There are dozens of beef cuts these days, but only a handful of beef cooking methods that can be used for each cut. Pairing the right cooking method with the right cut is the best way to ensure that your beef remains tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked every time!
Do you like to cook beef or do you find it intimidating? When we talk to new customers, we often hear concerns over cooking unfamiliar cuts of beef. This always surprises us because cooking beef is often easier than cooking other meals. All you have to do is pair the right cooking method with the right beef cut. It’s literally that easy.
In this post we outline the beef cooking methods — slow cooking methods and fast cooking methods — and the different beef cuts that are best for each method. We hope these cooking tips are helpful! We hope these cooking tips are helpful!
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Comparison Chart of Cooking Method to Beef Cut
| Retail Cut | Primal Cut | Flavor and Tenderness | Best Cooking Method | Alternate Names (US & Int’l) | Best Cut for… | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuck Roast | Chuck | Rich, beefy, can be tough if not slow-cooked | Braising, slow cooker, roasting | Shoulder roast (US), Braising Steak (UK) | Budget friendly family meals | $ |
| Flat Iron Steak | Chuck | Flavorful | Grilling, pan searing, stir fry | Top blade steak (US), Butler’s Steak (UK) | Steak lovers on a budget | $$ |
| Ground Beef | Chuck / Trimmings | Versatile | Any (burgers, tacos, etc) | Mince (UK / AUS) | Everyday meals | $ |
| Short Ribs | Chuck / Plate | Flavorful, can be tough if not cooked correctly | Braising, smoking, slow cooker | Flanken ribs, Kalbi (Korean) | BBQ | $$ |
| Ribeye Steak | Rib | Very tender, juicy, heavy marbling | Grilling, broiling, pan-searing | Scotch fillet (AUS), Delmonico Steak, Rib Steak (when bone is attached) | Steakhouse experience | $$$ |
| Prime Rib Roast | Rib | Juicy, tender, rich | Roasting, holiday centerpiece | Standing rib roast | Special occasions, holidays | $$$$ |
| Strip Steak | Short Loin | Tender, beefy flavor | Grilling, broiling, pan-searing | Kansas City Strip, NY Strip, Top Loin, Hotel Steak, Club Steak, Sirloin (UK) | Classic steak lovers | $$$ |
| Filet Mignon / Tenderloin Steak | Short Loin | Most tender cut, mild flavor | Grilling, pan-searing, broiling | Filet Steak (UK), Filet (FR) | Fine dining, splurge steak | $$$$ |
| T-Bone Steak | Short Loin | Combo of strip and filet, tender | Grilling, broiling, pan-searing | Porterhouse (if larger filet portion) | Steakhouse cut | $$$$ |
| Sirloin Steak | Sirloin | Lean, moderately tender, flavorful | Grilling, broil, pan-sear, stir-fry, kabobs | NY Sirloin, Shell Sirloin Steak (with the bone) | Balanced option for flavor + value | $$ |
| Tri-Tip Roast/Steak | Sirloin | Juicy, beefy, moderately tender | Grilling, broiling, pan-searing | Bottom sirloin roast | BBQ, Grilling | $$ |
| Round Roast (Top/Bottom) | Round | Lean, firm, less tender | Roasting, stew/braise, slicing thin, deli meat | Rump roast (UK), Silverside (AU) | Budget friendly roast | $ |
| Eye of Round Steak / Roast | Round | Very lean, tough | Braising, roasting | Beef silverside (UK) | Thin-sliced roast | $ |
| Flank Steak | Flank | Lean, beefy | Grill, broil, stir fry | London broil (US), Bavette (FR) | Fajitas, Stir-fry, healthy meals | $$ |
| Skirt Steak | Plate | Bold flavor, less tender | Gril, pan sear, stir-fry, marinate | Fajita steak | Fajitas, tacos, carne asada | $$ |
| Hanger Steak | Plate | Tender, very flavorful | Grilling, pan-searing | Butcher’s steak | Foodies, steak lovers | $$ |
| Brisket (Flat/Point) | Brisket | Flavorful, tough, fatty | Smoking, braising, slow cooker | Packer brisket | BBQ, holidays | $$ |
| Osso Bucco | Shank | Tough, Collagen-rich | Braising, soup, stew | Shin (UK), Osso Bucco (IT), Crosscut Shank (US) | Soup, broth, budget | $ |
| Stew Meat | Trimmings (Chuck/Round) | Varies | Braising, slow cooker | Beef cubes | Budget-friendly, one-pot meals | $ |
| Kabob Meat | Trimmings (Sirloin/Round) | Lean, firm, chunks | Grilling, skewers | BBQ and grilling | $ |
Dry Heat vs. Moist Heat Beef Cooking Methods
Before we dive into each individual cooking method, let’s first talk about the two main categories: dry heat and moist heat. Dry heat cooking uses hot air to conduct the heat around the beef. Think roasting, broiling or sautéing. Moist heat cooking is any method that involves cooking with moisture, like braising or stewing.
Braising
When you hear the term braising, think of a slow cooking Sunday pot roast.
Braising is a moist heat beef cooking method. The braising cooking technique that uses lower temperatures and longer cooking times, which helps tenderize tougher cuts of beef like chuck beef roast, short ribs and brisket.
It is great for anyone who is extremely busy or beginning cooks. They require very little hands-on time, work best with less-expensive cuts of beef, and the results always turn out great.
The term braising may be new to you, but you’ve probably done it before. With braising, you briefly sear beef at a high temperature, and then transfer the beef to a covered pot. You can use a slow cooker, dutch oven, or any other large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Slow cookers are our personal favorite appliance for this cooking technique.
Stewing
Like braising, stewing is a moist heat cooking method. The biggest difference between the two techniques is that braising is for large cuts of beef (like a roast) and stewing is for beef that is cut into pieces (think of stew meat). In addition, with stewing, the liquid will entirely cover whatever beef dish you’re making. With braising, you’ll only have a little liquid in your pot.
The best cuts of beef for braising or stewing are cuts that are from hard-working muscle groups because they usually have more marbling. These cuts are traditionally known to be tougher, but they become extremely tender cuts of beef when cooked low and slow.
Baking
You may not think of baking when it comes to meat, but it does happen occasionally like when you’re making a casserole. Baking is done in an oven and uses either a covered or uncovered pan.
Baking and roasting (see below) are similar, but the difference between the two is in the temperature and initial texture of the food. Generally, baking is done at lower temperatures (375 degrees and lower) and is with foods without much structure (think casseroles or cookie dough). Roasting is done with higher heats (400 degrees or higher) and is with foods with a definite structure (think meat and veggies).
Broiling
Broiling is upside-down grilling indoors. Broiling is a high-temperature beef cooking technique where beef is cooked ABOVE the beef. Broiling beef is great because it takes minimum time, it’s easy to do with any oven, and it results in great flavor.
Broiling works well with the same cuts of beef that grilling works with: steaks, burgers, and thin cuts like skirt steak.
When you broil steak, set your oven for broil and preheat for about 10 minutes. Your oven should be hot before you start cooking the meat. The length of time to broil beef will vary based on the cut’s thickness, similar to when cooking on a grill. For a ¾-inch steak, it will take about 10 minutes to broil it to medium doneness.
Grilling
Grilling doesn’t need much of an explanation. It’s a dry-heat cooking method that can use high, medium or low heat. The heat source can vary from cooking food over hot coals in a charcoal grill or a gas flame in gas grills.
A variety of cuts can be cooked on a grill from steaks to burgers to roast. The best steaks for grilling are ribeyes, strip steaks, t-bones and porterhouse.
One of the biggest secrets of grilling is to give your grill plenty of time to heat up. An easy test for checking how hot your grill is to put your hand just above the grill rack, and see how high you can count. If you can put your hand close to the grill and count to two…one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi…the heat is high. If you can get to 4 or 5 seconds, the heat is medium high. If you can count to 6 to 8, it’s medium high heat. If you count to 9-10, it’s medium-low, and counting to 11 or higher means it’s low heat.
Our favorite cuts for grilling are hamburger and steaks. Here’s how to choose the best cut of steak.
Roasting
Years and years ago roasting would have meant using a spit-roast and cooking a part of an animal over an open flame. Today, you can avoid the open flame and use your oven.
Roasting is a dry-heat cooking technique that uses either high temperature or a combination of high and low. The high temperature is what gives the beef the brown exterior, and the low temperature is what cooks it to the proper doneness level.
The secret of roasting is using a high heat to brown the exterior of the meat for a savory, browned crust. But, you have to be careful that you don’t roast it so much that the meat dries out. One of the ways to get around having dry beef is to use a baster to keep the meat moist while it’s roasting.
With roasting, the beef cut counts. The best cuts for roasting are tender, like loin or sirloin. One of our favorite cuts to roast is a Sirloin Tip Roast. Also, make sure you season the beef before roasting. For example, a salt and pepper rub will give the roast a very rich flavor compared to no rub at all. Last but not least, you’re going to want to use a meat thermometer when roasting. The outer crust on meat when roasting can be deceiving. Using a meat thermometer will help ensure you don’t overcook your beef.
Pan Frying
Pan-frying is another quick technique for cooking beef, and we often use it when making a quick steak dinner. It uses a moderate amount of oil in a pan to cook food over medium heat. Pan-frying is ideal for cooking thicker cuts meat. Use this method when you want do develop a flavorful crust on the outside while keeping the interior juicy.
This is a great method to use cooking steaks to medium-rare or medium doneness. Some of our favorite cuts of beef to pan-fry are Ribeye Steak, New York Strip Steak and Filet Mignon.
With this technique, a cast-iron skillet is very helpful. Place the meat in the pan. When you do, the oil will sizzle. If it doesn’t sizzle, the pan isn’t hot enough. If the oil starts to pop too much, you can turn the heat down to a medium-high heat. The meat will take approximately 2-3 minutes to cook on each side. Once it’s cooked, you’ll remove the meat from the pain. If you want, you can also use some of the browned bits left in the skillet to make a delicious pan sauce for your beef.
Stir Frying
Stir-frying is one of our favorite methods of cooking beef. It results in quick, healthy meals that are easy to prepare and full of vibrant colors and flavors. This is a fast-paced cooking method that uses very high heat, a small amount of oil, and continuous movement in a wok or skillet. The goal is to cook thin slices of beef quickly, preserving tenderness while achieving a slight char.
The hallmark of stir-frying is constant stirring, which ensures even cooking and prevents burning. Our favorite beef cuts for stir-frying are flank steak, sirloin tip steak and skirt steak. Common ingredients for stir-frying include a variety of vegetables, such as bell peppers, broccoli, and snow peas.
Sauteing
Sauteing is like stir-frying but uses lower heat and often incorporates ingredients that take longer to cook. Sauteed beef is great for one-pan dishes like pepper steak, beef stroganoff, and beef fajitas. Favorite beef cuts for sauteing include top sirloin steak and flat iron steak.
Barbecue
Barbecuing is a slow-cooking method that uses low temperature, indirect heat, and smoke to break down the tough connective tissues in meat. This method is perfect for large, tough cuts that require time to become tender.
Because it uses smoke, barbecuing works best on a charcoal grill. The best cuts for barbecue are brisket, beef ribs or chuck roast. The key to this cooking method is patience — low and slow cooking ensures the best results.
Skillet
Skillet is probably one of the most common ways to cook beef, because it’s ideal for cooking ground beef. With skillet cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Then, add ground beef and cook 8-10 minutes. While cooking, break into small crumbles and stir occasionally. When finished, remove drippings before using the ground beef in recipes like spaghetti sauce, chili or tacos.
When selecting your pan, look for a thick-bottom pan that’s at least 12-inches. This size allows the beef to brown without overcrowding the pan.
Combination Skillet-to-Oven
Using a combination skillet-to-oven beef cooking methods is great for thick steaks that are at least 1 1/2 inches thick. This technique involves searing beef in a skillet to create a flavorful crust, and then transferring to the oven to finish cooking gently.
For this cooking method, we recommend using a cast iron skillet. Ribeyes, strip steaks, t-bones and porterhouse steaks are excellent steak cuts for this cooking method.
Favorite kitchen tools cooking beef:
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Blog post originally published in June 2021. Updated in 2025
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We're Matt & Jessica, fifth-generation cattle farmers & the owners of Clover Meadows Beef. Good food starts with knowing where it comes from. On our blog, you'll find easy beef recipes, cooking tips, stories of how we raise our cattle, and how to buy farm-fresh beef locally. Our goal is to make cooking beef easy so you feel confident cooking any cut of beef in your home kitchen.