Learning About the Different Cuts of Steak

*This post was sponsored by Omaha Steaks, and we are proud to be Brand Ambassadors for America’s Original Butcher.

Recently, we’ve been learning about the different cuts of steak. After spending time with the good people at Omaha Steaks at their headquarters in Omaha, we left there schooled on all the cuts of meat that qualify as different steaks in the carnivore’s repertoire. There are many nuances between one cut of steak from another. For example, why the filet mignon is so tender. Or why certain steaks are more expensive than others to butcher.

It’s eye-opening to realize how many options there are! Learning about the different cuts of steak is something best taught by a true butcher. So we went straight to the best.

America’s Original Butcher

Harkening back to the old days when people went to the butcher shop several times a week to pick up the finest meats, Omaha Steaks has introduced Custom Butcher Services. Thanks to this new service, you can connect with Omaha Steaks and order cuts of meat to your specifications and liking. Want filet mignon steaks that are 5 inches thick? No problem. Or perhaps you’d like a giant King Cut T-bone steak weighing in at 48 ounces (3 pounds of meat)? They’ve got you covered. Maybe you’re having a special party and want to serve steaks cut in the shape of the State of Texas? Absolutely can be done (and has, for a customized order recently!)

Omaha Steaks is known as America’s Original Butcher for a reason. They’ve been known for butchering the best steaks in US for more than 100 years.

Learning About the Different Cuts of Steak

Being onsite at the Omaha Steaks facilities was a huge eye-opener. The professionalism and pride each team member exhibits is so impressive and inspiring. Now I can understand why meats from Omaha Steaks are so widely respected! The quality of each cut is impeccable, and created with love. They took time to teach us about the different cuts of steak. Where the steak comes from on the cow creates big differences between them in taste and flavor. Fact is, I like them all:

Filet Mignon

Widely viewed as one of the finest cuts of steak available, filet mignon is the one you probably order in restaurants when you want to be fancy. So tender you can cut it with a fork, this cut is from a muscle area that isn’t used much.  The result is a soft and very lean cut of meat with a very mild flavor.

Top Sirloin Steak

One of the top cuts and highly sought after, the Top Sirloin Steak comes from the loin area of the cow. It’s extremely lean like the filet, with a little more chew and meaty flavor. It’s usually butchered in a square-ish shape.

New York Strip Steak

Much beloved for its impressive look on the plate, the New York Strip Steak is half of a T-Bone steak. The cut on other half of the bone being the Filet). It might not be as tender as the filet, but it makes up for it in texture and flavor. The Strip also tends to be a less pricey cut than some others, but packs a lot for the money.

Ribeye Steak

The Ribeye Steak is my favorite for flavor and texture, and I guess a lot of others agree. This is one of the most popular cuts because of its marbling – the description used to describe the look of fat interspersed into the meat. This bit of fat melts in cooking, and flavors the beef like fine butter. So delicious!

T-Bone Steak

Mentioned earlier, a T-Bone Steak is  literally divided by a T-shaped bone. On one side on the bone is a New York Strip Steak, and the other is a Filet Mignon. This can be a large meal best suited for someone pretty darn hungry.

Flat Iron Steak

The Flat Iron Steak is best served in slices, since it can be more tough than the others but still full of flavor. The cut comes from the shoulder area, which is a pretty active muscle – thus the tougher chew. We like the sliced Flat Iron Steak in salads and stir fry dishes.

Flank Steak

A larger cut of meat, the Flank Steak can be hard to cook properly. We like it best when marinaded in lime and spices, and grilled quickly. This steak cooks fast, and should then be sliced against the grain for best enjoyment. For some reason, we love Flank Steak in the summer with corn on the cob and watermelon.

Don’t Try This at Home

While in Omaha, I even got to try my hand at butchering a steak myself! Let me tell you, it’s not as easy as those butchers make it look. An extremely sharp knife is necessary, along with the decision to cut in one fell swoop without hesitation. All that without chopping off your fingers in the process. Put that together with the pressure of cutting each piece of meat in identical and equal parts, and it becomes a highly skilled endeavor. The steak I cut was supposed to measure at 10 ounces, and mine weighed in at 15. Oops!

Serve It Up

After all that butchering, we were off for a field trip to the corn fields of Iowa to see the cows and their wholesome feed. To be honest, this city boy has never set foot in a real life corn field. IN IOWA NO LESS! I loved our visit to the Hough Farms.

The day ended perfectly with a barbecue on the lawns at the farmhouse. Omaha Steaks chefs had cooked up the steaks we had cut for ourselves earlier, and boy were they delicious. I’m not sure whether it was the quality of that cut of meat, or my expert butchering (ha!). For whatever reason, that was just about the best steak I have ever tasted.

Host a Steak Tasting Party!

Here’s a fun idea – host a steak tasting party for your friends and family. We just had a dinner party at our house with some friends, and I ordered five different cuts of steak from Omaha Steaks Custom Butchers Services. They worked with me over the phone, creating the perfect order by customizing the size and cut of each steak to fit my needs. Out friends had a blast tasting each kind of steak, and comparing the flavors, textures and favorites. Here are some details about our Steak Tasting Party, if you’d like to host your own.

Now I know what to order from the custom butchers services at Omaha Steaks. How about you?

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