Flat iron steak

A flat iron steak is produced from a whole oyster blade by removing all of the connective tissue and silver skin. It can be easily portioned into two or three ready to use steaks. Flat iron steaks are suited to grilling or pan frying. These steaks are often seen in restaurants and steakhouses in the US where they are popular because they are lean and tender. If the oyster blade has some marbling, the steak will be even juicier and more flavoursome.

Point end brisket

Brisket is full flavour cut that lends itself to many international cuisine styles from Japanese to United States barbecue. This cut performs best with some fat left on, so don’t trim the product completely. For best results remove the thin red muscle known as ‘red bark’ if it’s present on the external surface. The recommended cooking method is slow cooking or sliced thinly in no more than 2cm slices.

Bolar blade

The bolar blade is prepared from the blade, otherwise know as the clod. It is made up of several muscles which have layers of fat and connective tissue within them. If roasting this cut, leave some fat cover to maximise juiciness and flavour. If thin slicing it for pan frying you need to separate the muscles and remove all connective tissue. To produce paper thin slices, partially freeze and slice thinly on a slicing wheel. This flavoursome cut is suited to various cooking methods including grilling, roasting, slow cooking, and schnitzels. It’s great for classic pot-roasted dishes like the French beef bourgignon.

Flank steak

A flank steak is a single muscle cut from the flank primal which is beneath the loin and in front of the back legs. It is further prepared by stripping away the membrane and connective tissue to leave a flat, coarse grained muscle with fibres that run lengthwise. It’s a very versatile cut of meat with a coarse grain that makes it perfect for marinating because the meat fibre is very porous, yet firm enough to ensure the meat won’t collapse while marinating and subsequent cooking.

Information courtesty of Meat and Livestock Australia