Buying the best cut of steak

Whether you are buying meat in a grocery store or out at a fancy restaurant, knowing how to choose the right cut of meat is essential in your enjoyment of your meal.

A general rule of thumb for selecting the best cut of steak is to consider the activity level of that particular part of the cow. Common sense will tell you that the parts of the cow that are not overly used or exercised will be more tender than areas that are used on a daily basis like the leg or shoulder. Starting with the rear of the cattle, the four main cuts are the round, loin (sirloin & short loin), rib and chuck. The round and the chuck are the tougher cuts while the loin and ribs are more tender. When choosing which loin section, it is best to remember that the tender filet come from the short loin yet are less flavorful and the most economical cut are the sirloin which have the potential to be the most flavorful and juiciest!

To help you pick a cut that is a good balance of tenderness and flavor you need to look at the marbling. Marbling is the white flecks of fat within the meat muscle. If the cut has a lot of marbling you can expect it to be more, juicer and more flavorful. However, make sure the marbling is in thin streaks. If it has thicker fatty looking marbling the cut will probably be tough.

In the United States, inspection is mandatory however, grading of meat is voluntary since each facility has to pay to have its meat graded. Most of the graded beef sold in supermarkets is USDA Choice or Select cut and the Prime cuts are sent to nicer restaurants and overseas.

Omaha Steaks, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is a well known, reputable company which sells steaks online. They have been offering a variety of premium steaks and other gourmet foods since 1917.

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