I’m definitely not the only one who struggles with using up those random packages of beef that are left in the freezer after the burger and steaks are gone. The first installment in the Cooking Through the Cow series, where we talked ’bout the finer points of beef shank was extremely well-bottom round swiss steak, which makes me even more excited to continue with the rest of the cuts. Did I ever think my path in life would lead me to be publishing articles about beef cuts? But here we are, and I can’t complain.

The Cooking Through the Cow Series. But they won’t be lingering at the bottom of the deep freeze anymore. Because we’re gonna turn them into something delicious. And today we’re talking all things Round Steak. This meat is definitely more lean and tough because the muscles in the back legs are exercised frequently.

The Beef Round is usually divided into four cuts of meat that can be sold as steaks or roasts: Top Round, Bottom Round, Eye of Round, and the Sirloin Tip. Other Names for Round Steak Round Steak can come from a variety of places on the Beef Round, which often gives it a variety of names. Top Round: Steaks from this portion are often referred to as Top Round steaks, Butterball Steaks, or Inside Round steaks and can be used in London Broil and Swiss Steak recipes. The steaks from this area are often referred to as Western Steaks, Bottom Round Steaks, or Western Tip Steaks and can be marinated, grilled, and sliced very thinly against the grain. Eye of Round: Steaks from this area of the round are called Eye of Round Steaks and can be used to make Philly Cheesesteaks among many other recipes.

It’s a little deceiving since this is a part of the Round, NOT the Sirloin. This portion of the Round can also be referred to as the Knuckle and gives us Sirloin Tip Center Steak, Sirloin Tip Side Steak, and Sirloin Tip Steak. Is Round Steak the Same Thing as Cube Steak? Sometimes folks use the terms Round Steak and Cube Steak interchangeably, which isn’t necessarily wrong, but it can get confusing.

Cube Steak refers to any cut of beef that has been tenderized with a machine. We’ll talk cube steaks in a different post! So Round Steak may or may not be Cube Steak, depending on whether or not it’s been tenderized. And a Cube Steak could be made from Round Steak, or something else entirely. The Round Steak in the above photo has been tenderized, so it’s technically also Cube Steak. Is Round Steak Easy to Find?

There are also different grades for Round Steak: Prime, Choice, and Select. Prime Round Steak is the most tender and flavorful and expensive. These cuts are usually found only in restauraunts and can be rare to find at the grocery store or local butcher shop. Choice cuts are found at most grocery stores and local butcher shops. They are leaner than Prime cuts. Select cuts are the cheapest option and are very lean and tough.