Falda

Falda is a flat, thin cut from the short plate primal, the area between the brisket and the flank. It is a tough, well-worked muscle with deep beefy flavor and significant connective tissue that breaks down into richness during long cooking. In Mexico it is a staple of caldo de res, birria, and cocido — dishes where the cut simmers for hours. It is sold bone-in or boneless depending on the butcher. Outside Mexico the cut is less common under this name but corresponds broadly to the beef plate or short plate found in American and European butchery.