The Meat Guide

A guide to meat cuts for the Israeli kitchen — what to buy and why

Understanding Meat Cuts

Buying meat can be confusing — dozens of names for different cuts, and every butcher has names of his own. In Israel, most meat is kosher, which means we work mainly with the front part of the beef (the hindquarter cuts require complex deveining). That isn’t a drawback — the front cuts are exactly the ones that suit long braises, stews and the Israeli mangal.

Cuts for Long Cooking

Shpondra (neck) — the king of stews. Fatty, flavorful, and melts apart after long cooking. Perfect for hamin, goulash and Moroccan stews. Polke (brisket) — a flat, fatty cut, great for homemade pastrami and for the pressure cooker. Asado (short ribs) — rich in flavor, perfect for roasting in the oven or cooking in sauce. Shank (shin) — leaner, needs very long cooking but gives a deep flavor.

Cuts for the Grill

Entrecôte (rib eye) — the favorite cut for the Israeli mangal. Its marbled fat melts on the grill and gives a rich flavor. Sinta (sirloin) — leaner, so be careful not to dry it out. Perfect for medium-rare. Shoulder — an economical, excellent cut that needs to be sliced correctly against the grain. Kebab — ground meat on a skewer, an Israeli classic that needs enough fat (at least 20%).

Buying Rules

• Know your butcher — a good butcher is worth his weight in gold; he’ll know how to advise and how to cut
• Color — beef should be dark red, not brown and not light pink
• Fat — white and firm, not yellow. Yellow points to an older animal
• Marbling — the more there is, the juicier the meat will be
• Take it out of the fridge an hour before cooking — room-temperature meat cooks evenly
• Let the meat rest after cooking — 5-10 minutes, covered with aluminum foil

One last tip: don’t be afraid of cheap cuts. Shpondra and shank cost half as much as entrecôte, and in long-cooked dishes they’re better. Patience is the most important seasoning in cooking meat.