Steak- What do you Recommend And Why?

Question

Can anyone explain to me the quality, taste, cost etc. of different types of steak? I don't really know anything about meat quality, but I want to get the highest quality steak (for a reasonable price) for my dad's birthday. I'm looking at Omaha Steaks and I just realized I have no idea what to look for! What would you recommend and why? Also, what would be the most impressive?

My dad loves to cook and barbecue, but he's cheap so I'm ordering him expensive marinated meat-- so no restaurant recommendations please! :)

I want to know about:

1) Filet Mignon
2) Prime Rib
3) Sirloin
4) T-bone
5) Strip Steak
6) Rib-eye

Answer 1

If he likes his steaks well-done, you may want to stick with the Rib-eye; it has a higher fat content therefore will retain more moisture and flavor. If he is eating his steak at a medium or more rare doneness then I would recommend the Filet Mignon or Porterhouse (most expensive, readily available cuts). I personally think Porterhouse has more flavor and a good combination of meat with the bone-in and you get a piece of Filet Mignon on one side of the bone and a Strip Steak on the other side of the bone ( I save the super tender Filet side to eat last). So obviously, a more economical but still yummy steak is a Strip Steak. Rib-eye, T-bone and Sirloin are OK and just a note on Prime Rib; cooking time would be a good bit longer (larger cut of meat) and is generally served with a very pink center (rare to med rare) if that is a concern for his meat-eating preferences

Answer 2

Everyone has their own favorite steak usually. Me, I like to switch between prime rib, sirloin and ribeye.
Whatever you get your dad will be fine, he will cook it the way he likes it and love it. Especially if you order from Omaha Steaks, they are fantastic.
The most impressive would be the filet mignon but only because it is the most expensive--but you might be dissapointed because you will not get as much meat say if you got strip or rib-eye.

Answer 3

When it comes to flavor versus cost, I will almost always go with the rib eye. It's a bit pricey per pound, but usually small enough (10 - 12 oz.) to be reasonable. I personally think it has the best flavor of any beef I've tried (short of prime rib, but who can afford that!). My second choice would be the T-bone, but both are exellent choices for cooking on the grill, just don't get them too thick (3/4 to 1 inch is best) or they will either turn out tough or undercooked.

Answer 4

Chateaubriand steak — Usually served for two, cut from the large head of the tenderloin.

Chuck steak — A cut from neck to the ribs.

Cube steak — A cut of meat, usually top round, tenderized by a fierce pounding of a mallet.

Filet mignon — A small choice tenderloin, tender, less flavorsome.

Flank steak — From the underside. Not as tender as steaks cut from the rib or loin.

Flat iron steak — A cut from the shoulder blade.

Hanger steak or (French) onglet — a steak from near the center of the diaphragm. Flavorful, and very tender towards the edges, but sinewy in the middle. Often called the "butcher's tenderloin."

Rib eye steak — A rib steak consisting of only the longissimus muscle. This is the same cut used to make prime rib which is typically oven roasted as opposed to grilled as is typical with rib eye. A popeseye steak is cut from this.

Rump steak, round steak or (French) rumsteak — A cut from the rump of the animal. A true grilling steak with good flavor though it can be tough, if not cooked properly.

Sirloin steak — A steak cut from the hip. Also tends to be less tough, resulting in a higher price tag.

Skirt steak — A steak made from the diaphragm. Very flavourful, but also rather tough.

T-bone steak and strip steak or porterhouse - The tenderloin and strip loin, connected with a T-shaped bone. The two are distinguished by the size of the tenderloin in the cut. T-bones have smaller tenderloin sections, while the Porterhouse, though generally tougher in the strip, will have more tenderloin.

Several other foods are called "steak" without actually being steaks:

Salisbury steak — Not a steak, but rather a patty from ground beef made with onions and occasionally mushrooms. Also known as "Hamburger Steak" in the Chinese language.

Swiss steak — Not actually a type of steak but a method of preparing meat, usually beef, by means of rolling or pounding, and then braising it.

Steak tartare or tartar steak - Finely chopped fillet of beef, onion, parsley, and capers.Often this dish is uncooked with a raw egg yolk on top.

Answer 5

Sometimes it is a matter of taste.. personally I go with strip steaks and marinade them at home myself... I think prime rib is an acquired taste and everyone doesn't prefer that... filets are great but for the money they should be... strip steaks...

Answer 6

for the money, you cant beat rib eye. its a very marbled cut, meaning that it has some fat mingled in the meat making it very tender when cooked. its a real "man's" steak. i think your old man would like it because its not so expensive and its still very tender and rich. i wouldnt buy pre marinated meat. marinating isnt hard to do at home and the pre marinade will probably have a lot of additives and preservatives. get him a meat lovers cookbook too if he isnt savvy to marinating things.

Answer 7

I almost always get the fillet. On occasion I will order the rib eye. I am very particular about what steak I get from the butcher. I like it to melt in my mouth when eating. I feel there is no purpose to eating a steak if you can barely chew it or have to add steak sauce to cover up the taste. If you get rib eyes, try to get the butcher to give you center cuts. Very Good.

Answer 8

I see that the Yahoo suggested category for this question was Other Food & Drink. For some reason known only to you, you instead chose the veg/n section. Either you're struggling with English too, you're not too bright or you're sadly lacking in the friends department.

Answer 9

I like prime rib but my favorite is ribeye because of how tender it is and I've found it to be pretty reasonable when it comes to price.

Answer 10

i love the rib eye its tender and yet reasonably priced