Side by side
Short plateFlank
Tenderness
58
54
Marbling
80
66
Umami
88
86
Price
64
60
Short plate
Short rib · plat de côtes · costillar
The muscle between the ribs, built in thin alternating layers of fat and lean. On a grill it throws off more aroma than any other cut, because the fat drips into the fire and comes back up as smoke.
High heatCrisp outside, soft inside
Look for a cross-section where fat and lean stack in clear layers rather than one thick fat seam.
Flank
Bavette · vacío · Flanksteak
Abdominal muscle with a coarse but remarkably consistent grain. That consistency is the whole trick: slice it thinly against the grain and a tough cut becomes dramatically tender.
High heat, briefMedium
The grain should run clearly in one direction, and the silverskin should already be trimmed away.
Which one to buy
- Better forShort plate : Flank
- GrillingAbout the same95 : 88
- BraisingShort plate50 : —
- Stir-fryFlank— : 70
- FajitasFlank— : 65
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.