What Is English Shoulder Roast?

An English shoulder roast is a retail cut of beef taken from the shoulder. The shoulder primal cut---one of the first big divisions taken when beef is butchered---produces all beef chuck cuts. Therefore, English shoulder roast is chuck.

Other Names

English shoulder roast might be labeled in the market as thick rib roast, bread-and-butter, Boston cut, English rib roast and cross rib roast, among other things.

Description

English shoulder roast has three short rib bones in it. It looks like and is the same cut as chuck beef short ribs.

Boneless Version

The English shoulder roast is sometimes sold without the bones. This beef is sold as either English or chuck rolled roast or chuckwagon roast.

Preparation

Chuck is a fatty, tough meat. However, the fat imparts a lot of flavor. To make the meat tender, it must be cooked using liquid---stewed or braised, for example.

Economical

Because English shoulder roast isn't the most tender cut of beef, it isn't the most expensive either. This, along with the flavor, makes it attractive to those who know how to prepare it.

References

• Cook's Thesaurus: Beef Chuck
• Chow: Beef Chuck Roasts and Steaks
• GourmetSleuth.com: A Guide To Beef Cuts with Steak and Roast Names