Side by side
Chuck
Neck & shoulder · paleron · aguja
A bundle of working muscles running from the shoulder into the neck. The grain is coarse and it carries a lot of connective tissue, but simmer it long enough and that tissue melts into gelatin and gives you the deepest broth on the animal. It is also the standard cut for thin-sliced barbecue.
Look for even red muscle with minimal white sheets of membrane running through it. Heavily seamed pieces are better bought for stew.
Head & cheek
Cheek · joue · carrillera
The cheek chews for a living, so its collagen is packed unusually tight. It is the paradox cut: the longer you cook it, the more tender it gets, and cultures from Spain to Japan prize it for exactly that.
Good cheek is tight-grained and still springy; avoid pieces that feel slack or look dull.
Which one to buy
- Better forChuck : Head & cheek
- BraisingAbout the same88 : 85
- Soups & stewsChuck80 : —
- GrillingChuck55 : —
- Pressed & slicedHead & cheek— : 80
- Boiled & slicedHead & cheek— : 60
Other comparisons
All cuts
Beef Primals
Chicken Portions
Bluefin Tuna Cuts
Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.