Front, back, shoulder or thigh? Do you know what to look for in the store? And what can you possibly replace it with? “Each meat has its pros and cons. That’s why you have to know what to make of it,” says butcher František Kšána.
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It’s a situation that slowly invites panic. You come to the store, you want to buy a nice piece of meat, and from those names, they are right for you. Czech, English or some completely different names and who is supposed to know them. But according to the expert, it is not even necessary. It’s more important to know what you like and who to ask for advice. “For example, I adore everything that is around the front leg of beef, i.e. the shoulder. After all, between the lower ribs is also a cut for one of the best steaks,” says František Kšána Jr., a butcher from a famous Prague butcher shop, in the taste podcast.
Roast or Rib Eye?
The first thing that complicates the whole thing for you is the possible. Others are traditional Czech and other American cuts. But it is precisely their nomenclature that you will encounter more and more often in Czech stores today. But it’s not a reason to panic. “In my opinion, it’s not so important to know the name of something, but rather what kind of lot it is. It’s then easier to tell what a particular piece is suitable for,” explains the butcher.
By fat
The simple advice is – look for the fat. The leaner the meat, the shorter the heat treatment is sufficient. Thicker, more fat-covered pieces, on the other hand, usually appreciate a longer preparation, whether it is baking or stewing.
But it doesn’t apply every time. Even some very overgrown cuts of meat make great steak material. In this case, however, the marbling, i.e. the layers of fat in the meat, is only subtle, and thanks to this, it is prepared just as quickly as the meat. It just adds juiciness to it.
And what will you cook?
According to the butcher, this is ultimately the most important thing. Some types of meat will not make a good roast, and others will make a great steak. But there are many cuts that can substitute for each other. “A specific butcher should be able to advise you on this, but even good online stores offer help with this,” says František Kšána. It simply adds appropriate recipes to the description of the meat or at least outlines how you can modify it.
So before you go shopping, think about what you want to enjoy rather than a specific cut of meat. Thanks to this, your options will increase and you may eventually find that you no longer prepare your favorite sauce in any other way than from the original “substitute”.
