Know your steak
What Is a Steak?
By definition, steak is “a slice of meat cut from the fleshy part of a beef carcass.” While there are pork chops that cook like steaks and even veggies that can be sliced into “steaks,” we’re solely focusing on beef steak for this post.
Beef steaks are generally cut across the muscle fiber of a large section of beef and may or may not include a bone. Most steaks come from three prime areas on a cow.
What Part of the Cow Does Steak Come From?
Let’s take a look at the cow diagram above. All four of these steaks come from a few muscles in the same general area toward the top of the steer: the short loin, tenderloin, and the ribs. These muscles aren’t exercised very much or contain a lot of connective tissues that need to be cooked for a long time to be broken down.
1. Tenderloin
Other names : Filet mignon, Châteaubriand, fillet, filet
How it’s sold: Boneless ; the most expensive cut of steak
Where it’s from: Short loin and sirloin, under the ribs. A whole tenderloin starts out wide and then tapers at the other end (the “tail”). Filet mignon comes from the narrower end, while Châteaubriand comes from the thicker end.
What it looks like: When trimmed of silver skin, gristle, and fat, tenderloin is small and compact. The meat is lean and very fine-grained in texture. Because of its smaller shape, tenderloin steaks are cut thicker than most steaks.
What it tastes like: The tenderest of all the steaks and lean, tenderloin is buttery and mild in flavor.
How to cook it: Because cuts of tenderloin tend to be thick, the best way to cook it is to sear the outside until browned, then finish the cooking in the gentle, even heat of an oven.
2. New York Strip
Other names: NY strip, Manhattan, Kansas City strip, top sirloin, top loin, contre-filet
How it’s sold: Usuallyboneless
Where it’s from: Short loin (behind the ribs)
What it looks like: 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.
What it tastes like: The platonic ideal of steak — lots of beefy flavor, tender with a nice balance of lean meat to fat. They’re not as tender as tenderloins or ribeyes.
How to cook it: Cook over high heat — pan-sear, broil, or grill. Also makes great sandwiches like the Philly Cheesesteak.
3. Porterhouse
Other names: T-bone, date steak
How it’s sold: Bone in. According to USDA regulations, the tenderloin portion must be 1.25″ wide to be classified as a porterhouse and only .5″ wide to be classified as a T-bone.
Where it’s from: A cross section of the short loin
What it looks like: A T-shaped bone with meat on both sides of the longer portion of the bone. On one side is a piece of the tenderloin, and the other side is New York strip. Generous fat marbling throughout.
What it tastes like: Porterhouses are like getting two steaks for one — one side is a piece of the buttery tenderloin, and the other side is beefy, juicy New York strip.
How to cook it: Because there are basically two different kinds of steak in one cut, you have to be careful when cooking since the tenderloin will cook more quickly than the strip side. Try to keep the tenderloin further away from the heat source: use a two-level fire when grilling or position it away from the heating element if broiling.
4. Ribeye
Other names: Entrecôte, Delmonico, Scotch fillet, Spencer, market, beauty
How it’s sold: Bone in or boneless
Where it’s from: Upper ribcage, ribs #6-12. Ribeyes are basically a prime rib or standing rib roast cut down into individual steaks
What it looks like: Lots of fat marbling the meat and large pockets of fat interspersed throughout. The middle (central eye) has a finer grain while the outer section is looser and fattier.
What it tastes like: Ribeyes are deeply beefy and juicy, with plenty of fat to carry their flavor.
How to cook it: Cook over high heat — pan sear, broil, or grill. With the high fat content, though, you need to be careful about flareups.
5. Flank steak
Other names: Sometimes labelled as a London Broil
Where it’s from: The flank! Below the loin and sirloin and along the cows abdomen.
What it looks like: Lean without much fat and lots of fibers running along it’s length.
What it tastes like: Beefy and takes well to marinades. Be sure to cut flank into thin strips against its grain for maximum tenderness.
How to cook it: Quick high heat is best for flank steak, but it also takes well to rolling and stuffing.
