A Guide to Stew Meat: 6 Cuts of Beef for Stew Meat

Stew meat is a phrase used to describe meat that is cubed, diced, or cut into chunks that is then cooked in stew dishes. Stew meats can come in a variety of different beef cuts, such as round, chuck, or sirloin cuts.

Stew meat is cooked into a stew by adding it to a liquid broth to simmer for a long period of time on low heat. Stewing meat with a long cooking time makes the stew meat soft, fork-tender, and flavorful.

The best cuts of stew meat are lean with a high concentration of collagen-rich connective tissues—such as chuck or shoulder cuts—that also have some fat marbling for flavor. Lean cuts of meat come from parts of the animal that have lots of muscle, like the legs. During the long cook time used to make stews, proteins in the connective tissues break down into a gelatin that keeps the meat moist and tender.

Tender cuts of meat, like ribeye or beef tenderloin, are better for grilling or braising on a stovetop on medium-high heat for short periods of time. Because they are already soft, cooking tender cuts for long periods of time will dry out the meat and make it too chewy.

The best beef stew meat recipes will use stew meat from tough cuts of meat with high-fat content for a rich flavor. There are many cuts of beef you can choose from for your beef for stew ranging from cheap to more expensive:

1. 1. Round: Round cuts of beef are taken from the rear legs of the cow and are generally very tough with relatively low fat content. You will often have the choice between a top round or bottom round cut. While both are great for stews, bottom cuts are tougher and better for slow cooking. Round roasts are a very popular choice for stew meat for their low cost.
2. 2. Chuck: Chuck meat is taken from the shoulder and is one of the most popular choices for stew meat due to its high toughness and medium fat content. Beef chucks are usually large cuts of meat and are only a little more expensive than a round roast. They’re often called chuck roasts since they are popular for making chuck pot roasts.
3. 3. Sirloin: Sirloin cuts are taken from the back of the cow. The sirloin cut falls somewhere in between a chuck and round roast in terms of toughness and fat content, and they will often be somewhat more expensive.
4. 4. Brisket: Brisket cuts are taken from the breast or chest of the cow and are typically inexpensive. You can use a whole brisket for a stew, or you can choose between flat and point cuts. The point cut will have a better ratio of tough tissues and fat content and will be better for stewing than the less fatty flat cut.
5. 5. Bone-in short rib: Short ribs are from the underbelly of the cow and are usually sold with the bone in. They have a rich flavor with a good balance of toughness and fat, though they are often expensive.
6. 6. Oxtail: Oxtail cuts are a very tough cut of meat taken from the tail of the cow. They have a very high fat content and the gelatin from the bone makes them delicious, but they are often expensive due to their low availability.

Most beef stew recipes begin by coating stew meat with all-purpose flour, then giving it a short sear (also called a braise) in a pan with olive oil to brown the outer edges of the meat. The stew meat is then added to a broth and simmered on low heat in a dutch oven, slow cooker, or pressure cooker for a long period of time. There are many variations on stew dishes you can make at home:

1. 1. Beef stroganoff stew: This Russian dish cooks stew meat in a rich beef stock broth with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and mushrooms and is often served with egg noodles.
2. 2. Beef bourguignon: Also called beef burgundy, this dish cooks stew meat in a red wine broth with veggies like carrots and onions. Beef bourguignon is often served with green beans or mashed potatoes.
3. 3. Chili: A spicy stew often made with chili peppers, tomatoes, and kidney beans. While it’s common to make chili with ground beef, using stew meat gives chili a full and flavorful taste.
4. 4. Irish stew: A traditional Irish dish that can be made with beef or lamb. The meat is then stewed in a beef broth with potatoes, onions, parsnips, black pepper, and carrots.

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