Where do the different beef cuts come from?
If you imagine a cow, the front section from about just behind the shoulders up to the neck and all the way down, is home to some very tasty and very ornery cuts of meat. From the shoulder area comes your beef chuck and down south a bit your brisket. Cuts of meat full of connective tissue that melts into flavourful heaven when braised, but makes for an awfully chewy steak.
Most steaks come a bit further back on the cow, and the best-known steaks start at the upper midsection and proceed back to the hindquarters.
Rib
Just back from the shoulder is the rib section, and this is the home of the prime rib roast, and not surprisingly, the rib steak and the rib eye. Very well-marbled and flavorful, the rib section is about the tastiest of all the steaks and is tender and succulent enough for a quick treatment on the grill.
Some common cuts of the rib are:
Rib steak, which if you can imagine is just a slice with the bone of a prime rib,
Ribeye steak, which is just the boneless interior of the rib steak.
Loin
Directly behind the rib section is the loin, and the loin meat is the tenderest section of beef. Although not as well flavored or marbled as the rib, the loin accounts for the most expensive and tender of all the cuts of steak. Some common cuts of the loin are:
The tenderloin, the tenderest cut, the most expensive, and some say less flavorful.
T-Bone, A bit of everything, the T bone has a T shaped bone which subdivides a small section of tenderloin, with a larger section of strip steak.
Porterhouse, similar to the T-bone, but with a larger section of tenderloin.
Strip loin (NY steak), a rectangular strip of very flavorful steak, like a T-bone without the bone or tenderloin.
Sirloin
Directly behind the loin is the sirloin. Less tender and cheaper than the loin, sirloin steaks are very tasty. Try to pick sirloin steaks as cut close to the loin if possible (if the bone is flat that means close to the loin, and round means farther back).
Round
The round section is the hind leg of the cow, and although some of these can be very flavorful, all are less tender than even the sirloin.
Some common cuts from the round are:
Top round is an acceptable steak for the grill, inexpensive and flavorful.
The bottom round is OK for the grill, but you should probably marinate well as it can be a bit chewy.
The eye of round is too tough for quick cooking methods.
Which cut is right for this recipe?
Tenderloin and Sirloin are best for steak recipes.
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