Beef

• The most tender cuts of beef come from the areas of the cow that are not surrounded by many muscles, such as rib steaks, tenderloin, T-bone, porterhouse, strip loin and sirloin steak cuts. These prime cuts are generally used to stand alone in meals alongside vegetables or potatoes. Flank steak and round steak cuts are not as tender and are often used in dishes as more of a complement to the dish, such as in tacos and stir-fry recipes.
  
  

Pork

• Pork shoulder cuts are the meat cuts that come off the shoulder of a pig and are generally prepared by roasting or braising and are served as main dishes or sliced into pieces and put in sandwiches. Pork loin cuts are from a pig's loin and are cut into rib cuts, chops, sirloin and tenderloin. Bacon is a thin slice of pig that contains portions of meat and fat. Sausage is created from ground pig meat and seasonings.
  
  

Lamb

• Lamb is most often cut into rack, shoulder, loin, shoulder, breast and leg portions. The rack cut and leg cut are generally considered the most tender and prized cuts, and are usually served on the bone. Lamb shoulder cuts come from the blade, arm and rib bones, and lamb breast cuts are generally cuts from the breast that contains ribs with layers of fat and meat.
  
  

Poultry

• Chicken and turkey cuts are generally take from the breast and thighs of the birds. The breast contains the most meat, followed by the thighs which are usually served on the leg bone. When the entire birds are cooked and served, cuts are sliced directly off the whole frame. Ground chicken and turkey meat is also often made into leaner forms of sausages and burgers.