Meat Cuts & Butchery Academy
Know your cut, choose your method.
Every cut behaves differently because of how hard the muscle worked. Pick an animal below for an interactive diagram, or start from your cooking method. Each meat has its own page, so you only see what you cook.
Choose a meat
- 9 primals · 19 cutsBeef cutsBeef muscles that work hardest — shoulder, legs, chest — are full of connective tissue (collagen) that turns to gelatine with long, moist cooking.
- 7 primals · 10 cutsLamb, mutton and goat cutsLamb is from young sheep, mutton from older sheep with a stronger flavour (in the UK 'hogget' is in between).
- 6 primals · 9 cutsPork cutsPork shoulder and belly are fatty and forgiving for slow cooking; the loin is lean and easy to overcook.
- 5 primals · 7 cutsChicken cutsWhite meat (breast, wings) is lean and dries out if overcooked; dark meat (thighs, drumsticks) has more fat and connective tissue and stays juicy.
The one rule
- Tender cuts
- Little-used muscles along the back (loin, fillet, rib, breast). Cook fast — grill, sear, roast — and stop on time.
- In-between cuts
- Rump, flank, thigh, leg. Fast with marinade and slicing across the grain, or slow.
- Tough cuts
- Shoulder, shin, brisket, neck, cheek. Full of collagen that melts into gelatine with long, moist cooking — braise, stew, curry, pressure-cook. See braising.
Which cut for my method?
Untick any meats you don’t eat.
Choose a method to see the cuts that suit it.
Safe internal temperatures
Measure in the thickest part, away from bone, with a food thermometer. US and UK advice is worded differently; both are shown.
| Meat | US (USDA / FoodSafety.gov) | UK (Food Standards Agency) |
|---|---|---|
| Beef: Steaks, roasts and other whole cuts | 145 °F (63 °C), then rest 3 minutes | May be served pink in the middle if the outside is seared and has changed colour. |
| Beef: Mince, burgers and sausages | 160 °F (71 °C) | Cook through — no pink, steaming hot, browned. Burgers shouldn't be served rare or pink at home. UK advice for meat that must be cooked through: the centre should reach 70 °C for 2 minutes (or 65 °C for 10 minutes, 75 °C for 30 seconds, 80 °C for 6 seconds). |
| Lamb, mutton and goat: Chops, steaks, roasts (lamb, goat) | 145 °F (63 °C), then rest 3 minutes | Whole cuts may be served pink in the middle if the outside is seared. |
| Lamb, mutton and goat: Mince, kebabs and sausages | 160 °F (71 °C) | Minced and skewered meat must be cooked through: no pink, steaming hot. UK advice for meat that must be cooked through: the centre should reach 70 °C for 2 minutes (or 65 °C for 10 minutes, 75 °C for 30 seconds, 80 °C for 6 seconds). |
| Pork: Chops, steaks, roasts (fresh pork) | 145 °F (63 °C), then rest 3 minutes | Pork should be cooked all the way through: no pink, juices run clear. UK advice for meat that must be cooked through: the centre should reach 70 °C for 2 minutes (or 65 °C for 10 minutes, 75 °C for 30 seconds, 80 °C for 6 seconds). |
| Pork: Mince and sausages | 160 °F (71 °C) | Cook through until steaming hot with no pink. |
| Chicken: All chicken and poultry — whole, pieces, mince, stuffing | 165 °F (74 °C) | Cook all the way through: no pink meat, juices run clear, steaming hot. UK advice for meat that must be cooked through: the centre should reach 70 °C for 2 minutes (or 65 °C for 10 minutes, 75 °C for 30 seconds, 80 °C for 6 seconds). |
The US 3-minute rest lets the temperature keep rising and stay high long enough. Fish and shellfish: see the seafood guide. Also see food safety temperatures.
Sources
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart — USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking — FoodSafety.gov (US Department of Health and Human Services)
- Cooking your food — Food Standards Agency (UK), on GOV.UK