The key to the perfect grilled steak begins at the very beginning by making sure you select the right choice of meat. But with so many cuts and grades, it can be a bit daunting to choose the perfect steak.
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Fortunately, three butchers — Tanya Cauthen with Belmont Butchery, Alex Import with Stock Provisions, and Jade Hennessee-Golden With The Meat Hook — recently shared the best way to choose a steak. Let me break out a notebook because I'm already taking notes.
They spoke with Simply Recipes about their biggest tips. According to the butchers, you need to know what meal you want to prepare ahead of time.
Cauthen says, "Pick the steak that makes you hungry," meaning, don't settle for what you think you're supposed to want. Think of steak as a special treat and choose what excites you." The butcher also adds, "A thick steak is easier to cook than a thin one."
If you're planning on grilling the meat, then choose a slightly thicker steak. "For a New York strip for two people, I recommend 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick," says Cauthen. "And on a ribeye, more like a heavy 1 1/2 inches. That allows for searing on each side and then indirect heat."
Steak Choice
Meanwhile, Hennessee-Golden says you need to know what you're looking for before hitting your local grocery.
Hennessee-Golden says, "I think identifying your priorities in a steak experience is most important." She says she regularly asks shoppers, "Do you like something bone-in or boneless, something fatty or something lean, and if you had to choose between flavor and tenderness, which would you choose?"
It's something that Import also agrees with. You really need to know what you want to work with.
"The best steak is the one that correlates to your dish and preparation style that came from an animal that was carefully raised and fed," Import says. "Match the muscle to your plan, and think about what qualities you seek when you take a bite. Work backwards from your plate."
Ultimately, don't be afraid to ask questions to your butcher about your steak. Import says, "Bring your plan to your butcher and initiate a conversation; trusting your sourcing and taking your butcher's recommendations on cut and preparation will pave a promising road."
