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RataterraFirst edition in progress

Meat

Breeds, butchery and the slow art of the braise

Every cooking tradition divides the animal differently. A French butcher's paleron, a British feather blade and an American top blade correspond broadly to the same shoulder muscle; the British sirloin and the American sirloin do not. This atlas starts with beef, compares three cutting traditions on one chart, and explains why some cuts want a hot grill and others hours in a pot.

Breed matters, but less than people think: feed, age, handling, ageing and cooking shape the meat as much as genetics. Fish and seafood have their own illustrated collections.

Explore collection ↗124 illustrations

The butcher's atlasChoose a cutting tradition, then a region of the animal. The same muscle can carry different names — and the same name can cover different muscles.Bœuf bourguignonRecipe

Breeds

53

Cut

8

The world map

All markers on the map (57)

Tip: markers are also listed below the map for keyboard and screen-reader use.