The main cuts at a glance
Names change a little from town to town, and many shops simply sell "beef with bones" and "steak". These are the names most customers will recognise.
| English | Swahili | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fillet | Fillet | The most tender cut, from inside the back. Little fat, no bone. | Pan fry or grill quickly |
| Sirloin and rump steak | Steki | Tender steaks from the back and top of the hind leg. | Fry, grill, nyama choma |
| Topside and silverside | Paja | Lean meat from the hind leg. Firm, with little fat. | Stew, roast, slice for fry |
| Brisket | Kidari | From the chest. Has fat running through it. | Slow stew, boil |
| Ribs | Mbavu | Meat on the rib bones, with fat. | Nyama choma, boil, soup |
| Neck | Shingo | Tough but full of flavour. | Long stew, pilau, soup |
| Shin | Mguu | From the lower leg, with lots of connective tissue. | Slow stew, soup |
| Hump | Nundu | The fatty hump of zebu cattle, prized in some areas. | Roast, slow cook |
| Oxtail | Mkia | Bony and gelatinous. | Slow stew, soup |
| Cow feet | Makongoro | Trotters, cleaned and cut. | Long boiled soup |
| Tripe and intestines | Matumbo | Stomach and intestines, cleaned. | Fry, stew, wet fry |
| Liver | Maini | Soft, rich and quick to cook. | Fry with onions |
| Kidney | Figo | Small and strong in taste. | Fry, stew |
| Tongue | Ulimi | Tender once boiled and peeled. | Boil, then fry or stew |
| Minced beef | Nyama ya kusaga | Trimmings put through a mincer. | Samosas, sauces, burgers |
| Bones | Mifupa | Bones with a little meat left on. | Soup and stock |
Beef with bones or steak?
Most Kenyan butcheries sell two main kinds of beef:
- Beef with bones (nyama ya mifupa): mixed meat cut through the bone. Cheaper per kilo and good for stew and soup.
- Steak (steki): boneless meat, usually from the hind leg and the back. Costs more per kilo because the bone and trimmings are removed first.
When you take bones out to sell steak, the kilos of steak you get are less than the kilos you bought. That loss has to be in your price, or the steak quietly makes you less money than beef with bones. See profit per kilo for how to work it out.
Cuts for nyama choma
For roasting, customers usually ask for mbavu (ribs) and meat from the back and hind leg, which stays tender over the fire. Goat is still the favourite for nyama choma in many places. If you run a choma spot next to the butchery, keep its sales separate so you can see what each side really earns.
Selling the whole animal
Prime cuts are a small part of each carcass. A butchery that sells only steak and fillet well, and lets the rest sit, loses money. Some ideas:
- Sell matumbo, maini and makongoro fresh, early in the day, when they move fastest.
- Turn trimmings into mince before they lose colour.
- Offer soup bones cheaply rather than throwing them away.
- Record the kilos of each product separately so you can see which ones sell and which ones end up as waste.
Common questions
What is kidari in English?
Kidari is brisket, the meat from the chest of the animal. It has fat running through it and is best for slow stews.
What is the most tender beef cut?
The fillet, from inside the back, is the most tender. Sirloin and rump steak are also tender and cost less.
What is beef with bones?
Beef cut through the bone and sold mixed. It is cheaper per kilo than boneless steak and is used mostly for stew and soup.
What is matumbo?
Matumbo is tripe and intestines, cleaned and usually fried or stewed. It is one of the most popular and affordable meats in Kenya.