Title: The Food Lab's Definitive Guide to Grilled Steak
Headings: The Food Lab's Definitive Guide to Grilled Steak
The Food Lab's Definitive Guide to Grilled Steak
The Short Version
Selecting the Right Cut
The Four High-End Steaks You Should Know
The Ribeye
The Strip
The Tenderloin
The T-Bone/Porterhouse
The Six Inexpensive Steaks You Should Know
The Hanger
The Skirt
The Short Rib
The Flap (Sirloin Tip)
The Flank Steak
The Tri-Tip
How to Buy a Good Steak
Q: Prime, Choice, or Select. What do they mean?
Q: How does marbling affect flavor and cooking?
Q: Do I want grass-fed or grain-fed?
Q: How thick should my steak be?
Q: Should I buy pre-cut steaks or cut them myself?
Q: Bone-in or boneless?
Dry-Aging
Q: What is dry-aging?
Q: What's the difference between wet and dry-aging?
Q: Is dry-aging worth it?
Q: Can I dry-age steak myself?
Cooking
Q: What tools will I need?
Q: Hardwood, briquettes, or gas?
Q: How should I set my heat sources?
Q: When should I salt my steak?
Q: How heavily should I season my steak?
Q: Anything else I should do to prepare my steak for cooking?
Q: How should I cook my steak?
Q: Should I stuff or marinate my steak?
Q: How often should I flip my steak?
Q: How do I know when my steak is done?
Q: What if I want more smoke flavor in my steak?
Serving Steak
Q: Do I need to let my steak rest? How long?
Q: Should I pre-carve my steak before serving?
Q: Do you have a favorite steak knife or serving tool?
Q: Any good side dishes to serve with grilled steak?
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Content: The T-Bone/Porterhouse
Also Sold As: Porterhouse (when tenderloin section is 1 1/2-inches or wider)
The T-bone is a two-for-one cut—it's comprised of a piece of tenderloin, and a piece of strip separated by a T-shaped bone. The regular T-bone is cut from the front end of the Short loin primal, just after the tenderloin starts, giving it a smallish piece of tenderloin (between 1/2- and 1 1/2-inches wide). A Porterhouse steak, on the other hand, is cut from further back and has a section of tenderloin at least 1 1/2-inches wide. See how the two steaks fit together? What It Tastes Like: The strip section tastes like strip, and the tenderloin tastes like, well, tenderloin. Read more about the Four High End Steaks You Should Know »
The Six Inexpensive Steaks You Should Know
These are the steaks that butchers and chefs love to use because not only are they more inexpensive, but they've got character. Many of them are whole muscles that must be trimmed by the butcher just-so if you want them to be tender and large enough to cook as steaks. There are also not many of them on a steer.