Beef
Originally domesticated several millennia ago from the wild ox, or aurochs, there are now three main varieties of cattle - the most common of which the European cattle. The first specialized meat variety of beef was originally invented in the 17th century and now cattle is one of the more popular animals consumed in America.
The Many Cuts of Beef (the Ones used on the site so far)
Beef is divided into primal cuts and then those primal cuts are cut into more specific cuts. Cheaper cuts are typically those that have less fat and typically require more marinating to make tender.
Chuck. Chuck is meat from the shoulder and neck of the cow. In Britain, this is sometimes referred to as neck or clod meat. Chuck meat is tough and fatty but flavorful. It is best slow cooked or cooked in liquid, making it a good choice for roasts.
Round. The rear of the cow is well exercised making it very lean and pretty tough. The extra exercises this area gets makes the meat more rich however.
Rib. Arguably one of the best cuts of the cow, the rib area is well marbled and incredibly fatty (which makes it very tender). This section should never be cooked beyond medium rare. Also, the rib area tends to cook faster, because of the high amount of fat.
Grass fed Beef
Grass fed beef is leaner than non-grass fed beef. More importantly, for flavor at least, grass fed beef has a much stronger flavor that comes from the chemicals in the grass (once they are digested by the cow).
