A cut of beef that includes the loin and sirloin, used in European cooking.
From French 'aloyau,' possibly from Old French 'allou' (all) and 'eau' (water/gravy). Some suggest it comes from 'le loyau' (the loyal cut) — a noble piece of meat.
The etymology is genuinely disputed—food historians argue whether it's 'all-oy' or from 'loyal.' This reveals how culinary terminology evolved differently in different countries, with French butchers keeping vocabulary others lost.
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