As the title says this is pretty simple. I have put together a list of the Top 50 Cuts of Meat. What were the criteria I used? Well, 90% of it is just my opinion but I guess the other 10% would be stuff like how popular the cut is, how easy it is to get the cut, how versatile the cut is, how often I eat it, how often I see Instagram pics of it, and so on.
I chose to stick with the “Big 4” animals: beef, pork, chicken, and lamb. I purposely didn’t include any sausages or processed meats (well, I guess ham and bacon are processed) since there are just way too many varieties out there. You won’t find any game (deer, elk, bear, etc.) here either or other exotic meats. Mostly just stuff you would find in a well stocked butcher case. But there are some harder to come by cuts that you can order online and I have linked those below.
I know you will probably have a different opinion and honestly if I make this list tomorrow it probably wouldn’t be the same. There are bound to be some glaring omissions too. But we won’t worry about that right now. Without further rambling here is the list of the Top 50 Cuts of Meat:
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1. Ribeye – There are few foods out there that are as good as a quality, well cooked ribeye. Boneless ribeyes from Porter Road: $24 for 16 oz steak
2. Ribeye Cap – I really want to meet the guy who said “hey, why are we bothering with the whole ribeye? Just gimme that awesome band of meat on top of the steak”. You will probably never see this cut at your local meat market and Snake River Farms is one of the only places that carries it.
3. Bacon – Hard to be a perfect marriage of salt, fat, and meat.
4. Brisket – Based on my sampling of a number of “barbecue” restaurants around the country the percentage of people who have really experienced brisket for all it can be is very small. But if you do stumble upon a well seasoned, well cooked brisket you will know why it is this high.
If you want a great brisket do what the pros do and get one from Snake River Farms. Their American Wagyu briskets are otherworldly. Expensive? Yeah but you can taste the difference.
5. Tri-Tip – Great beefy flavor. It is hard to come by in some parts of the country but its popularity is growing.
If your local stores don’t sell tri-tip I would recommend Porter Road. They are $21 (cheapest I have seen online), orders over $100 ship free, they throw something free in with the orders (usually ground beef but I have also seen sirloins, bacon, and other cuts), and their meat is delicious.
6. Ground Beef – Few meats are as versatile as ground beef. And of course without ground beef there would be no burgers.
7. NY Strip – For many years this was my favorite steak. Probably because I was stubbornly contrarian to those who preferred ribeye.
8. Plate Ribs – You know that awesome, fatty part of the brisket everyone loves? Take that and give it a handle and you have a plate rib.
9. Pork Shoulder – Mmmmm, pulled pork. And if you want something other than barbecue look for a Bo Ssam recipe and thank me later.
10. Ribeye Filet – This is the main portion of the ribeye. Great texture and flavor.
11. Porterhouse – Hard to beat a NY Strip and a filet in one. And they are usually very large so you get to eat a lot and justify it since it is really only 1 steak.
12. Chicken Wings – Great for gameday or great for a snack. I prefer deep fried wings but grilled wings can be excellent. And you don’t even need to dirty up any silverware to eat them.
13. Spare Ribs – One of the few barbecue foods that I actually use barbecue sauce on. And again, no need for silverware.
14.Teres Major – A more obscure cut but I kind of liken it to a cross between a tenderloin and a tri-tip. Great beefy flavor but still very, very tender.
This is another cut you probably won’t see in your butcher case. Snake River Farms and Porter Road both carry it though.
15. Whole Chicken – Spatchcock the bird and it can cook on the grill in less than an hour. White meat and dark meat are there so everyone wins.
And if you want a chicken that actually tastes like chicken skip the grocery store and order a pasture raised chicken from Crowd Cow or Porter Road. The flavor difference is amazing.
16. T-bone – While it has a smaller tenderloin piece than the porterhouse I think the strip section is a bit better with less connective tissue running through it.
17. Pork Chops – Rib chops, loin chops, boneless, bone in… they are all great. I prefer them fried with some applesauce on the side.
18. Filet Mignon – Probably a lower rank than most people but while it is tender it doesn’t have enough flavor for my tastes.
19. Flank Steak – Perfect on the grill. It also takes well to a number of different seasonings and marinades.
20. Chicken Thighs – Probably the most difficult piece of the chicken to eat but it has the best flavor and texture. Much better option than chicken breasts in most recipes too.
21. Ham – Great for feeding a big crowd and generally a fairly economical cut.
22. Chuck Roast – Hard to beat a good pot roast and a chuck roast is the best cut for that.
23. Skirt Steak – The perfect cut for carne asada. Or just season it up and throw it on the coals.
24. Leg of Lamb – A bone in leg of lamb is an awesome sight to see on a table. But boneless legs are just fine as well.
25. Pork Tenderloin – Be careful not to overcook it and pork tenderloin is a great, juicy cut.
26. Chicken Legs – Another great meat that comes with its own handle.
27. Prime Rib – Anyone else think Prime Rib is overrated by society? I would usually rather have a nice ribeye but a big slab of prime rib with some Yorkshire pudding can be delicious.
28. Lamb Shoulder – I’ll be honest… I have never eaten this cut. But I have one hitting the smoker on Saturday. If it turns out like I hope I think this will be my Easter dinner.
29. Hanger Steak – I have one of these in the freezer ready to cook up. Excellent flavor but a bit hard to come by. Unless you have a great butcher you probably won’t find it at your grocery store but you can order them from Porter Road.
30. Chuck Ribs – A bit smaller and less meaty than plate ribs but still delicious. Most butchers cut them into short ribs but you can order the whole racks at Crowd Cow.
31. Top Sirloin – Don’t discount a good top sirloin. They are usually cheaper than other cuts but if cooked properly they have a great flavor. Go beyond medium rare though and you are in trouble.
32. Strip Loin – This is the whole chunk of meat that gives us NY Strips. Roast it up whole and it is a great (and cheaper) alternative to prime rib.
33. Picanha – I need to eat this cut a bit more but my first try with it was great. Similar to tri-tip in flavor and texture. This cut is a staple at Brazilian steakhouses.
But you won’t find it at your local grocery store or butcher shop. Snake River and Porter Road both sell them though.
34. Lamb Chops – They are usually very small but have great flavor.
35. Sirloin Flap – Similar to skirt or hanger steak. If you can find them they are great to eat and are also a great addition to a ground beef blend.
36. Denver Steak – Cut from the chuck this is another piece of meat you will rarely find but they are tender, well marbled, and delicious.
37. Short Ribs – Perfect cut for braising. Lots of fat and connective tissue in short ribs that turns into deliciousness when cooked properly.
38. Boneless, skinless chicken breast – A staple of most home kitchens. There are probably 10 billion recipes out there that call for them.
39. Pork Loin – Another cut of pork that is very easy to dry out of you overcook it but a good pork roast makes for a great meal. And you can usually find it for $2 per pound.
40. Whole beef tenderloin – Expensive but very tender piece of meat.
41. Chicken Quarters – I would rather have a leg and thigh separate than the whole quarter. But you can find these cheap and cut them yourself if you want.
42. Baby Back Ribs – Smaller and less meaty than spare ribs. Still great but cook them at home yourself rather than going to Chili’s.
43. Chicken Breasts – Hard to cook and hard to eat. Give me thighs, wings, or legs any day.
44. Pork Steaks – Usually cut from the chuck portion of the pig these are fairly fatty. They are common in St. Louis bbq joints. Maybe I need to give them another try?
45. Shank – If you are making Osso Bucco these are great. They are very tough and need a long, slow cooking method.
46. Sirloin Roast – Pretty traditional roast beef cut. Keep it medium rare and it is a cheaper alternative to a prime rib.
47. Top Round – Great for something like Italian Beef or Baltimore Pit Beef.
48. Rack of Lamb – A pretentious cut here. I would rather have it cut into chops but if you want a cut that looks great on the plate this is a good one.
49. Flat Iron – I have tried it a number of times and have never been impressed with the texture or flavor.
50. Eye of Round – Another good cut for roasting. Cheap but tough.
So there you have it. My top 50 cuts of meat. At least my top 50 at the time of writing. Disagree? I hope so. If we all thought the same this would be a pretty boring world.
