Understanding Stew Meat

A package marked “stew meat” does not always tell you which cut of beef is inside. That matters because different cuts bring different levels of tenderness, fat and beef flavor to the finished dish.

Chuck Stew Meat

Chuck is one of the classic choices. It has more grain, connective tissue and fat than round and develops rich beef flavor during slow cooking.

Round Stew Meat

Round is much leaner and can work well when you prefer a leaner stew.

Sirloin

Sirloin is generally more tender than round or chuck and can be useful when you do not need the long cooking time traditionally associated with chuck.

Which one should I buy?

For richer beef flavor: chuck. For a leaner stew: round. For greater tenderness: consider sirloin.

Ask Which Cut Your Stew Meat Comes From

Once you know the cut, you have a much better idea of how it will cook.