Unless you’re a vegetarian, you probably use meat in cooking several times a week. When you follow a recipe, you are usually told which meat cut to use, but it does help to understand the differences, or even learn about some cuts you haven’t encountered before.
Brisket: better known as pot roast, brisket is quite a fatty cut that is usually sold rolled. It can be braised or simmered on the stove or diced and cooked long and slow for casseroles.
Silverside: the most popular method for cooking silverside is simmering. Usually sold corned, it can be roasted when fresh but may be a little dry.
Ribs: often called short ribs or beef ribs, ribs taste best marinated and roasted. For the best results, finish them off on a hot barbecue grill for a crispy golden texture.
Topside: a lean cut that is purchased as a whole roast or sliced as steaks. Steaks should be cooked quickly on high heat or simmered in liquid to retain moisture.
Scotch fillet: although expensive, scotch fillet is a flavoursome beef cut sold whole or as steaks. It is delicious roasted, stir-fried, pan-fried or grilled on the barbecue.
Mince: cheaper varieties of mince always have higher fat content and will shrink the most during cooking. Use cheap mince for meatloaf and splurge on lean mince for burgers and bolognaise.
Shin boneless: sometimes called gravy beef, shin boneless is rich in flavour and has little fat but a to of gristle. It is best used in casseroles and slow cooking to soften and tenderise.
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