Any time you would like to cook a great steak, you have to start with the best one you can. That sounds simple enough, until you try to decide what makes a steak great, however. Just heading to the local market will result in staring at a long line of steaks. If you do not know what you are looking for, finding the best and most delicious one can be pretty difficult. The good news is that there are some things you can look at when you decide to buy your steak.
Grade is one of the first things you will want to look at. The USDA, or a third party agency in some cases, does the grading according to the age of the animal and how much marbling is on the carcass, which is then cut into pieces of meat. There is some variance between the actual cuts because of this. However, prime meat is usually better than choice, which is better than select meat - these are the major consumer grades in the US.
Prime is responsible for about two percent of beef production in the US, and you will not find it in most stores, since it is often sold to restaurants or exported. Select and choice are more commonly found on store shelves. You may notice a difference between them if you take the time to try them, however.
Marbling helps determine the quality of a steak from a traditional point of view, since higher marbling means more taste, while less fat means a more tender steak. However, this is not the only factor that influences taste. Whether the cattle have been grass or grain finished can have a big effect, since grass adds more taste, though the marbling is often less attractive.
There are lots of different cuts of meat on the market, and some produce much better steaks. They come from three major sections of the animal - the sirloin, short loin, and rib, and each cooks up differently. Rib meats are less tender and must be cooked longer and more carefully than short loin or tenderloin. Think about this when you are asking questions such as how long does it take to cook a steak in the oven?
The short loin brings us the top loin steak, Porterhouse, T-bone and tenderloin, while the sirloin produces sirloin and top sirloin steaks. You may see round, chuck, and flank meats also labeled as steak, but do not put them on the grill unless you want really tough beef. Try them in stews instead, since the quality is much lower. Pick the best steak to begin with, and then find the best way to cook it, since a good marinade will not make a bad steak any better. A good one will improve even a great steak, however.
Grade is one of the first things you will want to look at. The USDA, or a third party agency in some cases, does the grading according to the age of the animal and how much marbling is on the carcass, which is then cut into pieces of meat. There is some variance between the actual cuts because of this. However, prime meat is usually better than choice, which is better than select meat - these are the major consumer grades in the US.
Prime is responsible for about two percent of beef production in the US, and you will not find it in most stores, since it is often sold to restaurants or exported. Select and choice are more commonly found on store shelves. You may notice a difference between them if you take the time to try them, however.
Marbling helps determine the quality of a steak from a traditional point of view, since higher marbling means more taste, while less fat means a more tender steak. However, this is not the only factor that influences taste. Whether the cattle have been grass or grain finished can have a big effect, since grass adds more taste, though the marbling is often less attractive.
There are lots of different cuts of meat on the market, and some produce much better steaks. They come from three major sections of the animal - the sirloin, short loin, and rib, and each cooks up differently. Rib meats are less tender and must be cooked longer and more carefully than short loin or tenderloin. Think about this when you are asking questions such as how long does it take to cook a steak in the oven?
The short loin brings us the top loin steak, Porterhouse, T-bone and tenderloin, while the sirloin produces sirloin and top sirloin steaks. You may see round, chuck, and flank meats also labeled as steak, but do not put them on the grill unless you want really tough beef. Try them in stews instead, since the quality is much lower. Pick the best steak to begin with, and then find the best way to cook it, since a good marinade will not make a bad steak any better. A good one will improve even a great steak, however.
About the Author:
The best steak marinade is one that makes a mouthwateringly tender steak bursting with flavor. In order to make a steak like this every time, you need a good recipe. Take a look at the offerings at EasySteakMarinades.net to find the perfect recipe for your steak marinade.
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