Heading to the supermarket to pick out steaks for the next backyard barbecue gathering? No doubt, the steak aisle can be a bit overwhelming. What are the best cuts of steak? How can you tell a good cut from a bad cut? There’s nothing better than a juicy, flavorful grilled steak to impress your friends and family. Thankfully our friends from Chicago Steak are here to help!
How to Choose
Thinner cuts can cook just fine on the grill or in the oven, but they can be more difficult to master. An extra 30 seconds or minute too long, and your delicious steak can turn into a not-so-tempting hockey puck. Thicker cuts allow you a little more wiggle room to get the perfect grill marks without overcooking the steak. It’s best to choose a cut that’s at least 1-inch thick.
See those white lines running through each cut? That’s marbling, which is another name for the fat that runs through the steak, almost like thin veins. Natural marbling through the muscle is what gives your steak tenderness and mouthwatering flavor. As it cooks, the fat renders itself down, creating an excellent texture and rich steak flavor. You do not want a fatty steak, so look for nice, thin lines of marbling rather than chunks of fat.
Top Steak Cuts
There are many cuts that are just right for grilling, pan-frying, or baking. Seasoned grill masters can make just about any steak cook to perfection. Let’s break down the top steak cuts!
T-Bone
These cuts are usually tender and one of the most popular at steakhouses because they contain two different types of meat – a tenderloin on one side and a strip steak on the other. T-bones pack a lot of flavors and stay nice and juicy when they’re cooked correctly.
They can be between one and two inches thick, which is just right for the grill. The best way to cook a T-bone is to sear it over high heat on the grill, and then allow it to finish cooking with indirect heat. The tenderloin side cooks faster than the strip side since it has less fat, so it helps keep the tenderloin side further away from direct flame.
The T-bone is on the higher end of the price spectrum compared to other cuts. They’re also difficult to cook since there are two types of meat with different needs.
Porterhouse
The porterhouse looks very similar to a T-bone and contains both a strip and tenderloin. These steaks tend to be larger and a little less tender because they’re cut toward the legs area, which has more muscle. To classify as a porterhouse, the USDA specifies that the tenderloin portion must have a thickness of at least 1.25” at its widest point.
Most porterhouses are up to three inches thick, giving you a large, juicy cut with savory flavors. This steak has a larger tenderloin portion, both in length and thickness, so you’ll often get a bit more meat. Most porterhouse enthusiasts tend to love cooking this cut on a cast iron skillet to give it the perfect sear and control the heat.
Porterhouses can be more expensive than other cuts and are tricky to cook. If you’ve mastered a T-bone on the grill, you can master a porterhouse. Just cook it the same way for just a tad longer, depending on thickness. Sear over high temperatures first and then move it away from direct heat to continue cooking.
Rib Eye
This cut comes from the prime rib area of the steer and gives us the prized ribeye cap. The incredible ribeye fat content provides the perfect flavor and texture combination. Ribeyes are usually between ¾ and 1 ½ inches thick. It’s best to choose a cut closer to 1 ½ inches for the grill to get the perfect cook.
Ribeyes are super flavorful, very tender, and juicy when cooked properly. The ribeye steak is great for the grill because it can cook over intense flames and remains juicy. Sear for a minute or two on each side over high heat. Turn down the temperature until cooked to your preference.
Because of incredible marbling, extra care must be taken when cooking ribeyes on the grill. Fat drippings can cause intense flame flare ups. Use a drip pan to catch the drippings or keep steak away from direct flames.
Filet Mignon
This cut of steak is one of the most popular and costly. If you’re looking to purchase several pounds for a large cookout, filet mignon may put a bigger dent in your wallet. than you intended. The filet mignon is a small section taken from the area of the tenderloin that sits closest to the ribs, making it extremely tender. Most filet mignons are between two and three inches thick, which is perfect for the grill.
Filet mignon cooks beautifully in a pan, especially when wrapped in bacon. Bacon strips give extra, robust flavors as they cook along with the steak. Filet mignon is one of the thicker cuts of steak, so it needs a bit more time to cook. For the best taste and tenderness, sear each side for about four minutes in some butter, and then move the steak and its juices to the oven for about another five minutes at 425-degrees.
Top Sirloin
This steak isn’t quite as tender as some others since it comes from a very muscular area of the animal. It does have some incredible, rich flavors that you won’t find in other steaks. On the grill, a rare to medium-rare cook produces the right balance of flavor and tenderness.
Top Sirloin is more affordable compared to many other steaks, so it’s great for large cookouts. Providing an amazing beef flavor without a lot of fat, makes it a perfectly balanced steak when cooked to the right temperature. Brush the top sirloin with olive oil and your preferred spices before grilling.
The top sirloin takes a little more time to cook because it’s so muscular. It is usually cut between one and two inches thick. One-inch cuts take about 8 to 12 minutes, and a cut closer to two inches could take more in the 15 to 18-minute range. Since there is little marbling, it can turn tough easily, even if it’s only slightly overdone.
Strip Steak
This cut is what makes up one side of the porterhouse and T-bone. Strip steaks can be quite long and are typically between one and two inches thick. They can be boneless or bone-in cuts. The boneless is a bit more costly than bone-in per pound.
Strip steak is a more affordable and versatile cut, cooking well in the oven, in a pan, or on the grill. A simple grilling method is all it takes to cook them to perfection. Look for a strip steak about 1 ½-inches thick and season it with some salt and pepper. Sear each side over high temperature for three to four minutes and move to indirect heat for another five minutes or so. A medium-rare cook is perfect for this cut.
It can be a bit tricky learning how to choose the right strip steak. Look for strip steaks that are relatively straight, rather than hook-shaped or curved. Straight portions tend to come from the area closer to the ribs, which are usually more tender and have excellent marbling.
Flank Steak
Flank steak is a lean section of the animal, so you shouldn’t need to spend much time trimming off fat. Although flank steak has more connective tissue than some higher-end cuts, it is extremely tender with a lot of flavors when properly cooked.
This steak is best to use with marinades that can tenderize the meat muscle that contributes to its naturally tough texture and adds a little flavor. Flank is on the thin side and slices easily against the grain, making it an excellent option for steak sandwiches, fajitas, or stir fry.
The lean nature of flank steak is good news for those watching fat, but it also makes it challenging to cook. If cooked a bit too long, you’ll wind up with a chewy texture and not so great of a taste.
Beef Chuck Primal Cut
This cut of meat is a large section of beef cut from the shoulder, arm, and chest sections. With it, you can get other prime cuts, like Denver steak, blade steak, and flavorful roasts.
This cut of steak is best used for roasts cooked slowly over low heat. The cooking process naturally tenderizes the beef with its own fat, leaving behind the rich, beefy flavor without the tough and chewy texture.
In Closing
Now that you have a better understanding of the best cuts of steak to choose from, there’s no need to be overwhelmed at the supermarket! Get ready to wow your friends and family at the next backyard barbecue gathering with the perfect meal on the grill!