Clark agrees that, for beginners, the more marbling the better. Her top pick for beginners is a center cut strip steak, but also recommended a more wallet-friendly alternative that's hard to mess up: a top sirloin cap steak.
Considered the most tender cut of all, a filet mignon is taken from the center of the beef tenderloin. It is lean yet delivers a melt-in-your mouth, buttery succulence. Perfect for grilling, pan-searing and broiling in the oven. Available in several weights, a filet is perfect for 1 person.
Sirloin is the rearmost cut of the loin region and the least tender of the two subregions (though arguably more flavorful). Sirloin is typically best for grilling and almost never used for slow cooking. Common cuts include sirloin steak, top sirloin, bottom sirloin, tri-tip roast and tri-tip steak.
The rib eye steak is one of the most beloved, flavourful, and tender cuts of beef both here in Australia and around the world. It is also known as the rib fillet or the scotch fillet steak, depending on where you go.
Tenderloin Steak
The most tender of all cuts of beef, tenderloin steaks are lean and known for their delicate, butter-like texture and thick cut. These mouthwatering steaks are so tender they can be “cut with a butter knife.” Tenderloin steaks are commonly known as filets or filet mignon.
Undercooked. If a steak hasn't been cooked long enough, it can become chewy or tough as there hasn't been enough time for the heat to fully penetrate and melt the fat and any connective tissue.
Tenderloin, which is where the filet mignon steak comes from, is the least chewy steak. It is delicate, lean, tender, and has a butter-like texture.
With the cow, the short loin, rib, and sirloin are more tender than cuts from the belly. The chuck, round, brisket, and shank are tougher yet.
The Ribeye is generally considered to be the most flavourful steak. These steaks are cut from the ribs and contain a lot of marbling throughout. The muscle from where the Ribeye is cut, isn't used often so the meat is very tender.
You'll usually see ribeye, filet mignon, and T-bone or porterhouse steaks listed as the top three most popular in a steak cuts guide. These steaks are commonly on the menu in steakhouses because of their quality and texture.
Of the many different kinds of cuts, the ribeye is not only well known, but it also has the highest fat content of them all, per Steak Revolution. Taken from around the cow's ribs, this piece of meat is famous for its rich flavor and soft texture thanks to a very pronounced marbling and a very high fat content.
Tenderloin (eye fillet)
Tenderloin (or eye fillet) has very little intramuscular fat, and is the tenderest muscle in the animal, which makes it typically very sought-after. Recommended cooking method: Grill as a steak, and great as steak tartare.
Most fine restaurants age their beef to intensify the flavor and improve the tenderness of the cut. Aging is done by letting the meat sit (in very controlled conditions) for several days or weeks.
Sometimes referred to as a tenderloin or just as a filet, filet mignon is always boneless and is cut from underneath a cow's ribs. Filet mignon is incredibly tender and has a mild flavor and fine grain, and it is also generally the most expensive cut of steak.
Boneless strip steak is an excellent option for pan frying. This cut comes from the short loin and is flavorful and tender. It often rivals the ribeye with steak enthusiasts and is another favored cut you'll find in most steakhouses.
If you're a ravenous meat monger, the porterhouse definitely wins out, but if you're looking to savor a delicious yet manageable meal for one, the ribeye may be a more suitable cut. All in all, both the porterhouse steak and ribeye steak are two fantastically flavorful, high-quality cuts of meat.
Chuck-eye steaks are also known as “The Poor Man's Ribeye” because of their lower price. Chuck-eyes are a continuation of the Rib-eye muscle as it extends into the shoulder. Extra beefy flavor and lower price make this cut an amazing every day eating experience.
Ask the butcher behind the counter for a cheap cut, and you'll hear about oyster steaks, Denver steaks, the shoulder tender, the tri-tip, or the culotte. These are all great, cheap steaks, with fat structures and textures you might not be familiar with.