Trimming Top Round of Beef

The top round is a lean, tough piece of meat cut from the hind leg. For maximum tenderness, it is often braised: in chunks for stew, or tied in a single piece as for Stracotto. Or it may be sliced so that the muscle fibers are cut against the grain, as for Braciole.

Trim the fat cap. If using the meat for a braise, leave a thin 3-millimeter (⅛-inch) layer of fat on the meat. For braciole, trim the fat completely.