Your guide to the best cuts of beef
Enjoy the versatility of beef in everything from stir-fries and casseroles to burgers and curries. Use this guide to learn about various cuts of beef, how to cook the perfect steak, and discover great cooking tips and superb recipes.
Best cuts of beef steak
Steak perfection starts here! Find your ideal cut for grilling with our guide to the best beef for your barbie.
Scotch fillet steak
A premium cut that’s tender, juicy and full of flavour. Look for pieces with marbling, which helps keep the steak moist when cooking.
Porterhouse
A popular choice for the barbecue, it’s firmer than scotch fillet and delivers a rich and juicy flavour. Also ideal for pan-frying and chargrilling.
Rump steak
Great value and a family favourite, this boneless cut from the hindquarter boasts full flavour and versatility. Best cooked on a griddle pan or barbecue.
T-bone
This cut is usually reserved for the barbecue or chargrill pan because of the bone running through the middle - it provides a sturdy handle to grab the steak and flip it. It’s tender and rich in flavour.
Best cuts of beef for roasting or slow cooking
Discover the perfect cut for your slow cooker. From succulent Sunday roasts to tender pulled beef sliders, there's a cut for every slow cooking craving.
Chuck steak
Great for slow cooking or diced for a full-flavoured casserole, curry or beef ragu.
Bolar blade roast
A juicy, full-flavoured roast that’s great value and easy to cook. Rub with spices before roasting or serve with gravy for extra flavour. Try this cut as a delicious slow-cooked roast.
Brisket
A hearty cut best suited to smoking or low-and-slow roasting with spices such as paprika, cumin or pepper. Perfect for making pulled beef or served alongside mashed potatoes and veggies.
Beef recipes
Beef slow cooking recipes
Perfect beef cuts for weeknight meals
Simplify dinner with these easy-to-cook beef cuts. Perfect for busy weeknights, these versatile options will please everyone at the table.
Sizzle steak
Cooks in about 60 seconds, which makes it the perfect cut for quick weeknight meals such as tacos or delicious steak sandwiches with dollops of chutney.
Oyster blade
A tender cut that is rich in flavour and best to thinly slice and use in stir-fries, bowls or cook on the barbecue. After grilling, rest for 10 minutes, then thinly slice and serve.
Mince
An economical and versatile family favourite, mince is perfect for spaghetti bolognese, burger patties, meatballs, sausage rolls, burritos and even salad.
Sausages
Good value and easy to cook on a griddle pan or barbecue. Great for weekend sausage sizzles or quick weeknight dinners.
Dice or gravy beef
An economical cut that’s great in casseroles and curries, such as beef rendang.
Stir-fry strips
The perfect choice for easy and fast cooking, this cut is great for beef stroganoff, as well as Asian-inspired dishes, such as black pepper beef or beef stir-fry.
Weeknight beef recipes
Steak cooking tips
To cook steak, use a heavy-based frying pan, chargrill pan or barbecue.
When cooking steak, turn only once and do not pierce the meat so the juice remains locked in.
Limit the number of steaks on the barbecue. Overcrowding reduces the heat distribution and prevents steaks from cooking evenly. Add a restaurant-style touch by serving steak topped with herb butter.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use the finger test. Using the image as a guide, touch different fingers to your thumb and press the fleshy part at the base of your thumb to gauge the tenderness of the steak. This will tell you how cooked your steak is.
Beef cooking tips
- Bring beef steaks to room temperature before cooking. Cold meat cools the pan, causing the steak to stew rather than sear.
- If you prefer a leaner cut of beef, trim all visible fat before or after cooking, or look for the Woolworths Heart Smart meat range.
- Braising helps to tenderise tough cuts of beef such as chuck steak, brisket and rump steak.
- Any beef stew leftovers can be used as filling for pie.
Storage tips
Use a cooler bag: Carry your beef home from the supermarket in a cooler bag and put it in the fridge straight away or use immediately.
Store fresh beef in the refrigerator: The ideal temperature is 4°C to 5°C.
Place beef on bottom shelf of fridge: Avoid any drip onto other foods and separate raw and cooked meat into different compartments.
Always check use-by dates: Your beef may still look and smell fine after its use-by date, but we only recommend eating it prior to the use by date.
