start With How You’re Going to Cook It

Before worrying about the name on the package, think about dinner.

Cooking hot and fast?
Look toward naturally tender cuts like ribeye, strip steak, tenderloin or sirloin.

Cooking low and slow?
This is where hardworking cuts shine. Chuck roast, brisket and similar cuts have connective tissue that needs time to soften. Give them that time and they become wonderfully tender and flavorful.

That’s why a chuck roast can seem tough when treated like a steak—and absolutely fall apart after an afternoon in the oven.

It isn't a lesser cut. It simply has a different job.

Take a Look at the Marbling

Those little white flecks and streaks running through beef are called marbling.

As the meat cooks, that intramuscular fat contributes richness, moisture and flavor. For a steak, good marbling is generally something we're happy to see.

But more marbling isn't automatically better for every recipe.

If we're making a slow-cooked dish with gravy, vegetables and plenty of cooking time, we may choose very differently than we would for steaks going onto a hot grill.

Again, it comes back to what you're making.

And Don't Let a Little Fat Scare You

Fat around the outside of a cut isn't necessarily a bad thing, either.

Some can help protect the meat and add flavor during cooking. You can always trim what you don't want before or after cooking.

A perfectly lean-looking piece of meat isn't automatically the tastiest piece in the case.

Color Isn't the Whole Story

This one surprises people.

We tend to associate bright cherry-red beef with freshness, but beef can naturally appear different shades of red or even purplish depending on how it was packaged and how much oxygen has reached it.

So don't judge a package by color alone.

Pay attention to proper refrigeration, packaging that is intact, the use-by or sell-by information, and—once you're home—anything genuinely unusual about the smell or texture.

Ask Questions

This might be our favorite advice.

If you don't know which roast to buy, ask.

If you've never cooked a particular steak, ask.

If you're feeding eight people and don't know how much meat you need, ask.

You don't have to know every cut in the case to put a wonderful meal on the table.

That's part of what your butcher is there for.

And around here, we happen to think talking about what's for dinner is a pretty good way to spend a few minutes anyway.

There’s Always Room at Our Table.

— Lazy L Ranch Meats