Filet Mignon
Filet mignon is the name of the steak cut from the beef tenderloin, a long, cylindrical muscle that runs along the spine. It’s one of the most expensive cuts of beef because the muscle doesn’t get much work, and it’s so tender you could cut through it with a fork.
Editor’s Tip: The steaks have almost no fat content, so you definitely don’t want to overcook them, or they will dry out. Because they’re already tender, they don’t require a marinade. Simply dress the filet up with salt, pepper and any herbs you like. Then, cook it in a hot cast-iron skillet until it reaches a rare or medium-rare temperature.
Ribeye
The ribeye is the juiciest, most marbled steak. It’s cut from the center of the rib section and sold as bone-in or boneless steak. Ribeye has more flavor than a filet mignon, but it’s also slightly chewier. This is a pretty forgiving steak to cook because it has so much intermuscular fat; overcook it slightly, and it will still taste juicy.
Editor’s Tip: Look for ribeyes with good marbling and a nice fat cap on the top. You won’t need to marinate this steak because of its fat content, and we like using a simple salt-and-pepper rub that doesn’t cover up the beefy flavor. Cook ribeye over dry heat—like a grill or a cast-iron pan—until it reaches your desired temperature.
Strip
The strip steak—also known as a New York strip—is cut from the short loin. It has less fat than a ribeye but more flavor than a tenderloin, and is almost always sold as a boneless steak.
Editor’s Tip: Prepare a strip steak the same way you would a ribeye: seasoned with salt or a dry rub, and cooked over dry heat. These steaks taste best in the medium-rare to medium range. Learn how to cook a medium-rare steak.
Sirloin
Sometimes called top sirloin, these boneless steaks come from (you guessed it!) the sirloin section, near the rear of the animal. Some people say they’re neither tender nor flavorful, but we disagree; sirloin steaks have a very pleasant beef-forward flavor, and their inexpensive price tag makes them affordable for weeknight dinners.
Editor’s Tip: Because the sirloin doesn’t have much fat or intermuscular marbling, you’ll want to take care not to overcook it. Any temperature over medium will taste dry. These steaks taste fantastic when dressed up with a dry rub like this.
London Broil
Technically, London broil is a cooking method, not a cut of beef, but many grocery stores sell steaks by this name. It’s usually a top round steak cut from the hindquarters of the beef, but you might want to double-check with the butcher because sometimes flank steak is sold under this name.
Editor’s Tip: It’s best to marinate these steaks with an acidic ingredient to help break down the tough muscle fibers. Then, flash-sear them in a hot pan or on the grill. Overcooked London broil can be tough and chewy, so we recommend keeping the steak in the medium-rare to medium range. Then, cut the steak against the grain after resting. These steaks are also a great choice for homemade beef jerky.
T-bone or Porterhouse
These “T-shaped” steaks are a favorite of meat lovers because they actually contain two steaks: the strip and the tenderloin. They’re cut from the short loin and are always sold on the bone. The major difference between a T-bone and a porterhouse is that the latter is generally cut from the back of the loin, and it contains a larger portion of filet mignon.
Editor’s Tip: Cook these steaks over dry heat as you would a strip loin, using a meat thermometer if you need to make sure the thick steak cooks through. After it rests, cut the meat from the bone in two pieces, slicing each one perpendicular to the bone. Then, replace the slices around the bone so it looks like a whole steak for presentation purposes.
Tomahawk
This Flintstone-looking cut is basically a ribeye steak that wasn’t cut off of the rib bone. Its thickness depends on the thickness of the bone, but they’re generally in the neighborhood of two inches thick. They also weigh enough to feed several people!
Editor’s Tip: They look intimidating, but you just need to know how to cook a thick steak to pull it off. It’s best to sear a tomahawk steak in a cast-iron pan or over the hot side of the grill. Then, finish cooking them in the oven or on the indirect heat side of the grill.
Skirt
The skirt steak is a long, thin muscle cut from the plate section of the belly. It’s a very tough cut with a lot of connective tissue, but it turns out juicy and tender if cooked correctly. You can find both inside and outside skirt steaks, and most butchers take care of trimming off the thick, outer membranes before selling them.
Editor’s Tip: It’s best to marinate a skirt steak in an acidic marinade like this for at least 30 minutes before cooking it. Then, flash sear it over high heat and serve it medium-rare to medium. It’s important to cut the skirt against the grain to avoid chewy bites.
Flank
Flank steak is similar to skirt, but it has a few characteristic differences. It comes from the belly, but the flank section is further back towards the beef’s rear. It’s thicker and wider than the skirt, and it cooks up slightly more tender.
Editor’s Tip: Like skirt steak, it’s best to use a flavorful marinade and cook flank over high heats. It can become tough when cooked over medium, and we think it tastes best at medium-rare. For the best eating experience, thinly slice flank steak against the grain.
Hanger
Hanger steak is the best cuts of beef you didn’t know you could ask for. It’s relatively inexpensive and has a super beef-forward flavor. It comes from the plate or belly section of the cow, but it’s not connected to any bones. (It hangs from the diaphragm, hence the nickname “hanging” steak.)
Editor’s Tip: If you’re buying a whole hanger, ask the butcher to remove the thick, inedible membrane that runs down its center. Like skirt or flank steaks, hangers benefit from a marinade with a strong acidic component. Cook it over high heat and be sure to cut against the grain before serving. You can cook hanger to medium rare, but we think it tastes best at medium temperatures.
Rump Steak
Rump steak (sometimes called round steak) is an inexpensive alternative to ribeye, and it tastes great if you cook it correctly. It comes from the hindquarters of the cow, so it’s lean like sirloin. Because these muscles see more work, the rump is less tender than most of the cuts on this list.
Editor’s Tip: It’s definitely best to marinate a rump steak for a least four hours, and we recommend cooking these steaks in a cast-iron pan. After searing the steak until it reaches a medium temperature, keep it juicy by letting it rest for at least 15 minutes. Then, slice it against the grain.
Denver Cut
The Denver cut is my new favorite steak. It’s cut out of the eye of the chuck, which runs along the front shoulder. This section is typically very tough and not well-suited for steaks, but because the Denver is located in the center, it sees very little exercise. It’s marbled like a strip without all the excess fat (or high price tag).
Editor’s Tip: These steaks cook exceptionally well using sous vide, or cooked on the indirect side heat of the grill before being reverse-seared at the end. They taste best at medium-rare to medium temperatures.
Flap Steak
Flap meat doesn’t necessarily sound appetizing, but it’s an affordable, versatile cut that tastes great. Sometimes called sirloin flap, this cut comes from the very bottom of the sirloin close to where it meets the flank section.
Editor’s Tip: You can use flap steak in any recipe that calls for flank or skirt. It’s best when seasoned with a marinade, cooked over high heat and served around medium temperatures.
Cube Steak
Cube steak refers to a thin cut from the round section in the hindquarters. They are tenderized using a meat mallet and are sometimes scored with little cuts. This helps them cook very quickly, but it’s almost impossible to cook them to any temperature other than well-done.
Editor’s Tip: These steaks are best-suited for chicken-fried steak: breaded and fried before being topped with gravy. The dish will taste beefy, and the gravy can cover up any dry texture.
Flat Iron
The flat iron is a tender steak cut from the chuck section, the front shoulder of the beef. It’s taken from the upper portion of the shoulder blade and has a triangular shape that resembles an iron. It’s very tender and flavorful, although there is a tough sinew running through its middle that should not be eaten.
Editor’s Tip: Cook a flat iron the same way you would a filet mignon: in a hot pan or grill until it reaches medium-rare temperatures. These lean steaks make a great addition to salads.
The post 15 Types of Steak Everyone Should Know appeared first on Taste of Home.
Lindsay D. Mattison