Bone-in rib of beef, marbled ribeye steaks and a tied roast laid out on the butcher's marble counter

Meat guide · Beef

Beef, cut by cut

From neck to tail, beef offers some thirty cuts with very different personalities. This guide explains the main families of French butchery cuts, how to cook them and which dishes suit them. It is editorial: to know what is at the counter today, browse the shop or call us.

Understanding the cuts 03 73 93 88 22

Editorial guide: the cuts described here are those of French butchery in general. They do not necessarily match what is at the counter today, and no prices are shown. For a specific cut, call us.

Understanding the cuts

From the front to the back of the animal, each region gives cuts with a different character. Tap a region to filter, then a card for details.

Front to back

Which cut for which dish?

Choose the cooking method first: the right cut follows.

Long and low, in liquid: gelatinous cuts turn melting.

A little history

Beef in French cooking

Beef sits at the heart of French cooking, from the family pot-au-feu to large grilled joints for celebrations. French butchery is unusually detailed: it distinguishes some thirty cuts by tenderness and use, which is what allows every part of the animal to be cooked to its best.

Burgundy gave its name to the country's best-known braise, boeuf bourguignon, born where the region's cattle farming met its red wines. The Nivernais, around Nevers, is historically a land of Charolais cattle rearing.

The so-called slow-cooking cuts — neck, chuck, shoulder, silverside, cheek — were once the most common on French tables. Cooked long and gently, they give melting dishes with sauces naturally bound by collagen.

Recipes