How to choose the most flavorful steak

[ipsedixit]

According to the WSJ, this is what you look for:

"The most important question to ask is age at slaughter. For flavor reasons, be wary of steak from a cow younger than 20 months. Ask how much the cow weighed when it was slaughtered, because any cow weighing less than 1,000 pounds is almost always too lean to be delicious. Ask about the breed. Be wary of "Continental" breeds, such as Charolais or Limousin, which do very well in feedlots and terribly on grass. Look for British breeds like Hereford, Galloway and Angus. And if you should find grass-fed Wagyu, buy it."

Read the full article here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001...

[Bada Bing]

On looking to the subject line, I took the issue to be what one looks for in an individual steak--like marbling. (I don't get the impression that my local supermarket, which is really a quite good regional chain, can supply information like the age of the cattle at slaughter, but I'll ask them.)

I just know that I look for different things in different cuts. For fatty cuts like ribeye, I look for little flecks of fat, as even distributed as possible, but not too many flecks either, because once when I tried a densely flecked one, it was simply too fatty for my tastes. Other cuts are leaner by nature, like top sirloin, but still you can see which cuts are too lean and which are okay. Finally, you need to factor in cooking method: I like top sirloin really thick--like two inches--and cook it with a two stage pan-sear and then oven-roast approach. Whereas a ribeye or strip steak is fine for me at an inch thick on the grill or in the pan.

[duck833]

I don't think Costco keeps track.

I buy Costco rib-eye's, they are great and taste just fine on my grill, especially paired with a nice big New World style Oregon Pinot Noir. (Dinner tonight with fresh new fingerling potatoes and fresh grilled vegi's)

[EWSflash]

I'm with duck- Costco ribeye and a spinach salad, and some steamed rice or sauteed spuds

[paulj]

Who do you ask? The grocery clerk? The waiter?

[Harters]

In my experience, it's rare for restaurant serving staff to have a clue about the produce but you can often get clues from the menu - it's likely to mention it if it's, say, a rare breed pig, or beef that's been hung for a proper time.

As for buying for the home, absolutely ask the staff. Places selling decent meat are likely to have the staff who know exactly what they are selling. I rarely buy any meat that isnt direct from the farm - but, of course, a good butcher should be able to almost tell you the cow's name was Daisy (indeed, a shop near me normally displays the farm, the cow's registration number and when it was slaughtered)

[paulj]

I suppose you'd have to go to the restaurant at the end of the universe to get this up-front-and-personal with your steak. :)

[MikeB3542]

"The Ameglian Major Cow is a species specifically bred to not only have the desire to be eaten, but to be capable of saying so quite clearly and distinctly."

[Bada Bing]

Love it!

[mcsheridan]

And it would, of course, assure you that it would be most humane when it nipped off to shoot itself. :)

[Harters]

Pretty much a "given" there for the meat from any animal. How old it was. What breed it was. How long the animal was hung. What cut it is.