Beef Cuts Explained
Ask The Farmers — straight answers from Michael & Carolyn Emeny, 4th-generation Mudgee farmers and owner/operators of Mudgee Meat
A beast breaks down into four main sections — the chuck and blade (shoulder), the rib and loin (where the premium steaks come from), the rump and round (the rear leg), and the brisket, short ribs and shin (the slow-cook cuts) — and every one of those sections ends up somewhere in a Quarter or Half Side pack, which is exactly why one box gives you scotch fillet, rump, roasts, mince and osso bucco rather than just the popular bits. We're Michael and Carolyn Emeny — 4th-generation farmers from Mudgee in the NSW Central Tablelands, and the founders of Mudgee Meat. Our butchers break down hundreds of beasts a year in our own Mudgee facility, so we know exactly what each cut is, where it comes from on the animal, and what to actually do with it. Here's every cut explained in plain English — what it is, where it's from, how to cook it, and what it costs whether you buy it in a Quarter Side or on its own — answered the way we'd tell a mate over the farm gate.
The four sections of a beast, in plain English
Every cut has a home on the animal, and knowing which section it comes from tells you almost everything about how to cook it. Cuts that do more work (the shoulder and legs) are tougher and want low, slow cooking. Cuts that do less work (the back, away from the legs) are naturally tender and suit quick, high-heat cooking.
- Chuck and blade (shoulder). Hard-working muscle, full of flavour, needs low and slow cooking or a bit of tenderising to shine. This is where BBQ blade steaks, boneless blade steaks and a good share of diced beef and mince come from.
- Rib and loin (the back). The section that does the least work, which is why it's the most tender — this is where scotch fillet, eye fillet, T-bone, porterhouse and sirloin all live, and why they're the cuts that suit a hot grill and a short cook time.
- Rump and round (the rear leg). A mix — rump is tender enough for the BBQ, while round steaks, topside and silverside are leaner and better suited to a roast, a slow braise, or being sliced thin.
- Brisket, short ribs and shin (the underside and legs). Working muscle with plenty of connective tissue, which is exactly what makes them so good low and slow — braised, smoked or turned into osso bucco.
What's actually in a Quarter or Half Side, cut by cut
Our Yearling Beef Quarter Side (minimum 18kg, typically 20kg, $479) and Half Side + Whole Eye Fillet (minimum 36kg, typically 40kg+, $895 — literally double the Quarter Side, plus a whole eye fillet) both follow the same spread across the animal. Here's what every cut in the box actually is:
- Scotch fillet — from the rib section, this is the classic marbled steak: tender, rich and forgiving on the grill. Also sold whole as a roast.
- T-bone — a cross-cut from the short loin that includes both the eye (sirloin) and the fillet (tenderloin) on either side of the bone, so you get two textures in one steak.
- Porterhouse (sirloin) — the loin muscle off the bone: firmer texture, fuller flavour, leaner than scotch fillet.
- Rump — from the hip, a genuinely versatile cut: good as a steak, sliced for a stir-fry, or cubed for kebabs. Great value for the flavour it carries.
- BBQ blade and boneless blade steaks — from the shoulder. BBQ blade has a seam of connective tissue that breaks down beautifully with a low, slow cook; boneless blade is trimmed cleaner and cooks a bit quicker.
- Round steaks — from the rear leg, lean and firm; best sliced thin, marinated, or slow-cooked rather than grilled hard and fast.
- Osso bucco — cross-cut shin, bone-in, built for one job: a long, slow braise until the marrow and connective tissue turn silky.
- Rolled roast, topside roast, silverside roast — all from the round, lean roasting cuts that reward a low oven and a rest before carving. (Prefer more steaks to the topside roast? Swap it for minute steaks at checkout.)
- Diced beef — trimmed from wherever it's needed to fill out the pack, ready for a curry, stew or pie.
- Premium mince and sausages — made from trim across the whole beast, not offcuts from one spot.
- Whole eye fillet (Half Side pack only) — the tenderloin, the leanest and most tender cut on the animal, sold whole so you can portion it however you like.
That's the whole animal, not a curated handful of the popular bits — which is exactly why a Quarter or Half Side works out cheaper per kilo than buying premium steaks on their own (more on that below).
Prefer to buy a specific cut on its own?
Every cut above is also available individually from our Choice Cuts collection, priced per kilo unless noted, with a $160 minimum order across the site:
| Cut | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Scotch Fillet | $55.95/kg | Min 1kg |
| Eye Fillet Steaks | $39.95 per 500g pack | Trimmed 30–35mm |
| Eye Fillet Whole | $48.95, sale $41.95 | Whole tenderloin |
| T-Bone Steak | $37.95/kg (reg. $39.95) | ~500g each, 2 per vac bag |
| Porterhouse Steak | $39.95/kg | ~250g each |
| New York Cut Sirloin Steak | $39.95/kg | ~300g each |
| Rump Steak | $36.95/kg | |
| Rump Cap | $38.95 | The picanha — whole, score and grill |
| Bass Strait Rump Steak | $42.95 | From our partner producer |
| OP Rib Eye | $49.95 | |
| Wagyu Minute Steaks | $29.95 | Grass-fed and grass-finished, not grain-fed |
| Wagyu Beef Brisket | $39.95 | |
| Beef Short Ribs | $34.95 | |
| Diced Beef | $28.95/kg | |
| Corned Beef | $29.95 |
Prices move, so check the Choice Cuts page for the current figure before you buy.
Two of these also come with a dry-aged option: our T-Bone Steak and New York Cut Sirloin Steak can both be upgraded at checkout to our Reserve range — 28-day dry-aged, trimmed thicker at 35mm — for anyone after that deeper, more concentrated flavour.
If you want the whole-animal spread of premium cuts without committing to a Quarter or Half Side, The Muster ($334, 11kg) is built around whole primal cuts for people happy to do their own portioning: whole scotch fillet (1.5kg), whole sirloin (1kg), rump cap (1.2kg), beef short ribs (2kg), beef brisket (2kg), diced beef (1.2kg) and premium mince (2kg) — restaurant-quality cuts at a price built for the volume, not the popularity of any one steak.
How the pricing actually compares
Buying by the individual cut is where the real cost of a "handful of popular steaks" shows up — and it's the clearest way to see why a whole-animal pack costs less per kilo. Both Our Cow and ButcherCrowd sell individually-priced cuts, though ButcherCrowd's cut pricing only appears once you've chosen a box size (Small, from $169, up to 6kg; or Large, from $279, up to 11kg) — these are top-up prices within that box rather than a standalone purchase, and their eye fillet is an add-on item not included in a standard box. Here's the straight per-kilo comparison:
| Cut | Mudgee Meat | Our Cow | ButcherCrowd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotch fillet | $55.95/kg | $77.98/kg | $73.30/kg |
| Eye fillet | $79.90/kg | $97.53/kg | $91.00/kg (add-on item) |
| Rump | $36.95/kg | $57.98/kg | $41.71/kg |
| Sirloin (Porterhouse/New York) | $39.95/kg | $68.98/kg | $56.86/kg |
| T-bone | $37.95/kg | $49.07/kg | not offered |
We come out cheapest on every one of these five cuts.
Either way, buying any premium steak by the individual cut is always going to cost more per kilo than buying the whole animal — that's just what a Quarter Side, Half Side or The Muster fixes: you're not paying a premium for someone to pick out only the popular bits, order after order. Every cut above is also available from us as a standalone purchase, no box required.
Which way to buy suits you
- Want the whole spread at the best per-kilo price: the Yearling Beef Quarter Side or Half Side — every cut above, portioned once.
- Want premium whole cuts and happy to portion them yourself: The Muster — restaurant-quality cuts at a bulk price.
- Just want one specific cut for a specific meal: Choice Cuts — every cut above, sold individually.
Still not sure which cut suits what you're cooking? Ask us. We answer our own emails — it's a family business, and that's rather the point.
FAQ
What's the difference between a T-bone and a porterhouse?
A T-bone is a cross-cut from the short loin that includes both the sirloin (the "porterhouse" side) and the eye fillet (tenderloin) on either side of the bone. A porterhouse steak on its own is just the sirloin muscle, off the bone.
What cuts are in a Quarter Side of beef?
A minimum 18kg (typically 20kg) Quarter Side includes scotch fillet, T-bone, porterhouse and rump steaks, BBQ blade and boneless blade steaks, round steaks, osso bucco, a rolled roast, a topside roast, a silverside roast, diced beef, premium mince and sausages.
What's the most tender cut of beef?
The eye fillet (tenderloin), from the rib and loin section that does the least work on the animal. It's also the leanest premium cut.
What's the best-value beef cut?
Rump is the standout for flavour-to-price: it's tender enough for the BBQ but costs meaningfully less per kilo than scotch fillet or eye fillet, and it's versatile enough for a steak, a stir-fry or kebabs.
Which beef cuts are best for slow cooking?
Osso bucco (shin), brisket, short ribs, and BBQ blade steak — all from the hard-working sections of the animal, full of connective tissue that turns tender and flavourful with a long, low cook.
Does Mudgee Meat offer dry-aged beef?
Yes, on two cuts — our T-Bone Steak and New York Cut Sirloin Steak can both be upgraded at checkout to our Reserve range, 28-day dry-aged and trimmed thicker at 35mm.
Is it cheaper to buy a whole quarter side or individual steaks?
Individual premium cuts always cost more per kilo than buying the whole animal, because you're only paying for the popular bits rather than the full spread. A Quarter Side works out at roughly a third of the per-kilo cost of buying scotch fillet or eye fillet individually.
Does Mudgee Meat sell individual cuts, or only whole-animal packs?
Both — every cut in our Quarter and Half Side packs is also sold individually through our Choice Cuts range, so you can buy just a scotch fillet or a rump steak if that's all you need, with no box or minimum spend required beyond our standard $160 site-wide order minimum.
Can I buy a T-bone steak from ButcherCrowd or Our Cow?
Our Cow do stock a T-Bone Steak, priced higher per kilo than ours (~$49.07/kg vs our $37.95/kg). ButcherCrowd don't currently offer T-bone or an equivalent at all. T-bone is a standard inclusion in every Mudgee Meat Quarter and Half Side pack, and is also sold individually through our Choice Cuts range.
Michael & Carolyn Emeny are 4th-generation farmers from Mudgee, NSW, and the founders of Mudgee Meat. Their family has farmed the Central Tablelands for over a century. Since 2012 they've delivered grass-fed beef and lamb, paddock-raised pork and bulk packs — butchered in-house and sourced direct from trusted Australian farmers — to families across Australia. Got a question for the farm gate? Ask the Farmers.