If You’re In A Grilling Rut It’s Time To Switch Things Up Check Out Our Favorite Steaks To Toss On The Grill
I dont know about you, but I often find myself in a grilling rut. Week after week, Im grilling up the same top sirloin steak, a round of burgers and vegetable skewers. Well, its time to break out of that routine! Theres a whole world of meats you didnt know you could ask for at the butcher counter. But sometimes its hard to make changeshow do you know which is the best steak for grilling and which should be saved for other cooking methods? As a former restaurant chef, I know all about the different cuts of beef. There are many steaks well-marbled and tender enough to simply toss on the grill, and there are a few that benefit from some marinade. And then, there are a few cuts Id avoid completely when it comes to the grill. Lets take a peek at which steaks fall into which category.
Steak Cuts From The Rib Primal
The steaks from rib primal share the features of rich marbling and tender texture. They have been five-starred since the butchers discovered them.
Everyone, even the vegetarians, know their names as they are the classic cuts of steak. But the below introductions included a lesser-known yet fantastic cut.
Let me introduce the immortals of the finest steak cuts, Ribeye Steak, Tomahawk Steak, Ribeye Cap Steak, and Prime Rib.
The Best Of Both Worlds
If youre thinking of purchasing a T-bone steak, why not get the beefed-up version for a few more bucks? Porterhouse steaks are bone-in cuts that include part of the loin and tenderloin , divided by the bone. Porterhouse steaks are cut higher up the cows loin section, hence why you have more tenderloin portion than a T-bone. However, to be classified as a porterhouse, it has to be 1.25 inches thick, at least. So if you see your local market trying to pass off thin porterhouse steaks to make an extra buck, take a pass and head to a reputable butcher.
The porterhouse will let you experience the buttery tenderness of the filet mignon and the rich flavor of the New York strip in full. The best way to grill up these monsters is the same way as most. Start with a heavy sear on high heat then finish on lower, indirect heat.
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Tenderloin The Most Tender Cut Of Steak
- Also Known As: Filet, Filet mignon, Chateaubriand.
- Taste and Texture: Tenderloin is by far the tenderest cut of beef. Its buttery and mild in flavor. Of all of the high-end steaks, this is the one with the least amount of fat, and it will melt in your mouth since its so tender.
- Where it comes from: The thicker end of the tenderloin
- Cooking Recommendations: At our house, we like to grill tenderloins. The thing to remember is that tenderloins cook much faster than other steaks since theyre so low in fat. This means that theyre also much more likely to dry out. To add more flavor, youll often see this on restaurant menus wrapped in bacon before grilling or served with sauces or spices.
So Which Steak Cut Is The Most Tender
![The best tasting, easy to make, tender and very juicy steak. This stove ... The best tasting, easy to make, tender and very juicy steak. This stove ...](https://www.lovesteakclub.com/wp-content/uploads/the-best-tasting-easy-to-make-tender-and-very-juicy-steak-this-stove.jpeg)
Without question, the most tender steak cut is the Filet Mignon. Now, Im not talking about a 1-dimensional taste test here and there, Im talking real experience.
The tenderness of the filet mignon cannot be beaten when it comes to steak.
Its notorious for its flavor and tenderness, which is why its one of the most expensive cuts on the market.
The filet steak is the king of tenderness, its a cut that simply melts in your mouth and tastes incredible.
In fact, its so tender that you could pull it apart with your hands and not even need a serrated steak knife.
There are other steaks of course, but the filet mignon is on a whole different level of deliciousness.
Of course, if you cook it right.
If you look at steak recipes online that have filet mignon in them, they will often use methods that maximize tenderness, which is why its so tender.
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What Is Sirloin Steak
Sirloin is part of the loin primal which can be divided into two sections, top sirloin and bottom sirloin. Thus, there are actually different types of sirloin steaks depending on the location.
The Top Sirloin Steak is the finest cut among them so its price is the highest, yet its still a budget-friendly cut. It is usually labeled clearly for sale. While Bottom Sirloin Steak is less tender and leaner which is simply marked as sirloin steak generally.
Top Sirloin Steak is an alternative choice for the fans of Tenderloin or Filet Mignon. It has a low content of fat with mild beef flavor as well as a pretty good tenderness. The most important point is the price, it saves you quite a lot of money.
Know The Primal Cuts Of Beef First
The divided large sections are called primal cuts, which you can find in the above beef cuts diagram. Knowing the features of each primal cut could help you easily understand the steak cuts.
In order not to overload the information in this article, here is a simple conclusion for these primal cuts. For a more detailed introduction, check this post.
Primal Cuts |
Shank |
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Where Does It Come From
The chuck eye is taken from the same longissimus dorsi muscle as the ribeye. Ribeyes are cut from the 6th to the 12th rib of the cow, and the chuck eye is often cut from the 5th rib and 13th rib.
There are only two of these steaks per carcass, which means they are often snapped up by the butcher themselves, but, if you can find one, youll be getting a lot of what makes the ribeye special at a fraction of the price
The Steak For Special Occasions
Buffet-style meal service has gone the way of the dodo. But, we can all remember the meat carver who always sliced the prime rib too thin for our liking when we went to the fancy buffet with grandma. Prime rib is a cut of beef often reserved for holidays, weddings, or other events that call for feeding a large group.
Think of the prime rib as multiple rib-eyes combined into one, roasted for hours to heavenly, fat-rendered perfection. The traditional way of cooking a prime rib is in the oven after searing the outside. However, if you want to take the flavor up a notch, we suggest utilizing your smoker or high-quality pellet grill.
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Cooking Different Types Of Steak
Tender cuts: these types of steaks are excellent for cooking at high temperatures using dry heat such as grilling, broiling, pan-frying and baking. Examples include Porterhouse, T-bone, Ribeye and New York Strip. You can cook thin cuts using direct heat only. However, if your steak is thicker you may want to use a reverse sear to combine direct high heat with lower indirect heat.
Cuts with a medium level of tenderness and marbling: these cuts of steaks should be before cooking at high temperature and limited to medium doneness. Examples include Flank Steak and Skirt Steak.
Lean and tough cuts: use low-and-slow cooking for these cuts such as Round Steak.
Ribeye Very Marbled The Most Juicy And Flavorful Cut Of Steak
- Also Known As: Delmonico Steak, Scotch Filet, Cowboy ribeye
- Taste and Texture: The ribeye is the most juicy and flavorful of all steaks. It gets its amazing flavor from the fat marbling, which you will see throughout the cut. If youre not a fan of beef marbling, this isnt the cut for you.
- Where it comes from: Rib section
- Cooking Recommendations: Ribeyes are very versatile pieces of meat. You will want to cook it over high heat and we recommend pan-seared using a cast iron skillet, grilled or broiled. If you decide to grill it, be careful about flareups from the fat.
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Chuck Steak Vs Chuck Roast
The chuck roast is a large cut from the shoulder area of the cow, whereas the chuck steak is a portion cut from the chuck roast. The chuck roast is sometimes referred to as a shoulder roast.
It is among the most popular options for pot roast, usually cooked in the slow cooker for several hours. The slow cook results in a tender steak that holds in its flavor.
On the other hand, chuck steak is usually used for individual steaks. However, some people prefer going for a chuck roast and slicing it into steaks themselves.
Beef Chuck Primal Cut
![Taste Of Texas Sold Nearly $17 Million Worth Of Steak Last Year Taste Of Texas Sold Nearly $17 Million Worth Of Steak Last Year](https://www.lovesteakclub.com/wp-content/uploads/taste-of-texas-sold-nearly-17-million-worth-of-steak-last-year-eater.jpeg)
This cut of meat is a large section of beef cut from the shoulder, arm, and chest sections. With it, you can get other prime cuts, like Denver steak, blade steak, and flavorful roasts. This section of beef is known for its robust flavor and its ability to produce a number of popular steaks.
Pros
Beef that comes from this cut of steak are best used for roasts, where theyll cook slowly over low heat. The cooking process naturally tenderizes the beef with its own fat, leaving behind the rich, beefy flavor you want without the tough and chewy texture.
Cons
Some steaks that you get from the beef chuck primal cut, like the blade steak, have a long piece of fat running through them that youll need to cut around before you eat the meat. Some of these cuts can also be tougher than other steaks youre used to, so it may not be the best option for searing, cooking on the grill, or using another method that could dry out the beef.
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Best Steaks To Grill For Smokey Juicy Flavor
08.10.2020Meat Tip Monday
There are few things in life that taste better than a properly grilled steak. Its smokey and juicy flavor with a lightly crisp crust makes a steak worthy as a celebratory entrée yet its quick and easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
Before firing up the grill, you must first pick your cut of beef. The best steaks to grill will often come from the beef primal cut called the short loin, but we have also included a few exceptional stand-outs from other cuts of beef. Any of the beef cuts below will make a delicious, drool-worthy grilled steak.
Ribeye Steaks
The ribeye steak is perhaps the finest of all steaks due to its combination of luxurious tenderness and big, beefy flavor. Whether you opt for the boneless or bone-in version, ribeye steaks are ideal candidates for the grill. Sometimes youll hear it called a ribeye and other times a rib steak, but for all practical purposes, the two terms are synonymous. Grill ribeye steaks over medium-high heat until it reaches your desired doneness.
Strip Steaks
Also called a New York strip, Kansas City strip, strip loin, or top loin steak, the strip steak is every bit as magnificent as the ribeye. Strip steaks might pack more of an intense beef flavor than a ribeye, possibly at the expense of tenderness, but there are so many variablesincluding grading, aging, and marblingthat its a draw. The bone-in version, while less common, is sometimes called a club steak.
Porterhouse Steaks
T-Bone Steaks
What Is The Most Flavorful Steak To Have At A Steakhouse
While the taste of a steak is relative from one person to the other, juiciness and tenderness is what steakhouses have to offer. Juiciness and tenderness rely on different factors such as the age of the animal from which the steak is harvested, the part of the animal and how the steak is cooked. In addition, fat content of the animal from which the steak is cut also determines the amount of juice and tenderness of the steak. Five main types of steaks are offered by steakhouses. This article looks at the steak with the most flavor between these five.
- Rib Eye Steak
This is the type of steak that is found in the rib areas of a cow. It is found in between the ribs and for this reason it can contain a bone in which case it is usually referred to as rib steak. Thanks to its lots of marbling and some bits of fats, rib eye is very flavorful and juicy. It is also tender and can make a very tasty steak if grilled properly under low temperatures since it can overcook due its tenderness. Amongst most of the steaks in a steakhouse, rib eye is a little inexpensive. All these factors put into consideration make rib eye among the most flavorful steaks.
- New York Strip
- T -Bone Steak
- Tenderloin Steak
- Porterhouse Steak
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What Makes A Good Cut Of Steak
- Marbling is the presence of intramuscular fat, and it creates a yin to the yang of muscle. This fat adds immense flavor, tenderness, and moisture. The more marbled the steak, the higher the fat content.
- Bone-in vs. boneless: Bone-in meat takes longer to cook, but the bone helps seal in moisture and adds a lot of flavor. The saying, “the closer to the bone, the sweeter the meat” didn’t come from nowhere.
- USDA grading: The national meat grading scale in the United States, developed by the United States Department of Agriculture, is based on the meat’s level of maturity and marbling. There are eight grades, and from highest grade to lowest, they are Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner. Read more about USDA grading on the agency’s website.
- Dry aging: Dry-aging is the process of aging beef in a controlled, open-air environment. This removes moisture from the surface of the meat, which causes the enzymes in the beef to slowly break down and form a crust to which bacteria and mold attach . The inside stays bright red and moist, and the resulting flavor is as rich, full-bodied, and nutty-tasting as beef gets.
- Tenderness: The presence of soft muscle tissue and fat are what create tenderness. While tenderness is coveted, it is by no means necessary, and a tougher cut of meat can be compensated for with a proper cooking method .
Cut Above The Rest Five Best Cuts Of Steak
Im sure youve shopped in a butcher for a cut of steak and had a dose of sticker shock. How much does the price tag say? One of the first things you learn about steak is that it is well worth the price to get a good quality and tender meat. Theres nothing worse than an overcooked, leathery cut of steak that has a texture of a gumboot. No thanks.
What are the best cuts of steak? Hint, its not chuck or shank. Mind you, theres nothing as comforting as a warm stew or slow-cooked shanks. These cuts certainly have their place.
What are the five best cuts of steak and why are some cuts so expensive? Without giving you a lesson in cow anatomy, the basic idea is that the muscles that get the most work out will be the least tender. The legs get a fair bit of work while the back of the cattle uses little muscle
Sirloin
Sirloin steak is often a steak lovers favourite cut. This premium cut comes from the hindquarter of the animal and is extremely tender. It is perfectly suited to be sauteed, grilled or pan fried. Firm in texture, with a rich flavour, it has a juicy and melt-in-your mouth taste. Just dont overcook it. Known as different names including Porterhouse, New York Steak or New York Strip. As sirloin can tolerate high temperatures, it can be grilled, pan fried, BBQed or sautéed.
Eye fillet
Prime Rib Steak
Scotch fillet
These two cuts are both similar, with plenty of marbling and loads of flavour. Eye fillet is extra tasty, tender and succulent
T-Bone
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Tenderloin Steak Aka Filet Mignon
The tenderloin steak is a cut from the loin of a cow. Also known as a filet mignon steak. Because this tenderloin muscle gets little exercise, the steak contains less connective tissue making it more tender than many other types of steak.
Because tenderloins are so lean, they are not considered to be as flavorful as many other cuts. However, what they lack in marbling, they make up for with a smooth, buttery texture that melts in the mouth every time.
With such low-fat content, tenderloins should not be dried out. Begin with a cast-iron skillet over high heat and sear both sides quickly. Overcooking will usually result in a crispy, thin steak that, lets face it, has been ruined.
What Are The Best Cuts Of Steak In The Supermarket
Every delicious steak starts with a good cut of meat. But with a plethora of names that vary from around the world, it can be difficult to choose the right cut especially if youre trying to match it to a recipe from a different country.
For example, a Porterhouse in Australia is a sirloin, a sirloin in America is a New York strip, and in Britain the term sirloin could refer to a roast beef a completely different cut and cooking method altogether.
Weve taken the liberty of compiling all the best cuts of beef for steak, featuring some old favourites and newer ones, each with different qualities and cooking methods.
Get ready to beef up your knowledge of the best steak cuts before your next trip to the meat section of the supermarket by following this guide for some rare and well done advice.
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