HILUXURY – Hawaii Luxury Magazine

Breaking down the top cuts of steak

SHEN YOUR APPETITE DEMANDW “where’s the beef?,” a sure bet for satisfaction is a juicy steak. New York strip, rib eye, filet mignon and porterhouse are generally regarded as the preferred cuts of steak because of their tenderness and flavor.

Chris English, president of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Association, says these mouth-watering steak cuts are found on the “middle meat” of a steer – in the short loin or rib area. Unlike the hind and shoulder area of the animal, the middle muscles aren’t used so much, so the meat has less collagen and elastin, making it tender.

“These steaks have marbled fat that’s in between the muscle fibers,” says English, who is pasture and livestock manager at Ponoholo Ranch in North Kohala on the Big Island. “This marbling makes the steak juicy and flavorful.”

While feed, genetics and handling come into play to produce quality beef, the favored end result is a subjective choice. Here are the top cuts of steak and their attributes.

1. RIB EYE

The boneless steak comes from the prized roast cut that sits at the top of the rib loin. As a roast, it’s known as a prime rib. It’s prized for its flavor and marbling.

2. FILET MIGNON

The French name for this cut translates to “tenderloin,” and it’s the fork-tender end of the short loin. It’s considered a leaner cut. Chateaubriand is a piece of the tenderloin that’s sized to feed two or more and traditionally roasted. The mild-flavored tenderloin makes great kebabs.

3. NEW YORK STRIP

Probably the most famous cut of steak, it gets confused with other names: Kansas City, Delmonico and club steak. New York strip comes from the top of the short loin, is boneless, tender and flavorful with plenty of marbling. To determine if a steak has marbling at the store, look for thin threads of fat running through the meat.

4. T-BONE

It’s a cut from just below the porterhouse. A T-Bone combines a section of top loin and tenderloin, but the filet amount is smaller. This recognizable steak has a prominent T-shaped bone running down the center of the cut.

5. PORTERHOUSE

This larger cut combines two steaks: the New York and the filet.

A tip for choosing the best cuts at the grocer is to make friends with the butcher. These meat-cutting professionals are experts on using and cooking beef. Also know that meat is graded by quality: starting at the top with “prime” and working down to “choice” and “select.” Look for steaks with a fine texture, firmness and light cherry red color, not deep red. Stay away from gray meat.

Just as characteristics for beef cuts are determined by where they are on the animal, so is choice of cooking methods. Steaks from the rib and loin area are best prepared using dry heat over a short time – grilling, broiling and pan frying. Meat with more fibrous tissue, such as a rump roast, benefits from long, moist heat to melt the collagen. Sirloin is a cut between the short loin and the rump of the animal so it can be prepared either way – quickly as a steak or cut up for stir fry – or slowly roasted to reach optimal tenderness.

To prevent moisture loss when cooking steaks, cook quickly at high temps to create a flavorful crust that preserves moisture. After cooking, let steak stand a few minutes so the water in the piece will redistribute throughout the cut.