Small cuts means a big price.

As I learnt the craft of butchery it became quite apparent the tenderness cuts of meats were only a small part of any animal.  Even today the small cuts are the most costly part of our efforts in food cost control. Also within our efforts to contain costs, a quarter of an ounce mistake on a ten ounce steak would be a costly error either way.  What is needed to prevent these mistakes is a basic knowledge of meat cutting, let’s identify the small cuts starting with the whole tenderloin. Or the PSMO. When cleaned the small cuts are as follows.

The Tenderloin:

Filet mignon or the tail: Used in such dishes as Stroganoff, Bolognaise.

Tournedos: the classical small steaks used in many dishes such as, Vert Pre, Rossini,

Filet: Filet steaks the most expensive Steak.

Chateaubriand: Normally roasted and served to two people with a bouquetiere of vegetables

The Strip lion; some times referred to as the sirloin is cut into center cut steaks.  When roasted it is call the contra filet de beuf 

The T bone steak in England is defined as a steak cut through the bone with the thin end of the filet attached, and weighs a pound or less.

Porterhouse Steak: normally weighs 24 ounces traditionally used as a bonus to the porters in the meat markets for their hard work.  In England, this steak given out on Friday as a bonus.

Lamb and Veal loins and chops

Both the lamb and veal racks have the chime bone removed then the blade bone removed and frenched.  Clean the rib bones by removing the a joining tissue between the bones Each can be cut into chops Veal chops usually weighs between eight and ten ounces where as the average lamb chop weighs about 4 ounces but can be cut into a double chop eight ounces in weight which is known as a Barnsley chop.  Other lamb chops such as chump chops cut from the end of the rack are more popular in Europe then in the US.

From the both loins we can cut the Noisette  and the Rosette both can be tied and are the basis of many classical dishes such as Noisette or Rosette Dubarry, Princess, and Parisienne.

Cutlets are referred to chops cut through the bone of the loin.

 *The chump chop is normally cut at either end of the rack and  were called as the poor mans chop in England a chump was someone who was ignorant and did not understand the quality of the meat. In most case it was better braised the grilled.