A steak is a type of meat cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers of an animal. This means it's usually a thick piece of meat with a fair bit more fat than other cuts. A steak is typically cooked quickly over high heat and is often dredged in flour before browning.
You can cook a steak in several ways. These include pan-searing, grilling, broiling, pan-frying and even oven roasting. Pan searing, often done with a cast iron skillet, has a flatter center and a thinner, more even crust than other cooking methods. Grilling, often done over charcoal, gives the meat a smoky flavor. Broiling and pan frying yield very even crusts and can give a steak a tender, succulent interior. When pan frying, keeping a lid on the meat is good so it doesn't splatter.
Many different steak cuts exist in the world. Tenderloin, sometimes called filet mignon, is a small, thin cut from the top of the cows back, near the neck. The most prized pieces have a great amount of fat and are often sold in strips. This is the most expensive cut on a steer and is usually sold to restaurants and high-end butchers due to these qualities.
The tenderest cuts of beef are ribeye, filet mignon, and tenderloin. The top sirloin cut is from the hip of the animal and has a fair amount of fat. This cut is typically sold in more irregular chunks than other cuts, meaning it's often difficult to cook to the same degree and get a uniform steak out of these pieces.
The top round is from the steer's hindquarters and can be a bit tough. The flank steak from the abdominal area of the steer is cheaper than other cuts but can also be tough. The under-blade steak comes from the rib section and is also a bit tough. The shoulder is also used for a steak and is called a shoulder steak. The brisket is the thickest cut on the cow or other animal and is an excellent choice for a roast. The chuck steak is made from the meat of the shoulder, which is sometimes ground for a meal.
Wagyu is beef from the Japanese breed of cattle. It is fattier than American beef. Wagyu steak has a very rich flavor. Grass-fed beef, such as Kobe beef, is also very flavorful and is fattier than other types of steak.
In the past, buying a steak for dinner at home usually meant going to the grocery store to buy a package of meat. Today, there are many different options out there when it comes to purchasing a steak. There are several mail-order steaks out there that are sold as ready-to-cook. The top brands you can buy from include Snake River Farms, Porter Road, Holy Grail Steak Company, Crowd Cow and Chicago Steak Company. If you have time, this is a good option, but it's also often expensive.
