Forget the New York Strip. After spending $1.5 million trying new ways to cut up a cow, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association has come up with a new slice of beef--the Denver. It's a three-quarter-inch-thick cut and an "inexpensive, distant cousin of the New York strip," writes The New York Times , which notes the beef industry is seeking ways to increase its profits. The Denver, which would go for about $5.99 a pound as steak, or $2.99 as ground beef, represents an "evolution in the way we think about taking apart that beef carcass," says Chris Calkins, a University of Nebraska professor, although some butchers, particularly those who embrace European techniques, remain skeptical. (One calls it a "glorified chuck steak that they cleaned the junk off of.") Other cuts include the Sierra, the flatiron, the Western Griller, and the Petite Tender.