A high quality steak will have a lot of marbling while a lean cut will have very little or no.
Well marbled steak.
It s well marbled with the flavorful fat that s usually found in tougher cuts but it comes from one of the more tender parts of the cow so it s great for fast cooking high heat methods.
It s become one of my favorite cuts of beef.
The beef rib and short loin are among the most marbled sections while the beef round and sirloin tend to have the least.
What exactly is marbling and why is it so desirable.
Indeed to ensure an apples to apples comparison or steak to steak if you prefer inspectors look at the loin muscle specifically between the 12th and 13th ribs which is where the short loin primal cut meets its next.
The shift to primarily black angus in the late 1970s came about in part because black angus cattle marble extremely well.
Tim and sarah haws of autumn s harvest raise murray grey cattle specifically because they marble well on a pure grass diet as does elmer lapp with murray grey and devon cattle at burkes garden farm.
The easiest way to spot well marbled steak is to look for the usda shield.
Grain feeding techniques have become so effective that even dairy cattle such as holsteins can achieve a grade of prime.
A well marbled steak is a truly beautiful thing and there s a reason why we re willing to pay top dollar to get it.
Not all well marbled steaks come from angus cows however.
Marbling can be influenced by selective breeding.
Because of its high fat content ribeye is extra flavorful and beefy.
Cattle breeds such as angus herefords murray grey shorthorns and wagyu also british white cattle and dairy breeds such as the jersey holstein friesian and braunvieh have higher marbling scores on average versus other cattle such as simmentals charolais or chianina.
Marbling can also be influenced by time on feed.
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Pan seared cast iron ribeye steak is so tender mouth watering well marbled and in my opinion ribeye is the king of all steak cuts.
Since black angus as.
T he usda grades beef carcasses for marbling examining the ribeye muscle between the 12th and 13th ribs on each beef steer.
Well we ll tell you marbling simply refers to the fat found within a cut of meat and between the muscle fibers themselves.
Seared in oil and basted in butter then finished by melting a herb butter pat on top.
Only those steaks with the very best marbling are eligible to receive usda prime certification the highest rating available for steak quality.
Freshly ground pepper per pound of meat.