Steaks Explained
Steaks Explained
I get it. The first (or even second) time you are handed a processing sheet at the butcher can feel so overwhelming. There are lots of cuts to choose from without any explanation of what they are.
Here’s an overview of the steaks in your beef share. I’ll start with the higher end cuts and work our way down the list to the cheapest.
I recommend getting your steaks cut to 1” thickness.
T-bone
Let me introduce you to the Porterhouse, T-Bone, NY Strip, & Tenderloin (aka Filet Mignon). That’s right. All of those steaks come from one of the most widely recognized bone-in steaks: the T-bone. On one side of the bone you have the NY Strip and on the other side the tenderloin. The Porterhouse is a large T-bone with an extra large section of tenderloin. When submitting your beef share processing instructions, you can choose to have your Porterhouse section de-boned, leaving you with NY Strips and tenderloins, or leave it as one big steak. Whatever you decide to do with the Porterhouse, you will still get plenty of regular sized T-bones.
Ribeye
The ribeye is the most flavor packed and juice-filled steak due to the incredible marbling woven throughout the cut. You can order your ribeye bone-in or out. For an extra thick bone-in cut, order the ribeye as a Tomahawk. The Tomahawk comes with the entire rib and a 2-2.5” thick piece of steak. Great for grilling season and impressing your dinner guests!
Sirloin
The sirloin is a great go-to steak any night of the week. It still lands in the prime steak arena, but is a cheaper, family friendly cut.
Flank (top) and Skirt (bottom) Steaks
You won’t find these steaks on the standard processing sheet at the butcher, but they are a fun addition to your beef share! Both are traditionally used in Mexican dishes (fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, etc), but can also be used in stir fry dishes or just cooked and cut into strips. Make sure to cut against the grain!
Round (or Cube) Steaks
And finally, the round steak. This steak is often ground into your hamburger because it is the “cheapest” steak and contains the most gristle, but let’s not overlook this tasty steak. It works wonders as a ground beef replacement in so many recipes when it’s cooked and cut into strips. Or use it to make chicken fried steak! If you get it tenderized at the butcher, it’s then called a cube steak. Pictured: Beef Gyros using round steak. Recipe HERE