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Merlan is commonly used as-is in English; the closest equivalent depends on the butchery tradition.
The third *morceau du boucher* on the round — a long, flat, tender muscle named for its resemblance to the fish *merlan* (whiting). Weighs 800g–1kg per side; produces 6–8 thin steak-cuts. Like poire and araignée, it was historically reserved by butchers for themselves and connoisseurs because separating it from the surrounding muscles requires patient detail work. Soft fibres, very tender, ideal for quick pan-frying or grilling. Best cooked rare or medium-rare; cut into thin slices against the grain. The trio of poire / merlan / araignée is one of French butchery's strongest cultural-identity threads — together they encapsulate the boucher's-art tradition of fine-grain muscle separation.
Names by country
| Country | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇷France | Merlanprimary | One of the three boucher's secret cuts on the round (with poire and araignée). Long, flat, tender; named for the fish whiting. ~800g–1kg per side. |
Classic recipe
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