The Round Primal is one of the more inexpensive and leaner primal cuts. It is often used in ground beef, steaks, and roasts. It gets its name very simply from the cow’s “round” or rear leg. It is also sometimes referred to as the “beef hip.”
Common Cuts: Beef Round
The round itself is divided into several different cuts. Those cuts include the eye of round (an extremely lean cut that looks like a tenderloin), bottom round (often used for slow cooking), and the top round (a lean roast that is also often slow-cooked).
As you may expect, the top round comes from the top of the cow’s rear, but the bottom round actually comes from more of the center. The eye is not in between; it is parallel to the bottom round and gets its name from the elongated muscle located in the center of the round.
1/3: Eye of Round RoastBeef. It’s What’s For Dinner.
2/3: Sirloin Tip Side Steak Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.
3/3: Round SteaksBeef. It’s What’s For Dinner.
Depending on how the round is separated from the loin, it may also include the knuckle, which is known as the sirloin tip.
Round cuts dry out during dry-heating cooking methods like roasting or grilling, which is why slow cooking is the preferred method. When cooked slowly and braised, the meat tenderizes better. The cut’s lack of fat and marbling causes it to dry out.
In other nations, the round cut is one of the more popular. In many South American nations, like Brazil and Argentina, they eat a cut known as the “Picanha” or rump cap. The Picanha is a prized cut in Brazil, and there, the fat stays on until the steak has been cooked, unlike in the U.S.
Seasonal boxed beef softness does not change the tight-supply outlook — leverage remains closer to the farm gate heading into 2026.
January 07, 2026 06:00 AM
·
The U.S. Meat Export Federation plans to expand its global market presence in the New Year and says it is focusing its appeal on the growing middle class worldwide.
January 06, 2026 12:21 PM
·
Preserving equity through active risk management remains critical in a volatile, supply-driven market.
January 06, 2026 06:00 AM
·
A look at the legislative year ahead as lawmakers return to Washington with a slate of trade concerns to tackle in 2026—from new Chinese tariffs on beef imports to the USMCA review this summer.
January 05, 2026 12:20 PM
·
Shaun Haney, Host of
RealAg Radio on Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147, joined us with his 2026 cattle market outlook and insights on beef prices.
January 05, 2026 10:41 AM
·
As markets anticipate a return to normal trading following the New Year’s holiday, the possibility of the southern border re-opening to cattle is capturing much attention.
December 30, 2025 11:28 AM
December 18, 2025 11:03 AM
December 17, 2025 10:45 AM
Analysts say that while low-income households are facing financial pressures, other middle- and higher-income consumers are helping fill the gap for retail beef demand.
December 16, 2025 12:44 PM
·
