HOW TO MAKE A GREAT STEAK (Part 1) - CHOOSING YOUR STEAK

IMO ribeye and porterhouse (strip + filet) are the two best premium steaks.  Strip would be a close third, and the filet mignons are fourth.  I do not consider sirloin a premium steak.  Oddly, filet mignons are the most expensive of the steak cuts - I consider it the chicken breast of the beef world.  If you ask your butcher what his favorite steak is, I think it will break out as 50% ribeye, 25% porterhouse, 15% NY Strip and 10% other.  If your butcher says filet mignon is his favorite steak, then you need to find a new butcher.  I'm completely serious.  A corollary holds for chefs - if the chef's favorite dish contains chicken breast, then you need to leave the restaurant immediately.

Crappy Steak (not marbled)

Whenever I go grocery shopping with Mrs. Fly, I spend quite a bit of time staring at the meat counter while she is doing her thing.  Daydreaming, as it were.  And I'm always stunned at the meat selection process of some of the people who do the shopping.  Don't be one of those 'tards at the meat counter looking for the *reddest* piece of meat.  You don't necessarily need the hunks of fat, but you definitely need marbling for the steak to taste its best.

Awesome Steak (superbly marbled)

Most supermarkets only carry "USDA choice," but "prime" would be the next higher grade of beef.  If you are unsure of what a good steak should look like, go look at the prime steaks - they usually cost almost 2x more than choice steaks.  And that's because it better marbled - so look at the prime steaks to see what a good steak should look like.  But even within choice and prime, there is a varying degree of marbling.  Sometimes you can find a better choice steak than prime steak, altho it is rare.  Get it?!?  Rare!

It may be a *little* less healthy to get a well marbled steak, but IMO if you are going to have a steak, have a REAL steak.  Just eat a smaller portion or have it less frequently.  If you are still unsure of how to select a steak, get on friendly terms with your local butcher - they are a great resource.  Mrs. Fly befriends all the local butchers - that's how we know most butchers prefer ribeye.