A Guide to “Alternative” Steak Cuts: Better Flavor, Less Expensive

Everyone knows that a properly cooked steak from the rib and loin – the porterhouse, the strip, the T-bone, the ribeye, the tenderloin – is something worth savoring. And everybody also knows that these cuts can be expensive, especially the overpriced & flavor-lacking filet.

But for years, butchers have known of “secret” tastier cuts hidden inside the legs of the animal – the chuck and the round – that have much more beefy flavor, but aredecidely less expensive.

Saveur reports,

The most exercised parts of a steer—the shoulder (known as the chuck) and the hind leg (the round)—can be the most flavorful. But because of their heavy use, these muscles can be tough, and they’re usually assigned to hamburger or pot roast when processed by packinghouses. Thankfully, the beef industry is beginning to learn what many butchers have long known: That embedded in, those muscles are cuts worthy of attention—hence these delicious new steaks that have recently started appearing in markets. 

They walk you through these newly available cuts, help you select the right cut for the right cooking technique, and teach you how to cook them. 

New Steak Cuts [Saveur 100]