Israeli beef cuts explained; no more freezing hands.

Finally! After all the guessing and examining and asking and hand-freezing while trying to figure out, I just received an email with a few ways to figure out the Israeli meat-cut system.

A Yahoo group called Israel Food compiled a list as seen below. The blogger at Israel Easy took it a step further here. And finally, for Hebrew speakers, this explanation with cow diagram is a great education.

Israel Food’s guide to Israeli beef cuts:

#1 in Hebrew: אנטריקוט – Entrecote, Steak Ayin, Vered Hatzela.
Ynet says for steaks and roast beef.
JP says suitable for roasting and grilling.
Known in the U.S. as rib and in the U.K. as forerib.

#2 in Hebrew: צלעות עורף – Rifaan, Tzlaot.
Ynet says for cooking in sauce, roasting in a net, for cholent and for grinding.
The JP says suitable for slow-roasting, e.g. pot roast and braising.
Known in the U.S. and U.K. as chuck or blade, in France as basse-cote.
Make great goulash with this cut.

#3 in Hebrew: חזה – Brust, Chazeh.
Ynet says for pot roast, oven roast, soup, goulash and pickled meat (corned beef?).
The JP says it’s the favorite cut for salt/corned beef, known as brisket or front poitrine.
Cheap here, lean and delicious after being roasted in a slow oven for a few hours.

#4 in Hebrew: כתף מרכזי – Katef, Katef Mercazi.
Ynet says for pot roast, cooking in sauce, goulash and grinding.
The JP says pot roast and braising, known as rib or back rib in the U.S. and U.K.
Plates de cote to the French.

#5 in Hebrew: צלי כתף – Tzli, Tzli Katef.
Ynet says for pot roast, cooking in sauce.
The JP says the same as for #4.
This is a great piece for slow roasting at low temp.

#6 in Hebrew: פילה מדומה – Falshe, Fillet Medumeh.
Ynet says for pot roast and cooking in sauce.
The JP says nothing but that it’s good for the same as #4 and #5.

#8 (or 7) in Hebrew: אוסובוקו/שריר הזרוע – Polo (folo?), Shrir Hazroa or simply Shrir
Ynet says for goulash, soup, cholent; with a bone -osso bucco.
The JP just says suitable for soup.

#9 in Hebrew: אסאדו – Shpundra, Kashtit. (top rib)
Ynet says for cholent, goulash and soup; with a bone – assado and spare ribs.
The JP says for using in soups or boiling, known variously as flank, poitrine or short plate.

#10 in Hebrew: צוואר – Tzavar.
Ynet says for goulash, soup and grinding.
The JP says suitable for soup.

#11 in Hebrew: סינטה – Sinta, Moten.
Ynet says for roast beef and steaks.
The JP says suitable for roasting and grilling.
Known in the U.S. and U.K. as sirloin or porterhouse and in France as contre-fillet.

#12 in Hebrew: פילה – Fillet.
Ynet says for steaks and carpaccio.
The JP says simply “hard to find”, suitable for roasting and grilling.

#13 in Hebrew: שייטל – Shaitel, Kanaf Haoketz.
Ynet says for shnitzel, steak, skewering and oven roasting.
The JP says suitable for roasting and grilling.
JP says cuts 13/16a are known in the U.S. are the round, in the U.K. as rump and in France as romsteak.

#14 in Hebrew: אווזית – Katchke, Ovazit (sp?).
Ynet says for goulash, pot roast and grinding.
The JP clumps together 14, 15 and 16 and says suitable for braising.

#15 in Hebrew: צ’אך – Chuck, Yarcha.
Ynet says for pot roast.
JP says suitable for braising.

#16 in Hebrew: כף – Kaf.
JP says suitable for braising.
Ynet says for steak, shnitzel and roast.

#17 in Hebrew: פלדה – Plada, Kislayim (sp?).
Ynet says for rolada, goulash and grinding.

#18 in Hebrew: שריר אחורי – Poli, Shrir Achori.
Ynet says for goulash, soup and cholent.

#19 in Hebrew: ויסבראטן – Weisbraten, Rosh Yarcha.
Ynets says for pot roast.


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Comments

10 responses to “Israeli beef cuts explained; no more freezing hands.”

  1. sansoucy Avatar

    Mmm, I love meat, especially steak or filet mignon! Do you have any mad cow disease scares with meat in Isreal?

  2. eliesheva Avatar

    To date, I don’t think we’ve had one yet… Fingers crossed. The truth is, a lot of our beef comes from Ireland, as weird as that sounds: There isn’t much room to graze cattle here… They do most chicken and turkey farming.

    I was in Dublin once for a weekend and I stayed by the head rabbi of Dublin. He told me that most of Israel’s beef is raised (and made kosher) there. Who would of thought?

  3. jayrusalem Avatar
    jayrusalem

    I’m a BIG fan of braising, but it’s pretty funny that the majority of these cuts list slow-cooking or braising. It’s often the safe bet because it “melts” down the toughness. OTOH, some really don’t do as well. Listing SO many as ideal is just a cop out :-)

  4. MamaT Avatar
    MamaT

    This info very helpful. Thanks.

  5. Reb Mordechai Avatar

    Please could you add the names of the beef cuts in Hebrew letters so that we can look for the exact thing in the supermarket. Thanks. Shanah Tova.

  6. elie Avatar
    elie

    @Reb Mordechai – done!

  7. Z Avatar

    Check out this web app explaining the Israel beef cuts and what they map to, with an interactive map – omgbeef.com

  8. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    Thanks! Such a helpful and still so very relevant post! :-)
    Any chance this can be bumped to raise the following question: does anybody have any great Crockpot recipes for specific cuts? Goulash stew or a #2 cut or some good asado recipes? :-)
    Assuming this thread’s still alive that is ^_^

    1. liz Avatar

      Alright! I’ll do what I can!

      1. Mike Avatar
        Mike

        Thanks! :D

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