Here are my favorite tips for each cut that is included in a quarter cow:
Ground Beef - the options here are endless, but my favorite is to mix it 50/50 with our ground pork and make burgers
Burger Patties - This is pretty self-explanatory. My only suggestion is to add salt, as our pre-formed patties are 100% beef.
Steaks (including Tenderloin, T-bone, Ribeye, Porterhouse, and Sirloin) - all these steaks need is some salt and some grillin’. I like mine rare to medium rare, and that takes about 3 minutes per side on the grill. Even if you like them well done, you won’t want to cook them more than 5 minutes per side.
Other Steaks (Flank, Skirt, Hanger, and Flatiron) - these steaks are different. DO NOT try to cook them like the steaks above. These steaks all need to be marinated in some type of acid - that could be vinegar, wine, lime juice, etc. Marinate for several hours to overnight. Then grill to medium rare (2-3 minutes per side), and slice across the grain! This last part is most important. If you look carefully at the steak, you will see parallel lines running along it. That is the grain. Slice perpendicular to those parallel lines. When cooked and sliced like this, they are almost my favorite cuts of beef.
Short Ribs - It seems appropriate to segue to my ultimate favorite cut of all meats. Beef short ribs! These have to be cooked low and slow. The meat will slide right off the bone when properly cooked, and be super tender and rich. The simplest is to cook all day in the crockpot with some salt and red wine. But the best way is to braise them in the oven. Again, I think red wine is the best liquid, but broth or vinegar also work well.
Shanks - Now here is a cut that I honestly just thought was bad for several years before I figured out the secret. Now I love them. Again, these should be cooked low and slow in some liquid. I like to put these on the bottom in the crockpot, and then cover with root vegetables, and pour in some bone broth. They will also slide right off the bone when properly cooked. If Short Ribs are too rich for you, but Shanks are too lean, mix them 50/50. You get the best of both worlds. Here is a recipe.
Round Roast - I also used to think this was bad until I came across this key info. Just smother in salt, pepper, and garlic, and roast in a 325 oven until the internal temperature is 115 F. Seriously. I know this is pretty rare, but trust me on this one. Then let it cool for 20 minutes, and slice as thin as you can across the grain. And honestly, I think this is actually best served cold the next day, or on a sandwich with mayo.
Chuck/Shoulder Roast - These succulent cuts are best cooked low and slow so they fall apart. But you can also roast them in a 350 oven.
Stew/Kebob Beef - This is boneless, cubed meat (usually from the chuck) that either needs to be marinated or cooked low and slow (or both). If you want kabobs, marinate them and grill them. If you want beef stew, crockpot all day with some veggies.
Brisket - Corned beef is the quintessential brisket recipe, but smoked brisket smothered in BBQ sauce is my favorite. Either way, the brisket needs to be cooked low and slow.