When you order a whole goat or sheep from Dabayeh Al Wasmi, you'll always see the phrase: تقطيع عربي ٨ بطن — Arabic-style cutting, 8 portions. But what does that actually mean? What are those 8 cuts? And why does it matter for how your food tastes?
Whether you're a UAE local who grew up with this tradition, or someone new to Gulf-style cooking, this guide breaks it all down — simply, clearly, and practically.
🔪 What Is Arabic-Style Meat Cutting (التقطيع العربي)?
Arabic-style cutting — known as التقطيع العربي — is the traditional Gulf method of butchering a whole animal into portions based on natural bone structure and muscle groups. Unlike Western butchery which focuses on boneless steaks and fillets, the Arabic approach keeps bones intact in each portion. Bone-in cuts cook with far more flavour, especially in slow-cooked Gulf dishes like Machboos, Ouzi, Harees, and Mandi. The collagen from the bones melts into the broth, creating rich, deep flavour that boneless meat simply cannot match.
📦 Why 8 Portions (٨ بطن)?
The number 8 refers to the standard division of a whole goat or sheep carcass into 8 roughly equal portions. Each بطن (batn) represents one complete packaged section of the animal. This system has been used by Gulf butchers for generations because it creates equal weight portions for fair Qurbani distribution, ensures each portion contains a balanced mix of cuts, and makes freezing and storage easy.
🐐 The 8 Arabic Cuts — Explained
رقبة → كتف أمامي → ضلوع → صدر → فخذ أمامي → ظهر/خاصرة → فخذ خلفي → كوارع
Neck → Front Shoulder → Ribs → Breast → Front Leg → Loin → Rear Leg → Trotters
1️⃣ الرقبة — The Neck
The most flavourful part of the animal. Well-worked neck muscles are full of connective tissue that breaks down beautifully during slow cooking, releasing collagen for a thick, silky broth.
Best for: Soups, maraq, slow-cooked stews.
Dishes: Maraq, Harees, Machboos
2️⃣ الكتف الأمامي — Front Shoulder
A large, meaty cut including blade and arm muscles. Incredibly tasty when cooked low and slow — it holds its shape perfectly during long cooking.
Best for: Braising, roasting whole, cubed for stews.
Dishes: Ouzi (the hero cut!), Machboos, kebab cubes
3️⃣ الضلوع / الريش — Ribs
A prized cut. The fat layering makes it naturally self-basting during cooking — juicy, rich, and deeply flavourful.
Best for: Grilling, barbecue, oven roasting.
Dishes: Mashawi (mixed grill), coal-grilled ribs
4️⃣ الصدر — Breast / Chest
A fatty, rich cut from the underside. Its high fat content makes it ideal for dishes requiring long, slow cooking where the fat renders and bastes the meat from within.
Best for: Slow cooking, boiling for broth, heavy stews.
Dishes: Maraq, Harees, stuffed breast
5️⃣ الفخذ الأمامي — Front Leg / Shank
A lean, hard-working muscle with thick connective tissue. When slow-cooked, the tissue dissolves into a gelatinous, intensely flavoured sauce. Visually impressive when served whole.
Best for: Braising, slow cooking.
Dishes: Braised shanks, Mandi, Ouzi
6️⃣ الظهر / الخاصرة — Loin / Saddle
The premium section running along the top of the spine. Because this muscle does very little work, the meat is exceptionally tender and fine-grained — the Gulf equivalent of a fillet steak.
Best for: Quick cooking — grilling, pan-frying, high-heat roasting.
Dishes: Grilled loin chops, Zarb, prime Mandi cuts for honoured guests
7️⃣ الفخذ الخلفي — Rear Leg
The largest single cut and the most prestigious portion to serve. Contains the round, knuckle, and rump — all lean, fine-grained muscles with excellent flavour. The centrepiece of any feast.
Best for: Roasting whole, slow-cooking in oven or underground pit.
Dishes: Ouzi, Zarb, Mandi, whole roasted leg for Eid gatherings
8️⃣ الكوارع / الأطراف — Trotters
One of the most collagen-rich, gelatinous parts of the animal. Traditional Gulf cooks have always known they create the richest, thickest stocks imaginable.
Best for: Long slow boiling to produce stock and rich broth.
Dishes: Kareh (traditional Gulf trotters dish), Maraq, rich broths
⚖️ Arabic Cutting vs. Western Cutting
| Feature | Arabic Style (التقطيع العربي) | Western Style |
|---|---|---|
| Bone | Kept in (bone-in portions) | Often removed (boneless) |
| Portions | 8 equal family-sized pieces | Many different retail cuts |
| Best for | Slow-cooked Gulf dishes | Steaks, chops, quick cooking |
| Flavour | Deeper, richer (bone collagen) | Cleaner, milder |
| Traditional use | Ouzi, Mandi, Machboos, Harees | Grilling, steak, roasting |
🍽️ Quick Guide: Which Cut for Which Dish?
- Hosting Ouzi or Mandi? → Rear leg (فخذ خلفي) or front shoulder (كتف)
- Family Machboos or stew? → Neck (رقبة) and breast (صدر) for the richest broth
- Barbecue night? → Ribs (ضلوع) — perfect on the grill
- Special guest dinner? → Loin (ظهر/خاصرة) — the most tender, impressive cut
- Making soup or stock base? → Trotters (كوارع) and neck together for incredible broth
✅ Why Order a Whole Animal vs. Separate Cuts?
When you order a whole goat or sheep from Dabayeh Al Wasmi with Arabic-style 8-portion cutting, you get:
- 💰 Better value — whole animals cost less per kg than separate cuts
- 🥩 Complete nutrition — a mix of lean, fatty, and collagen-rich portions
- 🍲 Authentic flavour — bone-in cuts are the secret to restaurant-quality Gulf cooking at home
- 🧊 Ready to store — 8 individually packaged portions go straight into your freezer
- 🕌 Perfect for Udhiya and Aqeeqah — the 8-portion system makes it easy to divide meat into the three Islamic thirds for distribution
🐐 Order Your Whole Goat or Sheep Today
At Dabayeh Al Wasmi, every animal is slaughtered fresh using the traditional Zabiha Halal method and cut in authentic تقطيع عربي ٨ بطن style — delivered across the UAE.
Choose from Naimi Sheep, Najdi Sheep, Kashmiri Goat, Local Goat (Tais Mahali), Harri Sheep, Somali Sheep, and more.
Order Now at dabayehalwasmi.com →
