The Dutch slagerij (butcher) is a quiet goldmine: fresher meat, real advice, and cuts prepared exactly how you want them, if you can name what you are after. Stand at the counter unable to say “stewing beef” and you are reduced to pointing. Here is the vocabulary for beef, pork, chicken and lamb, and how to order it like a confident home cook.
The cuts, by animal
A slager offers a wide range, as Dutch butcher assortments show. The essentials:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| gehakt | minced meat |
| biefstuk | steak |
| runderlap | stewing beef |
| rosbief | roast beef |
| speklap | fatty pork (belly) |
| varkenshaas | pork tenderloin |
| karbonade | pork chop |
| kipfilet | chicken breast |
| lamskotelet | lamb chop |
A couple worth a note, as butcher product guides explain: speklap is a fatty cut from the pork belly (great for slow cooking), and varkenshaas is a lean, tender pork fillet you can roast rosé.
Ordering by weight
The Dutch buy meat by the ons (100 grams) and the pond (500g) or kilo. So you ask for amounts like “vijf ons gehakt” (500g mince). The key phrases:
- “Mag ik vijf ons gehakt?” (May I have 500g of mince?)
- “Twee ons kipfilet, graag.” (200g chicken breast, please.)
- “Kunt u het in plakjes snijden?” (Can you slice it?)
- “Wat raadt u aan voor stoofvlees?” (What do you recommend for a stew?)
That last one is the secret weapon, a good slager will happily recommend the right cut and tell you how to cook it, as online butchers note their daily fresh-cut selections. It is fresher and more tailored than grabbing a pre-packed tray.
The vocabulary of the counter
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de slagerij / slager | the butcher (shop / person) |
| per ons | per 100 grams |
| vers | fresh |
| snijden | to cut/slice |
| mager / doorregen | lean / marbled |
| stoofvlees | stewing meat |
Where it connects
The slagerij is part of the everyday food-shopping Dutch, alongside navigating the Albert Heijn and, for plant-based eaters, reading vegan labels. And describing exactly what you want, or cannot eat, is the same skill as telling a waiter about a food allergy. When you are out spending on food, it also pairs with knowing the tipping and bill-splitting etiquette.
The bottom line
The Dutch slagerij rewards the cook who can name the cut: gehakt (mince), biefstuk (steak), runderlap (stew), speklap (fatty pork), varkenshaas (tenderloin), kipfilet (chicken breast). Order by the ons (100g), ask “wat raadt u aan?”, and let the butcher cut to order. Learn the cuts and the weights, and the counter that once left you pointing becomes the best place in town to buy meat.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the food-shopping Dutch the counter runs on, gehakt, biefstuk, kipfilet, per ons by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can order exactly the cut and amount you want at the slagerij instead of pointing and hoping.
Frequently asked questions
What are the common Dutch cuts of meat at a butcher?
Beef: gehakt (mince), biefstuk (steak), runderlap (stewing beef), rosbief (roast beef). Pork: speklap (fatty belly), varkenshaas (tenderloin), karbonade (chop). Chicken: kipfilet (breast), kippenpoot/drumstick, kipgehakt (chicken mince). Lamb: lamskotelet (lamb chop), lamsbout (leg). Knowing the cut by name lets the slager give you exactly what your recipe needs, freshly cut.
How do I order meat by weight at a Dutch butcher?
The Dutch buy by the ons (100 grams) and the pond/kilo. So ‘500 gram gehakt’ (500g mince) or ‘twee ons kipfilet’ (200g chicken breast). Useful phrases: ‘Mag ik vijf ons gehakt?’ (May I have 500g mince?) and ‘Kunt u het in plakjes snijden?’ (Can you slice it?). The butcher cuts and weighs to order, so you can ask for the exact amount and thickness.
Is the butcher (slagerij) better than the supermarket for meat?
Often, yes, for quality, freshness, advice and cuts you choose yourself. A good slagerij or slager will cut to order, recommend the right cut for a dish, and tell you how to cook it. It can cost a little more than the supermarket, but the quality and the ability to get exactly the cut and weight you want make it worth it for many home cooks.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for food shopping and the butcher?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the food-shopping Dutch the counter runs on, gehakt, biefstuk, kipfilet, per ons, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can order exactly the cut and amount you want at the slagerij instead of pointing and hoping.
