The beef on American plates has long been a favorite…
…whether it’s broiled, fried, sautéed, roasted, or grilled.
This is particularly true of steaks.
A stable price environment as well as trendy diets…
…such as the paleo diet and keto diet have contributed to lower prices for red meat.
Among our ancestors, steak was also appreciated for its deliciousness.
Steak originated with the ancient Germanic tribe the Saxons…
…whose term “steik” means “meat on a stick.”
However, with so many steak varieties and cuts to choose from…
…it takes some time to choose the perfect steak for dinner.
As of today, steak can be served raw…
…(steak tartare, which is actually uncooked ground beef)…
…to well done (often reluctantly in steakhouses).
Steaks usually come from three areas of a steer and are sliced across the muscle.
There are so many cuts that you might think you need to be a butcher…
…to figure it all out, but really all you need is a good guide, like the following.
Find out about 15 different types of steaks right here.
Before we move on to next part, let’s hear Amelie’s story…
As a child, I would only eat steak when my parents took us to a steakhouse,
and even though I loved every step of the trip, the menu always intimidated me.
What is the difference between a New York steak and a ribeye?
What was the reason for the high price of filet mignon?
I still love steak, even after all these years.
Now is the time to get started…
Types of Steak Cuts
Cube
Cube steaks are thinly sliced from the round…
…(or back end) of the steer and then pounded until they are tender.
They are also called minute steaks…
…since that’s the amount of time you want to cook them.
Cube-shaped marks are left on the beef, giving it its name…
…and resemblance to ground beef.
Typically a top sirloin, cubes are perfect for chicken-fried and Swiss steaks…
…and can be pan fried, broiled or sauteed.
Denver
Denver steak has only been available in the U.S. for about a decade…
…but it is becoming a very popular cut of beef.
As the fourth-tenderest cut of cattle muscle, it comes from the eye of the chuck…
…located along the front shoulder.
While the meat from this section is usually tough enough…
…to be used for ground beef or stew meat…
…Denver steak is derived from the part of the muscle that does not get much exercise.
The meat is nicely marbled, with a strong beef taste…
…and should be grilled on a very hot grill…
…and then sliced across the grain to keep it tender.
Filet Mignon
As it is so tender that it almost melts in your mouth…
…it makes sense that it’s the most expensive cut of beef.
A filet mignon, which means “thick, dainty slice” in French…
…is made from the tenderloin, a long, cylindrical muscle along the spine…
…of a steer that doesn’t carry much weight.
(Chateaubriand and beef Wellington are also made from tenderloin.)
Because it has so little fat, if overcooked, filets will dry out.
Chefs often prefer to sear them briefly over high heat…
…finishing them off at a lower temperature before serving them…
…with a sauce that amps up their mild flavor.
Flank
The flank steak comes from the lower abdominal area, or the flank, of the rear.
Since it is lean and fibrous, this hard-working…
…flat muscle needs to be marinated and cooked quickly…
…and at a high temperature, not beyond medium.
The flank can also be braised, but make sure to slice it against the grain…
…to avoid chewy bits. A flank is sometimes referred to as a London broil.
Flap
If marinated, flap steak (which comes from the bottom of the sirloin…
…near the flank) not only tastes great, but it is also inexpensive.
Because it is coarse-grained, it holds the seasoning well…
…and is similar enough to flank steak…
…and skirt steak that it can be substituted for them.
Flap steak is best grilled over high heat to medium…
…and then thinly sliced against the grain.
Flat Iron
A flat iron, a chuck cut from the shoulder of a steer, is less expensive…
…than a filet or strip, but more tender than other low-priced steaks.
Flat iron comes from the top blade muscle…
…which does not have the same connective tissue as chuck.
Flat iron steaks, named for their triangular shape…
…can be grilled or cooked in a hot pan to about medium-rare.
Hanger
A favorite among butchers and restaurants…
…hanger steak gets its name from how it’s positioned in the cow:
…hanging between the rib and the loin, supporting the diaphragm.
An acidic marinade, such as one made with wine, vinegar…
…or citrus juice, enhances the flavor of this member of the flat steak family…
…which includes flank and skirt.
To achieve best results, cook it on a high heat, not past medium…
…and slice it against the grain.
London Broil
A London broil is more of a cooking method than a steak…
…but supermarkets frequently sell it by name as a cut of beef, so it makes the list.
Often, the meat is skirt steak-but more often top round…
…which is lean and therefore tougher-making it much less expensive…
…than steaks such as filet mignon.
Even London broil can be delicious–just marinate it with an acidic ingredient…
…then broil it for less than 10 minutes, finally cutting it diagonally.
Ribeye
Thanks to its marbling, this steak is one of the most flavorful…
…and juicy cuts of meat available. It is sold bone-in or boneless.
As it is a little chewier than tenderloin, it should be cooked over a dry…
…high heat with minimal seasoning-even salt and pepper-to emphasize its beefy flavor.
Rump
It comes from…yes, you guessed it: the hindquarters of the steer.
In addition to being known as round steak…
…or even the less-appealing butt steak…
…rump steak is also among the least tender of all steaks.
Rump steaks must also be marinated before grilling, although braising…
…broiling or pan-frying are preferable methods of cooking.
Before slicing rump steak against the grain, let it rest for 15 minutes to keep the juices in.
Porterhouse
The porterhouse, which resembles a T-bone steak but is thicker…
…is cut from the short loin, sold bone-in, and offers two steaks in one.
Since porterhouses are cut from the loin’s back…
…they contain more tenderloin than T-bones do.
These can weigh up to 24 ounces at times…
…making a steakhouse meal for two possible.
You don’t need to season this beauty when broiling or pan-searing it.
Sirloin
It’s important to remember that not all sirloins are created equal.
The steak comes from the sirloin section of the steer…
…near the hindquarters, and is less expensive than ribeyes.
Because these muscles are used heavily, especially in the bottom sirloin…
…which sits closer to the leg than the top sirloin…
…the muscles can become lean and tough.
Generally referred to as “sirloin” in supermarkets…
…bottom sirloin cuts are excellent for roasts and stews.
Under the tenderloin is top sirloin…
…a more tender meat that’s great for grilling, especially with a marinade.
Skirt
Often used for fajitas and stir fries, skirt is a long…
…thin cut that comes from the diaphragm muscles…
…rather than the lower abdominal region, of the steer.
Stronger in flavor than flank, it is tougher than flank.
Marinate skirt steak for at least 30 minutes…
…then cook it over high heat until it is barely more than rare…
…then slice it across the grain for maximum tenderness.
Strip
A New York strip steak is primarily harvested from the short loin…
…and is also known by the name Kansas City strip…
…when it is sold boneless (as it usually is). It has less tenderness than a tenderloin…
…but a fine, buttery flavor and a good texture. It has less fat than a ribeye.
Cook it the same way you would a ribeye, with salt and pepper over a dry, high heat.
“Strip steaks are almost rectangular with a slightly tapered edge. The meat is well marbled with some large pieces of fat around its edge. The meat is fine-grained in texture.”
CHRISTINE GALLARY – Food Editor-at-Large
Tomahawk
You won’t forget this steak once you’ve eaten it.
There’s no limit to your feasting: the tomahawk…
…(which is basically a ribeye with roughly five inches of rib bone)…
…can feed a group of five to ten people.
The tomahawk is cut from the loin…
…the same part of the animal that produces porterhouse and T-bone steaks.
Between 30 and 45 ounces and around two inches thick…
…this behemoth is best seared, then finished in an oven or under indirect heat on a grill.
Our Articles About Steak
The Best Way to Pan Sear Steak
The key to the perfect pan sear steak is to use good-quality meat…
…the right pan, and aromatic herbs. You should also remember…
…that searing the steak will cause some smoke to be released.
In the kitchen, turn on the exhaust fan, an overhead fan…
…or at the very least, a small tabletop fan to help circulate air.
Once you’ve done that, all you have to do is follow this method…
…and you’ll have the perfect seared steak in no time.
Learn more about this topic by reading on the article!
An Amazing Guide to Tenderizing Ribeye Steaks
All steaks aren’t created equal. Unlike blade steaks…
…which are chewy and require a lot of help to be…
…toothsome, rib steaks, and tenderloins are already…
…as tender as beef can get. It is more likely that the…
…issue is with your cooking technique rather than…
…the steak itself if you find yourself searching for the…
…best way to tenderizing ribeye steaks.
Read the article to find out more about this topic!
The Best Way to Cook a Thin Steak so That it Is Still Tender
To cook a thin steak can be an attractive option…
…whether you want to reduce your red meat intake…
…or trim down your budget. So that your thinner portion…
…of beef is as filling as a fattier one, it is important…
…to maintain all the tenderness and flavor of the beef.
Read the article to find out more about this topic!
Sum Up!
Buying a steak is probably the hardest part of cooking steak at home…
…so whether you cook steak at home or save it for special occasions like we did…
…knowing your high-end steak cuts is crucial.
Conclusion
There are so many choices in steaks that it can be overwhelming!
There is no need to worry about whether any steak cut can be cooked effectively…
…since most techniques work well, depending on the thickness…
…temperature preference, and the type of cut.
Practice makes perfect, whether you’re grilling, pan-frying, or broiling your steak!
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
