I’ve been able to easily find the various possible cuts of beef and where they originate on the animal, however I can’t seem to find a chart showing the consequences of picking certain items.
For example, the Coulotte Steak and Coulotte Roast comes from the Sirloin area of the animal. Does choosing this cut of meat preclude me from getting Tri-Tip or Top Sirloin steak? Everything I have found so far simply lists all the possible cuts in the Sirloin area but doesn’t explain the consequences of choosing one or the other.
You should note that the names for cuts are different for different species, and vary drastically by country. Then there are some lesser-known cuts.
I’m not really familiar with coulotte, but yes, some are exclusive butchery cuts. Porterhouse/t-bone (another can of worms for naming) can’t really be done if you’ve taken that tenderloin section already. I don’t know of a full list though that would be a cool project to put together.
I think people who butcher their own beef make do with thinking through where the cuts originate on the animal and whether two cuts overlap partially or completely.
If you’re buying a side or a quarter, talk to the people who will be doing the cutting.
They’re almost certainly used to giving such advice, and to talking customers who aren’t used to doing this through the process. Also, any given butcher is going to be used to doing some cuts and not others, and to calling them by some names and not others – you might find that they’ve never heard of coulotte, either.
Here’s an excellent video going over butchering a side of beef and all the cuts that you typically get. The butcher does go over many of the options he has for selecting the cuts, but perhaps doesn’t use the terminology that are used in all areas.
A friend gives me a lamb every so often and I’ll help butcher it. Instead of “following the manual”, I mostly cut roasts that will feed two people comfortably. I mark them Lamb Roast. That and chops and I’m done.
