Mutton Cuts Guide: Best Cuts for Karahi, Biryani, Chops & Kunna

Every Pakistani home chef has experienced the frustration of tough, chewy mutton that refuses to soften even after hours in the pressure cooker. More often than not, the culprit is not your cooking technique, but purchasing the wrong butcher cut for the dish.

1. Dasti (Shoulder) — The Undisputed King of Karahi

The goat shoulder gets regular exercise, producing rich gelatin and fine marbling. When cooked over high heat in an iron karahi, the connective tissue melts into the sauce. Always request a 1.5-inch Dasti cut for Peshawari, Shinwari, or traditional tomato-based mutton karahi.

2. Raan (Leg) — The Biryani & Pulao Champion

The hind leg offers big, hearty boneless chunks that hold their shape through long parboiling and dum steaming. For Degi Biryani and Yakhni Pulao, Raan pieces ensure every guest gets a generous, photogenic piece of succulent meat.

3. Chaamp (Rib & Loin Chops) — Grilling & Steam Roast

Mutton chops have the tenderest meat on the animal. Marinated in raw papaya, yogurt, and spices, rib chops take only 15 minutes on hot charcoal or can be pan-seared with brown garlic butter.

4. Golla / Machhli (Shank) — Kunna, Nihari & Paye

The lower shank surrounds marrow-rich bones. Slow cooking for 3 to 4 hours breaks down the tough collagen into silky gelatin, giving Kunna and Nihari their distinctive sticky richness.