Plate Primal

The short plate primal is a medium-sized portion of the beef forequarter, separated from the rib primal. It doesn’t yield many cuts, but the ones it does have are usually tender, well-marbled, and full of flavor. They’re also easy for butchers to work with.

Beef cuts from the short plate primal usually fall in the medium to high price range. One of the most popular cuts is the plate short ribs and skirt steak, especially the outside skirt, which is known for being more tender and flavorful than the inside skirt. You’ll also find the hanger steak here, a seriously underrated piece that’s tender, juicy, and packed with deep, beefy flavor – it’s the cut that hangs near the diaphragm, right along the upper belly.