How To Buy Steak
If you look at the best steaks in the world, like A5 Wagyu, the reason that steak is so desirable is the quality and consistency of the marbling throughout. You can see the beautiful flecks of white intermixed with the muscle of the meat, creating a beautiful harmony. Gristle, on the other hand, isn't going to cook down, isn't going to impart much flavor, and you'll be left with an inedible chunk of weird, chewy fat on your plate. You don't want to eat the fat, you just want it to be a part of what you're eating.
how to buy steak
Things like mass cattle farming are making it more difficult to find quality steaks in America, so if you can afford it, invest in supporting your local butcher the next time you want a nice, juicy steak. If not, be sure to keep an eye on that marbling.
"I think the best thing to look out for is fat, you want a lot of good fat in your steak, it's not the same as gristle. A lot of the time, the ones with gristle are the most beautiful ones to look at because they're bright red with fat around the outside. They look very appealing but those are the ones that will have a little more of a chew to them. Marbling is what renders down and gives you good flavor in that steak."
Feickert dry-ages all his steaks before grinding them up and has produced a delicious smash burger made with dry-aged 80/20 ground beef. And you can do the same. All you need to do to grind your own beef is cut it into little pieces and freeze it alongside the blade of your food processor for about 2 hours. Then, place everything in there and grind it on the pulse setting until you have ground beef. This will allow you to both control the cut of meat you're using and the fat content you desire. You can do the same for turkey and chicken as well.
Now, not all of us can afford a whole steak, or have the time to grind our own meat, and sometimes we just want a burger. So, when buying ground beef, look for 80/20 ground beef. This is the ratio of lean meat to fat, which is the great thing about ground beef: the fat content is completely within your control.
Believe it or not, after all this time, people are still innovating with the cow. Feickert spoke highly of the Denver steak, a new bestseller at SOKO. It's cut from the chuck, which is typically used for ground beef, but it's becoming a more desirable cut for steaks. Feickert compares the marbling and quality of Denver steaks to that of the coveted ribeye.
If you're not willing to break the bank for a butcher, some labels Hickman recommends you look out for are Grain-Fed Angus Beef. The term "Angus" has been overused by grocery stores, but it will still guarantee a higher quality of beef from a cow that's been treated and fed well. If you can find Angus beef, it guarantees that it's in the top two-thirds of the FDA's standard for meat quality, which is going to get you a better cut of steak for way less money.
Skirt steak is one of those cuts that is either in your regular rotation, or not on your radar at all. If you know about it, and how to cook it, you know that it is one of the most delicious cuts imaginable, full of deep meaty flavor, and when handled properly, a terrific texture. It is also one of the healthier cuts of beef you can choose, making it an ideal cut for those who want to eat beef but keep things on the lighter side.
If you are not familiar with skirt steak, now is the time to get to know it. An affordable cut of meat, the skirt comes from the plate section of the cow, along the front part of the belly, and is a muscle that goes around the diaphragm, hence the "skirt" name. It is a long, narrow muscle, and usually ranges from about a half an inch to three-quarters of an inch thick, making it a cut that is super fast to cook. It does best with a fast cook, so it is ideal for grilling, stovetop cooking, and stir-frying.
While it does have some internal marbling, there is limited surface fat, so it gets a nice hard crust when cooking, but the internal fat helps to keep it moist, even when cooked to medium. A chewier cut than some, the key to skirt steak eating tender is in how you cut it after cooking. It can be tempting to cut with the grain, since the steak is so narrow, it might feel logical to cut pieces from the short strip. But that will make it chewy to eat. Instead, cut against the grain to break up the long strips of muscle and tenderize it.
Skirt steak is great for things like tacos or burritos and is often the cut used in carne asada. It is also perfect for steak sandwiches since the style makes it easy to break down into portions that fit well on buns or bread. It is also a cut that can stand up to marinades, and many different cultures use it as a marinated cut that is then grilled. One iconic dish is a Greek-style skirt steak marinated in red wine vinegar, olive oil and seasonings; many Japanese restaurants also use this cut for their teriyaki beef dishes.
When choosing skirt steak, assume half a pound uncooked for each person you want to serve, and look for steaks that are not pre-marinated, and are on the thicker side. Once you fall in love with beef skirt steak, ask your butcher if they ever carry "secreto," which is the same skirt steak cut, but in pork, and which can be handled in the same way.
Who doesn't love a thick, juicy steak seared to perfection and dripping with delicious flavor? Getting that perfect cut of steak takes more than just cooking it correctly, you first have to start with a good piece of meat. Shopping for the best cut of steak is challenging when you don't know the things to look for that indicate a good steak. It's also easy to buy a steak that looks like it might be good, but it really isn't. We'll teach you how to find the best steak when you're out shopping for your next meal.
Not all beef is the same. Different cuts have unique flavors, textures, and colors. Often, you have to cook a particular cut a certain way, so you need to know the differences between the types of steak you'll find most often in the grocery store or at your butcher's counter. This complete guide to steak will make it so much easier for you to find a great steak. We'll take the stress out of shopping by showing you how to select the best types of steak.
There are lots of different types of steak on the market, each with pros and cons. Selecting the right cut of steak often involves knowing how you want to cook the meat and how you plan to serve it. Some cuts, like ribeye or filet mignon are served whole; while tri tip, flank, and skirt steak is typically sliced prior to serving. Before you buy a beautiful steak, you should make up your mind how you are going to cook to help decide which cut is best.
Grilling is the classic way to cook a great steak. You can use high heat and short cooking times to get a perfect medium rare steak on the grill. Some of our favorite cuts for grilling are Porterhouse steaks, T-Bone Steaks, and New York Strip steaks. Rib eye steaks are simply to die for when you do a simple reverse sear on the grill.
You'll get great results smoking thicker cuts of steak like tri tip. Try a flank steak roll in the smoker sometime for a unique culinary experience. We show you how on our YouTube channel. Thin-sliced sirloin is delicious when smoked.
You can use a cast iron skillet or a griddle to perfectly cook nearly any type of steak. Our favorites are rib eye, strip steaks, and flank or skirt steaks. Use a cast iron skillet for searing and reverse searing in combination with your barbecue or smoker.
Selecting the best cuts of beef is a challenge, made even worse by labeling laws in the US. You'll have the most success picking a good piece of steak when you understand the labels. Then we will tell you what to look for when your beef isn't labeled. You'll be a pro in no time.
The United States Department of Agriculture is the agency responsible for providing consumers with labeling of food products, including steak. Not all beef will have a USDA label, in fact the majority will not. That's because US law does not require labeling and the cost of having beef labeled is born by the rancher. The higher the grade, the more marbling the meat contains, which indicates higher quality.
These labels can more-or-less help you find good quality steaks. US laws require non-GMO products to meet strict standards, including how the feed the animal eats is grown. Similarly, organic labels indicate that the animal has not been subjected to feed that isn't organically-derived. Grass-fed is a popular new label that indicates an animal wasn't fed a prepared grain.
Since most of the beef you'll buy doesn't have a label telling you how good it is, you'll need to know some tips for picking out a good piece of beef. Some things to look for anytime you are shopping beef products are universal. For example, avoid steaks that have hard, thick white connective tissue called gristle. This is tough, doesn't add flavor, and is a waste of good meat. Avoid packaged beef that has blood in the container. This indicates the steak is losing moisture and may be dry. You should also skip steaks that have shattered bones, rough cuts, or have greenish hues. Don't buy meat that smells strongly, it's already started to go bad.
When you look at steaks, consider the "ideal" for that portion. For example, when you buy a rib eye steak, look for a thick cut with veining of fat throughout. Thin rib eye steaks cook really fast and lose a lot of tenderness and the fat in the meat is where the juiciness comes from. When you pick out a Porterhouse steak, try to find ones that have nearly the same size strip and filet, these are the best cuts. T-Bone steaks that have hardly any filet are from the very end and you are paying for bone, not steak.
Gently press on the steak you are looking to buy. It should feel tender and soft, like the palm of your hand near your thumb. This indicates that the meat is a good quality piece and you stand a good chance of cooking a tasty and delicious meal. Even a tough and large cut of steak like tri tip will still feel tender if it's good. 041b061a72