Forget filet mignon. Trash that T-bone. Want a steak that's dripping with flavor but light on your wallet? Watch this.
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00:00Forget filet mignon. Trash that T-bone. Want a steak that's dripping with flavor but light
00:07on your wallet? Watch this.
00:11Flap or bavette steak has earned the nickname of the butcher's secret because it is lesser
00:16known, less ordered, and often saved by a butcher for themselves. Flap steak is cut
00:21from the abdomen of the steer in the bottom sirloin. This is the same general region where
00:26flank and skirt steak are cut from, but flap cuts have a better muscle-to-fat ratio and
00:32are therefore juicier and more flavorful than similar alternatives.
00:36Unlike some lower-cost cuts of steak, flap steak has a medium-to-high-fat content so
00:42that it can be cooked the same as more expensive, fattier cuts. Its robust, beefy flavor allows
00:48it to stand up to seasonings, and it's great for slicing into pieces and tossing in a steak
00:54salad or filling tortillas.
00:57The eye-of-round cut is one of the leanest cuts of steak out there. What determines a
01:02cut's leanness or fattiness is how much exercise the muscle gets. The eye-of-round is cut from
01:08the rump of the cow, one of the most commonly exercised regions. Therefore, it has little
01:13to no fat on it. That does not mean it can't be flavorful, however. What this cut lacks
01:19in beefiness can be made up for with marinades and the right cooking technique. Lower-fat
01:24content translates to a lower temperature and slow cooking time.
01:29Eye-of-round is perfect for the pressure cooker or braising in the oven for hours on end.
01:35This cut makes a great stew and is also a great option for slicing thin and fixing up
01:40a steak sandwich. Plus, the eye-of-round is one of the least expensive cuts of steak on
01:45the market and is readily available at both butcher shops and supermarkets. Although this
01:51cut is not as fancy or luxurious as higher-priced cuts, its potential for tastiness is nothing
01:58to ignore.
01:59The flat iron is cut from the shoulder of the cow. This region, known as the chuck,
02:04has a higher amount of fat and is therefore more tender and flavorful, but that does correlate
02:10to a higher price tag. Cuts from the chuck, while more tender, remain a cheaper alternative
02:16to other well-marbled steaks.
02:18The flat iron in particular came around in 2002 when the National Cattlemen's Beef Association
02:24went on the hunt for more types of steak to get people to buy more beef.
02:28The flat iron steak is an excellent example of one success that was developed as a result
02:34of beef-checkoff-funded research.
02:36Flat iron steaks are available in a rectangular shape and are now more commonly available
02:41at supermarkets. Even if your local grocery store doesn't have flat iron steak, a good-quality
02:47butcher shop will. Flat irons are an excellent vehicle for marinades and, due to the evenly
02:53marbled fat, can be cooked to virtually any liking without sacrificing tenderness or taste.
02:59If you normally reach for flank on steak night, give flat iron a try. Chances are you won't
03:05look back.
03:07Tri-tip is found at the triangular tip of the bottom sirloin. Because there are two
03:11tri-tips per cow, it is typically a less expensive option than other larger cuts similar in size.
03:18The bottom sirloin is generally a more muscly region of the steer, but the end from which
03:23the tri-tip is cut typically contains some fat. This fat content is not high, so cooking
03:29tri-tip properly is important in getting a tasty result.
03:33Usually, leaner cuts do not stand up to high heat very well, but tri-tip is actually perfect
03:39for the grill. The lack of flavorful fat on the cut can be made up for with smokiness,
03:44and the intense, confined heat of a grill will make for a crusty exterior. It is recommended
03:50not to cook tri-tip past a medium interior, but once it is cooked through, this bigger
03:55cut of steak can be sliced for optimal portion control.
03:59Like bavette, tri-tip is great in any dish that requires sliced steak and is excellent
04:05when marinated.
04:07Flank steak is often compared to skirt steak. The two cuts share some similarities, but
04:12flank steak remains a cheaper option. Both skirt and flank steak are cut from the cow's
04:17abdomen. Skirt steak is cut from the portion of the cow known as the plate primal, which
04:22is just below the ribs. Flank steak is cut just behind the skirt, ranging from the ribs
04:28to the hip. This area of the cow gets a lot of exercise, so the fat content is typically
04:33on the lower side. However, flank steak can be made delicious by cooking it at a very
04:38high heat, browning the outside, and keeping the inside a juicy medium rare.
04:44Flank steak is ideal for beef kabobs, as the toughness of the cut can be avoided by making
04:49the steak bite-size. Plus, you can tenderize the cut ahead of time and marinate extensively.
04:55The most important method required for flank steak, however, is how you cut it. Flank steak
05:01has thick muscle fibers running parallel from end to end. If you cut along these fibers,
05:07the meat will become stringy and chewy. Instead, cut across the grain of the muscle to keep
05:12the meat intact and enhance its tenderness. As a bonus, flank steak is readily available
05:18and a bargain cut that will always satisfy your red meat craving.
05:23As previously stated, the sirloin is divided into top and bottom portions. The top sirloin
05:29is a more fatty, flavorful cut and thus more expensive. The bottom sirloin, which contains
05:35the tri-tip, also includes the sirloin tip. This is cut from the outer edge of the sirloin
05:40against the round. The sirloin tip is the most tender of the round cuts, but it must
05:45be cooked properly to protect its tenderness.
05:49The best way to cook a sirloin tip is to roast it in the oven. This cut is very thick
05:54in width, a shape that does not cater to high heat on the stovetop or grill. Instead, roasting
06:00your sirloin tip at a lower temperature for a long period of time until it comes up to
06:05a more precise temperature will yield the best results.
06:09Blade steak, or top blade steak, is butchered from the beef chuck into cross sections with
06:14a line of gristle. This line of gristle running through the middle of top blade steaks is
06:19what normally turns people away.
06:21Ew! Now he's eating the gristle!
06:24But surprisingly, the meat surrounding the tough cartilage is anything but chewy. Like
06:29many cuts in the chuck, the meat on a top blade cut is well-marbled and buttery in flavor,
06:35so the obstacle of eating around the gristle should actually be looked at as a positive
06:40since it correlates to a lesser price point. Unlike flat iron, achieving the right interior
06:45doneness is a more temperamental task. Top blade steaks should be cooked no further than
06:50medium to keep the juicy meat surrounding the gristle from toughening up. When buying
06:55steak on a budget, it's important to get the best out of it. The top blade is no exception.
07:00You've saved some extra money going with this cut, and it will be delicious as long as it's
07:05cooked properly.
07:07Denver steak has a fascinating background, since it was only discovered as an existing
07:12cut of steak just over a decade ago. In 2009, the Cattleman's Beef Board issued the task
07:18of finding another cut of steak from the chuck roll. The common chuck steaks from that region
07:23at the time were top blade and flat iron, but this new cut was discovered as an even
07:28more flavorful option below the blade. This area, deeper inside the cow's shoulder, is
07:34exercised even less than the blade, resulting in more fat marbling despite having no fat
07:39cap.
07:40The Denver steak is a hidden gem that is now a delicious, inexpensive alternative. They
07:45are harder to find, however, most likely only available at an experienced butcher shop.
07:51Of the cuts on this list, Denver steaks will cost a few more dollars than their counterparts,
07:56but the extra money will be worth it.
07:59The ribeye steak is the undisputed king of the steakhouse. It's beautifully marbled,
08:05deliciously succulent, and a good cut costs a lot. A heck of a lot. Luckily, the chuck
08:11eye is available to give you everything you love about the ribeye at a fraction of the
08:16cost. This unsung steak hero is cut directly adjacent to the ribeye on the other side of
08:22the rib, at the beginning of the chuck primal. Basically, the chuck eye is a continuation
08:27of the ribeye. Where ribeyes are cut from the 6th to the 12th rib, the chuck eye is
08:32cut from the 5th. As with many highly marbled steaks, the chuck eye is cut from the deepest
08:37part of the shoulder. All the fat found on the rib cage that gives the ribeye its status
08:42and gravitas is also found on the chuck eye. That grandeur is translated into a pricier
08:48purchase, but the chuck eye is just as juicy and versatile without breaking your budget.
08:55Cube steaks are versatile, inexpensive, and when cooked the right way, very delicious.
09:00The name derives from the marks left behind after the steak is run through a mechanical
09:05tenderizer. These cuts can come from either the top or bottom round portion of the steer,
09:10which means they have very little fat on them and are not naturally tender.
09:15One of the best ways to utilize cube steaks is by cooking them slowly over a long period
09:20of time. This will allow the muscle fibers to relax and separate more easily as opposed
09:26to tightening up, which would happen if cooked fast over high heat.
09:30Cube steaks are a great option for making a slow-cooked dish like a beef stew. Not only
09:35do they not cost much money, but they can also easily be cut into smaller pieces to
09:40whatever size you need. But cube steak is perhaps most notable as the cut of choice
09:46for chicken fried steak. To make this classic dish, which is a particular favorite in Texas,
09:51a whole cube steak is dredged and deep-fried in oil.
09:55And even this, Texas favorite.
09:57Chicken fried steak.
09:58Big here?
09:59Very big here.
10:00Although this cooking method, which is familiar to anyone who has prepared fried chicken,
10:05is not low and slow, it is a very forgiving recipe because of the copious addition of
10:10gravy.
10:12While picanha is slowly emerging as a cult favorite cut in the United States, it's long
10:17been massively popular in Brazil. Picanha comes from the sirloin cap, which means it
10:22has a beautiful piece of fat that runs along an entire side of the steak. This well-marbled
10:27cut is best cooked with a quick, hard sear and is the perfect steak for the grill.
10:33Throw down a slab or cut the steak into bite-sized pieces along the fat cap, place the cubes
10:38on skewers, and grill up some kebabs. If you're unable to track down picanha to cook
10:44at home, there are a number of Brazilian steakhouses across the U.S. that feature the steak as
10:49the main attraction.
10:51If you love filet mignon, this alternative, known as terrasse major, will allow you to
10:57indulge in beefy bliss more often than just special occasions. Another steak cut from
11:02the chuck, the terrasse major, like bavette steak, is also referred to as a butcher's
11:07cut because it takes an expert butcher to cut it properly. Once you get your hands on
11:12one, however, it can be prepared and enjoyed just like filet mignon.
11:17Terrasse major comes from the muscle connecting the cow's shoulder blade to the front of the
11:21shoulder. There is an excess of fat in this area, and an experienced butcher can get the
11:26right balance between muscle and fat when cutting the terrasse major. Call your local
11:31butcher and find out if they can have terrasse major available. It could be the cut of steak
11:35that makes the holidays or special occasions more financially manageable without sacrificing
11:41the celebration.