Every Round Beef Cut Explained And The Best Ways To Prepare/Cook Them

Here we will cover every beef cut for the round section of the cow, and the best ways to prepare/cook them. This information will help you to get a better understanding of these specific cuts taken from these areas so that you can identify them better. It will cover how tender each section is.

This information also applies to the wagyu beef, except that the wagyu will be more tender for these cuts, because of its extra intramuscular fat. This article will help you if you cut beef in a restaurant, or you buy meat from a butcher or meat dealer.

Round

The round section of the cow sits next to the sirloin section and above the shank section. It consists of four main sections: the top round, the bottom round, the sirloin tip, and the eye of round. This section makes up about 27% of the cow. The meat in the round section is considered to be lean beef. It is also considered to be inexpensive when compared to the more expensive sections of the cow.

The entire round section usually comes boneless for all of its cuts, as it surrounds a large bone in the middle of the section that it is cut from.

Round uses:

The round section of the cow is not suitable for making steaks. This cut is better suited for making roast, as this is one of the main uses for it. Thin slices can also be used for making deli meats, beef jerky, stew meat, and other things.

Texture:

The round section of the cow is one of the toughest sections of all the sections of a cow. The muscles used in this part of the cow are well built and lean. There is a lot of gristle and connective tissues.

Best cooking methods:

Braising the round cuts, roasting them, and generally slow cooking the meat for hours are the best cooking methods for the round section.

Recommendations:

Ensure that the meat is well trimmed of fat, gristle, and connective tissue to make cooking and eating easier.

Top round

The top round is located in the round section of the cow in the top area of this portion. It sits above the eye of round and the bottom round. It takes up a large portion of the round section and it is the largest piece of the four main cuts. The top round is also know as the inside round.

Top round uses:

Though top round can be found in some grocery stores as steaks, they do not make the best steaks. Top round steaks are made by slicing them off of the side of the top round after the top round cap has been removed and the beef has been well trimmed. They can be used for this purpose, but the better use of a top round is to make roast by cutting it into sections. It can also be sliced thin to be used for deli meat, or sliced thin to make beef jerky. It is also used to make a London broil, which is done by marinating the roast first and then roasting it.

Texture:

The top round is a very tough cut. It has a lot of gristle and connective tissues.

Best cooking methods:

Taking portions of the top round section and marinating it for 24 hours and then grilling it on a grill, or roasting it in the oven, are common cooking methods. Making roast beef is the most common use for this cut. Top round can also be cooked by braising it.

Recommendations:

Ensure that the large amount of gristle is removed on the outer surface of the top round. Do not be light on the trimming of this gristle. All fat and silver skin is usually trimmed off of the top round. Also, the artery in the top round and the top round cap should be cut off or removed.

Top round cap

The top round cap is located on the top round. It is a cut of beef that is taken off of the top round during trimming. It looks like a thin flap/layer of beef, and blends in well with the rest of the top round. However, there is a seam that divides the top round cap from the top round that can be used to separate the cap from the rest of the cut. Pulling it off with the hands and a little knife work can remove it easily once it is found. In between the top round and the cap is more gristle and connective tissue.

Top round cap uses:

The top round cap is used to make stew meat or to make cubed steaks (tough steaks that have been tenderized using equipment). The cut can also be used as ground beef.

Texture:

The top round cap is lean but still very tough. This is why the beef ha sto be tenderized before it is going to be used to be cut into steaks.

Best cooking methods:

The top round cap performs best if it is braised or pot roasted. For steaks, it is grilled at high temperatures on a grill or in a skillet.

Recommendations:

Silver skin and connective tissues (especially on the side where the top round cap was separated from the top round) on the top round cap should be thoroughly removed. Surface fat should also be trimmed well or removed.

Eye of round

The eye of round is a smaller cut from the round section of the cow that is located in between the top and bottom round cuts. Unlike the top and bottom round cuts that are all trimmed off from their outer layer of fat, the eye of round can have its fat cap left on to it.

Eye of round uses:

The eye of round is used primarily to make delicious roast. The shape and size make it a great selection for roast beef if it is cooked correctly.

Texture:

The eye of round is a tough cut in the terms of texture.

Best cooking methods:

Roasting or braising the eye of round is the best way to cook it. If steaks are going to be made from it, marinating the meat for 24 hours and then grilling it is the best way to cook the steaks.

Recommendations:

For the eye of round, the fat layer on its surface shouldn’t be too thick. Also, any gristle/connective tissues on the surface needs to be thoroughly removed. A full eye of round can be cut in half to make two large portions for roast beef.

Bottom round

The bottom round is a cut in the round section of the cow that is located at the bottom of this section, underneath the top round and the eye of round. It is the second largest cut of the round section. The bottom round is also known as the outside round.

Bottom round uses:

The bottom round is used for making ground beef, roast, beef jerky, and sometimes cubed steaks.

Texture:

The bottom round is known as being tougher than the top round.

Best cooking methods:

Bottom round is best cooked by roasting or braising. This is the least suitable cut of the round section of the cow for making steaks.

Recommendations:

Ensure that gristle and connective tissues on its outer surface are thoroughly removed.

Sirloin tip

The sirloin tip, also known as the knuckle, is located at the bottom of the round section, closest to the sirloin section, and close to the shank. This cut is the most suitable cut of the round section for making steaks. Despite the name of it including the word “sirloin”, it is not a part of the sirloin section.

Sirloin tip uses:

Steaks can be made from the sirloin tip, but it is better suited for making roast beef. After the sirloin tip has been well trimmed, thin slices can be cut from the sirloin tip to make steaks, or it can be cut into larger portion to make roast beef. Breakfast steaks can also be cut from the sirloin tip.

Texture:

The sirloin tip is somewhat tender with some tough parts. This is because the meat is made up of many different muscles.

Best cooking methods:

The sirloin tip is best cooked by roasting it for roast beef, or marinating it first and then grilling it at high temperatures if it is going to be cut into steaks.