Which cut of meat is best for steak? How to choose meat: types of beef steaks and their names

Despite the claims of some doctors that consumption of red meat is harmful to health, and the growing number of zealous vegetarians, there are still many more meat eaters among city residents. But few people really understand what is on their plate: often people do not even suspect where the beef came from, from which the served steak was prepared, how it was cut and stored, and what part of the carcass was made from, for example, ribeye or striploin. The Village decided to explore this issue from A to Z. A meat specialist helped us with this Kirill Martynenko, managing partner of the Moscow steakhouse chain Torro Grill.

Kirill Martynenko

managing partner of a steakhouse chain
Torro Grill

Kirill got into the restaurant business in 1989 as a waiter at the Yuzef restaurant, where he later became an assistant chef. Then he worked as a cook in the restaurants “Assol” and “Anna Mons”, a chef and manager of the bar-restaurant “U Petra”, a manager of the Finnish restaurant-club Maxim's and a chef in the entertainment complex “Alexander Blok”. In 2002 Kirill became the chef of the Global Foods company, and in 2004 - the concept chef of the Arpicom restaurant group (Goodman, Filimonova and Yankel, Kolbasoff).In 2007, together with his partner Anton Lyalin, he opened his first steakhouse Torro Grill, which has now become a chain of six restaurants in Moscow.

Story

Steak(English) steak, from Old Norse
Steikja - « fry") - a piece of meat cut from the carcass of an animal and cooked over a fire.

It is difficult to say exactly when steak appeared, but it is safe to say that our ancestors began eating meat raw many thousands of years ago in order to survive in harsh conditions. They began to fry meat over a fire when they realized that it was easier to eat this way.

In the mid-15th century, descriptions of steak first appeared in British cookbooks. Three centuries later, the technology of cooking meat over an open fire began to spread across continental Europe.

English Herefords and Scottish Aberdeen Angus were brought to the New World, on which, in fact, the American meat industry began to develop. In addition to the United States, steaks have become widespread in all former British colonies, as well as in Latin America, Germany, Italy and France.

Actually, the culture of steak and steakhouses was born at the end of the 19th century, and it happened, as you might guess, in America - in Chicago.

Meat

A herd of cattle is divided into two unequal parts: meat, intended for quick slaughter, and dairy. The first is, as a rule, bulls, the second, of course, is cows. But even among beef bulls, not everyone is suitable for steaks.

Breed

An extremely important parameter is breed. All the time that people were engaged in animal husbandry, they bred and fixed breeds that best gained muscle mass, could store a certain amount of fat and were unpretentious in maintenance. For the steak industry, it is also important that the animal be compact. The most steak breeds are the entire Angus family ( Aberdeen Angus- a breed bred in Scotland and brought to the USA in 1873), Hereford ( Hereford- a breed bred in Herefordshire, England), as well as their hybrids. This is what the vast majority of steaks in restaurants around the world are made from.

The diet of the animal plays a special role in meat production. Natural food for a cow is grass and hay. But from the point of view of the meat industry, this is unprofitable and is only possible in countries where there are appropriate areas and climatic conditions allow livestock to eat grass all year round, as, for example, in New Zealand.

Cow stomach capable of digesting exclusively poor feed: hay and grass, so switching to more rich feed, grain, must occur gradually, otherwise the animal will get sick.

Grain feeding appeared relatively recently, in the mid-60s in the United States. The producer, by giving livestock a standard, highly nutritious feed, can control the growth rate of the animals. Besides the consumer wanted to receive beef of a certain marbling (eng. marbling- small particles of fat deposited between muscle fibers), the degree of which cannot be controlled during grass-fed feeding. For this reason, there was a need to develop a system of grain feeding and meat certification.

Grain-fed is more expensive than grass-fed, and the diet itself is more complex. The transition to richer food, grain, should occur gradually. It is important to develop a balanced diet and gradually transfer the animal to a new diet of mixed feed, barley, alfalfa, corn and other ingredients.

IN USA meat is divided into eight categories, three of which are prime, choice And select- suitable for cooking steaks.

IN Australia categories are designated by serial number from 200 before 1 100 (the most marbled) in increments of 100 units.

In Russia today there is no beef certification system similar to Western ones. Modern GOSTs and TUs do not describe what kind of meat is suitable for steaks. While other countries have their own criteria for certification and assigning categories to meat. The most stringent standards are set in countries with a developed meat industry: the USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Russia must develop its standards and definitions of VKG (high-quality beef) within a year and a half after joining the World Trade Organization, that is, approximately by 2014. In Russia, beef that meets the VKG standards has not been and is not produced.

Main exporters and meat prices

Country of manufacture also plays a role in pricing. It’s easy to guess that labor in the USA and Australia is more expensive than in Argentina, which is why the price of meat is higher. Climatic conditions and seasonal variations are also important. In the USA, for example, meat always rises in price around Christmas and becomes cheaper in the summer. Financiers often play on meat - futures contracts for beef are concluded no less often than for grain.

Japanese beef Wagyu surpasses the American one in marbling prime. The price, of course, is one and a half to two times higher.

Beef is brought to Russia mainly from the USA and Australia. The most popular breeds are Angus. Sometimes super-marbled beef produced using Japanese technologies appears on the Russian market - Wagyu. Due to lack of production capacity in Japan, this meat is also produced in the USA and Australia. Less comes from Latin America and New Zealand, since the fattening there is grass-fed - marbling cannot be guaranteed, and the consumer is already accustomed to a certain level.

The price of beef depends on the complexity of transportation and seasonality. However, Angus from the USA and Australia are comparable in price. Japanese varieties are significantly - up to one and a half to two times - more expensive. Grass-fed beef is generally less expensive because grass-fed beef is cheaper than grain-fed beef if there is adequate grazing space.

Russian meat

Recently, more and more Russian meat has appeared on sale, claiming to become steak. However, the price-quality ratio is still shocking. Considering that there are places to raise livestock in Russia, it is sad that meat production is still in its early stages.

Undeveloped industry and infrastructure do not allow farmers to effectively and profitably sell their goods. Since the restaurant business is capable of absorbing no more than 10% of the carcass, the rest of the meat remains ballast in the hands of the manufacturer. In countries with a developed meat industry, everything is recycled.

Carcass cutting

There are documents regulating the process of cutting a carcass and describing in detail how to properly trim the fat and what each piece should look like. In the USA, cutting standards are set out in a reference book called Meat Buyer's Guide. Australians have a similar one Australian Beef Product Guide, In Canada - Meat Cuts Manual.

The tradition of cutting a carcass in our country does not at all imply such a product as steak. Therefore, those who want to experiment with domestic meat should be prepared for the fact that in a restaurant they will have to additionally tinker with the carcass - making steaks from an unshaped piece.

Storage and transportation

Meat comes to the market in two forms - frozen and chilled.

Freezing

The meat is subjected to shock freezing: its temperature drops from plus 2-4 degrees to about minus 30 in a matter of minutes. Thus, the cell walls do not have time to be destroyed by ice crystals. Subsequently, when defrosting, the loss of juiciness is minimal. Such meat, as a rule, comes to Russia by sea: this is the cheapest way. Properly frozen and thawed beef is undoubtedly inferior in taste to aged examples, but is quite workable. Defrosting should take place in the refrigerator at a temperature of plus 4-5 degrees.

Vacuum storage

Dry aging

Typically, dry aging occurs where the meat will be cooked. In this case, it is delivered to the restaurant, where it goes into a special chamber and ripens and airs there. Such aging leads to a loss of up to 25% of moisture, which means a piece of beef costs much more than frozen or vacuum-aged, but its taste is also brighter.

Dry-aged meat is extremely rare in Moscow restaurants. But it is normal to keep the meat in a special refrigerator in a separate area and then deliver the vacuum-packed cut to the restaurant kitchen. There are offers of foreign dry-aged meat on the Russian market.

Steak

Up to 10% of the total weight of the animal’s frame is suitable for cooking steak (the weight of the frame does not include the weight of the head, entrails and skin) - hence the high price of the steak. The entire back is suitable for preparing steaks: sirloin (the inner part of the lumbar cut), ribeye (breast part) and striploin (the lumbar part), shoulder and the front part of the rear cut are the main cuts used in the restaurant industry. The shoulder and front portion of the rear cut are lower in price and have a more pronounced flavor. There is also a diaphragm - these are two cuts - skirt And hanger(thick diaphragm). The diaphragm is the softest muscle of the animal, since its purpose is to support the insides, it is not involved in movement. Diaphragm is also called "butcher's steak" because traditionally butchers kept these cuts for themselves as the most tender.

Moscow restaurants serve these steaks:

Roasting

Of course, all these cuts require varying degrees of cooking, since their fat content is different. Experts are still arguing about the number of degrees of doneness of a steak, but most are of the opinion that there are still six of them:


There is a simple rule: the fattier the piece, the higher the degree of roasting that suits it. It is recommended to cook ribeye steak to medium or medium-well, but it is better to serve tenderloin medium-rare or even rare. The French and Spanish especially like it low, while Americans prefer well-done meat.

Photos: Olya Eikhenbaum
Illustrations: Alexander Pokhvalin

There can be no complete nutrition without meat. And, if we talk about something tasty, it’s steak, of course! In this article we will talk about more than just beef steak. And about which piece is better to choose and how to cook.

Choosing the right meat

Cooking a classic steak is impossible without good beef. First you need to figure out how to choose the right meat.

Do not buy frozen meat for steaks. Even at a temperature of 0 0 C during freezing, changes in the properties of this product occur. Meat after freezing is more juicy. This is certainly not bad.

But there are also negative aspects of freezing - when the liquid in meat freezes, it forms crystals that disrupt the structure of the meat, cutting its fibers.

When choosing meat, look at its color, which will determine its freshness. Fresh beef has a rich red color. Fat should be only white in color, without any shades. If the meat is fresh, the fat should crumble (this applies to beef fat).

Go buy meat at the market. Since meat at the market is checked daily. This happens less often in the store. Especially if it is packaged and packaged meat.

There is also the opportunity to purchase homemade meat of good quality at the market. And, if you get to know the owner of this meat and become a regular customer, then no one will deceive you.

Check the elasticity of the meat to determine its freshness. Press your finger on the piece you like, if the dent quickly goes away, then you have chosen fresh meat, your steak will turn out tender. And when, when pressed, you feel how it springs, it means that it is not the first freshness and the steak from it will turn out to be rubbery.

Pay attention to layers of fat. They make the meat juicy. Choose a piece that has layers of fat. When you start cooking, they will melt and the steak will turn out very juicy and very tender.

Types of steak

The best parts of beef are used to prepare steak. The pulp is simply not suitable for this dish. The type of steak depends on what part of the beef it is made from. There are approximately one hundred types of preparation of this dish.

Let's look at the most popular ones.

  1. Marble steak - another name for Ribeye. It uses meat that is cut from the subscapular part of beef. It contains many layers of fat, making it look like marble. It is considered best when these veins are thin and there are quite a lot of them.
  2. T-bone- it was called that because of the bone, which looks like the letter “T”. It is cut out at the edge of the dorsal part and the lumbar part at the place where the thin boundaries of the longest muscle and the notch form. The beef carcass is specially chopped so that there is a bone with meat. Such steaks can be bought ready-made - pieces of meat on a T-shaped bone.
  3. Filet mignon, a type of steak made from the most tender part. It has the appearance of a stump, cleared of all veins and sinews, slightly beaten, in the shape of a steak. If you do the hammering yourself, don't use a hammer. Beat with the handle of a knife.
  4. Roundrumb- meat for this type is cut from the upper hip part of the carcass.
  5. Tornedos- cut pieces of meat from the thin edge of the main part of the tenderloin.
  6. Porterhouse steak- here they use meat from the thick edge of the lumbar cut of the carcass.
  7. Club steak- this steak has a small rib bone with meat from part of the back on the border of the thick edge of the long muscle.
  8. Chateaubriand- for this steak, take a fairly thick piece from the central part of the beef carcass.
  9. Rum - steak prepared from tenderloin, which is cut into thin pieces and well beaten.

Whatever type of steak you choose, keep in mind that the pieces of meat must be cut into 3 or 5 centimeters thick. Along the cross grain for uniform roasting.

Preparation

After you have chosen meat at the market and brought it home, you need to clean it well before cooking. It is necessary to cut off all films and external tendons from it. Rinse thoroughly under running water. Then place the meat in a colander to drain all the liquid, or on a towel for about 15 minutes.

After this, you need to properly cut the meat. Steak portions should only be cut across the grain. Due to this cutting, the fat evenly passes through the fibers of the meat during frying. The meat is heated quickly and evenly.

As mentioned earlier, the thickness of the pieces should be from three to five centimeters in thickness. If you decide to cook in a frying pan, three centimeters is enough. On coals - the thickness should be at least five centimeters.

Attention! Don't forget that a steak is not a chop. Prepared pieces cannot be beaten, as the meat loses its juices and its structure.

Prepare seasonings to use when cooking meat. Steaks need to be marinated. To do this, take a ceramic or glass container. Prepare a marinade of olive oil, salt, seasonings and wine vinegar, you can add a little soy sauce.

Mix everything and pour this marinade over the prepared meat. Mix the meat with the marinade well so that it is all covered. Cover with a lid and leave to marinate for 10 hours.

After the specified time, start cooking.

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.

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 somewhere 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.

The perfect steak starts with the choice of meat. By purchasing a quality product, you doom the cooking result to success. It is difficult to spoil fresh meat with the wrong recipe or marinade. We will tell you how to choose the right steak for a particular steak in this article.

There is an opinion that steak is prepared only from beef, everything other than that is just fried meat. First, you should pay attention to the types of steaks in order to understand which part of the huge carcass to buy.

Steaks

There are more than 100 options, but only a few of them are the most popular. They are served in famous restaurants, and chefs compete in roasting and serving. Home cooks dream of learning the secrets of cooking.

  1. Ribeye. The fillet is located under the shoulder blade of the animal and consists of pulp and many fatty streaks. The finished product turns out juicy, although not the most tender, but very tasty.
  2. Club Meat on a small rib bone, cut from the back.
  3. T-bone. It has a bone similar to the letter T, cut from the dorso-lumbar region.
  4. Filet mignon. Famous for its indescribable tenderness, it has no bones, the central loin of the animal. The tallest piece is cut 5 centimeters thick. For this type, only medium, deep roasting is relevant. Saturation suffers due to the lack of fat layers. You cannot beat the meat with a kitchen hammer, the steak will lose its shape, the flesh will break, the handle of a knife will do.
  5. Porterhouse. A combination of two types of steak - tender sirloin, T-bone with a thin edge. It is considered the ideal option: juicy, tender, rich in fat.
  6. Tornedos. Tenderloin cut into small medallions.
  7. Striploin. The thin edge of the lumbar section of the carcass has a characteristic beef taste. The appearance of a thin stripe.
  8. Roundrumb. The hip part of the steak has a round shape.

Based on the choice of steak type, we go shopping. It is necessary to follow the recommendations, choose carefully, taking into account each point, then the dish will exceed expectations and receive a lot of compliments.

Choosing meat

It is recommended to take fairly thick pieces, at least 2 centimeters. Fatty pieces are especially good, the finished dish turns out juicy even at maximum frying, the shape of the piece is perfectly preserved, does not spread, and remains elastic.

When choosing a place to buy, give preference to markets for several reasons:

  • It’s much easier to find quality meat there, especially the most expensive cuts;
  • you can take a good sniff - an indicator of staleness - the smell of ammonia;
  • touch the pieces - the meat returns to shape after pressing with a finger - it means good, sticky - stale;
  • choose a seller who supplies only good pieces.

Meat color

We pay attention to color - the main indicator of quality.

  • red meat, pale pink crust, pale pink is acceptable, spots of a different color, mucus - indicators of a low-quality piece;
  • white fat - yes, yellow, brown, gray - no;
  • the texture is too dense, loose - stale, homogeneous, elastic - suitable.

We examine the counter and trays. Cloudy juice in containers is an indicator of poor product quality. We look at the surroundings, notice details (towels, knives, boards).

An even cut guarantees an excellent steak. The ribbed surface is fraught with loss of juice, and the steak will turn out dry.

Sellers' tricks

It’s easy to deceive an inexperienced buyer, let’s look at the most famous tricks of sellers:

  • simple calves are passed off as purebred bulls;
  • fresh meat is a popular misconception, it is considered as such the first three hours after slaughter; for beef steak, aged fillet is suitable - a maximum of 28 days after slaughter;
  • cheap cuts, for example, shoulder cuts, are presented as elite ribeye, filet mignon.

It is necessary to look for sellers who can clearly see where the piece was cut from. Each part differs in roasting time, garnish, and sauce. Pay attention to the marbling of the product; a large number of veins is a guarantee of a juicy steak.

Pay attention to the muscle fibers - thick means tough meat.

Where's the best beef?

For steakhouses, meat is supplied from the following countries:

  1. New Zealand - the most famous breeds graze in the fields of the island, the meat of which is used in preparing ideal steaks.
  2. Argentina - the best breeds of animals are raised and is considered the country of the most delicious steak.
  3. Australia - the continental climate allows for raising excellent cattle.
  4. Japan - the animal is fed yeast beer and given a back massage. It is believed that this helps make the pieces softer and the taste richer.

Cuts from a Russian manufacturer are also of high quality, if the representative did not skimp on care and feed. The buyer does not know this for certain, so he has to trust the seller’s words, rely on the appearance of the product, and trust his intuition.

The cost of good beef is quite high; a low price means a low-quality product. Feeding and caring for bulls requires a lot of labor and financial investments.

What affects the price

  1. Type of cut. There are especially valuable places on the carcass - the dorsal, lumbar, and central parts. Shoulder and ham have a lower cost.
  2. Age of the bull. The meat of an older animal will be darker and tougher. The characteristics do not depend on the part of the cut.
  3. Conditions. The quality of meat directly depends on the area where it is grown, the regime, and walks. Bulls live according to a clear schedule: they walk, eat, and take certain procedures. The number of fatty streaks depends on the diet - a quality product should have a lot of thin ones.
  4. Nutrition. The most delicious meat is considered to come from grain-fed bulls; good fresh grass is suitable for the minion.

Professional chefs study in detail the characteristics and growing conditions of animals before purchasing a piece; the quality of the dishes and reviews from restaurant guests depend on this.

  • to determine doneness is necessary, checking readiness with sharp objects is fraught with leakage of juice, therefore, the pieces will be hard;
  • turn over only with tongs - no punctures;
  • fry over maximum heat for a minimum amount of time, so the juice is sealed inside;
  • place the pieces on a hot surface;
  • We add spices only after frying, thus retaining the juice in the dish.

Knowing the criteria for quality beef and following the recommendations, you can easily purchase the right cuts and fry the perfect steaks. Cook and enjoy the process, buy excellent beef, make your loved ones happy.

Related publications