Salt and Limes

Muscles and Meat

Pop quiz-

Do you know what part of the pig bacon comes from?

Do you know which muscle your favorite steak is made of?

Here is a list of some common cuts of meat and their anatomic correlations.

Bacon or Belly is composed of anterior abdominal wall subcutaneous fat and three muscles-

Transversus abdominus (deepest layer)
Internal oblique (middle layer)
External oblique (superficial layer)

Bacon is differentiated from Belly by the typical absence of overlying skin or dermal layer.

bacon


Brisket is composed of two muscles-

Pectoralis minor (also known as the "tip") is the smaller section shown below.
Pectorals major (also known as the "flat") is the larger and longer section shown below.


Filet Mignon / Tenderloin is the Psoas major muscle.


Flank steak is composed of three muscles-

Transversus abdominus (deepest layer)
Internal oblique (middle layer)
External oblique (superficial layer)


Hanger / Butcher's steak is composed of the diaphragmatic crura.

The crura are the relatively small and thin portions of the diaphragmatic muscle that attach the inferior aspect of the diaphragm to the anterior aspects of the L1-L2 (left crus) and L1-L3 (right crus) vertebral bodies. The right cruz is slightly larger than the left.

Crus is the Latin word for "leg".

It is named hanger because it literally "hangs" from the diaphragm.

It is also known as the Butcher's steak because the butcher commonly kept this cut for themselves.

Hanger steak is also very traditional in Mexican cuisine, particularly in the north, where it is known as arrachera.


Kansas City Strip / New York Strip steak is composed of the Erector spinae muscles.

The Erector spinae can be subdivided into 3 separate muscles-

Iliocostalis muscle- Most lateral
Longissimus muscle- In between
Spinalis muscle- Closest to the spine/ spinous process and most medial.


Porterhouse steak is composed of the Erector spinae muscles and the Psoas muscle. In other words, it is a KC or NY Strip combined with a large Filet mignon.

It is differentiated from the T-bone steak by being cut from a lower section which has a larger filet mignon (Psoas).

The Erector spinae (strip portion of the steak) can be subdivided into 3 separate muscles-

Iliocostalis muscle- Most lateral
Longissimus muscle
Spinalis muscle- Closest to the spine/ spinous process and most medial.


Prime Rib and Ribeye are composed of the same 2 muscles.

The difference is that a Prime rib is a larger cut of meat or roast taken from the level of the 6th -12th ribs.

The Ribeye is typically a single serving of steak without the attached bone / rib.

Longissimus muscle (The inner round portion or "eye")
Spinals dorsalis (the outer crecenteric portion)


A Skirt steak is composed of the diaphragmatic muscle.


A T-bone steak is composed of the Erector spinae muscles and the Psoas muscle. In other words, it is a KC or NY Strip combined with a small Filet mignon.

It is called a T-bone because of the T shape of the bone (spinous process, transverse process and pedicle).

It is differentiated from the
Porterhouse steak by being cut from a higher / more cranial section which has a smaller Filet mignon (Psoas).

The Erector spinae (strip portion of the steak) can be subdivided into 3 separate muscles-

Iliocostalis muscle- Most lateral
Longissimus muscle
Spinalis muscle- Closest to the spine/ spinous process and most medial.


A Tritip steak is composed of the Tensor fasciae latae muscle.



For a more interactive tutorial on muscles and meat with cross sectional images please visit our other website www.xradiologist.com by clicking here.



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