What Cuts Of Steak Does Chipotle Use?

In recent years, Chipotle has become one of the go-to places for Mexican fast food in America. There are no Chipotle restaurants in Hawaii and Alaska, but there are approximately 3,000 throughout the rest of the United States. The country has developed an undeniable love for what Chipotle has to offer, and it's easy to see why. The chain makes a point to do things their own way, from the unique way Chipotle stores guacamole to the list of 53 real ingredients it uses in every item on the menu.

Beef makes an appearance on the website as one of the 53 real ingredients, but exactly which cut of steak does Chipotle use? The simple answer is more than one. The more complex answer is that Chipotle's barbacoa is made using mostly shoulder cuts, while other steak on the menu comes from a variety of round cuts.

It might sound confusing to use different cuts of steak, but Chipotle has a logical reason behind the decision. First, Chipotle focuses on the quality of meat. Second, it chooses the type of cut based on several key aspects, such as fat content or ease of grilling, to maintain quality.

Chipotle's beef barbacoa specifically uses cuts from the shoulder. The reason behind this is that these cuts have a good amount of fat, which helps keep the meat moist. Barbacoa goes through a lengthy braising process, so the fat content helps ensure that the end product stays nice and juicy.

For all other beef products, Chipotle uses cuts from all over. Most of these cuts consist of rounds, such as bottom rounds, top rounds, eye of rounds, inside rounds, and outside rounds. Outside of rounds, Chipotle also uses sirloin, knuckles, sirloin top, and ball tip.

The reason behind all the different cuts is actually quite simple. Despite having so many different cuts available, each of these cuts share one trait: They all hold up well when grilled. Basically, these cuts will remain juicy and tender on the inside but will have a nice char on the outside, all while maintaining a delicious flavor. This is essential, given that Chipotle literally advertises itself as a Mexican grill chain.