American cuts of meat

The names of cuts of beef in America: here's what changes overseas

America is the home of barbecues and burgers. While Italy chooses dishes that are more complex and rich in flavour, overseas they prefer authentic and simpler flavours.

To offer dishes on your table that recall American passion, or more simply remember a hamburger eaten during that trip overseas, you need to know which cut of meat to choose and what we call it here.

In Italy, unfortunately, there is not yet a nomenclature that officially defines cuts of beef meat. Each region and province, strong in their traditions, use different definitions and nomenclature for the same cut.

However, let's try to clarify the world of American dialectics and find the perfect cut to repeat a tasty and unforgettable recipe!

Rib Eye Steak: the loin of beef

From the cut of beef that we Italians call loin or in some cases corresponds to the rib, Rib Eye Steaks are obtained overseas. The steaks are made from the side of the bovine and are generally seared on the grill, choosing a thickness of around 2 or 3 cm. Rib Eye Steaks have the bone which guarantees the composure of the meat and increases the strong flavour.

Although they are characterized by a defined flavour, they also manage to be tender thanks to the presence of fat which, during cooking, melts and guarantees the tenderness of this meat.

The cut is first class and in Italy it is widely used in Florence and its surroundings to obtain the more famous Fiorentina. Easy to recognize, it allows the preparation of different dishes. In our butcher's shop it has a place of honor precisely to recall the importance of one of the typical dishes of our land.

Americans also make Hanger Steak from Italian loin. Perfect cooking is quick, over a high flame to obtain a rare steak.

The neck of the bovine in America and Italy

Americans call it Chuck and it can be obtained from two cuts of Italian beef: the real cut and the beef cover. It belongs to the second category cuts of meat and is perfect for creating minced meat, hamburgers or ragù thanks to the abundant presence of connective tissue and fat. Americans choose this cut of meat to create the famous Chuck Steak.

Different steaks are obtained from Chuck Steak which have tenderness and low price in common: Denver Steak, Top Blade Steak, Flat Iron Steak, 7 Bone Steak and Vegas Strip Steak.

Denver Steak

Soft and tasty, Denver Steak is obtained from the muscle group located under the shoulder. Sometimes the cut is mixed, since it is rather complicated to extract this section without compromising part of the neck.

Top Blade Steak

The Top Blade Steak, or bladed beef steak, is obtained from the quarter cut called cover and allows you to obtain fillets. It is a rather tender and tasty cut of meat and is perfect for grilling.

Flat Iron Steak aka the priest's hat

The filet that is not a filet is for Americans the Flat Iron Steak - our beloved priest's hat. Obtained from a cut made along the length of the cover, it allows you to obtain a steak very similar in shape and flavor to the fillet.

Precisely for this reason it enjoys considerable success despite not being a first-class cut and therefore a highly prized one, well known in our cuisine.

7 Bone Steak, T-Bone, Porterhouse

It owes its name to the type of cut made. The 7 Bone Steak is obtained from the neck in correspondence with the 7 muscle groups present.

The steak is very tasty thanks to the high presence of connective tissue and fat. The T-Bone and Porterhouse are similar cuts that feature the classic T-Bone steak found in the best American steakhouses.

In Italy the two cuts are not differentiated because they are very similar and are used for the same preparation (almost always on the barbecue). The overseas culinary culture finds different peculiarities in the two cuts which bring a similar but not identical flavor to the table.

Vegas Stip Steak

In terms of flavor and softness it is very similar to the 7 Bone Steak with the only difference that it has no bone. It is obtained from the same muscle band and thanks to the presence of fat and connective tissue it manages to offer a rather strong flavour.

The bovine breast in America and Italy

Beef Brisket aka brisket

Americans prefer brisket to brisket: Brisket. Being a second category cut it has less valuable characteristics and for this reason it is excellent when composing burgers.

Beef brisket is preferred by Americans when they want to bring smoked meat to the table. The characteristics of this cut lend themselves perfectly to long, slow cooking.

Hanger steak aka beef diaphragm

Here comes the panniculus, or rather diaphragm. The Hanger steak belongs to the fifth quarter cuts which until a few years ago suffered unjustified discrimination: difficult to cook, unpresentable for the table, the remains of the animal. Today they have acquired authority thanks to the inventiveness of chefs, many call this muscle the diaphragm, to simplify. The panniculus is a muscle that supports the diaphragm, it falls into the fifth quarter group as it is considered a waste cut, but only in Italy! In fact, there are countries in the world that consider it a prized and first-class cut of meat, in short, suitable for climbing the ranking of tasty and tasty pieces.

The diaphragm looks like a thin slab covered with fat and a membrane that distinguishes its consistency, at the end it has a final and richer piece of meat called loin. Another peculiarity of this cut is its richness in iron.

The particularity of this anatomical cut, unlike other cuts in continuous movement which present a fairly high connective tissue and therefore a quantity of fat, presents little fat and little connective tissue, as the same muscle carries out a much more particular job, without have particular loads and above all without exerting particular force.

This therefore makes this particular meat quite tender, but also very tasty if cooked correctly and with the right attention.

Anterior and posterior geretto in America and Italy

What Italian butchers define as anterior and posterior geretto, for Americans it is the Shank and the Hind Shank. The cut of meat belongs to the third category and prefers stewed cooking.

To cook it best, you can use a recipe that includes shanks. The cut of meat is poor in meat and rich in bone tissue.

Royal cut of beef in America and Italy

Beef Ribs are a cut of meat very similar to our real cut of beef. The resulting steaks appear tasty and well constructed thanks to the balanced presence of fat and pulp.

To best express the qualities they possess, Beef Ribs must be cooked for a long time and treated similar to Brisket.

Royal beef chop in America and Italy

The royal chop is perhaps the closest area to what Americans call Cube Roll. Obtained from the side of the bovine and exactly between the sixth and twelfth vertebrae. According to people from overseas, Cube Roll amplifies its potential if it is extracted from cattle that have good marbling. Among the existing cattle breeds, the preferable ones for obtaining the ideal Cube Roll are the Irish and Argentine breeds.

Cattle pocket in America and Italy

In America the beef pocket (obtained from spinach or walnut cut) translates as Trip Tip. The triangular shape remains unchanged and even overseas they prefer to prepare this cut of meat with delicious fillings. The preferred cooking method is roasted or baked, not necessarily for too long to keep the meat soft and tender.

Beef belly in America and Italy

Flank Steak is obtained from a third-rate cut in America. Preferred to be thin and long (due to the strong presence of muscle fibres), it manages to express an intense flavor when combined with strong and decisive flavors such as barbecue sauce. For Americans, in addition to the precision of the cut of meat, it is essential to find the right cooking and seasonings that can enhance the flavor of the dish. The next time you want to prepare a delicious and refined dish, don't forget to pay attention to the cut of meat you choose which, based on the characteristics offered, is better suited to quick rather than long cooking!

American meat in Italy

In short, we discovered that our online butcher's shop offers many cuts of meat that our American cousins ​​call by other names but the taste is always the same! This way you have the opportunity to unleash your imagination in the kitchen, perhaps taking inspiration from our recipes !