Round steaks are meat cut from the round.  They average 67 per cent. lean meat, 20 per cent. fat and 16 per cent. bone.  The round steaks contain 73 per cent. to 84 per cent. lean meat.

The rump contains 49 per cent. lean meat, the round as a pot roast contains about 86 per cent. lean meat; the largest percentage of fat is found in the rump roast.  Soup bones contain from 8 per cent. to 60 per cent. lean meat.

THE FOREQUARTERS

The forequarters of beef contain the chuck, the shoulder, clod, neck and shank.  The chuck contains 67 per cent. lean meat, 20 per cent. fat and 12 per cent. bone.  Chuck steak varies from 60 per cent. to 80 per cent. lean and from 8 per cent, to 24 per cent. fat.

The clod or bolar cut contains 82 per cent. lean meat and 5 per cent. bone.

Relatively more lean and less fat meat is found in the chuck rib roast than in the cut from the prime rib roast.

The navel, brisket and rib ends average 52 per cent. lean meat, 40 per cent. fat and 8 per cent. bone.  The brisket and navel cuts are similar in proportion, while the rib ends slightly higher in percentage of bone and less lean.

Flank steak contains 85 per cent. lean meat and 15 per cent. fat.  Shank cuts or soup bones from the shank vary from 15 per cent. to 67 per cent. lean meat and from 25 per cent. to 76 per cent. bone, while the boneless shank, used for stews, goulashes, hashes and minces, contain 85 per cent. lean meat and 15 per cent. fat.

The trimmings from the loin, in steaks reduce their weights about 13 per cent. and these trimmings average 4.6 per cent. fat and 2 per cent. bone.  Round steak is reduced about 7 per cent. in weight in trimmings, principally in fat; chuck steaks about 6-1/2 per cent., principally bone.

Rump, shoulder, pot roast and neck are all materially reduced in weight by fat and bone trimmings, the size and condition of the animal determining the actual amounts.  The actual proportion of lean meat, fat and bone in the various cuts, their relative values of economy, fixes the prices to the consumer.

Taking the cuts of meat in their right order we have: 

First, the neck for soup, stews and corning.  The cost is very low and the waste is considerable.

Second, the chuck.  This includes the entire shoulder and contains five ribs.  The first two ribs are usually sold as shoulder, roast and steak, and while they are about the same quality as No. 9, they cost considerably less.

Third, the shoulder clod.  This is part of the chuck and can be purchased in almost all markets.  The price is low and there is no waste.  It is used principally for steaks and pot roasts.  When used for steaks, score the meat well.

Fourth, shank.  According to the market price, this is the cheapest part of the beef.  However, it contains 54 per cent. to 57 per cent. waste and requires long cooking.  It is used for soups and stews.