Know Your Meat 101: How to Pick a Good Steak (and look like you know what you're doing)

Last week's 101 Lesson was going to be on how to choose the perfect steak; that was until my computer, Google chrome, and Blogger all decided to be big fat FAILS.  But now they're all communicating and getting along, so here's my second try at helping you to pick the perfect steak.

American WWII Memorial, Florence

          I have always appreciated and loved a good steak, cooked medium rare with charred grill lines on the outside, sealing in the tenderness and drizzled in au jus.  Steak was pretty much a staple of my childhood dinners, a great steak and macaroni elbows with butter -- I like to span the whole spectrum of foods.  I always believed that my dad cooked the perfect steak... that was until I went to Florence.  In Italy, steak was not commonly eaten until after WWII; the rugged countryside of Italy were not ideal for raising large herds of cattle.  But areas of the Piedmont and, my favorite region, Tuscany, we recognized for the impeccable quality of their beef.  While in Florence, I visited the WWII American Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the Hills of Tuscany, about 1 hour outside of the city with my uncle the week before my family was flying out to visit.  We became friends with the ex-military guard at the Memorial and turns out he was American and had been in Florence for the past 10+ years.  So, naturally, I asked him where to get the best food in Florence -- specifically the best steak -- and he delivered.

Perseus, Viale don Giovanni Manzoni, near Piazza del Libertà, Florence, Italy 

My mom and Uncle B at Perseus

          The following week, we went to a restaurant called Perseus towards the outer and newer sections of Florence.  I wasn't sure what to expect because it wasn't right in the center of the city; I was going on pure blind faith that our friend from the Memorial had steered us in the right direction.  My family was introduced to the most amazing cut of steak in the world, Bistecca alla Fiorentina (literally Steak of Florence).  It's a well-known specialty of Florence - famous for the quality of the beef, the extra thick cut, the massive size, and the rare to medium-rare temperature.  It all but melts the moment you taste it; it's pretty much heaven in your mouth.  Just keep in mind that the typical Bistecca alla Fiorentina is typically 1kg of meat (including the T-bone)... that's 2.2 pounds of pure, delicious meat!!

One of the many butcher stands in Il Mercato Centrale
-the covered market in Florence (notice the Bistecca
alla Fiorentina to the left!)

          So I think I know how to pick a good steak at a restaurant, but how do I pick it when I go to the butcher or the grocery store?  In Italy, there were butchers everywhere with every cut of meat known to man; Il Mercato Centrale in Florence (one of my favorite places to people watch and photograph) and I wouldn't even know where to start!  I'd go to I don't even know what the terms mean, let alone where the cuts actually come from.  So a 101 Lesson for all of us:
How to Choose the Perfect Steak and Look Like You Know What You're Doing.
Where is my meat from?

Beef cuts by muscle region

Scenario: You go to a restaurant and one of the most tender cuts of steak order a Filet Mignon, one of the most tender cuts of steak.  What makes it tender?  Where is it from on the cow?  Here's a chart with a quick geography lesson on steak cuts that I found tremendously helpful in navigating steak cuts:

Specific Cuts & Common Names by Muscle Region

So you now have the general idea of steak cuts.  But what's different about each one that makes it optimal to choose a sirloin if you're grilling or a Filet Mignon if you want a luxurious evening meal or a porterhouse if you're having a guy's night.

What are the most popular cuts of steak?

What makes them unique and preferred over another cut?

What's the best way to cook them?

Filet Mignon

The Filet Mignon cut comes from the TENDERLOIN of the cattle, a small internal muscle in the cattle that is practically never used.  Therefore, this is the leanest and most tender cut of beef; it practically melts in your mouth.  The Filet Mignon has less marbling than rib cuts (more towards the center of the cattle), but marbling = flavoring.  Although it is incredibly tender and renowned for its decadence, its lack of flavoring leads to a Filet Mignon often being accompanied by a sauce, wrapped in bacon, or sometimes even a mushroom au jus.  Since the tenderloin is such a small muscle, and the Filet is always high in demand, they're typically priced pretty high.  It takes to marinade extremely well, so limit the marination time and grilling time.  It's best enjoyed medium rare (my favorite!) because over-cooking it will definitely dry it out.
New York Strip Steak 

The Boneless Strip Steak (often referred to as a New York Strip Steak) is much more marbled than the Filet Mignon, making it more flavorful and still remain tender, making it one of the most popular cuts in America.  This steak is cut from the STRIP LOIN (hence Strip Steak), and since the Strip Loin is a larger muscle, this cut is typically about 12 ounces!  The strip marinates easily and it only enhances its natural abundant flavor.  I like a New York Strip grilled, which is how it's most often served, and cooked between rare and medium to keep the moisture.  It's more reasonably priced and makes it a great choice for everyday grilling and more casual family meals.
T-Bone & Porterhouse

If you put the 2 previous cuts of steak together (Filet + Strip) and keep the T-Shaped Bone separating the two, you have a T-Bone Steak.  A T-Bone and Porterhouse are quite similar, but if you know what to look for, you can tell the difference.  If the Filet is somewhat smaller than the strip, it's a T-Bone.  If the Filet is bigger and nearly the same size as the strip, you have a Porterhouse.  The cut is from a combination of the TENDERLOIN and the STRIP LOIN resulting in the Filet and strip, respectively.  These are both great cuts to throw on the grill; just know that the Tenderloin will cook slightly faster than the strip and the beef closest to the bone will be rarer than the rest of the steak.   If you are grilling, use the hotter edge of the grill to cook the strip and the cooler edge (relatively) for the Filet to even things out a bit.

T-Bone

Porterhouse

Ribeye

Sometimes called a Cowboy Steak, named for its boldness, style, and amazing flavor, a Ribeye cut with the bone-in is a treat!  The Ribeye cut is one of the most marbled cuts of steak, but is less lean than the Filet;  these characteristics make it an exceptionally juicy and flavorful cut.  This cut is from the beef RIB and many steak lovers say this is their preferred cut.  Ribeye is at its best when it is grilled on high and cooked between rare and medium, while still retaining moisture and its juices.  A Ribeye is a perfect, hearty cut for a football tailgate or to impress neighbors and friends at a backyard cookout.  AND the prices are pretty reasonable.
Sirloin

The Sirloin cut is the MOST boldly flavored.  The Sirloin muscle is worked more in comparison to the other muscles cuts of steak are from.  In general, it is less tender because of its workload, but if you choose a TOP SIRLOIN you'll get the best of all cuts.  The top sirloin is more tender than cuts from the BOTTOM SIRLOIN, and cuts from both are moderately priced.  The Top Sirloin cut retains its flavor and is still fairly tender, making it perfect for large family gatherings and grilling at cookouts.  It is best to marinate a Sirloin for a few hours prior to cooking for even more flavor, but don't cook a sirloin cut past medium because it will lose both of its positive qualities.

So now you know about 5 of the most common cuts of steak and where they come from.  But I keep talking about the best temperatures for steaks to be cooked to... now what would a rare steak look like compared to a medium steak?

And now you have some understanding of steak cuts, terms, and what they all mean.  But what does that all matter if you don't know what to do with it?  Here's a GREAT article from the UK Telegraph on How to Cook the Perfect Steak.  Great steak recipes coming up soon...

Here's to Happy Grilling and Happy Taste Buds!

Cheers!