Meat should not be sliced in just any manner because they way it is sliced affects its tenderness. The first step in slicing meat is to determine the direction in which the muscle fibers run, called the grain. This can be seen on the surface of the meat. It may be difficult to find the grain in larger cuts such as roasts, because they consist of parts of several different muscles, each with its own grain. When carving meats, it is important to cut across the grain to increase tenderness. Cutting across the grain shortens the muscle fibers into smaller segments, making the meat easier to chew.
