What is Silverside Beef? A Guide to This Versatile, Flavorful Cut

Silverside is a remarkably versatile cut of beef from the hindquarters that deserves more time in the spotlight. While not as well known as loin or rib cuts, silverside offers great taste and texture when properly prepared. This guide will cover everything you need to know about silverside beef including where it comes from, how to cook it, and some tasty recipe ideas.

What Part of the Cow is Silverside?

Silverside comes from the back end of the animal, from the top portion of the hind leg above the round primal. It sits between the sirloin primal and the thick flank.

Specifically, silverside is cut from the biceps femoris muscle of the hind leg. This is a large, lean muscle that gets good exercise, so the meat has robust beefy flavor and firm texture.

The name “silverside” refers to the silvery connective tissue membrane that runs along one side of the cut. This membrane needs to be removed before cooking as it is too tough to eat.

Buying and Preparing Silverside Beef

When shopping for silverside, look for a even shape with a thin layer of exterior fat. The meat should be bright red with some marbling visible. Plan on around 1 pound per person.

Before cooking, trim off any excess fat or silver membrane. Silverside can be roasted whole or cut into smaller steaks perfect for braising or grilling.

How to Cook Silverside Beef

Silverside is nicely suited to moist, slow cooking methods that break down its muscular texture into fork-tender meat:

• Pot roast: Season a 2-3 lb silverside roast and brown on all sides. Braise with vegetables and liquid for 2-3 hours until fall-apart tender.

• Oven roast: Roast smaller 1 lb silverside joints covered at 300°F for up to 2 hours until a meat thermometer reads 145°F.

• Simmer: Cut silverside into chunks to use in long-cooked stews, chili or curries.

• Grill or broil: Slice silverside into 1-inch steaks. Grill over high heat for 3-5 minutes per side for medium rare doneness.

Silverside also shines when corned or cured into deli-style pastrami or salt beef. It’s the cut of choice for making corned beef brisket.

Try These Tasty Silverside Beef Recipes

• Classic Yankee-style New England Boiled Dinner with corned beef, potatoes, carrots, cabbage.

• Italian Beef Sandwiches layered with tender roasted silverside, peppers and cheese.

• Asian 5-Spice Braised Silverside for pulled beef tacos or lettuce wraps.

• Grilled Silverside Steaks with chimichurri sauce for hearty backyard BBQ fare.

• Hearty Beef Stew using cubed silverside braised with red wine, herbs and vegetables.

• Reuben Sandwich with stacks of pastrami-style cured silverside, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and dressing.

The Takeaway on Silverside Beef

Silverside may not be a household name, but this flavorful and versatile beef cut deserves a turn in the spotlight. With its lean yet tender meat, silverside excels in braises, stews and when cooked low and slow. Seek it out for big, beefy flavor in recipes from corned beef to grill-ready steaks. Ask your butcher for silverside or purchase online from quality beef suppliers. Once you try it, silverside is sure to become a regular star of your dinner table.