The short loin section of a cow, located above the flank and opposite the lower back sirloin meat, produces some of the most legendary cuts of steak, including T-bone and filet mignon. It also produces some of the tenderest roasts, such as beef tenderloin or chateaubriand. Other sections of the cow, such as the rib and flank, also produce popular cuts of meat. Butchers and chefs must learn to properly excise and portion each section for different culinary directions.
Located just above a cow’s flank, opposite the lower back sirloin meat, is the prized short loin section. Butchers and chefs regularly cut this midsection into some of the most legendary cuts of steak, from T-bone to filet mignon. This meat derives its tenderness from the fact that it comes from some lower back muscles that probably weren’t used that much by the cow – the upper loin and the culinary delights of the tenderloin.
Many early steaks come from the short loin. Named after the New York club that made it famous in the 19th century, the Delmonico, or club steak, is derived from this section. So do the T-bone and the Porterhouse, in that order, down the spine. The plush mignon and New York strips also come from the short loin. Along with the rib section just ahead of it, short loin is one of the so-called medium-sized cow meats that are prized for being underweight and lightly marbled.
This section also produces some of the tenderest roasts, literally called beef tenderloin or chateaubriand. These often contain meat from both the short loin and sirloin. When sliced, this cut also makes filet mignon.
Elsewhere in the short loin section is the area known as the top loin, which also produces steaks. This section is responsible for the Delmonicos and the steaks. Another product from this cut of beef is T-bone steak. T-bones are a cut style from this area; another is the porter, which was named after an early 19th-century British porter owner.
Butchers and chefs must learn to properly excise and portion numerous sections, or primary, of the cow, each typically going in a slightly different culinary direction. One example is the well-crafted round section, or rump, just behind the sirloin and steak sections of beef, which is usually used for ground beef and roasts. Opposite the short loin is the rib section, which produces prime rib, short ribs, and ribeye steaks. Below that is Flank, which also produces steaks and small roasts. The rest of the main sections include from front to back the points of the chest, plate and hip as well as the muscle spindle section of the neck and shoulders.
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