Ever since we shared this Israel Substitution Guide, the one question we get asked all the time is how to order or find specific cuts of meat.
Understanding how to get your favorite cuts of red meat in Israel is much more difficult than looking at the number chart. The number system is how most Israelis order their meat and you can see an image like this in most markets.
Our friend, The Kosher Butcher’s Wife, from South Africa, shares this more explanatory graphic with numbers and names for most common cuts. Find her full guide kosher cuts of meat here.
For the simplest method to understanding which cut of meat to order in Israel for the specific recipe you are trying to make we turned to our friend Marc Gottlieb, he made this amazing chart to help us all buy meat in Israel easily.
This chart provides the Hebrew name, the Israel number, and the closest English equivalent for you to find the perfect cut of meat in Israel. Remember in Israel every part of the cow is used, including many organs you might have never seen before on a menu, here you can find out what the Hebrew name is for EVERY part of the cow.
| English Name of Meat | Hebrew | Name in Hebrew | Number |
| Beef Cheeks | בשר ראש | Basar Rosh | |
| Beef Tendons | גידים | Gidim | |
| Brains | מח | Moch | |
| Brisket | חזה בקר | Chazeh Bakar | 3 |
| Chuck Cover | מכסה הצלע | Michaseh HaTzlah | 7 |
| Chuck Eye Roast | ורד הצלע | Vered HaTzlah | 1A |
| Chuck Roast | צלעות, ריפען | Tzlaot, Rifaan | 2 |
| Diaphram | סרפת | Sarefet | |
| Flank Steak | פלדה, כסלים | Pladah, Kislyim | |
| Hanger Steak | נתח קצבים | Netach Kitzavim | |
| Intestines | מעיים | Ma’ayim | |
| Kidneys | כליות | Kalayot | |
| Liver | כבד | Caved | |
| London Broil | מכסה הצלע* | Michaseh HaTzlah* | 7, 16, or 17 |
| Lungs | ריאות | Rayot | |
| Minute Steak Roast | צלי כתף | Tzli Katef | 5 |
| Neck | צוואר | Tzavar | 10 |
| Oxtail | זנב שור | Zanav Shor | |
| Pancreas | לבלב | Lavlav | |
| Petit Tender | פילה מדומה | Fillet Medumeh | 6 |
| Rib, Rib eye | אנטריקוטת, סטייק עין | Entrecote, Steak Ayin | 1 |
| Rump | שייטל, כנף העוקץ | Shaitel, Kanaf Haoketz | 13 |
| Rump Cap | צ’אך | Cha’ch, Pichana | |
| Shank | שריר אחורי | Shrir Achori | 18 |
| Shin, Shank | שריר קדמי | Shrir Kidmi | 18 |
| Short Ribs, Plate | אסאדו, קשתית | Asado, Kashtit | 9 |
| Silver Tip Roast | כתף מרכזי | Katef Mercazi | 4 |
| Silverside | ראש ירכה | Rosh HaYerech (Yarcha) | 19 |
| Sirloin | סינטה, מותן | Sinta, Moten | 11 |
| Skirt Steak | חצאית | Steak Chatzait | |
| Sweetbreads | שקדים | Shkeidim | |
| Tenderloin | פילה בקר | Fillet Bakar | 12 |
| Testicles | אשכים | Ashchim | |
| Thick Flank | ירכה | Yarcha | 15 |
| Tongue | לשון | Lashon | |
| Top Sirloin | אווזית | Avazit | 14 |
| Topside | כף | Kaf | 16 |
| Tripe | קיבה | Kivah |
Scroll to continue
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Israel Substituion Guide
Editor’s intro: `A couple weeks ago we posted a Call To Cooks in Israel to help us …
Reprinted with permission from Marc Gottleib’s Culinart Kosher.
*London broil is really a method of cooking and not a cut of meat, although most kosher butchers in the U.S. sell it as a cut. Marc explains it in more detail here, the chart includes his 3 suggestions for similar cuts that can be used in the London broil cooking method.
what is the best meat for cholent?
Asado is great and has plenty of fat to cook low and slow. You can also use goulash meat, but it is leaner and sometimes can dry out. Not sure if that is on the list but it is what they sell where I live.
Beef cheeks is the best and softest for cholent
Hi,
Isn't fileh medumeh mock tender, not petite tender?
You are right. He got it wrong in this chart…
It’s formatted for digital only, sorry
WHY DOES THE CHART NOT PRINT OUT?
Technically pepper steak is a dish that uses strips or slices of beef steak (often
flank, sirloin, or round), when butchers sell it as pepper steak it probably refers to the way it was cut and you can try and ask your butcher to do it for you. You can ask for thin strips or slices or show them a photo of pepper steak. If you must do it yourself, try and buy a very thin cut steak and then just cut it into strips.
Thank you for posting this! Just one question, though. What, exactly, is pepper steak? Every time it comes up in a recipe, it’s like, “Oh, well. Can’t make that.” Both because the number is a mystery and also because it would never be sold already cut up in the classic pepper steak style, so how would you go about cutting it yourself? Thank you.