One of the questions that we get asked a lot is "how do I know what bit to use for what?

"There are numerous cuts of beef and the different cuts often go by different names depending on where you are in the country. However before we get into that, it is important that the raw material is up to scratch.

Whether you get you meat from Park Muslim Butchery or elsewhere, it is important to establish the provenance of what you are buying - in an ideal world down to the farm from which it originates.

For the best beef you ideally would like something that is extensively reared, grass fed and definitely only fed on natural feedstuffs.

So now that we have an idea of the ethos with which we should be buying, the next question is what do we buy?

As we know it can be very daunting to know what to chose when you are picking a bit of beef to cook, we have broken it up into three areas which are explained in a bit more detail below.

Beef Products:

• Topside/Silverside – Very tender and ideally suited to roasting.
• Rump – A steak that is juicy and tender with an outstanding flavour.
• Sirloin – Taken off the bone, ideal for steak or can be roasted whole as the classic Sunday joint.
• Fillet – Comes from the underside of the sirloin. It is the most prized cut and the leanest and tender of all steaks.
• Fore Rib/Boneless Rib – A premium roasting joint, cooked on the bone it’s an impressive looking succulent joint.
• Rib Eye – Very popular steak, ideally suited for barbecuing.
• Chuck – usually used for braising steak, slow cooked for an excellent taste.
• Thick Rib – used for slow roasting joint or extra lean braising steak.
• Neck / Clod – Used as stewing meat, best suited for casserole dishes.
• Brisket – fantastic when boiled, braised or very slowly steam roasted.
• Shin / Leg Beef – Long slow cooking in a stew, meltingly soft and delicious.
• Thin Flank – used in ground beef and our home made burgers. Ideal for lasagne.

Neck

This is one of the tougher cuts and is generally sold as Stewing Steak or made into mince (ground) meat. When sold in pieces it is only suitable for very long, slow, moist cooking.

Chuck / Blade

This cut is often sold as Braising Steak. A little more tender than stewing steak. Use in casseroles, stews and to braise.

Fore Rib

Sometimes sold boned and rolled but is traditionally sold on the bone. Has a higher fat content throughout the flesh and makes a superb roast. Can also be cut into steaks for grilling or frying.

Sirloin

Comes from the same area as sirloin but cut into steaks such as “T”-bone, Porterhouse and Entrecote. A prime cut which is suitable for grilling, frying, stir-fries and barbecuing.

Rump

Although a prime cut, it is usually cheaper than fillet or sirloin because it’s not quite as tender. Considered by many to have a far superior flavour than sirloin or fillet. Suitable for quick cooking e.g. frying, stir-fries, grilling or barbecuing.

Fillet

Also known as tenderloin. One of the prime cuts. Has little fat and is very tender. Used in dishes like Beef Wellington.

Topside

Very lean and when sold as a joint for roasting, often has a layer of fact tied around it to help baste and keep it moist. Also suitable cut into steaks for frying or grilling and in stir-fries.

Silverside

Although this was traditionally salted and sold as a boiling joint, this very lean piece of meat is now most often sold unsalted as a joint for roasting. Requires frequent basting through the cooking time.

Clod

The beef clod or shoulder is taken from the shoulder region of the cattle. Beef clod can be prepared in a variety of methods both dry and moist, but the most recommended method to cook beef clod is to cook it with moist heat or braising.

Thick Rib

This cut is often sold as Braising Steak. A little more tender than stewing steak. Use in casseroles, stews and to braise.

Thin Rib

This is one of the tougher cuts and is generally sold as mince (ground) meat.

Thin Flank

Often used for minced or ground meat. Suitable for cottage pie, Bolognese sauce and burgers.

Thick Flank

Also known as Top Rump. Similar to topside and can be slow roasted as a joint or slow fried or braised in pieces. Also sold as “flash fry” steaks.

Shin

This is one of the tougher cuts and is generally sold as Stewing Steak or made into mince (ground) meat. When sold in pieces it is only suitable for very long, slow, moist cooking.

Leg

This is one of the tougher cuts and is generally sold as Stewing Steak. Only suitable for very long, slow, moist cooking.

Picking your cut due to the size of a lamb carcass, establishing the various cuts is maybe not as difficult as it may be with beef. However it can sometimes still cause a bit of concern. Before we look at that though, it is worth looking at the types of lamb that you could be offered.

Again, our lambs at Park Muslim Butchery are sourced from the best suppliers around the Karoo, Fed on grass and heather ground during the summer with a supplemented diet of natural feedstuffs in the winter, this helps to produce high quality lambs.

The nice thing about lamb is generally they are not that big and a side of lamb is quite a good thing to get to fill a freezer. New season lambs weigh about 16kg so there is not an overwhelming amount of meat.

Lamb/Mutton Products:

• Leg – A prime cut with little fat which is excellent for roasting as a joint. Often cut into lamb steaks and suitable for barbequing.
• Chump – A boneless tender steak for grilling or barbequing.
• Loin/ Rack of Lamb – This is the most tender part of the lamb. This cut provides loin chops, medallions, noisettes and crown of lamb.
• Shoulder – Shoulder is often sold as two separate joints, blade and arm (knuckle). The whole shoulder is also sometimes called “square cut” which consists of the arm, blade, and rib bones. Suitable for roasting. Shoulder meat is also often trimmed of fat and sold as cubes for curries, kebabs and casseroles. Shoulder chops are suitable for pan-frying, grilling or braising.
• Kneck/ Scrag – bone left in, slow roasted suitable for casseroles.
• Breast – this is one of the cheapest but sweetest cuts, can be roasted on the bone. Alternatively can be boned, stuffed and rolled for a midweek joint.
• Lamb Shank – A popular cut, braised or baked for tenderness and flavour.
  

Neck

This is one of the tougher cuts and is generally sold as Stewing lamb or made into mince (ground) meat. When sold in pieces it is only suitable for very long, slow, moist cooking. Although tough the flavour is very good so well worth the extra cooking. Best End of neck is traditionally used for Lancashire Hotpot.

Rack

A “rack of lamb” is the name given to the whole rib section on either side of the backbone between the shoulder and the loin. A tender and flavoursome cut and it is suitable for dry heat cooking such as roasting or grilling. This cut has a layer of fat which, although it can be trimmed down, is best left on when roasting as it melts and bastes the meat during cooking. Racks are not large pieces: one rack of lamb is usually large enough to serve three people.

Loin

The loin is the most tender part of the lamb. It is from this area that loin chops come from as well as medallions, noisettes as well as roasting cuts. Suitable for roasting although the joints tend to be small unless you have a whole saddle which is made up of a double loin roast, from both sides of the backbone. Frying and grilling are excellent for the smaller cuts.

Leg

This is a prime cut with little fat which is excellent for roasting as a joint. It is often cut into lamb steaks suitable for frying or grilling or into cubes for lean kebabs.

Foreshank

Also known as Lamb shanks, this cut is suitable for slow roasting, stewing and braising. It has become very popular in recent years especially when braised when a whole shank with the bone is served per person. It is a very flavourful cut of meat.

Breast

It can be roasted on the bone, boned, stuffed and rolled, or when well trimmed, can be used for mince, burgers or skewers (kebabs). Some butchers also sell this cut in strips which are ideal for barbecues.

Flank

Unlike other cuts from the loin area, the flank is much tougher and is usually sold as mince.

Unlike beef which is taken from a mature animal, lamb comes from animals under a year old usually about 6 – 7 months resulting in tender meat and smaller cuts. The following products are normally available:

South Africans like much of the world love chicken, the single largest agricultural component in the country. More South Africans get their protein from chicken and eggs than all other proteins combined. A versatile meat that can be roasted, broiled, grilled or poached.  So simple that even a child can do it!

Park Muslim Butchery goes out of their way to ensure that all chicken supplied by them is of the higest quality and is slaughtered according to strict health and religious methods. We do not take any shortcuts just to make a few more Rands.

Whole Chicken

Available either fresh or frozen, our friendly staff will cut your chosen bird to your exact needs. Also available in marinated and butterfly cut.

Halves

Bird is split from front to back through the keel and backbone.

Breast Quarters

Halves are split further, one portion includes the wing. The quarter includes a portion of the back and is considered white meat.

Split Breast

A quarter from which the wing is removed, also available with the back portion removed and deboned and skinless.

8 Piece Cut

A whole chicken that is cut into 2 breast halves with ribs and back portion, 2 wings, 2 thighs with back portion and 2 drumsticks. Normally sold without giblets.

Chicken Wings

WWhole wing is from the shoulder to the tip. Drummettes are from the shoulder to elbow.

Whole Chicken Leg

Drumstick and thigh, excluding the back. Also available in skinless and deboned.

Drumsticks

The portion between the knee and hock

Giblets

Heart, liver and neck