44 BULLETIN 1246, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
beef trade in any appreciable quantity. They are thin and relatively 
broad. All rib bones are prominent, and usually hard and flinty. 
There is a total lack of both outside and inside fat. The flesh is 
uniformly coarse, dark, and tough. The proportion of bone is un- 
usually high. A small percentage of plates and briskets of this grade 
is boned and rolled, and sold fresh, but the bulk is corned and sold 
as barreled beef. 
No. o. or Gutter, and No. 6. or Oanner, beef plates and briskets. — 
Plates and briskets of these grades are seldom sold as fresh beef. 
The total lack of fat and the low percentage of flesh generally make 
them uneconomical as fresh beef. The flesh is very unattractive. It 
is exceptionally dark, very coarse, and generally tough. Practically 
all plates and briskets of these grades are boned for sausage at the 
packing plants, and a relatively small percentage is corned and sold 
as low-grade barreled beef. 
Beef flanks. — The flank is a boneless cut taken from the hind- 
quarter just below the loin and in front of the round. Under the 
Chicago method of cutting, it represents about 3^ per cent of the 
weight of the side. Flanks are rarely sold separately, and for that 
reason separate descriptions of the various grades have been deemed 
unnecessary. Many are sold with the loin or round, according to 
trade customs at the different markets. When so sold, they fall into 
the same class and grade as the main cut to which they are attached. 
Naturally there are variations in the quantity and quality of both the 
flesh and fat. according to the grade. 
Flanks from Xo. 1, or Choice, and Xo. 2. or Good, carcasses are 
thick and well covered with fat of excellent quality. Except for 
I he flank steak, which represents about 17 per cent of the flank, and 
a small quantity of lean trimmings, the cut is composed almost 
entirely of fat, which decreases in quantity with each grade down- 
ward. The flank steak, which is almost entirely lean meat, has 
a light or medium red color, but is rather coarse-grained and often 
tough. When properly prepared, it makes a desirable steak or roast. 
Flanks from low-grade carcasses have only a scant covering of 
fat. this usually showing a yellowish tinge. The steaks are thin, 
dark, coarse-grained, and tough. 
Beef shanks. — Except when otherwise specified, the term "shank " 
refers to the cut from the forequarter. Hindshanks usually arc 
sold as a part of the round and seldom, if ever, are offered separately. 
Foreshanks represent 4 per cent of the carcass when cut according 
to the Chicago method. Shanks from Good. Choice, and Prime 
carcasses have a thin covering of white fat next to the shoulder, 
which diminishes sharply toward the knee. All lower grades have 
no t*;it covering. The flesh is usually coarse, and the color varies 
according to the grade of the carcass. In the same carcass, however, 
ii i- darker than in the better cuts, such as rib and loin. The flesh 
from -hanks is used principally for stews and hamburger steak; 
a No to some extent as son}) stock. The bone is used extensively for 
soup stock. 
Beef kidney knobs. — The kidney knob is attached to the inner 
surface of the loin, covering the tenderloin or " fillet." and includes 
i he kidney and the suel or fat surrounding it. It is generally sold 
wiih the hindquarter or untrimmed loin. Kidney knobs are not 
-(►hi as such to the retail trade, the kidnevs being removed and sold 
