What is the best steak?

[son of a butcher]

Having been brought up on first cut ribs steaks from aged prime beef, I was wondering what the rest of you steak eater consider the best cut of beef? The rib on any animal, beef, lamb,and veal have the best flavor. That's just my opinion. However, a great cut of meat has to be handled in just the right way. What do you like as your favorite?

[inaplasticcup]

Bone-in ribeye, but skirt is also a fave.

[Tom34]

I am partial to dry aged nicely marbled 180 strip loin but a good 109 rib is delicious. 1185A sirloin flap is not the most tender but screams with beef flavor.

[hambone]

A lot has to do with how it is being cooked and the whole deal.

Under represented above, I think, is the hanger steak. A damn tasty little cut of meat which takes a grillin' really well.

Not to say I don't prefer some of the more pricey cuts, just adding a little more than, "Me too."

[globalgourmand]

I have never bought dry-aged steak before. I have, in contrast, DRY BRINED a rib eye then seared to rare and enjoyed the results enough to never want to try any other method or pay more since.

[fldhkybnva]

How long did you dry brine? I've been wanting to do this but didn't want to ruin a good piece of meat. I assume you use salt and don't just let the steak sit uncovered in the fridge?

[mcf]

I do a dry rub including salt, brown sugar and spices for 2-3 days on a rack over a pan in my fridge. Only I use a single 2" thick ribeye so I can get a nice crust and med/rare interior. Found it here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/an...

[fldhkybnva]

Great, thanks. Yea, I usually buy a 2" or so bone in ribeye so this would be perfect.

[mcf]

I follow the griling instructions on my gas grill from the Weber grilling guide. 2-4 minutes per side on high, direct heat, then finish on indirect medium til m/rare.

[burge]

Best way to cook steak is on low brings out the juices and flavour a minute each side just to sear on high but that's it

[zoey67]

On low would be like steaming it wouldn't it?

[Tom34]

Hey Burge. Hope winter wasn't to cold up there. I hear Canadians complaining about Costco needling high value cuts of beef. Is this true in your area? Tom

[mcf]

Not to my liking, but if it is to yours, c'est la vie. I cook my steaks over medium indirect after searing because they're grass fed, but for grain fed steaks, I would not like a single minute sear before taking it off the high heat, especially if it's less than 2" thick.

[pdxgriller]

Burge is actually on to something. I have been using the America's Test Kitchen (PBS TV show) method for a while and it works better than any other. Basically you cook a thick steak or roast over indirect heat on low (250 F) either on a grill or on a rack in the oven. Just before it's done, remove from heat and let it rest for about 10 minutes and then sear it off over high heat in a frying pan or a on the grill. The low heat drives off the outside moisture so you get a really great crust, and the long slow cook allows the enzymes to speed up the process of breaking down the muscle fibers (enzymes are deactivated after the meat hits around 110 F). The meat is very evenly cooked.

[flavrmeistr]

Churrasco.

[burge]

This is the Tenderloin at Calgary south Costco I have been talking about

[burge]

A pic I took today at Calgary south Costco this is not dry

[burge]

Tenderloin at Costco

[gradishertom]

To me I think the sirloin and the rib eye have the best taste and are the most tender.

[burge]

Well for the Chucks you get some at Costco and have had them had superstore but they are rarities and called blade roasts

[Puffin3]

We like to hang our elk/moose/deer for about 30 days when the weather permits. Then dry cured skirt has the best flavor IMO. I made 'jerky' from all the skirt/rib eye cuts off a Roosevelt elk a few years ago just to see what it was like. All the rest we made into sausage with pork fat added and steel rolled oats and some 'secret herbs and spices'.

[zoey67]

I just ordered this Strube Ranch Wagyu prime grade sirloin 15lbs for only $120 + 20 for shipping which is very reasonable which came out to about $8/lb an incredible steal IMO from Big poppa smokers. Btw yes it was the most delicious deep robust piece of steak that I just ate last night. It comes in 2 big slabs in a pouch like a turkey with ice packs in a cooler and I cut the rest up and put them in the freezer in individual cuts so take out defrost anytime. It comes with ample amount of blood to use for freezing to keep them moist.

No more disappointing steaks from Kansas city steak co and that horrible Pat Boone is the worst.

https://www.bigpoppasmokers.com/store...

[burge]

I looked at that and it should be okay here we get CAB Top Sirloin which is amazing and half the price Alberta Beef had some amazing just finishing or trying to finish a whole tenderloin and it;s OMG when you have it

[burge]

I am in Canada so a CAB Alberta Sirloin tip Steak Top Sirloin is good and Tenderloin is good as well Costco also has a blade roast and if you get the right part it is just like a rib and super tasty

[MonMauler]

Dry-aged prime ribeye, rare.

[pdxgriller]

I'm doing something similar this weekend. I dry-aged a bone-in NY strip roast for 30 days, will put a rub on it the day before and slow smoke it (250 degrees) indirect over charcoal and hardwood. Good with horseradish cream sauce (although it really doesn't need a sauce). The strip roast was on sale at the time, the rib roast wasn't. ;-)

I'm actually a big fan of beef tenderloin. I buy a whole tenderloin and roast the center cut (chateaubriand). Steak out the rest of it and freeze those for later. Pretty reasonable price when you buy it whole. Most grocery stores don't even sell the center cut, they just sell the butt tenders and steak those to sell at very high prices... And they stuff they sell as "chateaubriand" is actually a big top sirloin. Look for a whole tenderloin at COSTCO or your local meat wholesaler. Instructions on how to cut it up can be found on youtube if you aren't sure how.

[MonMauler]

You have me salivating, pdxgriller. If you need someone to finish the other half of that strip roast this weekend, let me know, and I'll be there (with the requisite bottles of cabernet). Strip is probably my second favorite cut of beef.

I, too, am a fan of beef tenderloin and generally buy the whole tenderloin. Sometimes I'll portion it out for Chateaubriand, filets and roasts. I generally only cook a whole tenderloin when I have a number of guests over, though, in which case I just roast the whole thing.

[pdxgriller]

You had me at "cabernet"... A good steak and a glass of California's (or Washington's) finest is hard to beat! I think our friends will probably bring a local pinot however as they live close to where the wineries start. Never been a fan of those, although they are pretty popular here in Oregon.

Cocktail hour starts at 5:00 MonMauler, don't be late!!

[jounipesonen]

Interesting that I found ONLY ONE reference (117 posts here) to fillet and that seems to have been more in reference to it being 'tender' rather than any taste treat.

That is in accord with the usual opinion among people liking steak. Interestingly enough, fillets are sold at the highest price - I guess that's the penalty for not appreciating good beef taste :-)

[tommy]

There's less tenderloin on on the carcass than rib and strip. Even less when you consider much of it ends up in porterhouse and t-bone steaks. That probably impacts the price.

Related, I suspect if it was cheap and unpopular, foodies would praise it for its minerally flavors and tenderness.

[PHREDDY]

IN THIS ORDER:
RIB EYE
RIB ROAST
SHORT RIBS

[MHammond79]

Another vote for Ribeye.

[Puffin3]

Caribou rib eye aged to twenty eight days then salted for 24 hours. If I could have any steak on the planet it would be this steak. Two inch cut of course.

[pdxgriller]

For the money, the Top Sirloin Cap Steak, also called the Culotte, is a steal. Some people confuse this with the Tri-Tip Steak as it has a similar shape, but it comes from the top sirloin not the bottom sirloin as does tri-tip. I use one of those multi-blade tenderizers before grilling and can get the steak nearly as tender as a real tenderloin, with the flavor top sirloins are known for and at top sirloin prices. If you like flat-iron or hanger steaks, these are much better.

[Sharuf]

Doesn't anybody else crave a good generously-sized properly charred medium rare burger steak once in a while? I usually plate it sitting next to a pile of buckwheat soba noodles and ladle over all a sauce loaded down with mushrooms. An asparagus salad rounds things out nicely.

[Bill Hunt]

I do. We always have a prime sirloin double-ground for our burgers. I have never found any ground meat (even what has been billed as American-Kobe), that does so well. Now, the fat content is down, but I always cook my applewood smoked bacon on the top rack, and it drips down to the patties, causing flare-ups. I then use the bacon on the burgers.

Not sure about the asparagus, as I find these very hard to pair with the wines. Along those lines, I usually add a bit of either Zinfandel, or Merlot to the burgers, before I create the patties. The choice depends on what I think I'll be serving with those burgers.

Hunt

[steamer]

For me nothing beats a hanging tender/outside skirt. It's so damn tasty it must be really bad for you.

[nkeane]

skimmed through the entire thread and not one person mentioned the Spencer steak!? first cut from the rib primal. T-bone on steroids!

[Bill Hunt]

A lot will depend on what one likes. Good buddy loves plenty of fat and gristle. I am more of a tenderloin fan. Different cuts, for differnt folk.

For me, the ultimate has been a Kobe #6, that was like almost room temp butter. Still, good buddy would not have like it that well.

Hunt

[steakman55]

Bone in ribeye or bone in NY strip, Prime, dry aged

[Fydeaux]

Other than liver, I'm pretty much a fan of MOST of what comes from a cow, especially tongue. But with all the great answers so far, I am surprised that no one (unless I've overlooked it) has mentioned flank steak. If marinated properly and then broiled or grilled to rare perfection, it cant be beat, as far as I am concerned.

[mcf]

Thank you! I was reading this thread, agreeing about skirt and bone in ribeye, but lamenting the absence of flank steak. Very tasty staple around here, marinated and served with garlic paste made with salt, olive oil and lemon.

One other thing; I don't buy feedlot beef. The best tasting and healthiest steaks are grass fed, IMO.

[Collie Man]

The best tender steak is a tenderloin heart griller, basicly a fillet minion with more fat, and the rope, left on. juicy, fatty, and tenderenough to eat with a spoon, especialy when poached. best steak for a dude who likes to chew {like me} it's either brisket, cold smoked and grilled, or coulotte, {the flap on a sirloin top butt} sliced paper thin, against the grain. That's all there is to it. Cheers

[Kelli2006]

A dry-aged rib-eye w/ the bone in. seasoned simply with salt and pepper and grilled for 2 minutes per side over a nuclear hot grill.

Lately I have been buying a flat-iron steak and marinating it for 3-4 hours in a red wine vinegar based marinade. Grill it to a medium over a hardwood fire and you have VERY good eats!

Sorry Alton, but it was too easy.

[justanotherpenguin]

you can argue all you want, but this is NOT subjective. it is, of course, a rib eye - preferably bone in and at least 1 1/4 inches thick, charred rare. i have served this to many deployed marines, and they (even the one from the midwest) all agree.

[son of a butcher]

I totally agree about the rib eye. The FIRST CUT is the last rib before that cut becomes a shell steak. When my father had a butcher shop, he rarely sold that steak. He hung it up on a hook in the walk in box, and let age for awhile. We were very spoiled. He then trimmed it, removed the bone because we were just interested in the meat, although we an agree that the bone is what enhances the flavor. We then broiled it very rare, and this was done on our garland broiler along with hand cut french fries. I can tell you that the beef twenty years ago coming out of IBP from Iowa put a Peter Luger steak to shame. It was tangy and had a distinct flavor that only a rib steak can have.

[son of a butcher]

i forgot to add a few pointers. If you don't have a good broiler, you can forget about your steak coming out like restaurant quality. I don't put anything on my steak to season it. Good beef has its' own great taste. I have a Garland vintage 1961 with white ceramic bricks that turn red hot. Is anyone out there familiar with this stove?

[Collie Man]

As a chef with 17 years experiance, I want you're oven. I want you're oven now. It sounds soooooo beautiful, I want it now.

[OCAnn]

Rib on the bone at home (so I can nibble & gnaw on the bone using my hands). It's so easy to make an excellent steak at home, I rarely order steak out.

Rib eye (no fuss, no muss) on the rare occasion I order steak @ restaurants.

[FlavoursGal]

Being in a restaurant has never stopped me from gnawing at the rib bone of a rib steak... ;-)

[QueenB]

Same here. I also gnaw on the bones from a rack of lamb.

[FlavoursGal]

I'd consider it a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad thing not to. Sorry. ;-)

[egbluesuede]

Has anyone else mentioned Flatiron Steaks? I guess they are also called Top Blade. While I agree the Rib Eye is King.....I've been able to grill Flatiron steaks at a very low cost and think they are delicious.

[DebitNM]

YES! FLAT IRON is absolutely tender and as flavorful as bone in rib eye. We have been getting them in our local market for about 6 or 8 weeks now and they are amazing.

A little montreal steak seasoning and toss it on the barbeque. Tasty and tender. Try it.

[Collie Man]

Forget the montreal steak seasoning, go for the montreal steak spice. But flank is not flat iron. Flat iron is from the shoulder, hard REALY HARD cut to butcher. Flank is used maily for "Bavette Du Flanche" if you wana call a spade a spade

[scott.]

Ribeye grilled with salt/pepper/olive oil is pretty tasty.

[QueenB]

Bone in ribeye. It's what's for dinner!

[JMF]

I just wanted to note that If it has the bone in it is a rib steak. (Rib + Steak = Rib Steak) If the bone is out it's a rib eye. (Rib Steak - Bone = eye of a rib steak / Rib Eye)

[Kaisgraham]

Kobe beef skirt steak. It is expensive and worth it. We make carne asada tacos out of it and it is NOT a crime!

[Vexorg]

Most of the time I'll just go for a bone-in rib steak (the stores here seem to call them Ribeyes whether they're boneless or not) done simply (just salt and pepper) and grilled just a little bit past medium (the pitchforks and torches are in the closet down the hall, for those so inclined.) Of course, I don't do steak all that often, although once better weather moves in I'll probably fire up the grill more often.

[diane419]

Strip steak medium rare!

[melly]

Ribeye...absolutely the best!

[embee]

This is getting boring, but more of the same:

(1) Rib on the bone, USDA prime or Canada AAA, cut from the "inferior" end of the rib section AWAY from the loin steaks (I can't remember the rib number), dry aged 30-40 days, cut about 1 1/2 - 2 inches thick, seasoned with char crust and Lester's steak spice, cooked to 130 F on a Woodflame grill over mesquite and hickory chunks.

(2) Skirt steak, prime or Canada AAA, marinated in olive oil with lots of fresh garlic and black pepper (NO acid), seared in a blazing hot cast iron pan about 2 minutes/side and cut thinly across the grain.

I've never understood the attention paid to the loin cuts of beef. NY/shell/strip is tougher and dryer and has less flavour and more gristle, even in the highest grades. Tenderloin has a place in many preps, but it's really boring as a plain steak.

[FlavoursGal]

I believe that the infatuation that many people have for the loin cuts has to do with their [mistaken] notion that the less fat, the better.

I remember walking through St. Lawrence Market with a friend who stopped to take a look at the steaks at one of the butchershops. When I heard her say, "Oh! Look at that beautiful sirloin - it's so lean," I just about took her head off. I do tend to proselytize when it comes to food.

[Brian S]

Not if it's prime. If it's not full of fat (well-marbled), it doesn't qualify for the highest grade. http://www.lobels.com/graphics/meatpi...

[FlavoursGal]

Brian, I'm well aware of how beef is graded.

Perhaps it's not clear in my post, but I'm responding to embee's question about why so much attention is paid to the loin cuts of beef.

It is in relation to prime/AAA rib steaks and skirt steaks that I refer to the "notion of the less fat, the better." Correct me if I'm wrong, but do the loin cuts of the highest grades of beef not have less marbling/fat than do the highest grades of rib and skirt steaks?

[Blueicus]

Cumbrae's has a striploin that is full of flavour and has beautiful marbling. Alas, it costs 21 dollars a pound...

But ribeye is wonderful too, but has an unevendistribution of fat (but of course is so good) :).

[Brian S]

If it's prime, the distribution should be even. http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/110... And yes, it is so good!

[embee]

I think we've mixed up several different things. Yellow fat on outside = bad; white fat inside = good. Prime rib should have evenly distributed marbling. All rib cuts also contain patches of internal fat in addition to any marbling. Poorly marbled rib cuts will still contain these patches of fat. Marbling dissolves during cooking and bathes meat deliciously; fat chunks enjoyed by two cats.

[applehome]

Do not confuse Prime Rib with USDA Prime - 2 totally different things. Prime rib is a marketing term, and usually means that it comes from the best section of the rib sub-primal section - typically ribs 9-11. The grade of the beef doesn't matter - it can be USDA prime, choice, or even select.

USDA Prime grade meat has fine marbling, prime rib isn't defined at all by the fat - just the ribs that it was cut from.

[embee]

I am not confusing these. To be more specific, I was referring to to rib cuts graded USDA prime; not to the marketing term "prime rib". I also do not want the "best" section since I find the ribs closer to the chuck end (roughly 9-11, I think) taste much better.

Most rib cuts have patches of internal fat, quite separate from any marbling and present in pretty well all grades of beef sold at retail.

I'll add, unpatriotically, that I find USDA prime generally tastes better than Canada AAA (the finishing diet, I presume), but it's almost impossible to get USDA prime rib here since the mad cow bull.....

[CDouglas]

Ribs 9 (or 10) through 12, also known as the "first cut" or "small end", are closer to the short loin than the chuck. The chuck extends from the shoulder through rib 5. Most folks consider ribs from the first cut to be superior to ribs 6 through 8 (or 9) - the "second cut" or "large end".

Personally, I like ribs 8, 9 and 10 because they tend to have the largest portion of the "cap" or spinalis dorsi muscle which may very well be the beefiest tasting portion of the entire cow.

[embee]

I'm now completely confused about rib numbers, but I agree with you 100%, whatever the numbers may be. My favourite steak is from the rib section with the largest portion of that muscle, toward the chuck end. If I could get that muscle alone, I'd willingly dispense with the rib eye.

Where I live, that spinalis dorsi muscle isn't called the "cap", though. The cap usually refers to a piece of meat above that muscle. When supermarkets put ribs on sale, they often leave this extremely tough "cap" attached. If you don't remove it, it is usually too tough to eat when cooked as part of a roast or steak.

[CDouglas]

One of our fellow 'hounds did manage to buy the spinalis dorsi alone and had great results cooking it up. Here is a link to the thread. Check out the picture!
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/28463...

[pdxgriller]

To make it easier to understand, cows have 13 pairs of ribs. They are numbered starting from the head and increasing towards the tail. The lower numbered ribs are in the chuck primal section, while the higher numbers are in rib primal section. A whole rib roast consists of ribs numbered 6 through 12. In a whole rib roast, the highest numbered ribs are refered to as the "small end", and the lowest numbered ribs as the "large end" of the rib roast. The small end is closer to the loin section and considered to be the better roast as it has less fat and more tender. You can typically order from the butcher the size (length) of rib roast you need by the number of rib bones. So for example you could order a 3 bone rib roast, and have it cut either from the small end (10,11,12) or large end (6,7,8), or perhaps somewhere in between as CDouglas does (8,9,10). Hope that helps!

[BLM]

Canada AAA is actually just equivalent to US Choice in marbling. The Canadian equivalent to US Prime is Canada Prime, but it's very hard to find in Canada. No steakhouse here in Montreal is serving Canada Prime(the highest grade of Canadian beef in Montreal steakhouses is Canada AAA or Canadian Angus).

[embee]

I've HEARD of "Canada Prime", but I've never seen it offered for sale in Toronto. Although I've been in restaurants claiming to have it, all backed down when pressed.

The "official" grades don't mean what they once did, and some of the unofficial "grades" (like US Certified Angus) may be more reliable to a retail buyer. The USDA Prime meat I could once buy from my neighbourhood butcher in Brooklyn, at a high but still rational price, must now be ordered from Lobel's (and costs the earth).

The Canada AAA rib and loin cuts I see in Toronto have more and better marbling than the USDA Choice I see at Wegman's in Buffalo (a very high quality store).

I recently bought a beautifully marbled AAA rib roast, "dry aged for 60 days", from a very high end place in West Toronto. It was good, but the US Certified Angus roast I later bought at Loblaws (and held for two weeks in the fridge) was more tender and tasted better.

Looking at steaks over the years, one thing I can say for sure is that the best have all been graded USDA Prime.

[RShea78]

-----

embee wrote: "The Canada AAA rib and loin cuts I see in Toronto have more and better marbling than the USDA Choice I see at Wegman's in Buffalo (a very high quality store)."

Shall I say do'h?

USDA Choice does have less than the ideal marbling, than that of Canada AAA or USDA Prime.

-----

[embee]

We agree; others don't. This is starting to get silly....

[burge]

You can get prime at Costco south in Calgary

[applehome]

In USDA Choice and Prime cows, the short loin shell (or strip) muscle is often more marbled than the rib. The rib has more fat overall, as it has large chunks of fat. The sirloin is behind the short loin, and is less tender and less marbled - certainly less than the rib or the short loin strip. Sirloin steaks can be flavorful, but are typically not as tender or juicy as a short loin (NY or KC) strip) - some people like that, but most folks who like "meat from the loin" are not talking about the Sirloin.

[embee]

High quality rib cuts sold in Toronto almost invariably have more marbling than cuts from the short loin. But even extremely well marbled loin cuts seem to be dryer and tougher -- I've tasted them cut from the same cow and aged identically.

More to the point, to my palate, rib meat just tastes better.

[Meg]

No question....

1. Rib-eye
2. Hanger steak

[flipkeat]

1 Rib-eye

2 What in the heck is Hanger steak?
Being Canadian I have to say I've never heard of this cut before?? Do tell

[FlavoursGal]

Here you go, flipkeat - from Hormel's website. Yes, that Hormel. Believe it or not, this site is an excellent source for food info.

http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowl...

By the way, you'll never find hanger steak at the supermarket. If you've got an old-fashioned butcher, ask him/her.

[flipkeat]

Thanks Flavours ....That sure explains the different cuts alright..thanks again..

[cinnamon girl]

sorry for the screwed up posting - I was trying edit my response to flipkeat since I didn't get the "re" line

[cinnamon girl]

Flipkeat: I'm Canadian and I know Hanger steak well; my butcher carries it. It comes from the diaphragm . . . medium tenderness. Has a very beefy flavour - some even detect a slight liver and/or iron flavour. It's similar to the Onglet.

Bavette and skirt aren't the same: bavette comes from the loin ... had good marbling, is juicy and quite beefy. Skirt comes from the rib and overlaps w the loin (which may be why some people confuse the two). It has even more marbling w a good beefy flavour.

And the skirt doesn't really need to be marinated (as the Keller recipe Flavourgal gave the link for indicates); my info about it says to sear on high heat 1 1/2 - 2 mins a side, to med-rare and rest.

[embee]

Skirt steak IS the diaphragm muscle, and not part of the rib. The hangar steak also seems to come from the diaphragm.

You are thinking of the very marbled, very delicious strip of meat that runs above the rib eye. I think it's called something like "spinalis dorsi". Very few butchers are willing to sell you this as a standalone steak. This is a shame, since most people I know (who don't know any better) seek out rib eyes from the loin end that have little to none of this splendid muscle.

[jfood]

If i had my choice (decision not grade) i would choice a plate of P'house, hangar and skirt. Call me the Hugh Hefner of steaks but how can I choose among three of my favorite food items in the world.

Since this is Chowhound I will take all three please.

[FlavoursGal]

We should rename Chowhounders like us "chazzerim." ;-})

[jfood]

to be clear after reading my spelling mistakes, "I would choose a plate of Porterhouse...". with the HH reference I do not want it to be construed as "choice Penthouse"

[RShea78]

-----

I was almost ready to bet, the better half would have you in the doghouse, otherwise. ;-)

-----

[nyfoodjoe]

Dry aged (30 days min.) N.Y. or Ribeye....nothing else even in the same ballpark

Not sure what the fascination with skirt steak is....it must be marinated, seared quickly and cut in strips to be able to enjoy it properly..not even sure why it is called steak

[applehome]

What would you call it - cereal?

Steak is steak is steak... a chunka meat cooked by itself ( as opposed to a roast which is cooked whole then cut for serving). I mean - if we can accept steak&cheese, pepper steak, steak tips... Skirt is easy. Skirt isn't always cut up and put into fajita's - if you've never had a great skirt steak served whole (and falling off the sides of your large oval plate), go to Sammy's Roumanian in NYC.

In fact, it's getting so that "steak" steak is hardly worth going out for these days. You're in NYC, so Luger's is available for you. But if you limit yourself to that (aged prime) think of all the deep beef flavors you're missing - like Chodorow's new place for Kobe and US Wagyu (although the nearby strip-joint got a higher rating), or consider BLT Prime and BLT Steak for both the aged prime and bistro cuts.

Here in Boston and other places that don't have a Luger's, you have a choice of the steak chains (Smith&Wesson, Crapital Grille, Ruth Hiss) or maybe a bistro to get a nice chunk of Onglet... ounce for ounce, the Onglet tastes better, the frites are better, the salad is better, the service is better, and the price is lower. I'll do my "steak" steaks at home, thank you.

[FlavoursGal]

"What would you call it - cereal?"

Thanks, applehome. That was good for a great laugh - and an out-loud one at that!

[RShea78]

nyfoodjoe Wrote: "Dry aged (30 days min.) N.Y. or Ribeye....nothing else even in the same ballpark"

Oh! I get it...

You like taking Beef Jerky to the ball games. How clever... ;-)

-----

[marie15]

Again if you know how to cook it you don't need to cut it in strips and not even need to marinate it more than 30 minutes.

[hasday1]

I personally prefer hanger steak to skirt steak. I think it's more naturally tender and has such a pronounced beef flavor. If it's on a menu, it's what I'm ordering.

[jpschust]

and I'm sure you know this, but some don't- hangar steak is often refered to as "Onglet"

[CDouglas]

A rib steak can also be referred to as "Entrecote" but we don't want to start sounding unnecessarily pretentious.

It is "hanger" by the way. Otherwise we are talking about sheds...

[tjr]

It's not pretentious if you're French. The same cut of meat can be called something different if you're from a different place or speak a different language. Not a big deal.

[jpschust]

Ribeye
Porterhouse
Onglet

Filet. Just kidding.

[FlavoursGal]

For all of us skirt steak lovers out there, there's a lovely recipe on the current page of Leite's Culinaria, from Thomas Keller.

I learned something from reading this. How many of you were unaware, as I was, that the classic, delicious French bavette is skirt steak.

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipe...

[BLM]

Bavette is not skirt steak. I see it occasionally available in Montreal restaurants. It's a flap steak(or extention of the flank steak).

[FlavoursGal]

Mon dieu! I shall send an email to Thomas Keller c/o The French Laundry and Bouchon tout de suite. Quelle horreur!

[mpalmer6c]

Prime ribeye rules.

[Brian S]

I think it varies from place to place. Most steakhouses specialize in one particular cut. In NYC, the best cuts usually come from the short loin, the part of the back just below the ribs. But I've learned that the most flavorful cut to order in a NYC Argentinian steakhouse is the skirt steak. And in Oklahoma, the ribeye rules.

Here is a chart (US version, it differs from country to country)
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/image... If I'm buying a steak, I go for one with lavish marbling.

[FlavoursGal]

In Montreal, where I grew up, bone-in rib steaks were prized, and I believe they're probably still the most frequently ordered cut. It's rare (no pun intended) to see T-bone or porterhouse on a steakhouse menu in Montreal.

Growing up in a kosher household, porterhouse, sirloin, and other loin cuts were not even an option as these cuts are not kosher. Lucky for me, what I grew up with turned out to be the best.

[Booklegger451]

When someone mentions rib steaks in Montreal, I can only think of Moishes... what a fond childhood memory that place is!

[JonasOftoronto]

Hi. Just curious that any cut through the animal's bone (such as rib steak) could still be considered 'kosher'? I've often wondered how the culture managed these hurdles with steaks! Anyway interesting stuff, and enjoy whatever beef you're having, vive le Montreal, best city in Canada.

General discussion -- I'm hooked on cast iron-seared 'bavette' and recently tried skirt a few times - once it was great, another time the taste was just awful. Please anybody recommend the best way to ensure good bavette style steak (there are some boring cuts that look similar.)

[matt]

Dry aged rib eye or strip steak if I am splurging and skirt steak for an everyday cut.

Although I prefer the on the bone rib eye since my wife likes her meat medium rare and I like it rare we usually get the strip steak since its easier to cook it for each of us than getting a giant rib steak on the bone to share.

As for the poster asking about skirt steak, I usually marinate it over night (probably overkill but am at work so can't marinate it for just a few hours) in soy sauce, a little fresh lemon juice, garlic, ginger and maybe some red wine if I have a little left over in a bottle. Then just throw it in my grill skillet that I have heated under the broiler and broil for 2 minutes per side for rare. Awesome and super easy. 5 minutes of prep the night before and 5 minutes to cook.

[JMF]

Rib eye or rib steak.

[Foureyes137]

Bone-in ribeye. For fat, tenderness, and flavor...there is none better. Plus, unless you cook it well-done, it's about impossible to mess-up.

Other than that, hanger. Easier to mess-up but when it is done right it has terrific flavor.

[malibumike]

Prime rib eye, pan fried in a little butter and worchester sauce.

[CDouglas]

Off the grill I like a bone in Rib or T-Bone.
I love skirt steak and thinly sliced flank steak for arracheras and carne asada.
The most mouth watering piece of beef is that moon-shaped outer portion on a slice from a standing rib roast, preferably from rib 8, 9 or 10.

[RShea78]

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My first choice, Rib Eye.
My second is, T-Bone or PH.
What I end up getting... Chuck Steak, of which in my area has a rather, good price per pound, and still has a good flavor.

Edit: 7-Bone is normally the good cut for Chuck Steak.

-----

Edit. What is the obsession with Skirt Steak? I have always found them very tough, if not impossible, to get a tender cut.

-----

[applehome]

People weren't talking tender - just taste. And ounce for ounce, skirt has great taste. You just have to make sure that your piece is cut with the grain very short - chewing is easier when you don't have to chew long grains of muscle.

The opposite is Tenderloin - super tender, but no flavor. Good for gray-hairs with false teeth, but hardly worth even the simple chewing effort.

As far as cheap steak goes, try blade steak, also from the shoulder. Small, well-marbled pieces with a long piece of cartiledge down the middle - the cartiledge is easy to cut out when eating or not - some people like to chew on that as well. They typically cut these thin, so it's a pan-fried steak - perfect for steak diane, au poivre - any kind of quick pan steak where you make pan drippings into sauce/gravy.

[kchurchill5]

I think a filet is fine, but does need substantially more seasoning, Skirt is very flavorful and tender is cooked right and cut right. Filet is very good and tender looks pretty. Too many people think food looks better is it is a pretty nice round steak. Not me, but there are many who do and also think because it costs the most on a menu it is the best. Not true. I love skirt steak and cook it a lot. A great cut.

[marie15]

You need to know how to cook it and marinate it and it also depends on where you are buying it...

[FlavoursGal]

First choice: Bone-in rib steak

Second choice: Skirt or hanger steak

[ESNY]

I'm in agreement with you.

[kchurchill5]

Rib eye here, then skirt

[swsidejim]

The T bone, or Porterhouse, I like getting a little filet, and strip steak all in one. Plus the bone gives the meat incredible flavor

[Lazy Susan]

I second the T-bone. However, if you know your butcher, and trust him to pick a good sirloin for you to grill , I think sirloin is the best value for the $$. I have a husband and kid who want steak at least twice a week, and I 'd go broke buying enough t-bone or NY strip to keep up with them. Plus with sirloin, you don't feel bad about using it 100 different ways in leftovers.

[swsidejim]

I hear what you are saying T-Bones, and Porterhouses are not cheap especially "Prime" grade.

Luckily I go to a great small town butcher who invites me behind the counter as he cuts steaks for me. He doesnt like to sell steak by weight, but by thickness. Also when I visit he always has a recommendation as to what is good on that particular visit.

Having an excellent butcher locally is an invaluabel asset.

[thegolferbitch]

Absolutely agree, swsidejim. One of our local food shows talked about the trend of folks not buying bone-in steak/beef anymore. They'll buy a strip or a filet. Don't know if they were exagerrating or not. My local grocer (not butcher, sadly, no time last weekend) had about a dozen varieties of boneless, skinless chicken/turkey breast, but I couldn't get the cornish hens I wanted to cook, and I think they had just a few roasting chickens. Too bad.

[swsidejim]

The bones carry so much flavor, and the litte bite of marrow you can get is makes it even better.

I enjoy bone in pork chops as well as bone steaks. Perhaps the reason they are less popular is because they take a little longer, and take a little more expertise to cook evenly.

Either way more for me ; )

[Brian S]

Also, you pay by weight for the bone, and those bones are heavy.

[OCAnn]

but those bones are sooooooo yummy!

[smaki]

+1 Lazy Susan with T-Bone and Sirloin. +1 swsidejim, and those above the bone in a T-Bone especially a thick Porterhouse is an ultimate steak treat. But for under $3 a pound more often eat over half porterhouse price top sirloin. From a good butcher is key. Recently got sirloin steak for the price of burger on sale at around $2 a pound. I like one inch thick pound each sirloin with very little waste. Often cook over natural mesquite wood charcoal bought at Cash-n-Carry in a 40 pound bag for $12 that lasts half a year. Or use some other kind of wood if around like cherry or alder. Searing steaks inside on hot cast iron pan was always setting my smoke alarm off so now do it outside year round. Often only eat part of a big steak as tastes so great left over. Re-heat left over in an oven later. If bulk will eat some fresh then and freeze extra steaks two at a time (vacuum pack or for short term use non-BPA Ziploc freezer bags). The most affordable best meals can be had at home. Some restaurants have better grade beef and getting out can be part of a special treat on neutral ground.

A favorite local place, Sayler's Country Kitchen http://saylers.com/dinner.htm has top sirloins and other steaks for better than some prices with a not so stuffy atmosphere. Example: 16 oz sirloin is $24.95 with relish tray, chives in sour cream dip / topping, steak sauce, salad, butter, bread, and ice cream. Sirloins there come smaller and much bigger. If a person can eat the always on hand in glass case 72 oz sirloin steak with trimmings in an hour it is free. Many men and even several women have done it through the years! Ringside is another old favorite. Well aged and especially dry aged like at El Gaucho meat tastes great and is maybe the best while is way more expensive not sure worth it. Steak at home is best to me because can know more what it is and is the most affordable to eat steak somewhat often instead of only as a treat.

The best meat is grown with people you know in a mostly grass fed natural way. If have access to it. For a reasonable price when least expect comes usually cut and wrapped and you pick it up at the meat shop and have to buy half a beef at a time minimum (takes cash when available and immediate long term freezer space). Limousine and Texas Long Horn are naturally leaner breads in general so I personally like when some want more marbling (that is increased number of fat specks all over in the meat some feel adds flavor). Roosevelt elk in general is a bit leaner than beef while can taste similar. When eat Roosevelt elk that has been eating mostly corn, grass, and clover find them very yummy. Often it is not possible to get home grown beef or natural fed elk so often make do with the best top sirloin steak deal can find at the local store.

[Sam Fujisaka]

I'm largely a non-steak eater. Recently I tasted a beef steak cut in Brazil that comes from right above where tail meets body (according to the chart/diagram on the menu). The cut was the main draw of the restaraurant, and was very good. Anyone have an idea of what that cut would be in the US?

[coll]

If it's not the rump, then maybe this chart can help.
http://www.freshmeat.co.za/Home/meati...

[Sam Fujisaka]

Thanks, coll. Great chart. As you know, cuts of meat differ in different places. The cut I ate must have been a small, upper sub-section of the rump. The menu chart showed a very small section from which the steaks were taken.

[Brian S]

Yeah, cuts of meat differ. It's like a slice and dice problem, there are a zillion ways to dissect the same 3-D object. The chart above is South African. In the US, it's very different. Especially the prime area we call short loin. They call it sirloin, and they cut the leg up into cuts I've never heard of. I've also seen cuts in Colombian steakhouses in NYC that I just can't translate.

US chart:
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/image...

[marie15]

The cut is called churrasco... skirt steak

[Collie Man]

No, betwin the tail and the runp, it's the coulote, also called the Sirloin flap. Triangle shaped, much like a flank, but sweeter. Best cut for bavet. Skirt is good, but coulote is better.

[marie15]

the cut you ate could be churrasco, which is translated to skirt steak. This cut is the main steak cut in latin america...

[Sam Fujisaka]

It was called picanha.

[Suzie]

Rib eye

[bigmackdaddy]

It's a tie between Skirt and Rib Eye.

[DBrooks]

Bingo, I agree...skirt and rib eye. Good marbleing and tender on the ribeye, and great flavor on the skirt, though it must be sliced properly.

[pellegrino31]

I'll add a third vote for skirt steak. Amazing flavor. I also like a NY strip but skirt steak is my first choice.

[egbluesuede]

The Skirt steaks I can find locally all are "Outer" cuts. Is this the same cut everyone here is talking about? Or is the better Skirt steak the "Inner" cut?

[applehome]

I've seen both. The inside is smaller and somewhat leaner, as the fat is in a clump and is trimmed off. It also narrows almost to a point. The outside is bigger and stays pretty much the same width all the way. I haven't really thought about the difference that much in terms of texture and taste - I think they're pretty close.

The inside skirt is the Transverse Abdominis, IMPS/NAMP 121D.

The outside skirt is the actual diaphragm muscle, IMPS/NAMP 121C.

Here's a couple of good sites:

http://bovine.unl.edu/bovine3D/eng/ShowSubPrimal.jsp?primal_id=966278003&subprimal_id=1056391153

http://www.beeffoodservice.com/cuts/I...

[egbluesuede]

Thanks applehome. Those are great links and helps explain a lot. I guess once I trim the membrane off, it probably doesn't matter.

[jfood]

Great site A.

[Kate is always hungry]

New York steak at a steak house
Skirt steak at a Roumanian steak house
Rib steak at home
I love steak!

[EWSflash]

Yep, Ribeyes and skirt steaks, I like a well-grilled flank steak as well.

[frankie5angels]

Skirt Steak is the most tasty cut in my opinion.

If it's on the menu, I order it. Always tender and never dissappoints.