Ostrich meat cut nomenclature

The nomenclature (or common names) to be used for ostrich meat cuts must include: 

• the species name (i.e., "ostrich")
• the primal from which the cut was derived (e.g., "thigh"), and
• the cut name (e.g., "fan")

Thus, for the above example, the complete common name would be "ostrich thigh fan".

Below is a chart which should assist you in determining the appropriate common name to be used. English and French equivalents are provided. It should be noted that terms such as "fillet", "cutlet", "steak", etc. are optional modifiers.

Ostrich cut descriptions

1. Carcass:

The ostrich carcass shall consist of both halves, each including the leg, thigh and back tender, and body cavity portions of the carcass. The lower leg shall be removed at a point no greater than 6 inches from the ventral end of the hock. The neck shall be removed at a point immediately anterior to the body cavity and shall include no more than one cervical vertebra. The breast plate shall be removed by a cut which removes the entire sternum portion of the carcass. All internal fat including the abdominal fat pad shall be removed.

2. Leg and thigh:

The leg and thigh consists of the major muscle system attached to the tibia and femur. It is separated from the carcass (1) by cutting between natural seams through the major muscle mass and the body cavity (particularly ischium and ilium), exposing the ball of the femur. The hock portion of the leg shall be removed at the mid-point between the dorsal side of the hock and the muscle termination point of the outside leg (gastrocnemius).

2.1 Leg:

The leg consists of those muscles attached to the tibia. It shall be removed from the leg and thigh (2) by cutting along the head of the outside leg (gastrocnemius pars externa) the mid leg (fibularis longus) and inside leg (gastrocnemius pars interna) attached to the stifle joint (tibio-femoral juncture). That portion of the tibia immediately ventral to the major leg muscles shall be removed.

2.1.1 Inside leg (or leg, inside):

This boneless cut (gastrocnemius pars interna), is derived from the leg (2.1) and is separated from the tibia, outside leg (2.1.2) and other leg muscles by following the natural seams. All bones, tendons and cartilage shall be removed.

2.1.2 Outside leg (or leg, outside):

This boneless cut (gastrocnemius pars externa) is the outside portion of the leg (2.1). It is a long muscle that lies along the lateral side of the tibia and is removed from the leg (2.1) by following natural seams between the tibia, inside leg (2.1.1) and other minor muscles. All bones and cartilage shall be removed and all major tendons shall be removed.

2.1.3 Mid leg:

This cut (fibularis longus) is the outside portion of the leg (2.1). It is a long muscle that lies along the lateral side of the tibia and is removed from the leg by following natural seams between the tibia, inside leg (2.1.1) and other minor muscles. All bones and cartilage shall be removed and all major tendons shall be removed.

2.2 Thigh:

The thigh is that portion of the leg and thigh (2) remaining after the leg (2.1) is removed at the stifle joint. It includes the muscles iliotibialis cranialis, iliofibularis, iliofemoralis externus, iliofemoralis, femorotibialis, iliotibialis lateralis, and flexor cruris lateralis. A boneless thigh has had the tibia, femur, patella and related cartilage and tendons removed.

2.2.1 Outside thigh:

This boneless cut (iliotibialis lateralis) is the largest major outside muscle system of the thigh (2.2) and lies to the outside (laterally) of the fan (2.2.5) (iliofibularis). It is prepared by separating the muscle by following the natural seams and by removing the heavy connective tissues, bone, and tendons. On the ventral side of the cut are two heads that make the muscle on that end resemble a "u" shape.

2.2.2 Outside strip:

This boneless outside strip (flexor cruris lateralis) is a relatively long muscle that is pointed at one end and semi-circled shaped on the other. On the carcass this cut attaches to the posterior end of the ischium of the pelvis and anteriorly to the stifle joint. All silver skin, heavy connective tissue and bone shall be removed.

2.2.3 Tip:

The tip (femorotibialis medium, internus, accessorius, and externus) is a "small ball" appearing muscle complex of the thigh (2.2) which lies anteriorly, medially, and laterally to the stifle joint. It is removed from the thigh (2.2) by following the natural seams between this complex and the outside thigh (2.2.1), top strip (2.2.6), and fan (2.2.5) and along the tibio-femoral juncture. The femorotibialis medius is the major muscle in this complex. The minor portions of the tip muscle complex (femorotibialis accessorius, externus and internus) may be attached. All bones, cartilage and tendons shall be removed.

2.2.3.1 Tip, trimmed:

This is an optional name for a tip (2.2.3) which consists only of the femorotibialis medius muscle. The minor muscles (femorotibialis accessorius, internus, and externus) are not present and are removed by following the natural seams. All connective tissue and tendons shall be removed.

2.2.4 Oyster:

This boneless cut (iliofemoralis externus) is a flat, oval shaped muscle which lies anteriorly and dorsally to the outside thigh (2.2.1) and is that portion of the thigh (2.2) which attaches to the anterior end of the ilium. It is prepared from a thigh (2.2) by following the natural seams and by removing all bone and connective tissue.

2.2.5 Fan:

This is a boneless fan shaped muscle (iliofibularis) that lies medially to the outside thigh (2.2.1). On the carcass the fan attaches by a heavy tendinous tissue to the ventral side of the stifle joint and dorsally to the ilium. All bone, heavy tendons and cartilage shall be removed.

2.2.6 Top strip:

This is a rectangular shaped muscle (iliotibialis cranialis) that is the most anterior muscle in the thigh (2.2). All silver skin and tendons shall be removed.

2.2.7 Inside strip:

This (iliofemoralis) is the most medial muscle of the thigh (2.2) lying below the outside thigh (2.2.1) and fan (2.2.5) and covers the ilium of the carcass. The heavy tendon and connective tissue on the anterior end of the muscle where it attaches to the femur shall be removed. All bones, cartilage and silver skin shall be removed.

2.3.1 Back tender:

The back tender (obturatorius medialis) is a long, narrow muscle on the carcass which attaches laterally to the pubic symphysis and extends anteriorly until it attaches medially to the most anterior portion of the obturator foramen. All silver skin and heavy connective tissue shall be removed.

2.4 Wing:

This item is the drummette portion of the wing which attaches to the anterior portion of the thorax of the carcass. The remainder of the wing shall be removed at the natural juncture within the joint.

2.5 Neck: The neck is removed from the carcass as described in carcass (1) above. All contamination, blood clots and bruising shall be removed.