5 Fine Dining Steak Cuts Explained

5 Fine dinging steak cuts overview

The fine dining steak cuts of meat come from the short loin, or the sirloin. These two fine dining steak cuts make up just ~17% of the cow. The tenderloin is a boneless section that spans across the loin and the sirloin and is often one of the most expensive cuts available. This appears on the menu at your fine dining restaurant served as fillet mignon or Chateaubriand.

Just 17% of beef is loin. The meat in this are of the beef is tender since it does not get any exercise.The Ribs make up 9.5% of the animal. The meat in this are of the beef is tender since it does not get any exercise. Since the loin cuts are the most expensive a tender alternative for a juicy steak can be the flank or skirt steak.

Here are some classic fine dining steaks you can find at a high-end steakhouse.

1. Filet Minion or Chateaubriand Steaks

Filet Minion steaks and Chateaubriand steaks comes from the tenderloin part of the meat. Tenderloin is a boneless steak that uses the tenderloin (an area of the cow that spans across the short loin and sirloin areas). This is one of the most tender cuts of meat. While filets and other tenderloins may be small in size, they are usually thicker than other cuts of meat. Because of their thickness, many chefs sear the outside of the steak on a grill for caramelization, crust and coloration and then finish the preparation in an oven to cook through the middle. When you order a filet or any other kind of tenderloin, you can expect a mild flavor with a tender texture.

2. New York Strip Steak

The New York Strip steak is a boneless cut of meat. The major difference between it and a tenderloin, such as a filet mignon, is that the New York Strip comes with a strip of fat along one edge of the cut. You’ll also find fat marbling throughout the steak. When the steak is cooked, that fat releases flavor throughout the cut, which gives the New York Strip a strong, beefy flavor. It’s often grilled over high heat since it’s much thinner than a filet and can be found served with a chimichurri steak sauce.

3. T-bone Steak

The T-bone is actually two cuts in one and is separated by a bone shaped like a “T” with a short loin piece of meat on one side and tenderloin piece of meat on the other side of the bone. The size of each side depends upon where in the short loin primal muscle the cut was taken. The sort loin strip is delicious and beefy while the tenderloin is juicy and tender.

• Classic T-bone steak: Offers beefy flavors of the strip steak on one side and juicy tenderness of the tenderloin on the other.

• Porterhouse steak: If the tenderloin portion of the T-bone steak is more than 1.25” wide, then the steak classifies as a Porterhouse steak. It is usually 1.5 inches to 2 inches thick.

While the thicknesses of meat vary between the T-bone steak and Porterhouse steaks either way, you’ll enjoy a large cut of steak with both mild and strong beef flavors.

4. Ribeye Steak

The ribeye comes from the rib section of the cow. Specifically, it comes from ribs 6 through 12. This cut can be served either boneless or with one of the ribs attached. They’re basically a prime rib or rack of ribs cut down into individual steaks. Ribeyes are famous for their pockets of fat, which produce strong beef taste in each cut. Your ribeye will likely be juicy and full of flavor. If you’re looking for a tougher steak that has strong flavors, then a ribeye is probably the right choice for you.

Tri-tip steaks and baby back ribs also come from this part of the cow and are tender, but they are not considered high-end steaks.

5. Budget-Friendly Alternatives include Flank Steak

If you are looking for a budget-friendly high end steak alternative opt for a flank or skirt steak. This part of the meat is tender and will make for a delectable steak at a more cost-conscious steak price. See a quick and easy skirt steak recipe here >

High End Burger or Ground Meat Options

To create your own high-end cut of ground meat you can also combine different cuts of red meat to grind your own meat creating your very own proprietary blend of hamburger meat using the most tender and scrumptious sliders. The possibilities for red meat lovers are endless!