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Want to expand my list of recipes, we tend to live on chicken and mince. I've always steered clear of beef as I never knew what cuts to use, have seen recipes using braising steak, ordinary steak (sirloin/fillet) rump steak, etc

I never know which to use in a casserole for example, for steak sandwich, for beef stroganoff or beef stew.

Can someone explain which to use when as I'd like to be able to buy cuts of beef then have the knowledge to do something with it myself rather than following specific recipes iykwim.

OK, for casseroles and stews you don't need expensive cuts but you do need something with a marbling of fat. I usually use braising steak rather than stewing steak. I think its better to cut it up yourself to ensure there's no gristle rather than buy it ready cubed.

Beef stroganoff is usually made with fillet steak - its pan-fried quickly so needs to be inherently tender.

Sirloin, rib and topside are good for roasting.

Thanks will be adding braising steak to shopping list. So what about rump steak what is it used for?

Steaks
Usually just grilled IME.

If you're getting braising steak, here's what I do with it: 2lb meat, cut up, brown in batches in butter+oil; then brown a couple of onions and a few cloves of garlic. Stir in 1-2tbsp flour and about a dessert spoon of brown sugar, 1tbsp balsamic or wine vinegar, 1/2pt stock, 1/2 pt guiness (or other dark beer). Add sliced carrots if you want. Bay leaf, thyme. Cook 170C for 3 hours, pref day before eating.

Skirt is fab for slow cooked stews as is beef cheek and it's cheaper than the other cuts. Brisket is fab done in a slow cooker. Things like silverside or top side need a high heat I have found or go like cardboard if slow cooked. Shin of beef is good for stews as well.

A tip - buy from a proper butcher rather than supermarket. It is actually cheaper if you find a good butcher and it doesn't have the added water that supermarkets add. Also a local butcher will be able to tell you where the animal came from (or should do if he is good!) and the best cuts to use with what recipes and not rip you off.

In general the cheaper the cut the longer it needs to be cooked but the tastier it is.

Really nice recipe for cheap cuts of diced beef in a slow cooker is Beef Bourguignon. Beef cheek, shin and oxtail are usually very cheap and tough but lovely in rich stews.

Very expensive beef such as fillet or sirloin should be eaten as fried or grilled steak. Topside makes a nice Sunday roast and widely available in supermarkets. Roast it low temp and slow.

Didn't actually mean to ask what sirloin/fillet is used for, just listing various cuts of meat iykwim.

Although would you use sirloin/fillet for steak sandwich? Done one last wk as it was v tough so thought I probably used the wrong cut.

Thinking of getting a slow cooker actually morebeta so that's one of the reasons I'm asking. Going back to work after maternity leave so think it would be handy.

I second deardear - if you can get to a butcher at all you'll find them realy knowledgeable about their meat and you can just tell them what you're cooking and ask them what would work best. They'll cut things to the right size too, so you get less waste. It doesn't last as long in the fridge, though, so I'd try to go once a month (or more if you can) and stock up your freezer.

some butchers will do vacuum packs for you if you dont have much storage which means the packs will last longer in the fridge.