Which Part Of The Cow Is Used For Roast Beef?

Asking which part of the cow is used for roast beef is a bit of a loaded question. Contrary to what the average consumer like you or I may think, there isn't one particular cut of meat that is used specifically for roast beef. There are a few, and depending on which part of the cow they originate from, the result after cooking can be significantly different.

Roast beef cuts can come from the rib and loin areas or from the brisket and chest. They can also come from the shoulder (also called chuck) or the back leg, round, or rear. And because each of these parts gets different amounts of exercise as the animal goes about its day, they tend to have differing amounts of fat in them. 

Cuts taken from the knee, like sirloin tip, are far more lean, as is tenderloin. Tenderloin is cut from just below the spine, so while it has not marbled (the fat striations running through the meat), it is one of the softest cuts. If your cut is from the middle of the rib section, which is a pretty zen area for the cow, you'll get beautifully marbled meat. And you may know that the more fat striations lacing their way through your beef, the more tender and buttery it is. But let's jump into more detail so that the next time you visit your butcher, you'll be armed with the knowledge to choose the perfect cut of roast beef for your table.

Cut from the shoulder, the chuck roast (you may know it from pot roasts) is a beautifully marbled piece of meat and excellent in single-pot dishes.You can chuck all your veggies in with it and have a tasty, flavorful meal ready when your slow cooking is done. But it's hard to get more tender than tenderloin. It's quite a job to get this cut from the cow, but it's absolutely worth it, and cooking it is pretty straightforward.

Top sirloin roast is taken from the cow's hip area, so though it has some marbling, it's still a relatively lean piece of meat. Sirloin is very popular because of this, but also because it still has good flavor, can become fairly tender, and provides good value for the money. And if you're looking on the leaner side, try a top round roast, which is cut from the inside of the back leg. It's very similar to top sirloin, and it's actually the cut used for sliced deli beef.

In addition to the above, you can also get brisket, strip loin roast, clod roast, tri-tip roast, bottom round roast, sirloin tip roast, rib roast, eye of round roast, and clod roast. Check in with your butcher on the fat content and where the cut comes from, then cook your roast accordingly.