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cut of beef

cut of beef

1 2.8
A piece of beef from one part of a cow used for cooking
  • noun
  • /kʌt əv bif/
translation icon : corte de carne de res
  • For our barbecue, we decided to buy a large cut of beef to feed all our friends.
  • lean cuts of beef
  • round cut of beef
  • cheap cut of beef

Examples

  • "So I went with my mother to the commissary, and she deliberately selected the cuts of beef and other foods, and they were turned over to her.

    Academic text (1998)
  • They can send him a cold cut of beef.

  • Remember those nice, juicy cuts of beef?

  • "Besides, I won't get fat eating lean cuts of beef."

    Fiction book (1991)
  • He talked of pigs' knuckles and mushrooms and his favorite cuts of beef.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • If you want to use lean cuts of beef, steaks such as eye of round, top round, sirloin tip, and top sirloin will do the trick; these usually turn out best if they're marinated for at least a few hours prior to being grilled.

    Blog text (32)
  • When cooking, I always choose a tender cut of beef for a delicious meal.

  • The butcher recommended a marbled cut of beef for the best flavor in steak.

Synonyms

steak
vscut of beef
474 1.0

A thick slice of meat, usually beef, that people cook to eat

is the general portion from a cow rather than this cooking-ready slice
cut
vscut of beef
46 2.1

A piece of meat sliced from an animal for cooking

focuses specifically on portions taken from a cow for eating
mignon
vscut of beef
  • Specialized
18 8.2

A small, tender piece of meat often served as a special dish

is the general edible portion from a cow rather than this small delicacy
sirloin
vscut of beef
11 2.9

A cut of beef from the back of the cow often served as a steak

is the overall category covering all named portions from a cow
ribeye
vscut of beef
8 2.9

A tender cut of beef from the rib with a lot of fat and rich flavor

is the general portion from a cow rather than this named rib section
chuck
vscut of beef
  • US
7 7.0

A cut of beef from the front shoulder often used for stews

is the general edible portion from a cow rather than this shoulder area
plate
vscut of beef
  • Specialized
7 8.2

A cut of beef from the lower front part of the cow

is the general portion from a cow rather than this lower forequarter piece
cut of meat
vscut of beef
6 2.7

A piece of meat taken from a certain part of an animal

is the same idea but limited to portions specifically from a cow
flank steak
vscut of beef
4 3.2

A thin cut of beef from the lower belly with strong flavor and a chewy texture

is the general portion from a cow rather than this textured, flavorful cut
beefsteak
vscut of beef
4 1.9

A thick slice of beef you grill or fry

is the general edible portion from a cow rather than this cooked slice
beef tenderloin
vscut of beef
3 3.2

A cut of beef from the loin that is very tender and used for steaks

is the broad category for any edible portion taken from a cow
blade
vscut of beef
  • UK
3 6.5

A cut of beef from near the cow's shoulder used for slow cooking

is the general portion from a cow rather than this shoulder area cut
sirloin steak
vscut of beef
1 2.1

A thick tender cut of beef from the sirloin used for grilling or frying

refers broadly to any portion taken from a cow rather than this prime slice
beef roast
vscut of beef
1 1.3

A large piece of beef cooked in an oven and served as a main dish

is the general portion from a cow rather than this roast-sized piece
round steak
vscut of beef
  • US
1 3.1

A lean cut of beef from the back leg of a cow

is the general edible portion from a cow rather than this lean area
top round
vscut of beef
  • US
1 5.1

A lean piece of beef from the upper back leg used for roasting or thin slicing

is the general portion from a cow rather than this specific lean cut
beef loin
vscut of beef
2.8

A cut of beef from the cow's back that is tender and tasty

is the general portion from a cow rather than this specific section
beef neck
vscut of beef
2.8

A cut of beef from the cow's neck used for slow cooking and making broth

is the general portion from a cow rather than this collagen-rich neck piece

How Tender

tenderloin
  • Specialized
17 3.7
ribeye
8 2.9
sirloin
11 2.9
cut of beef
1 2.8
round
  • US
26 6.1
shank
9 5.8

Surface Forms

cut of beef singular
cuts of beef plural

Morphology

cut + of + beef

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from the constituents: 'cut' as a named portion or slice of meat, linked by 'of' to 'beef' (meat from a cow). This is a common noun + of + noun construction found across languages and follows straightforward referential composition, so a B1 learner who knows the words will understand the MWE.

Etymology

Cut of beef comes from the way butchers cut a cow into parts. A cut is literally a 'piece' from a certain part of the animal, and because each part tastes different and needs different cooking, the phrase now means a specific piece of meat.