Picking and Cooking Popular Steak Cuts

Do you have trouble telling your steaks apart? Many of us do, especially if we eat mostly steak prepared for us in restaurants. That can make it pretty tricky if you decide you would rather start preparing your own gourmet steak dinners. Here is a look at what kind of steaks you can buy and how they are best prepared, to help you in your steak cooking endeavors.

Rib Eye – This is one of the best all around cuts, since its high level of fat makes it hard to do badly, with the steak ending up juicy, tender, and flavorful in most cases. It is a good choice for novices, since its great pan fried, grilled, and broiled.

New York Strip – A tender, versatile cut that has a reasonably good level of flavor, this steak grills, or pan cooks well, but do not bother broiling it. Trim fat only after cooking to preserve the greatest amount of flavor.

Tenderloin – Steaks from the tenderloin are among the most expensive cuts available, but are lean and extremely tender, due to the limited use these muscles receive. The low fat of this steak causes many people to wrap it in bacon before cooking or sear it in butter. High in price, tenderloin is usually a choice for important occasions.

T-Bone – We have all heard of the t-bone, a combination tenderloin and New York Strip. Porterhouse steaks are a kind of large, tender t-bone steak that is cut further up the loin. They can be pretty tricky to cook, since the bone makes it hard to cook evenly throughout. This is not a steak for those who prefer their meat well done, and it does not sear or pan fry well. Try broiling or grilling a t-bone for best results.

Flank Steak – A long, thin cut that is usually used in London Broil; this is also a favorite in grilling season. The large size of this cut makes it great for serving more people. Remember that this is a flavorful steak, but the flavor comes with toughness. Marinate it and broil or grill whole, then slice on the diagonal, across the grain.

Skirt Steak – This cut is a lot like flank steak in flavor and toughness, and is an old cowboy favorite that has a number of different cooking options. This is a great choice, whether you are cooking steak indoors or outside. Use it in fajitas, or stuff and braise it.

Top Sirloin – This popular steak is affordable, and more tender than flank and skirt steaks. It is tougher than the fanciest cuts, however, and is very lean. Pound and marinate it for cooking on the grill, or use it in kebabs.

In order to get the right results when you grill, you need steak cooking charts. These charts will let you know how long to cook a steak on each side to get rare, medium or well-done steaks. At EasySteakMarinades.net, you will find several charts to help you get the results you want.