Stew Beef

Beef for stewing is essentially diced beef that meets a specific size requirement: 85 percent of the meat must be a half inch thick by an inch tall, and not more than three inches in length. The thickness of the fat on the surface will never be more than a quarter inch. Stew meat can come from any place except the heel or shank. When stew meat is lean (like when cut from the round) it is sometimes marketed as extra lean stew meat.