The Perfect Steak
A perfect steak is a subjective thing. A steak that is perfect for you may not be perfect for us. So, we try to point out a few factors which will help you decide which is the ideal steak for you. The perfect steak depends on many things. For example, the breed, where is it is grown, what food it feeds on, and the farming method.
To give you a few options available, you can choose from organic, rare breed, free-range, or pasture-fed. But then again, there are many choices available if money is not a constraint. Go through our list of factors to choose the best steak for you under your budget.
Which Steak Should I Choose?
To get the best cut, find a butcher that is reliable and trusted in the area. Communicate to the butcher, precisely what you are looking for in your steak. Tell him what you like and dislike in your steak and your butcher should be able to help you pick the best.
Breed
If you are selective about your choice of steak, try picking a particular breed. For example, you can try Kobe Beef. Kobe beef happens to be the most costly beef, and also ranks amongst the tastiest. Kobe Beef, at first sight, could look like it has a lot of fat content, but, the intramuscular fat helps convert the monounsaturated fats to saturated fats.
Another popular breed is the Chianina. Chianina is the tallest breed of cattle you will come across and is in vogue these days among the chefs.
Aubrac is rare and hard to find breed. On the other hand, the beef is tender and lean and makes for an excellent steak.
Pasture-fed Or Feedlot
There is a practice in the cattle farming business called Feedlot. Feedlot cattle reach the slaughter weight faster than the pasture-fed animals. It is because the Feedlot cattle are fed with Antibiotics and Growth Hormones. However, these chemicals take a toll on cattle health, which in turn affects your health. Also, Feedlot happens to be the most common beef available in the market.
Primary Criteria
There are a few essential criteria based on which you can make your choice when buying a steak.
- Tenderness – If you are somebody who loves tender meat, go for Fillet steak.
- Size and tenderness – Striploin has the perfect combination of size and tenderness.
- Juiciness and tenderness – Choose the Rib Eye steak if you love your steak tender and juicy.
- Size and Flavor – If flavor matters to you, then you should go for Rump/Sirloin.
Quality Meat
- If you choose a thin steak, there are chances of the meat getting cooked right through. Therefore, if you like a medium or rare steak, be sure to ask for a thicker cut. After cooking the steak, you can divide the steak into two halves if you are sharing it with someone.
- Pasture-fed beef is always a better choice and gives you the most tenderness, flavor, and health benefits.
- Get a hold of a well-reputed butcher, and this will surely solve half of your steak problems.
I hope this article gave you enough insight to make your choice on the perfect steak easier than before!