Steak 101 Part I

Steak is the Nation-wide number one subject for grilling, but many people are not familiar with the many excellent steaks available. The Kings of beef steaks are the rib, ribeye, fillet mignon, strip, T-bone, and porterhouse. The T-bone and porterhouse are excellent bone-in steaks that were once the most popular restaurant offering but have now been displaced by the rib and ribeye steaks. There are also several less expensive steaks that are lean, flavorful, and only slightly tough. These are the sirloin, flank, tri-tip, flatiron, hanger, and skirt.

Rib and Ribeye Steak

The rib and ribeye steaks are cut from the rib primal cut and are basically a rib roast cut into steaks. It is a rib steak if the bone is still attached. If boneless, it is a ribeye steak. Both steaks are the richest and beefiest cut on the cow. Marinating is not necessary, or even advisable.

Fillet Mignon

The fillet is the tenderloin cut into steaks and is extremely tender and very low in fat. Because it is so low in fat it cooks more rapidly than most steaks and should be quickly seared over very high heat.

Strip Steak

The strip, New York strip, or Kansas City strip steak is from the short loin. It has tight muscle structure, hence is only moderately tender, has good marbling but no large pockets of fat, and a strong beefy flavor.

T-bone and Porterhouse Steak

The T-bone is cut from the front of the short loin and has a strip steak on one side of the bone and a fillet on the other. If the fillet side is over 1 1/2 inches wide, it comes from further back on the short loin and is termed a porterhouse steak. The fillet side tastes like a fillet and the strip side tastes like a strip.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK