The Art of Beef Cutting: A Meat Professional’s Guide to Butchering and Merchandising
by Kari Underly
Published by Wiley, The Art of Beef Cutting is the perfect book not only for the chef in your group, but I found this to be the most perfect book for me, a professional baker with no training in butchering. Sure, I love meats, but I don’t think I’d take a butchering course. You’ll most likely see me browsing the pages of this book, purchasing whole cuts of meat and literally “butchering” the poor pieces of meat.
The basics of beef cutting (chuck, rib, loin, sirloin, round, brisket, shank, plate and flank), as well as a chapter on ground beef and a few cooking tips. Most importantly, lots of focus on safe handling. I’ve always been afraid, thinking about how butchers deal with cold meat and sharp knives, so if they cut themselves, they might not notice cuts as quickly. Ah! Thus, this book features great safety tips and injury prevention strategies. What else will you find in this book? Here’s a short list from Wiley:
- This is the only book on the market to include step-by-step cutting techniques and beef fundamentals along with information on all the beef cuts from each primal
- Includes charts of NAMP/IMPS numbers, URMIS UPC codes, and main muscles for each beef cut; Latin American cut names and cooking methods; and cooking tips for each cut for easy reference
- The author is an expert meat cutter who has developed some of the newest meat cuts for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and created their current retail beef cut charts
One of those books we all probably need to start with…or even have now after many years of cooking. I butcher meat and I don’t mean that in any sense but the worst. 🙂
I saw this book and thought it was really great. I know how to cut up chicken two ways but when we went to the butcher when my mom didn’t feel like cutting it up at home. The butcher would say ‘the Indian way’ right?! So I learned from my mom both reg & Indian ways. Yesterday on The Waste on Food Network I saw one of the chefs cut the loin out of a veal it was an art. I really do not know much about beef butchery.
Buen libro! un saludo 🙂
thank you for sharing this. I just started eating more beef (instructed by my doc), so I definitely need this book. I’m pretty hopeless when it comes to the different cut of meat.
Oh, I want this book! After butchering a side of mangalitsa last year and learning charcuterie, this is 2012’s bible. Thanks for the most helpful review, Nelly!
My idea of beef cutting is asking the butcher to do it for me. Maybe I need this book. 🙂
are you giving the book away? huh Huh? I wanna win. What’s the secret word? 🙂 This looks like a fantastic book! I need it. Need it I tell ya. Happy Saturday to my favorite Dominican on the planet. xoxo
I have a lot to learn when it comes to the art of beef cutting. I will definitely check out this book.
My grandfather was a butcher. He owned a little country grocery store which included a “meat counter” in the back where he did all the butchering from meat grown and raised on his farm. I’m not sure I could tackle butchering myself, but if I did I’d need a great guide like this book for help. Thanks for the review!
🙂