Forgotten Cuts Worth Rediscovering
Some of the tastiest cuts are often the least well known.
Walk up to a butcher’s counter and most of us are familiar with the favourites — sirloin steak, lamb chops, pork loin or a good roasting joint. But beyond those familiar choices are traditional cuts that don’t always get the attention they deserve.
Some are rich and tender after hours of slow cooking. Others need just a few minutes in a hot pan. And some simply fell out of everyday cooking as the way we shop and eat changed.
What they have in common is flavour, character and a little more interest than the usual choices. Often, the secret isn’t choosing the most expensive cut — it’s knowing how to get the best from it.
This week in The Cooper Kitchen, we’re taking a closer look at six overlooked cuts that deserve another place at the table.
1. Skirt Steak — Big Flavour, Quick Cooking
Skirt is a long, relatively thin cut of beef with a loose, distinctive grain. It might not have the same reputation as sirloin or ribeye, but what it lacks in tenderness it more than makes up for in rich, beefy flavour.
The key with skirt is hot and fast. A very hot pan, griddle or barbecue and just a few minutes on each side is usually all it needs. Let it rest, then slice it thinly across the grain — an important step that makes a noticeable difference to how tender it eats.
Its bold flavour makes skirt particularly good for steak sandwiches, fajitas, stir-fries or simply served with chips and a good sauce.
Worth knowing: Skirt is a great example of a cut where the cooking and carving technique can make all the difference.
2. Beef Shin — Made for Slow Cooking
Beef shin is one of those cuts that rewards a little patience. It works hard during the animal’s life, which means it contains plenty of connective tissue — but given a long, slow cook, that breaks down to create beautifully tender meat and a rich, silky sauce.
It’s a brilliant choice for hearty dishes such as beef stew, casseroles, pies and slow-cooked ragù. Cooked gently with stock, vegetables and a few simple seasonings, it develops the kind of deep beef flavour that is difficult to achieve with quicker-cooking cuts.
Shin is particularly good when cooked ahead, too. Like many slow-cooked dishes, the flavours often become even better after being left overnight and reheated the following day.
Worth knowing: Don’t rush beef shin. Low heat and plenty of time are what turn this traditional cut into something special.
3. Ox Liver — A Traditional Favourite
Once a regular on dinner tables, liver is one of those traditional foods that many people have simply stopped cooking at home. Yet prepared well, ox liver has a rich, distinctive flavour and makes a satisfying meal.
It’s also naturally rich in iron, an essential mineral that helps support the normal formation of red blood cells and the transport of oxygen around the body.
The important thing is not to overcook it. Slice it fairly thinly, lightly season or dust with flour, then cook in a hot pan until browned on the outside while remaining tender inside.
The classic pairing is hard to beat: liver with slowly cooked onions, bacon and creamy mashed potatoes. Add a rich gravy and you have proper, traditional comfort food.
Worth knowing: If your memories of liver are of something dry and tough, there’s a good chance it was simply cooked for too long.
4. Pork Collar — Juicy, Rich & Versatile
Pork collar comes from the upper shoulder and neck area and has plenty of natural marbling running through the meat. That extra fat gives it excellent flavour and helps it stay beautifully juicy during cooking.
It’s also remarkably versatile. Pork collar can be cut into thick steaks for the pan or barbecue, roasted as a joint, braised slowly until tender or cooked low and slow for pulled pork.
Because of its marbling, it’s a forgiving cut to cook and works particularly well with bold flavours — mustard, garlic, herbs, smoky barbecue marinades or something sweeter such as honey all pair beautifully with it.
Worth knowing: If you normally reach for pork loin but sometimes find it a little lean, pork collar is well worth trying for a richer, juicier alternative.
5. Pork Cheeks — Small Cut, Wonderful Flavour
Pork cheeks may be small, but they’re packed with flavour. Like other hardworking cuts, they need time rather than high heat — and that patience is rewarded with meat that becomes wonderfully soft and tender.
They’re at their best slowly braised in stock, cider, wine or a rich sauce. Give them a few hours at a gentle temperature and they’ll become meltingly tender while adding plenty of depth to the cooking juices.
Serve them with creamy mash and seasonal vegetables for traditional comfort food, or pair them with cider and apples for a combination that works particularly well with pork.
Worth knowing: Don’t be put off by the name. Once slowly braised, pork cheeks can be every bit as tender and satisfying as much more familiar cuts.
6. Lamb Neck — Full of Flavour
Lamb neck might not have the instant appeal of a rack of lamb or a leg joint, but when it comes to flavour, it deserves far more attention. It’s a hardworking cut with plenty of connective tissue, making it particularly suited to long, gentle cooking.
Slowly braised, that connective tissue softens and the meat becomes beautifully tender while adding richness to the sauce around it. It’s ideal for traditional stews and casseroles, but it also works brilliantly in curries, tagines and other slow-cooked dishes.
Lamb neck pairs particularly well with rosemary and garlic, but it can also stand up to warmer spices and stronger flavours — one of the reasons it’s such a versatile cut.
Worth knowing: Lamb neck is all about giving it time. Cook it slowly and gently and you’ll be rewarded with wonderfully tender meat and plenty of rich lamb flavour.
Try It This Way: Slow-Braised Beef Shin with Red Wine & Root Vegetables
A proper slow-cooked dish for a Sunday afternoon — rich, comforting and even better with plenty of gravy for the mash.
Serves 4
You’ll need:
- 800g–1kg beef shin, cut into large pieces
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 250ml red wine
- 500ml beef stock
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper
- A little oil for browning
Method:
Heat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional.
Season the beef shin and brown well in a heavy casserole dish with a little oil. Remove and set aside.
Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook gently until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and tomato purée, then pour in the red wine and let it bubble for a couple of minutes.
Return the beef to the dish. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaf, cover and cook for around 3–3½ hours, until the beef is beautifully tender and pulls apart easily.
Taste and season before serving with creamy mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, with plenty of the rich cooking gravy spooned over the top.
Try It This Way: Honey & Mustard Roasted Pork Collar
Pork collar’s natural marbling makes it brilliant for roasting — staying juicy while developing plenty of flavour around the outside.
Serves 4–6
You’ll need:
- 1–1.2kg pork collar
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- Salt and black pepper
- 150ml apple juice or cider
Method:
Heat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional.
Mix the mustard, honey, garlic and thyme. Season the pork, then rub the mixture all over the meat.
Place the pork in a roasting dish and pour the apple juice or cider around it. Cover loosely with foil and roast for approximately 2–2½ hours, removing the foil for the final 30 minutes so the outside becomes golden and sticky.
Check the thickest part with a meat thermometer before serving — it should reach a minimum core temperature of 75°C. If it hasn’t, return it to the oven and check again.
Rest for 15–20 minutes before slicing. Serve with roast potatoes, buttery greens and the pan juices.
Try Something Different
It’s easy to fall into the habit of buying the same familiar cuts each week, but there’s a lot to be said for occasionally trying something different.
Whether it’s skirt steak cooked hot and fast, beef shin left bubbling away for the afternoon or a traditional plate of liver and onions, these cuts remind us that great food doesn’t have to begin with the most obvious choice.
And if you spot a cut you don’t recognise at your local butcher, ask about it. A good butcher can tell you how to cook it, what to serve with it and often suggest something you might never have thought to try.
Sometimes the cuts that get a little less attention are the ones most worth discovering.
