Buying steak at a grocery store or a fresh meat market? Ordering at a fine restaurant specializing in steak? Ordering a beef at any restaurant to get the most satisfying “taste bang” for your buck?
“I wish that more people looked beyond the cut (ribeye versus New York strip, for instance) and paid more attention to the grade of the beef” says Jacquie Bols, Owner/Operator of Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering. “The grade is what it’s really all about, from taste to marbling, fat content to tenderness.”
Here’s what to know:
USDA Prime includes the top 2% of all beef produced in the U.S.
USDA Choice is a high-quality consistent grade.
USCA Select is what you’re most likely purchasing at the supermarket.
The difference is between these top grades of beef? The marbling, which just means intramuscular fat. The greater the marbling, the more juice, and the better the flavor. As an example, a Choice ribeye will always lose to a Prime strip.
So what should you know about cuts?
Let’s start with Ribeye. The outer cap of fat and muscle on a Ribeye is what its known for. This gives it a well-marbled, rich, and very flavorful meal --when it’s cooked right.
Another favorite? The New York Strip, which tends to be firmer than a ribeye, with a thicker strip of fat running along the side – and well regarded for its full flavor. If you order a quality Strip steak at a restaurant known for fine steaks, you should expect lots of flavor even though there’s less marbling to “hide behind.”
What’s a Tomahawk? These are trending right now, but they are simply a Ribeye on the bone with a long frenched rib attached.
Filet Mignons are known for their flavor since they come from the tenderloin, a muscle that does almost no work. Filet mignon is lightly textured – but without a lot of depth.
Less common cuts? Porterhouse and T Bone. Interestingly, they are both the same cut, just different sizes; a strip on one side of the bone and a filet on the other. The Porterhouse will have a larger filet portion.
So what’s a Hanger? A Hanger steak is a special butcher’s cut -- only one per animal. It’s loosely grained, very beefy in taste, and best cooked at medium rare or less.
Speaking of searing temperature, how should you order your steak?
Jacquie suggests you “order what you prefer.” Rare to medium rare usually means cooked from120°F to 135°F internal temperature. It’s where you get the best appreciation of each cut.
Anything cooked or seared beyond medium means missing out on the rich taste and marbling that makes each cut of steak worth the price – and your enjoyment of the flavor and “mouth feel.”
OK then, what does aging a steak actually do?
Wet aging means that the beef sits in its own juices in a vacuum sealed bag for a few weeks. It gets more tender and deepens the flavor.
Dry aging is an ancient way to increase beef flavor by hanging it in controlled environment where it loses moisture over weeks (sometimes months). But – all the while, enzymes are at work, breaking down the muscle. The result is very concentrated, robust flavor.
“All that aside,” says Jacquie, “get to know as many cuts of beef as you can, savoring the flavor and texture of each. Know what you like, and how you like it cooked.”
