Our meat education

Top 5 Tips for a Perfect Steak

1. Use blended oil A 90/10 or 80/20 canola/extra virgin olive oil combination should be used to thoroughly coat steaks before cooking.

2. Dip, don't brush Dipping steaks in oil works better than brushing with oil, because it doesn’t rub off the seasoning.

3. Keep it simple The only seasoning you need for a perfect steak is coarsely ground black pepper and kosher salt on the steak before cooking, and a light dusting of pure medium-grind sea salt just before serving.

4. The hotter the better Whether cooking your steak on a grill or flat-bottomed cast-iron pan, high heat helps develop an flavorful browned exterior without compromising a medium to rare texture on the inside of the steak.

5. Make it marbled Best steaks for grilling are perfectly marbled, certified Black Angus ribeye. Marbling enhances flavor and keeps meat juicy.

Beef Cuts 101

A Simple Primer to Understanding Steak

Kobe, Angus or Piedmontese beef? Porterhouse, shell or flatiron steak? These days, going to a steakhouse is much more complicated than in the days when you chose from a New York strip, rib eye or filet mignon.

We'll leave it to the cattlemen and women to sort out which is the best cut of steak . Meanwhile, we'll take the bull by the horns and sort out all the terminology.

Steak Cuts

Starting at the neck and working down the backbone, you have the chuck, then the rib, followed by the short loin and sirloin and ending with the rump. The side section is the flank. Those areas produce the following steaks:

Chateaubriand: A piece of the tenderloin (the pointed end of the short loin), sized to feed two or more people and traditionally roasted.

Delmonico: A boneless cut from the rib section, named after the 19th century New York restaurant that popularized this dish.

Filet mignon: Think French! The name of this cut translates as tenderloin and it is the tapered, fork-tender end of the short loin.

London Broil: A large cut from the flank, then broiled and served thinly sliced.

New York strip: A steak by many other names…(such as shell steak, Kansas City strip or sirloin club steak): The marbled, larger end of the short loin.

Porterhouse: Essentially the T-bone's big brother, combining two steaks in one, the New York and the filet.

Prime rib: The bone-in rib steak, cut from ribs six through twelve, that often contains a bit of gristle but is full of flavor.

Rib-eye: A rib steak without the bone; prized among steak lovers for its marbling and flavor.

Sirloin steak: Sitting between the short loin and the rump steak is the sirloin, less tender than the short loin but still full-flavored.

T-bone: Similar cut as the Porterhouse, only the filet side is usually a bit smaller. Named for the t-shaped bone running down the center of the steak.