American cuts · USDA
American beef cuts
79 cuts across 12 primals, in their native american naming.
Anatomy and naming
The american carcass
American beef butchery is the most globally exported cut vocabulary on the planet. The USDA primal system divides the carcass into eight large cuts (chuck, rib, short loin, sirloin, round, brisket, plate, flank, plus the shank), and each primal is broken down into the retail cuts most American shoppers recognize: ribeye, strip steak, tenderloin, T-bone, sirloin, brisket, flank steak, skirt steak, short rib.
The USDA grading system rates carcass quality on marbling and maturity at the ribeye cross-section between the 12th and 13th ribs. Prime is the top tier (about 11 percent of US production), Choice is the workhorse (about 72 percent), and Select is the leaner everyday tier (about 13 percent). Most regional cut names below are the standard US trade names; alternates from other markets are noted where they matter.
Read the USDA grading guideHover a primal below to highlight it on the chart
Grading · United States Department of Agriculture
USDA Beef Grading
USDA beef grading is the United States Department of Agriculture standard for assessing beef quality. It evaluates intramuscular fat (marbling) and physiological maturity to assign one of four primary quality grades. Prime, Choice, Select, or Standard, measured at the ribeye between the 12th and 13th ribs.
Prime
~8 to 13% IMF
Slightly Abundant to Abundant marbling. Young, well-fed cattle. The grade most often served at upscale steakhouses and butcher cases.
Choice
~4 to 8% IMF
Small to Moderate marbling. High quality, three sub-levels (Moderate, Modest, Small). The most-produced grade in the United States.
Select
~2 to 4% IMF
Slight marbling. Uniform quality, leaner. Fairly tender but may lack juiciness and full flavor.
Standard
under 2% IMF
Traces to Practically Devoid marbling. Often sold ungraded or under store brand at supermarket value pricing.
Visual factors
What graders evaluate
Marbling, the amount and distribution of intramuscular fat within the ribeye, judged against USDA reference photographs
Maturity, physiological age estimated from skeletal and lean characteristics, with younger carcasses (A maturity, ~9 to 30 months) eligible for the highest grades
Lean color, bright cherry-red is preferred; darker color suggests older animals or improper handling
Texture, fine-grained lean is associated with younger, higher-quality carcasses
External fat, color (white preferred over yellow) and firmness contribute to overall quality assessment
From a photo
How MeatGrader applies USDA Beef Grading
MeatGrader applies the same four visual factors USDA graders use, marbling, lean color, texture, and fat cap, to a retail-cut photograph rather than a chilled carcass. The model is trained on the USDA reference imagery and returns the inferred grade plus a per-factor breakdown so you can see why a given cut scored where it did. Treat the result as informed insight, not certification: official USDA grading is performed only at certified facilities by trained graders.
Read the universal four-factor frameworkCuts by primal
The full american catalogue
Tap any cut for the full guide. Cuts without a guide yet are listed as the american vocabulary.
Round
12 cutsRear leg, upper portion. Lean, full of flavor, best for roasts and slicing.
- Top Round
- Top Round Roast
- London Broil
- Rump Roast
- Rump Steak
- PicanhaSirloin cap
- CoulotteSirloin cap
- Sirloin Cap
- Top Sirloin Cap
- Top SideTop round
- Oyster Steak
- Minute Steak
Short loin / Sirloin
12 cutsThe premium steak primal. Strip, tenderloin, T-bone, sirloin all come from here.
- NY StripStrip loin steak
- Strip Steak
- Strip Loin
- Kansas City Strip
- T-Bone
- Porterhouse
- Top Sirloin
- Sirloin Steak
- Bottom Sirloin
- Petite Sirloin
- Tri-Tip
- Ball Tip
Rib
12 cutsRibeye and prime rib. The grading-reference muscle, heavily marbled, premium pricing.
- Ribeye
- Rib Steak
- Rib Eye
- Bone-in Ribeye
- Tomahawk
- Cowboy Steak
- Prime Rib
- Standing Rib Roast
- Rib Roast
- Back Ribs
- Beef Back Ribs
- Ribeye CapSpinalis dorsi
Chuck
12 cutsShoulder primal. Hard-working muscles with bold flavor; some hidden gems alongside braising cuts.
- Chuck Roast
- Chuck Eye Steak
- Chuck Eye
- Flat Iron
- Top Blade
- Denver Steak
- Denver
- Shoulder Clod
- Petite Tender
- Teres Major
- Ranch Steak
- Mock Tender
Chuck (neck)
2 cuts- Neck
- Neck Bones
Round (lower)
4 cutsBottom round and eye of round, the leanest cuts on the carcass.
- Eye of Round
- Eye Round Roast
- Bottom Round
- Bottom Round Roast
Brisket
5 cutsChest. The BBQ smoking icon. Tough until very long, very low cooking unlocks gelatin and flavor.
Plate
7 cutsBelly under the rib. Short ribs, skirt steak, hanger; rich, fatty, deeply flavored.
Fore shank
3 cutsHind shank
2 cutsTenderloin
4 cutsThe most tender muscle on the carcass. Lean, mild, premium.
Flank
4 cutsBelly behind the plate. Lean, beefy, fast-cooking.
FAQ
Common questions about USDA Beef Grading
What people ask most about how american beef is graded.
Compare
Other regions
Same anatomy, different butchery and trade names. Switch regions to see how a cut you know is sold elsewhere.
Score any american cut from a photo
Photograph the cut, choose the USDA grading frame, and see the result.