“From the Pasture to Your Plate” — Primal Cuts Page

Our Beef Cuts — From Pasture to Plate

At Luna Mesa Ranch, we don’t just sell beef — we steward the whole animal.
Every steak, roast, and package of ground beef comes from a real cow raised on open pasture, finished slowly, and processed with care.

The diagram below shows exactly where your cuts come from on the animal.

How to Read the Primal Chart

Beef is divided into large sections called primals. Each primal produces a unique set of steaks and roasts based on how much that muscle worked during the animal’s life.
Tender cuts come from the back of the animal, while flavorful slow-cook cuts come from the shoulder and legs.

🟥 Chuck (Shoulder)

Rich, flavorful, and incredibly versatile — the workhorse of the cow.

Cuts from Luna Mesa Ranch:

Chuck Steak

Arm Steak

Flat Iron Steak

Stew Meat

Best for: braising, grilling Flat Iron or Denver, slow cooking

🟦 Rib

Cuts:
Rib Eye Steaks
Rib Steaks 
Rib Roast

Best for: roasting, slicing into ribeye steaks

🟩 Short Loin

Cuts:
New York Strip
Tenderloin Filet
T-Bone Steaks

Best for: hot fast grilling, pan searing

🟨 Sirloin

Cuts:
Sirloin Steak
Sirloin Tip Steak

Best for: lean grilling, kabobs, slicing

🟧 Round

Cuts:
Round Steak

Best for: Swiss steak, slow braise, jerky

🟥 Plate

Cuts:
Skirt Steak

Best for: fajitas, fast grilling

🟪 Flank

Cuts:
Flank Steak

Best for: marinating and grilling, slicing against the grain

🐄 Whole-Animal & Traditional Cuts

We honor the whole animal by returning every usable cut.

Included with Luna Mesa beef:

Ground Beef

Soup Bones

Oxtail

Heart

Liver

Tongue

Suet (Beef Fat)

These cuts are rich in flavor and nutrition and are part of traditional nose-to-tail eating.

Why This Matters

Most grocery stores only sell about 40% of a cow as premium cuts.
At Luna Mesa Ranch, we return nearly every usable pound — because stewardship matters.