When most people walk into a butcher shop, they walk out with familiar cuts: ribeye, filet mignon, sirloin, or pork chops. But ask an old-school butcher what they’d personally take home, and you’ll quickly learn that there’s an entire world of lesser-known cuts, tender, flavorful, and often more nutrient-dense, that rarely make it to the front case.
These are the “butcher’s cuts”, pieces historically kept aside for the skilled hands breaking down the carcass. They’re prized not only for their taste but also for their unique nutrient profiles, affordability, and connection to the whole-animal tradition that modern industrial meat production has almost erased.
Let’s explore ten of these special cuts, why they matter, and why you might want to add them to your carnivore lifestyle.
1. Hanger Steak (“Butcher’s Steak”)
The hanger steak has long been called the “butcher’s steak” because butchers used to keep it for themselves instead of selling it. It “hangs” from the diaphragm of the steer, and there is only one per animal. This scarcity explains why it’s often overlooked by large retailers.
- Flavor & Texture: Deep, beefy flavor, slightly coarse texture, best cooked medium-rare.
- Nutrient Profile: Rich in iron and vitamin B12, making it a powerhouse for energy metabolism and red blood cell formation.
2. Flat Iron Steak
Cut from the shoulder (chuck), the flat iron was once considered unusable because of a tough connective tissue seam running through it. Skilled butchery reveals a tender, marbled steak that rivals ribeye in flavor but comes at a fraction of the cost.
- Flavor & Texture: Extremely tender, highly marbled, versatile in cooking.
- Nutrient Profile: High in protein and zinc, supporting immune health and wound healing.
3. Oyster Steak
The oyster steak is a hidden gem located near the animal’s backbone, nestled by the hip bone. There are only two small oyster steaks per carcass, which is why most people have never even heard of them.
- Flavor & Texture: Small, round, and intensely beefy.
- Nutrient Profile: Nutrient-dense, with high levels of creatine and amino acids critical for muscle function.
4. Tri-Tip
Once a butcher’s secret in California, tri-tip is now slowly gaining fame. This triangular cut from the bottom sirloin offers both tenderness and rich flavor.
- Flavor & Texture: A hybrid between steak and roast; great grilled or smoked.
- Nutrient Profile: Leaner than ribeye but still satisfying, with high selenium content for antioxidant defense.
5. Bavette Steak (Flap Steak)
The bavette, or flap steak, comes from the bottom sirloin and is sometimes confused with flank steak. Butchers traditionally saved it for fajitas, stir-fries, or marinated grilling.
- Flavor & Texture: Loose grain, soaks up marinades well, deeply beefy.
- Nutrient Profile: High in niacin (vitamin B3), important for cellular energy metabolism.
6. Chuck Eye Steak
Often called the “poor man’s ribeye,” the chuck eye comes from the same muscle group as the ribeye but is located closer to the shoulder.
- Flavor & Texture: Nearly identical flavor to ribeye at a lower price point.
- Nutrient Profile: Excellent source of heme iron, the most bioavailable form of dietary iron.
7. Skirt Steak
Skirt steak comes from the diaphragm muscle and is one of the most flavorful cuts on the cow. Butchers often saved it for themselves because of its robust flavor and quick cooking time.
- Flavor & Texture: Long, thin, loose-grained, intensely flavored. Best cooked hot and fast.
- Nutrient Profile: Packed with iron and phosphorus, supporting both oxygen transport and bone strength.
8. Denver Steak
Relatively new to the mainstream, the Denver steak comes from the chuck underblade. It was identified during the “Beef Checkoff” project, which sought to find new cuts of meat from underutilized primals. Butchers, however, had already been enjoying it quietly for years.
- Flavor & Texture: Tender, with rich marbling; excellent grilled.
- Nutrient Profile: High in glutamine, an amino acid important for gut health.
9. Teres Major
The teres major is a small muscle from the shoulder clod, one of the few muscles in the shoulder that isn’t used heavily, making it surprisingly tender.
- Flavor & Texture: Comparable tenderness to filet mignon but more affordable.
- Nutrient Profile: Provides high levels of protein and B-vitamins for neurological health.
10. Tongue (Beef Tongue)
While not technically a steak, beef tongue is a butcher’s favorite because of its unique texture, fatty richness, and cultural significance in cuisines worldwide.
- Flavor & Texture: Rich, fatty, and tender when braised or slow-cooked.
- Nutrient Profile: High in fat-soluble vitamins and collagen, supporting skin, joint, and connective tissue health.
Why Butchers Guard These Cuts
- Scarcity: Many of these cuts exist in very limited quantities per animal, sometimes just one or two.
- Flavor: The flavor intensity often exceeds popular cuts like tenderloin.
- Tradition: Butchery has deep cultural roots, and these cuts connect the butcher directly to the animal.
- Nutrient Density: From iron to creatine to collagen, butcher’s cuts pack nutrition that supports strength, energy, and vitality.
In the era of industrial meat production, most consumers never see these cuts because they’re either ground into hamburger or sold quietly to restaurants. Rediscovering them means reconnecting with a more nose-to-tail way of eating, a cornerstone of nutrient-dense, sustainable carnivore living.
Cooking Tips for Butcher’s Cuts
- High Heat, Quick Cook: Cuts like hanger, skirt, and bavette benefit from quick searing over high heat.
- Slow and Low: Cuts like tongue or teres major reward slow cooking, braising, or smoking.
- Slicing Matters: Always slice across the grain on loose-grained cuts like bavette or skirt to maximize tenderness.
- Minimal Seasoning: Because these cuts are naturally flavorful, simple salt and pepper often suffice.
The Carnivore Connection
In a carnivore lifestyle, nutrient density and bioavailability are paramount. Butcher’s cuts provide an edge over conventional supermarket choices because they maximize value, variety, and nutrients while aligning with ancestral traditions of whole-animal eating.
By exploring these “hidden gems,” you’re not only diversifying your carnivore plate, you’re honoring the wisdom of generations of butchers who knew which cuts truly mattered.
Conclusion
The next time you visit your butcher, ask about these lesser-known cuts: hanger steak, flat iron, oyster steak, tri-tip, bavette, chuck eye, skirt steak, Denver steak, teres major, and tongue. Each offers a unique flavor experience, nutrient profile, and culinary history that enriches your carnivore journey.
Butchers knew all along that the best parts weren’t always the most expensive or the most famous. They were the cuts worth keeping.
Ready to Take Your Carnivore Lifestyle Further?
Discover the science, tradition, and practical strategies behind nutrient-dense, meat-based living in my new book:
📖 The Carnivore Lifestyle
In it, you’ll find:
- How to source the best cuts (and why butchers prize them)
- The science of nutrient bioavailability in animal foods
- Practical tips to thrive on a meat-based diet
👉 Get your copy today on Amazon and start reclaiming your health, strength, and vitality with the wisdom of nose-to-tail eating.
References
- National Institutes of Health (NIH). Iron and health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. National Academies Press, 2001.
- Brosnan JT, Brosnan ME. “Creatine: endogenous metabolite, dietary, and therapeutic supplement.” Annu Rev Nutr. 2007;27:241–61.
- Rayman MP. “Selenium and human health.” Lancet. 2012;379(9822):1256–1268.
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements. National Academies Press, 2006.
- Hallberg L, et al. “Bioavailability of heme iron in humans.” Nutr Rev. 1997;55(6):193–202.
- Heaney RP, et al. “Phosphorus nutrition and bone health.” J Nutr. 2001;131(4):1142–1146.
- Newsholme P. “Why is L-glutamine metabolism important to cells of the immune system in health, postinjury, surgery or infection?” J Nutr. 2001;131(9 Suppl):2515S–2522S.
- Kennedy DO. “B vitamins and the brain: mechanisms, dose, and efficacy—a review.” Nutrients. 2016;8(2):68.
- Proksch E, et al. “Oral supplementation of collagen peptides and skin health.” Nutrients. 2014;6(10):3446–3456.
- Davis JL, et al. “Nose-to-tail eating and the nutritional value of lesser-known animal parts.” Food Rev Int. 2020;36(6):603–618.
