Utah ranchers selling quarter and half beef

How to cook every cut in your beef share

A browned beef pot roast with carrots, celery, onion and garlic in a blue Dutch oven — Photo: Mark Miller / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Your freezer is full, and half of the packages say chuck, round or brisket instead of ribeye. Here is a plain guide to what each cut is for, using university extension guides. The short version: tender cuts get quick, dry heat. Tough cuts get low heat, a lid and some liquid, and they turn out fork-tender.

The one rule that covers most of your freezer

Dry heat for tender cuts. Tender cuts from the rib and loin are best cooked by dry heat: roasting, broiling, pan-broiling, pan-frying, stir-frying or grilling (K-State Extension).
Moist heat for less tender cuts. Less tender cuts from the round, chuck, brisket and shank need moist heat: braising, cooking in liquid, or a pressure pan. The longer, lower-temperature cooking with moisture softens the connective tissue (K-State Extension).
Moist heat means indirect heat with added liquid or held-in moisture, usually lower heat and longer times. Dry heat uses high heat and short times (University of Maryland Extension).
Reading the label: look for the word rib or loin on the package to know it is a tender cut (K-State Extension).

Cut by cut

Methods follow the National 4-H meat identification list published by University of Maryland Extension and the cooking chart in the K-State Extension guide "Cooking with Beef". "Either" means the guides list both dry and moist heat for that cut.

Package says	From the	How to cook it	Good to know
Ribeye, rib steak, rib roast	Rib	Dry heat: grill, broil, pan-fry or roast	Tender. All rib and loin cuts are dry-heat cuts.
T-bone, porterhouse, strip, tenderloin (filet)	Loin	Dry heat: grill, broil, pan-fry or roast	Your premium steaks. Marinate only for flavor.
Top sirloin, tri-tip	Sirloin	Dry heat: grill, broil, pan-fry, stir-fry or roast	Good everyday steaks and stir-fry strips.
Flat iron (top blade), ranch (shoulder center), chuck eye steak	Chuck	Dry heat works	The tender chuck steaks. Good for family steak night.
Chuck roast, arm roast, blade roast, 7-bone pot roast	Chuck	Moist heat: braise or cook in liquid	Classic pot roast. More fat and flavor than round roasts.
Short ribs	Plate	Moist heat: braise	Moist heat per both guides.
Brisket	Brisket	Moist heat: braise or stew	The flat half is less fatty. Also used for corned beef.
Shank cross cuts	Shank	Moist heat: braise or cook in liquid	All brisket and shank cuts are moist-heat cuts.
Top round steak, round tip steak	Round	Dry heat, after a tenderizing marinade	Also good sliced thin for stir-fry.
Bottom round, eye of round, rump roast	Round	Either: oven roast, or braise	Leaner, economical roasts.
Round steak, bottom round steak	Round	Moist heat: braise	Both guides list moist heat.
Flank and skirt steak	Flank and plate	Either, usually marinated, then grilled or broiled	Marinate first if you grill or broil them.
Stew meat	Chuck or round	Moist heat: simmer	Cubes about 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch cook evenly.
Cubed steak	Varies	Either: pan-fry or braise	Already tenderized by machine.
Ground beef	Varies	Dry heat: pan, grill, broil or bake	Cook to 160 F.

Got a front quarter? Most of your packages will be chuck, brisket and short ribs, so plan on more pot roasts and stews. A hind quarter leans toward round roasts and steaks plus the loin steaks. See what's in a quarter or half.

Making tougher steaks tender

Less tender cuts such as top round steak, eye round steak, chuck shoulder steak, skirt steak and flank steak should be marinated for tenderness, for at least 6 hours. Marinating longer than 24 hours can make the surface mushy (K-State Extension).
A tenderizing marinade needs an acidic ingredient, such as citrus or other fruit juice, tomato, vinegar, wine, soy sauce, or buttermilk or yogurt (K-State Extension).
Tender steaks only need 15 minutes to 2 hours, and that is for flavor (K-State Extension).
Always marinate in the refrigerator, never on the counter. Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of marinade for each 1 to 2 pounds of beef (K-State Extension).
Pounding with a meat mallet or using a commercial tenderizer also works. Enzyme tenderizers only reach the outer 1/4 inch of the meat (K-State Extension).

Pot roast swaps and stew meat

Chuck and round cuts can be swapped in most pot roast recipes with small changes in cooking time. Chuck pot roasts have more fat, and so more flavor, than round (K-State Extension).
To cut your own stew meat, any chuck or round cut except top round works. About 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch cubes cook evenly (K-State Extension).
For stir-fry, put the beef in the freezer for about 30 minutes so it slices into thin strips more easily (K-State Extension).

Cooking straight from the freezer

It is safe to cook frozen beef in the oven, on the stove or on the grill without thawing first. Plan on about 50 percent more cooking time (K-State Extension).
Do not cook frozen beef in a slow cooker. Thaw it first (K-State Extension). Our storing and thawing guide covers the three safe ways.

Safe temperatures

Use a food thermometer. Brown color is not a reliable sign that a burger is done (K-State Extension).

Beef	Cook to at least
Steaks and roasts	145 F (63 C), then rest 3 minutes
Ground beef	160 F (71 C)
Leftovers and casseroles	165 F (74 C)

Source: FoodSafety.gov safe minimum internal temperature chart. The same chart lists bison at the same temperatures as beef.

When you fill out your next cut sheet

If your family eats more stews and tacos than steaks, you can often ask for more ground beef and stew meat and fewer roasts. Our cut sheet guide walks through each choice. Then compare share prices across Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.

Sources fetched November 2, 2026: K-State Research and Extension, Walnut Creek District, Cooking with Beef (Connie Bretz), University of Maryland Extension, Maryland 4-H Meats Identification Cookery Methods (2021), FoodSafety.gov, Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures. No ranch or brand paid to be listed.

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