Steak Grades And Cuts, How To Know What To Buy

byalex

Before you put the first tender morsel of grilled steak into your mouth remember, it all starts with good raw meat. The issue is, how do you tell a good piece of meat from a bad piece?

A steak restaurant in Lindale TX does not have the same problem as the typical householder has, they buy steak day in and day out and they know a good piece from a bad piece intuitively. Most domestic purchases are made at the local supermarket or corner butcher where the consumer is faced with row upon row of steaks.

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There are two things that determine the quality of a steak, the grade and the cut. The grade refers to the meats quality based on its aging and marbling, the cut is what most people look for when selecting meat for the grill.

Steak grades:

Steaks are graded more often than not by a government agency; the USDA is what it’s called in the USA. The animal’s age and the marbling of the meat are what are used to determine the grade. Beef, when graded, is not done piece by piece, the entire carcass is graded as one so there may be some minor variances when it comes to the individual cut of meat. The grades in the USA are prime, choice and select. Prime is the best of the best and select is the bottom grade. Most meat graded select never end up in a steak restaurant in Lindale TX; they end up as processed meat products.

Cuts classified as prime are very much in the minority, perhaps as little as 2% of the beef is graded prime. This meat either ends up in the best restaurants here or in the best restaurants abroad. The majority of meat that is on the shelf is USDA choice.

The amount of marbling is a prime factor in meat selection. The less marbling the more tender the met usually is but it lacks in flavor. Small streaks of fat running through the meat are desirable as it gives a more flavorful steak. It is a balancing act that needs to be done and a steak restaurant in Lindale TX is ideally placed to make this choice.

Steak Cuts:

Steak cuts can be segregated into three basics. The upper back to mid back gives the rib steak, the short loin and the sirloin. The rib gives rib roast, rib eye and back ribs, the short loin give the T-Bone, top loin, tenderloin and porterhouse. From the sirloin the butcher gets the sirloin steak and the top sirloin. New York cut, a popular steak comes from the T-Bone portion.

To experience all the best steak cuts at a steak restaurant in Lindale, TX, visit Jakes Tyler. Located in the historic district of downtown Tyler, Jakes bring you the best of the best, all served in a wonderful atmosphere.