Trying to decide what steak to order can feel a lot like picking which wine to order: you look at the list of names you don’t recognise or understand, pretend like you’re thinking hard, then pick whichever one you can afford and sounds somewhat legit. Well, we’re here to end that today. Let us help welcome you to the big bad world of steak eating with everything a newbie like you needs to know.
First let’s start with the part of the cow where your steak can come from:
5 steak cuts and what you need to know about them:
New York Strip
Part: Short loin behind the ribs
Leanness: A thin strip of fat around the edges
Flavour: Not as tender as rib-eye or tenderloin
Cooking: Pan-sear, grill, broil
Rib-eye
Part: Front rib
Leanness: Fatty, with chunk of fat in the middle
Flavour: Intense, beefy flavour. Chewy
Cooking: grill, broil, skillet
Flank
Part: Lower belly
Leanness: Not much fat
Flavour: Less tender, chewy
Cooking: marinate and grill or broil
T-bone
Part: The short loin, which runs across the spine
Lean level: Generous amounts of fat throughout
Flavour: Buttery and juicy
Cooking: grill, broil, skillet
Filet Mignon/Tenderloin
Part: The tenderloin, which runs below the spine
Leanness: Very little fat
Flavour: Particularly tender, not very intense flavour
Cooking: grilling, broiling for very short amount of time
Words you’ll need to know to fake your way through a conversation about steak
- Sous vide – a method of cooking steak by vacuum-sealing it and cooking in a temperature controlled water bater
- Marbling – streaks of fat running through a lean chunk of meat
- Well done – the grade of cooking your steak that comes with judgemental eyes from steak-snobs
- Dry aging – keeping beef cuts in very conditioned levels of temperature, humidity, and air velocity for 14+ days to enhance tenderness and flavour
Congratulations! You can now order steak without anxiety taking over you. Get some delivered straight to your door right here: www.foodpanda.com
