Beef Leg (2024)

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Cooking Tips Other names FAQs

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Though in theory Beef Leg is any of the 4 legs of a cow, in practice, it refers to either of the back two legs of the cow. If the front legs are meant, the term “shank” is used instead. Sometimes, you will see a Beef Leg referred to as a “shin.”

Beef Leg is a cheaper cut of beef used for braising and in stews.

It has a good deal of connective tissue in it that breaks down into a superbly flavour gelatin when cooked.

It is usually sold sliced, with the bone in the centre, and with marrow in the centre of the bone.

Chop the meat up to use, but add the bone to the dish for the added flavour and then remove before serving.

The marrow can be just cooked in the stew, or if you have enough slices giving you enough marrow to bother with, you can cook it separately.

Sometimes Beef Leg is sold with the bone removed.

Cooking Tips

A whole shin can also be roasted very slowly in the oven.

Other names

German: Rindfleisch Keule


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Beef Leg (2024)

FAQs

What is beef leg called? ›

Beef Shank comes from the upper leg portion of the cow. Since this is a very well exercised part of the body, the meat is lower in fat and tends to be sinewy and dry. Shank is more often used as an ingredient or component than as a stand-alone beef dish. It is often used for beef stocks and to make low-fat ground beef.

Is beef leg meat good? ›

Beef leg is very similar to beef shin and is a great cut for slow-cooking. When cooked low and slow the meat becomes tender and full of flavour. Most commonly, beef leg is used to make soups, stews and broth.

Is beef leg steak tender? ›

The most tender cuts of beef, like the rib and tenderloin, are the ones farthest from the horn and hoof. The toughest areas of the animal are the shoulder and leg muscles because they are worked the most.

What cut is leg steak? ›

Leg steaks come from the leaner part of the leg and can come either 'bone-in' or boneless. The bone-in steaks are cut from the centre of the leg, where as the boneless steaks are cut from the leg without bone. If you want a premium leg steak then ask your butcher to cut your leg steaks from the topside.

What is the toughest beef cut? ›

Shank. Shank is arguably the toughest, cheapest cut of beef. Located in front of the brisket at the cow's forearm, this beef cut is notable for its sinewy dryness. Due to its lack of popularity, shank is not typically found in retail stores.

What is the most expensive cut of beef? ›

A5 Japanese Kobe Beef

What is this? Japanese Kobe steak is one expensive meat. In fact, it's usually considered the most expensive steak in the world, although prices vary by location, restaurant, etc. In fact, Japanese Kobe is often hailed as having the best marbling of any steak that your money can buy.

Do people eat cow leg? ›

Yes, there called beef shanks in the US. The beef shank is the shank (or leg) portion of a steer or heifer . In Britain the corresponding cuts of beef are the shin (the foreshank), and the leg (the hindshank).

What is the tastiest cut of beef? ›

These cuts—ribeye, New York strip loin, and filet mignon—can certainly be dubbed the best, and few will disagree. “Filet is the most tender cut, but has the least amount of flavor. Ribeye is the most flavorful, but the least tender of the three, and New York is in the middle.” Flannery explains.

What is the toughest steak to eat? ›

With the cow, the short loin, rib, and sirloin are more tender than cuts from the belly. The chuck, round, brisket, and shank are tougher yet.

Is beef leg tough? ›

The most tender cuts of beef, like the rib and tenderloin, are the ones farthest from the horn and hoof. The toughest areas of the animal are the shoulder and leg muscles because they are worked the most.

What cut is a tomahawk steak? ›

What Is a Tomahawk Steak? A tomahawk steak is basically a ribeye beef steak, but different, because at least five inches of rib bone is left intact. The extra-long bone is French trimmed, a culinary technique also used to give a rack of lamb its unique shape.

What do Americans call rump steak? ›

The British and Commonwealth English "rump steak" is commonly called "sirloin" in American English. On the other hand, British "sirloin" is called short loin or "porterhouse" by Americans.

What part of cow is filet mignon? ›

Filet mignon is a lean, tender cut of beef from the small end of the tenderloin, which is located near the spine of the cow. The tenderloin is the most well-known muscle on a cow, and is also the most tender. It's often considered the best-tasting part of a cow.

What is another name for a cow leg? ›

Cow foot is also called cow legs or bokoto in Nigeria. This cow leg recipe can serve as an alternative to cow leg pepper soup and you can adjust the chilli to your own taste.

What can I use instead of beef leg? ›

Conclusion. To wrap it up, there are several substitutes for beef shank that you can use in your recipes. The top 5 choices are chuck roast, brisket, short ribs, skirt steak, and oxtail. While these options may all be different, they will help you create a tasty meal without anybody noticing that you used a substitute.

What are the cuts of meat from the leg? ›

Leg & Shin - Generally sold as stewing steak it is best suited for long, slow cooking to breakdown the high proportion of connective tissues and denser fibres, it also makes for thick sauces and gravy. Brisket - usually sold 'boned and rolled', and sometimes salted.

What is beef leg bone? ›

The femur & humerus bones are large bones from the leg that exude flavor and gelatin when slow-simmered to produce stock. These beef bones are sold center-cut, so that the marrow is exposed to produce richer stocks for sauces, soups, braises, etc.

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