Many chefs advise buying beef at the market, because in supermarkets it is impossible to open the vacuum packaging to ensure the freshness of the product. However, not everything is so simple! Enterprising traders can easily fool even an experienced cook.

The insidious plans of sellers or which meat to choose

Sometimes we realize that a product is unfit for consumption only during cooking. Often an unpleasant odor or smell of spoiled kefir appears (when the animal was fed expired dairy products). The beef immediately shrivels and releases a large amount of water, which is clearly not like meat juice. As a result, the pieces are not fried, but boiled, regardless of whether the cooking technology was followed or not.

Such a product is dangerous to eat, and even more so to use for steaks, especially bottom-rare (blue, medium, medium re). Kitchen experts recommend not to regret the money spent, but to immediately throw away the unusable piece. How can you understand before purchasing that raw materials are of dubious quality?

A few signs of spoiled meat:

• when pressed, the hole does not straighten, liquid appears in it;
  meat that is unnaturally pale pink, bright red or dark red;
• unpleasant smell, not like meat;
• layers of yellow, gray or brown fat;
• the surface of the product is sticky, too wet or dry;
• there is a slight smell of ammonia;
• the meat juice in the tray where the goods lie is suspiciously cloudy;
• the texture of the piece is loose or too dense, not elastic;
• when pressed with a finger, a hole does not appear, the meat is springy, like a well-inflated ball;
• the piece practically disintegrates in your hands, the fibers are clearly visible.

If you see only one sign of poor quality raw materials, walk away, without responding to the entreaties of “complacent” sellers.

If the appearance of the product is good, you still should not rush into the purchase. It is advisable to inspect the counter: how neatly the meat is laid out, the cleanliness of the tables and trays where it is stored. If there are towels and knives nearby, it is advisable to pay attention to their condition. The presence of a sink is necessary, because a person must wash his hands before handling beef, even if he has disposable gloves. Often, a seller’s honesty is indicated by his appearance. A soiled apron, a dirty collar of the jacket and sleeves, especially in the elbow area, speaks of the butcher’s attitude towards the products and customers.

How to find the perfect meat for a juicy steak?

Chefs advise to inspect it more carefully, even after making sure of its freshness. Any pieces are suitable for stewing, baking and boiling. For more sophisticated dishes, Mignon or Ribeye, you should take a more serious approach to purchasing. Before going to the market, you can grab a couple of disposable gloves. Feel free to look at the product from all sides, touch it with your hands, smell it.

Attention!

If you are refused quite harshly or suspiciously evasive of answers, it is better to move to another tray.

However, it is difficult to find good beef without knowing what it should taste like.

What should you look for on the shelves?

An even cut is a guarantee of a delicious dish! If the flesh resembles a “ladder”, the piece may cook unevenly and lose more moisture than necessary. It’s not worth mentioning the taste qualities, since it was 100% stored in the freezer and cut half-thawed.

Natural color of meat without light or dark differences. Pass by an overly beautiful piece with a suspiciously bright shade. Perhaps it was specially soaked in a tinted liquid to disguise some of the flaws. Experience shows that pale beef, which resembles pork, cooks more.


The pulp is moderately elastic; when pressed, a small hole appears, but after a minute it disappears. Sellers can stuff the cut with salt solutions, not always clean water, dyes, and gelling agents that retain moisture between the fibers. The product becomes denser and heavier: a kilogram of meat can easily be sold at twice the price without adjusting the scales. However, such raw materials will not produce a tasty steak, not to mention the health of consumers.

Fresh meat is another trick of sellers. The product remains tender only for the first three hours after slaughter, until it is completely cooled. Once the fibers shrink, the flesh becomes tougher, making it unsuitable for cooking steaks. It must be allowed to ripen under certain conditions for 28 days or kept in the refrigerator at a low temperature for at least several days.

A piece that is too thin is only suitable for preparing azu, beef stroganoff and krucheniki.

The optimal thickness of raw steak varies from 3 to 5 cm.

Depending on the type of cut, the weight of one serving can sometimes be more than a kilogram. Only from such a piece can you prepare a delicious dish of the desired doneness!

When purchasing, pay attention to the muscle fibers of the tenderloin, Fish, Striploin (only a whole cut, not a piece). They should be parallel to the surface of the table, and not diagonally. Otherwise, there is no doubt that this product was cut out from another part of the carcass. Moreover, any meat must be cut exactly across the grain. The quality, cooking time, and texture of the steak depend on such a minor nuance.

If properly prepared beef for steak is thrown into a hot frying pan, the temperature will be evenly distributed over the entire area of ​​the piece. This means that the meat product will be properly fried, softened well, and juicy.

It is advisable to choose meat with thin, dense, elastic fibers. If they are too thick and rough, the dish will turn out tough.

How not to buy ordinary meat at the price of elite beef

There have been cases when sellers offered the flesh of ordinary calves under the guise of purebred bulls (Angus, Hereford). Often, cheap cuts of meat, taken from the shoulder or leg, were skillfully cut and presented as Tenderloin or Ribeye. Of course, it is impossible to cook a good steak from such beef. It will turn out too tough, without a pronounced specific aroma, and not the roast that you wanted.

Search for elite meat in shopping aisles

Availability of whole cuts. You should not purchase shapeless meat of unknown origin. You must know exactly from which part of the carcass it was removed and placed on the table. Each cut has its own characteristics of cleaning, frying and serving methods. Taking into account the type of beef, chefs select garnishes and sauces to create an exquisite flavor composition.

Marbling. Experts recommend choosing meat with fatty patches that look like thin threads. They should pass through the entire product, creating an original pattern and resembling marble stains. During frying, the “web” melts, slightly delaying the release of moisture from the piece. The steak comes out incredibly juicy, and the fat turns into aromatic juice.

The degree of marbling determines how well the steaks are cooked! The more snow-white layers, the longer the pieces need to be cooked (medium, medium vel, vel dan).

The quality of meat depends on the supplier. Good restaurants receive goods from Australia, New Zealand or Argentina. The seller monitors transportation and storage conditions, cooling the cuts to 1 degree. The natural taste of beef is preserved. You can find a good product made by us, but the quality is far from ideal. The flavor and texture of the pulp directly depends on the breed of bulls, the characteristics of the feed, growing conditions and other factors.

Attention!

Good meat cannot be cheap, do not believe the tales of polite sellers!

Raising purebred bulls is a colossal effort for farmers and a significant financial investment.

What determines the price of marbled beef?

Elite meat is impressively expensive, but it is possible to purchase a good product at an attractive price. Do not think that a slightly discounted product will be of poor quality. There are many factors that a farmer must consider before selling.

Animal age– one of the important nuances that few people ask about when buying meat. The older the bull, the tougher and darker the product will be, no matter what part of the carcass it was taken from.

Growing conditions. The terrain, content, diet along with walks and other nuances are taken into account. Experienced farmers are confident that the quality of raw materials depends on the characteristics of the animals’ day. The bulls are first kept in a stall, then taken out to a clearing, and massaged at a certain period. Their life activities can be scheduled minute by minute! The quantity and thickness of fat fibers in cuts depends on this. In expensive beef they should be thin and in large quantities.

Dry aged meat always more expensive than wet. It all depends on the weight loss during gestation. In the first case, beef loses up to 40% of its juices, which is why the dishes are obtained with a more concentrated and rich taste.

Type of cut. The most prized are Tenderloin, Striploin, and Ribeye (considered prime-class meat). This cut makes excellent steaks, soft and juicy. Pieces taken from the ham, neck and shoulder parts will be much cheaper. Their flesh consists of thick and coarse fibers, because these muscles participated in the life of the animal.

The cost of meat is also affected by mammal diet. It is impossible to say what should be fed to an animal to produce the best elite meat. Regardless of their diet, each cut has its own unique taste and aroma. However, experts believe that ribeye turns out tastier if the bull has been pampered with grain crops. To make a great Minion, it is advisable to feed it with good grass. In any case, food should be balanced and of high quality, without harmful substances. Some farmers add natural yeast beer, diluted red wine, and sake to the diet.


Three types of fattening and characteristics of the pulp:

1. Herbal. The meat will be slightly tough and dark. The dish will have a more delicate taste and delicate texture. You can buy an excellent product from manufacturers from Argentina, New Zealand, and Brazil.
2. Grain. An incredibly soft steak will have a bright, rich aroma and a pronounced meaty aftertaste. The goods come to our country from Australia, the USA, and partly from New Zealand.
3. Combined. Some farmers feed grass first and then grains. The meat tastes exquisite, quite marbled and soft.

Where can you buy luxurious beef for steaks?

Good pulp can be bought in a supermarket, online store or at the market, but you should still not look into some places:

Spontaneous bazaars. The meat does not undergo the necessary laboratory tests. When raising animals, sellers do not always invite veterinarians and provide appropriate vaccinations. Often, owners themselves do not know what microorganisms are in their product.

Small shops, where customer traffic is minimal. Of course, it is basically impossible to cook a steak from the meat that is there. And, most likely, the goods will be stale.

Freezers in any supermarket. When defrosting, meat loses a significant part of its juices, even in the refrigerator during slow thawing. Ice crystals break the fibers in the middle of the piece, which also affects the quality of the dish. In critical situations, to prevent the product from spoiling, it is necessary to use shock freezing: when the cut turns into ice (-30 degrees) in a short period of time.


Ribeye, Striploin, Tenderloin are easy to purchase in specialized online stores. Restaurants and steakhouses cooperate with some of them, which speaks volumes about the company’s reputation and the quality of the meat product. On virtual counters you can choose a portioned piece or a whole layer of any aging (wet or dry). It's easy to find prime class products here. Elite meat is noticeably different from other raw materials: it has an amazing flavor palette, a pronounced meaty aftertaste, an exquisite aroma and an incredibly delicate texture.

In the markets they often buy chilled beef: regular tenderloin or locally produced marbled meat. It is difficult to find imported cuts from Angus or Hereford bulls there.

Knowing which cut of beef to choose for a steak, preparing a magnificent meat masterpiece will not be difficult, and you will also be able to guess the desired degree of doneness. Juicy, aromatic meat with a golden crust will give you a lot of pleasure without leaving home.

Useful video

Selecting beef tenderloin for steaks and preparing a delicious dish.

I won’t be mistaken if I say that every man, in addition to scrambled eggs and fried potatoes, should be able to cook. At least that's the legend. I didn't know how until recently. However, even now, if I show my steak to a knowledgeable person, he will most likely take a photo of it and post it on his Instagram with the hashtags #lol, #whatisthis, #hethinksthissteak.

Despite the fact that my experience in cooking steaks is still limited, I try to study everything new diligently, and therefore I started with the theory - how to choose the right meat for steak.

Types of steaks

None of the types of steaks have a Russian translation. In addition, if you order a pork or chicken steak in the presence of a knowledgeable person, you will most likely be looked at condescendingly. It is believed that steak is made only from beef.

Depending on which cut is used, there are several (up to ten) types of steaks:

1. Ribeye- subscapular part of the carcass. Contains a lot of fat, so the meat turns out juicy.
2. Club steak- the back part of the carcass is used as a tenderloin. The steak has a small bone.
3. Filet mignon-considered the most tender meat, it is not cooked with blood.
4. Chateaubriand- the same filet mignon, but laid out lengthwise on a plate.
5. Tornedos- small pieces of tenderloin from which medallions are made.
6. Skirt steak- beef flank meat. It is considered quite hard, but tasty.
7. Porterhouse steak-separated by a T-shaped bone, contains a large amount of fat, which makes the meat juicy.
8. Roundrumb steak- a round piece of tenderloin from the hip.
9. Striploin steak- tenderloin that looks more like a sirloin strip than a steak.

How to choose

Despite the variety, each steak is suitable for different situations. Ribeye, for example, is considered the most unpretentious in cooking and at the same time very tasty. Tenderloin has a large amount of fat. Striploin steak is a softer cut than ribeye and is the steak most often served in steakhouses. Filet mignon is the most tender, almost “buttery” meat, but does not have such a rich taste due to the small amount of fat.

Randy Irion, marketing director for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, has some tips for selecting and cooking the right steak:

1. Buy thick pieces at least 2 centimeters thick.
2. Don't avoid fatty cuts: Fat gives the steak flavor, makes it juicy, and maintains its shape while grilling.
3. If you want to cook the perfect steak, you'll have to buy a thermometer. The required temperature for rare steak is 51 °C.
4. Do not pay attention to the labels “organic”, “non-GMO”, “natural product”.
5. Ideally, you should buy your meat from a butcher shop rather than a supermarket.
6. If the meat gives off a slight ammonia smell, it is not fresh.
7. When you get home, feel the steak. If your fingers stick to the meat, it means it is close to being lost.
8. Ribeye is the best choice if you don't want to spend a lot of time choosing. According to Irion, almost any butcher or cook will tell you that ribeye is their favorite type of steak. It is not the most delicate, but has the richest taste.

Many people, when they come to our store, wonder: there are so many steaks, where should I start? In this article, I will try to make your choice easier and offer several types of meat with which you can begin your acquaintance with the wonderful world of home-cooked steaks.

What should the first steak be like?

Our first steak must meet two main requirements: it must be easy to cook and it must be likely to please everyone.

✓ Easy to prepare

When you cook for the first time, you are afraid of undercooking or overcooking meat. If we are talking about an expensive piece, the stakes increase. There's really no need to worry in advance. An undercooked piece for one person can easily seem overcooked for another, and only over time you will understand your individual preferences. But, our first steak should be universal and resistant to any frying that you get. That is, not to contain too much fat that needs to be melted or, conversely, not to be too thin so that there is a danger of burning it.

✓ Universal taste

All steaks are different. Some taste sweet, others are neutral. In some steaks, the meat fibers are thick and dense, in others they are thin and tender. Some have veins that make it difficult to eat, while others are as clean as a baby's tear when cut. There should be nothing superfluous in your first steak: decent juiciness and uniform consistency.

What meat to choose for your first steak?

I've chosen three steaks that (and in this order) are the best places to start creating your own list of favorite cuts of grilled meat:

1. New York steak

- This is a universal steak with pronounced marbling and an even consistency without unpleasant fatty inclusions. Start with him. You'll taste the superb juiciness that good grain-fed meat provides and be surprised at how tender it can be. You can choose either corn-fed, which makes the steak even juicier, or grain-fed.

2. Filet mignon

(tenderloin steak) will set the upper limit for tenderness of the meat. This is the most expensive steak per kilogram of meat. Comparing it with the previous one, you will notice that there is always a balance in steaks. Filet mignon is less juicy, and the texture of the meat is almost unnoticeable compared to New York, but the tenderness, on the contrary, is admirable.

3. Skirt steak

is the best steak to introduce you to alternative cuts of meat. It may seem that the diaphragm is not the best part for frying, but the result is always more surprising. A completely different shade of taste, a different structure of large, disintegrating fibers that are located along the steak rather than across it, a large supply of juiciness and an almost buttery texture. For many, it becomes a favorite steak for many years; it is not for nothing that it has been Baranienbaum’s top seller for many years.

What to try next?

If you like New York more than others, then it’s worth trying further

Despite the fact that barbecue culture came to us from the West, and specifically from England, it dates back to ancient times, from the time when people made sacrifices to the gods. Steaks as a dish were already prepared in ancient Rome, by frying large pieces of beef on grates. British aristocrats considered beef to be the food of the poor and preferred the meat of a young calf to it. In addition, hunting has always been developed in Britain, so venison or wild boar steak was not only a favorite dish of sophisticated meat-eaters, but was also considered a trophy for hunters. Hunting was a noble cause and, as a rule, the same aristocrats took part in it.

An important criterion when choosing a cut of beef carcass is the choice of meat that has minimally participated in physical activity. This type of meat is typically softer and more tender, making it best suited for steak. There are many aspects to choosing meat, most of which will be covered in this article.

What cut is steak made from?

Typically, steaks are made from beef. Usually they use cuts from different parts of the beef carcass; they differ in taste and aroma. The choice of a specific place for cutting depends on the method of cooking and the degree of permissible frying of the steak. Tenderloin with a large number of streaks of fat guarantees the steak a rich taste and aroma. This meat is called marbled beef. It is needed for the most popular types of steaks, and the less fatty part is perfect as a dietary product. For each type of steak, different meat is used; the types will be discussed a little later.

Certainly, For steak, it is better to take marbled meat. Although suitable meat can be selected from different parts of the carcass, it is most often recommended to use tenderloin from the hip or rib. It is suitable for leaner types of steaks and requires a more careful approach to preparation. Veal tenderloin is excellent for these types of steaks. Such meat, as a rule, is distinguished by its tenderness and minimal amount of fat.

Regular grades of beef are suitable for preparing steak. But experienced chefs in expensive restaurants choose meat from breeds bred for this purpose. Their number is quite small.

• The first to highlight is the famous Angus meat variety.. This type is considered a premium grade of beef and fits perfectly into the definition of the standard of marbled beef. He is originally from Scotland. The breed of cattle is also called “Aberdeen Angus”.

• The second no less famous and most expensive type of beef is the Japanese “Wagyu”. As the name suggests, this breed comes from Japan, where these cattle of the “Wagiu” breed, which literally means Japanese cow, have been bred for centuries. Currently, Vagiu cows are bred in other countries, in accordance with the original traditions. Also noteworthy is the presence of alcohol in the diet of Wagiu cows. During the raising of these cows, the most comfortable conditions are maintained, limiting the mobility of these animals, which has a great effect on the tenderness of the meat.

• The third variety is the English Hereford breed. Due to their adaptability to any conditions, cows of this breed are the most common beef cattle. As a rule, cattle of this breed are less demanding in breeding and can reach a large weight - around 1200–1300 kg.

Important! You can find hybrids of several breeds.

Names and features of varieties

To choose the right steak meat, you need to decide what type of steak you want to cook. There are not many types of steaks. First, it’s worth understanding the main varieties.

• The most unpretentious in preparation is Ribeye, or as it is more often called entrecote. Its streaks of white fat make it one of the juiciest and tastiest versions of this dish. Entrecote is difficult to spoil during the cooking process. As a rule, for its preparation, a tenderloin is selected from the rib part of a beef carcass. And also among the options for preparing this type of steak, the simplest one has been found. It doesn't require a marinade, just salt and pepper. Steak prepared according to this simple recipe is served with sauce, of which there are quite a lot of variations.

• The next contender is called T-Bone or Tibone. This is a classic steak that has a fairly recognizable appearance with a T-shaped bone in the middle, which is where its name comes from. In addition to its attractive appearance, it is famous for its taste. For this type of steak, the lumbar cut of the carcass with bone is used. It includes two types of meat at once, combining soft and tender, as well as richer parts. This meat has an average percentage of fat, which makes the taste more pronounced. Due to its size, this steak takes a long time to cook.

• Filet mignon is the most tender and lean type of steak. To prepare the minion, the central part of the tenderloin is used, which contains a very small percentage of fat and is excellent as a dietary food. It is distinguished by its small size and large thickness - from six to eight centimeters. The taste of this steak is less expressive, as is the aroma. It cooks quite quickly. It is important to closely monitor it during the cooking process; it is easy to overcook and spoil it.

• If Mignon can be called a woman's dish, then Striploin fits the description of a man's dish. It has a rich taste and aroma and is characterized by larger fibers. Striploin is also called “New York”, since this steak was first prepared in this city. For preparation, use fillet of the lumbar part of beef carcass.

• Potterhouse, along with T-bone, is considered the largest steak. It is often difficult to cope with it alone. It originates from London, where it was first filed. Potterhouse can be compared to T-bone not only in size, but also in the presence of bone. This version of steak is also famous for its taste using the most tender marbled beef.

• Flank is prepared from sirloin taken from the belly area. It is generally free of fat and bones, making it a fairly easy dish to prepare. For flank, an important factor is its marinade, which should include acid, usually citric. It allows you to make the meat more tender by slightly separating the fibers from each other. Variations of various marinades can be easily found on the Internet or come up with yourself. Basically, the marinating of the flank takes several hours, no more than a day.

• To prepare Chuck Roll steak, fillet taken from the neck area is used. Chuck Roll is very similar to Ribeye, only its meat is more tender and flavorful. It is great not only for frying, but also for stewing and baking. This steak will be delicious in any form.

Beef is not always used to prepare steak. There are options for cooking from chicken fillet, as well as turkey and fish. Such dishes can be classified as lean or dietary. They have their own cooking characteristics; as a rule, everything is much simpler with them than with beef. And the price for such meat is much lower. Turkey thigh fillet steak is especially tasty; its taste is something between lean beef and turkey.

Lamb or pork can be an excellent alternative to beef. There are also a large number of features and variations in the preparation of this meat. As a rule, they are less fussy than beef. In addition to the most affordable types of meat, which are sold in butcher shops in any city, steak can be more exotic, for example, using bear meat or venison, which in some locations is not considered very exotic. In addition to the listed examples, there are a large number of types and classifications of this dish. A complete list of recipes can also be easily found on the Internet.

But the main factor in preparing an excellent steak, of course, is the experience of the cook, who knows exactly which marinade is most suitable for which meat, and also determines the required degree of roasting.

It is very important to choose the right degree of roasting. If you leave meat on the fire for too long, it can be overcooked, causing it to become dry and tasteless. If you remove it too early, you risk getting an undercooked steak. But if this problem can still be dealt with, then the first one will send your steak to the trash. Therefore, you need to know how to properly fry meat. Often the description of a specific recipe indicates the recommended time and temperature, despite this, there are five main types of meat frying, namely:

1. The first is the type of frying: Rate or low-done, since the steak does not have to be completely fried; this type of frying is perfect for rare steak options; with low frying, the temperature in the central part of the steak should reach +50°C;
2. Lightly cooked with a crispy crust is called Medium rate; with this type of frying, the temperature in the core of the meat piece should not exceed +55°C;
3. There is an average roast of Medium, while the temperature in the center is +60°C;
4. Medium Well is a well-done steak, which is determined by the pink hue of the meat in the middle; the suitable temperature for it is +65°C in the center;
5. The highest degree is Well Done, the roasting temperature reaches +70°C.

Important! If you raise the temperature higher, the steak will be overcooked, if lower, it will remain undercooked. You should adhere to five gradations and everything will be fine.

Which one is better to choose?

Each of the described options differs in its taste and aroma, as well as in the fat content, density and structure of the meat. Of course, it is better to approach the choice of meat for steak subjectively, because everyone has different tastes. Therefore, in order to choose a steak, you should decide on your taste preferences. It is worthwhile to carefully understand this issue and try different variations of steak from different cuts and with different degrees of doneness. It’s foolish to stop at just one version of this dish.

To prepare your first steak, it is highly recommended to choose Ribeye, since it is unpretentious in preparation and is a kind of classic of the genre. Having tried to cook it yourself, you will be able to appreciate all the advantages and fullness of taste of beef dishes. It is preferable to fry steaks on a grill using a grill, but you can use a special frying pan.

Unfortunately, steak cooked in a frying pan, although very tasty, will not compare to meat traditionally cooked over an open fire.

You will learn how to cook beef steak in the next video.

Taste, texture and aroma directly depend on the location of the pulp in the carcass. Do not forget that each cut has its own culinary value, method of preparation, and optimal roasting.

Tenderloin, thin and thick edge, shoulder part, flank differ in structure, fiber thickness, and amount of fat layers. Experienced cooks pay attention to the degree of marbling, the presence of a stone and other important nuances. To choose the right meat, it is advisable to understand its types and find out from which part of the beef the steak is made. So, let's take a look at the kitchen of steakhouses...

Types of steaks, their culinary characteristics and names

Regular veal tenderloin is suitable for preparing delicious steaks, but experts buy meat from specially bred breeds. There are only a few of them: Scottish Angus (Aberdeen Angus), Japanese Wagyu, English Hereford, and their hybrids.

Angus and Hereford inherit the best qualities: high degree of marbling, large muscle mass, low percentage of waste.

The usual beef cutlet (entrecote, thick edge) is not entirely suitable for frying, because its structure is quite dense and there are no fat layers at all. The steak will be too dry, tough, and unappetizing in appearance. It is better to marinate such a product and prepare another dish: veal chops, fried, medallions in sauce.

Attention!

The juiciness and tenderness of fried meat, its aroma, flavor, even the choice of garnish and sauce depend on the type of cut.

So, let's look at the optimal parts of the carcass and types of beef steaks.

Tenderloin or tenderloin – lean and tender meat

The meat is located under the spine and does not participate in the animal’s loads, therefore it is considered the softest part of the carcass. The tenderloin contains a sufficient amount of valuable protein, which is necessary for children and pregnant women. One piece can restore strength after physical or mental labor. Suitable for dietary nutrition, because it contains practically no fatty inclusions.


In the market it is easy to confuse tenderloin with the cheaper and tougher entrecote. Cunning sellers skillfully disguise it, passing it off as a tender and expensive cut. Often the flesh is cut out from the shoulder or thigh, giving the piece an oblong shape.

How to distinguish tenderloin from thick edge and other meats?

• there are no veins;
• on one side there is a thin and long film;
• loose texture;
• the fibers are large and long;
• the tenderloin is much narrower than the entrecote;
• the pulp is evenly colored;
• the color is darker than that of the thick edge;
• You can see cuts on the piece, the surface is not smooth;
• piece length no more than 45 cm;
• The tenderloin tapers evenly.

Chefs recommend buying unpeeled tenderloin, because it has a unique muscle structure, unlike other cuts. It consists of a head, central part, tail and cuff. The pieces differ in thickness and density from each other, so not all cuts are used for steaks.

Culinary features of tenderloin

Head located in the widest part of the Tenderloin, it resembles a weighty appendage. It has more fat layers than other sections. The piece is good for preparing beef stroganoff, steak, goulash (the tail and cuffs can be used for these dishes). Carpaccio is often made from it. However, in inexpensive restaurants they often use it for steaks, although they turn out to be a bit tough.

Cuff- the thinnest strip of meat that runs along the entire length of the tail and is connected to the “body” by a film. The meat is tender and cooks very quickly. Mainly used for fried meat dishes with sauce.

Tail- the narrowed part of Tenderloin, which dries quickly in the pan. In budget restaurants, cooks are cunning: they cut a piece, turn it inside out and secure it with foil, then fry it and serve it as a favorite dish!

For chefs, the central part is worth its weight in gold, because the most tender beef steaks (Mignon and Chateaubriand) are prepared from it.

For filet mignon, only the middle part is taken, so only two thick pieces are obtained from one tenderloin. Cheap restaurants may use all the pulp, including the head. Mignon is deservedly considered a woman's steak, as it is the softest and leanest. The meat captivates with its bright taste, juiciness and tenderness.


Chateaubriand is made from the thick part of the tenderloin, which is located near the head. Cooks fry it whole, for two people, or divide it into 2 pieces. The steak comes out slightly wider and thicker than Mignon. It was invented by the personal chef of Viscount Chateaubriand. Served with an amazing sauce made from white wine with wormwood, shallots and lemon juice.

Ribeye or thick end is a popular restaurant dish.

The thick edge has a special structure and is valued for its high degree of marbling and original taste. The name of the cut translates as “eye on the bone.”


Closer to the neck, it consists of three muscles that smoothly transform into one. The steak comes out fatty, tender and juicy, which is why men often order it.

“Eye” is a professional term that refers to the size of the muscle section, although in cross-section the contours of the muscles slightly resemble the organ of vision.

The ribeye is located in the upper back, between the 5th and 13th ribs, connected to a thin edge (striploin). It practically does not participate in the life of the animal, so the meat is quite soft. Fat layers accumulate more actively than in other muscles. The most valuable part is the first third of the cut, which is located near the neck. It is by the thick edge that conclusions are drawn about the marbling of the rest of the meat!

Thick edge steaks can be of two types:

1. Rib (Cowboy Steak or Prime Rib) is cut together with the rib bone. During frying, it imparts an incredible aroma and a slightly nutty flavor.
2. Ribeye is tender, boneless meat. The rib is removed immediately when cutting the carcass.

Striploin (thin edge) - excellent meat for frying

Striploin is translated as flat cut, since the cut is slightly wider and lower in shape than ribeye. The meat is cut from the lumbar part of the carcass, after the 13th rib.


The fibers are large, but quite delicate and soft. There is a dense vein on the edge, which is cut only in the kitchens of expensive restaurants. A small spinal muscle runs along the entire length (from the side). It may fall off during cooking, so you need to turn the piece over very carefully. The cut is surrounded by a thick layer of fat, but only on one side.

Steaks fascinate with their concentrated meat flavor, which is why they are rightfully considered a man’s dish. Two types of steaks are prepared from the thin edge: Striploin and New York.

Rump or Sirloin – moderately tough and lean meat

Sirloin is the flesh of the loin, which is located near the head of the tenderloin. The meat is a little tough, lean and with large fibers.


The fatty layers are concentrated on one side, giving the dish an original aftertaste.

Attention!

Due to the low degree of marbling, steak is easy to dry out, so it is not advisable to overheat it.

A piece of sirloin is fried over an open fire, mainly on coals. It is not as juicy and tender as Ribeye, but we love it precisely for its amazing meaty taste, which is quite bright and rich.

The cut is divided into several types:

1. Sirloin flap has a rough texture. To soften the fibers a little, the piece is pre-marinated. Chefs recommend frying it medium-dry, otherwise the meat will turn into crackers.
2. Top sirloin is taken from the central lumbar region and fried at a high temperature, like other steaks. Recommended roasting medium medium.

Large T-bone steaks are food for real men!

Some types of steaks are gigantic in size and are usually served without any trimmings. A piece is cut from the carcass along with the rib bones and vertebrae. There are different cuts on both sides: Tenderloin and Striploin (or Ribeye). They differ in fiber structure, amount of fat inclusions, density and hardness.

Each part requires a different cooking time, so this dish is trusted exclusively to experienced chefs.

Due to its large size, the meat takes a long time to fry. There is a risk of drying out the lean part, and not bringing the thick or thin edge to the desired degree of frying.

Giant steaks are prized for their stunning flavor. The bone enriches the food: the pulp captivates with its amazing taste, and new notes appear with each bite. The dish is rightfully considered masculine, because girls practically don’t order it because of its impressive weight and rich aftertaste.


There are two types of meat on the bone:

1. T-bone is a delicacy for real gourmets. Distinctive feature: T-shaped bone. On one side there is a small piece of tenderloin (mostly the narrow part), and on the other there is a striploin with a thick layer of fat. A raw steak weighs more than 450 grams and can reach up to a kilogram.
2. Porterhouse is the king of steaks. The heaviest, most satisfying piece of meat, which is cut from the lumbar region. It is similar to T-bone, but the cuts in the cut are an order of magnitude larger, and the bone itself is several times smaller. One serving can weigh about a kilogram. In the 18th century, porterhouses were London taverns where workers came to drink beer or porter. Over time, the establishments turned into restaurants that impressed with a variety of delicious steaks.

Budget steaks - amazing food at a low cost

Who said that cheap meat is not suitable for preparing a luxurious dish? The flesh of the shoulder, thigh and flank can be used to create an amazing dish!

Flank - the highlight of steakhouses

Flank is a small cut that supports the stomach and intestines of the animal and does not participate in its movement. The piece is unusually flat and wide, resembling a rectangle. Fat streaks are located on top, but in small quantities. The muscle fibers are quite large and loose, which must be taken into account during preparation. They are directed differently than other cuts: at an angle, almost parallel to the plane of the grill.


Flank is considered a lean and tough steak, so it is not advisable to overheat it. The degree of marbling is much lower than that of ribeye, so the cut is easy to dry out. Despite the low quality, it has an amazing meaty taste: refined and pronounced. Typically a piece weighs more than a kilogram.

When serving, be sure to cut it, since the degree of softness of the dish depends on the angle of the cut. Meat is considered a budget option, initially ending up in the kitchens of the poor.

Several steaks can be prepared from the Flank cut:

1. Flank steak is cut from the flank. It is distinguished by its excellent juiciness, aroma and luxurious taste.
2. Steak Machete- a long and narrow piece of internal diaphragm with relatively good marbling. It was loved for its intense and pronounced taste. The piece visually resembles a Latin American knife, which is where it gets its name.
3. Butcher steak is cut from the diaphragm. Butchers and traders initially did not put it on the counter, but kept it for themselves. It is valued for its bright taste, original and delicate texture. Like all flank steaks, when serving it must be cut or divided into two parts.

Chuck - a wide variety of steaks

The Chuck cut is cut from the neck and shoulder portions of steers. There are a few fatty inclusions in it, but the dish comes out quite juicy and moderately tough. During cooking, chefs take into account all the nuances, so from one cut you can make several steaks, completely different in taste and texture.


Denver steak. The pulp is located under the animal's shoulder blade. The marbling is quite high, so the dish turns out tasty, juicy, and not too tough. Average weight is about 700 grams.

Top Blade. The meat has a dense structure. A dense vein runs through the entire length of the piece. During the cooking process, it practically does not soften, which is why the product is used in budget establishments. If you cut out the vein, you will get a wonderful Flat Iron dish. The weight of the piece is about 600 grams. Marbling is quite good, fatty streaks are scattered over the entire surface. The steak comes out quite juicy, so it is not marinated before cooking. Chefs recommend buying a wet-aged product so that the meat taste is more harmonious.

Flat Iron(Kansas or Top Blade) has an incredible aroma and taste. The flesh is cut from the shoulder part, which is adjacent to the shoulder blade. The piece resembles the outline of an iron sole, which is how it got its name. It has a good degree of marbling, so the food comes out quite juicy and tender. Before cooking, open the meat and carefully remove the vein, leaving all the fatty layers. The weight of one steak can be about 200 grams, so one cut will yield a dozen servings. Gourmets ranked Flat Iron second after the Tenderloin.

Chuck Eye Roll cut from the neck cut. The steak turns out a little tough, but quite juicy. Gourmets are sure that it tastes like ribeye, but takes a little longer to cook due to its dense texture. The piece is sinewy, tapers on one side, and has connective tissue. Fat threads are not scattered over the surface of the meat, but are concentrated closer to the center and edge.

Vegas Strip The taste is reminiscent of New York, but it comes out a little tougher. Attracts with a stunning aftertaste. The marbling is good: the fried piece turns out quite juicy.

Specific steaks Round

Round - a cut from the hip part of the carcass. It has a low degree of marbling, so the dish will not be as juicy as Tenderloin or Striploin. Depending on the cut, the flesh may contain a thigh bone.


The piece is framed by a thick film with a small amount of fat. Before cooking, the meat must be marinated to soften the tough fibers. It is often beaten and grilled, stewed in spicy sauces, made into roast beef, stuffed, baked at low temperatures (in foil or vacuum bags).

Several types of steak can be prepared from the cut:

• Rump (Rump Steak);
• Top Side;
• I of Round;
• Bottom Round.

Each type has a wonderful taste and aroma. After marinating, 10 minutes is enough to prepare an excellent dish!

When choosing meat for future steaks, it is advisable to take into account the personal preferences of the guests, the specific taste range, richness and fat content of the cut. It’s easy to prepare a sumptuous dish from the right piece of pulp!

Useful video

A meat specialist talks in detail about how to choose the right steak and how one meat differs from another.