To section, in butchery, is to divide a carcass into its cuts of meat. The carcass is first split into primal sections, forequarter and hindquarter, then broken down through a sequence of cuts that follows the animal’s anatomy: separating muscles along natural seams, removing bones, and trimming to the specifications for roasts, steaks, stewing meat, and mince. A skilled butcher’s sectioning maximises value, directing each muscle to its best use according to tenderness, and minimises waste. The pattern of cuts varies by country, which is why an entrecôte in Paris is not quite a ribeye in Texas. Sectioning is where the animal becomes the meat counter, and craft shows in every clean separation.