I'm planning on cooking some steak for my girlfriend for our 6th anniversary because i know she loves steak. Yeah, i found a girl who loves beef, and doesn't like chicken or pork much. I've found a pretty good way to prepare the steak, what I want to know is where should I buy steak? I want to try a local butcher but it seems like some of the butchers around me seem like cheap broken down mexican meat markets(not stereotyping). So is there any good places to find meat?(maybe walmart, albertsons, markets?) i know each of them tend to have different types of steak brands. Also what kind of cut is good for the price?

Good for the price is probably tbone/fillet(jk, it's like $40/kg here)

Rump/porterhouse(sirloin) is pretty good for the price, but if it comes from the large animals(usually male, and usually from the big chains then it's gonna be tough as fuck and taste pretty average)

You can get 3 different types of meat(depends on their feed);

a. grain
b. grass(ie. allowed to roam a field for food)
c. milk(for veal)

Young and female have the best meat, followed by young and male, old and female, old and male.

Just look at the cut. It should have a nice marbling of fat all the way through it. It helps keep the meat moist when cooking. If you buy from a big supermarket you can normally see the marbling because they are already cut into steaks, just look for an even distribution of fat, instead of a thick layer on one side.

Ask someone with more knowledge i guess :)(OI is dead lately...)

i like rib eyes cause they are full of that wonderful fat we call flavor. go for something at least an inch an a half thick.

i just use the meat counter at krogers for my meat needs. just talk with the butcher about what he has, an if he does not have the thickness you need see if he could cut something to size for you. i have never been refused.


but yeah, just talk to the man behind the counter. most chain stores in the USA have quality beef an professionals willing to help you.

They're all over the east coast here but Martins sells decent cuts of meat for a reasonable price. As far as commerical grocery stores go they're the only ones I trust.

Fun fact:I originally typed "decent cunts of meat". Woops.

I prefer NY strip. but be careful not to cook it past about medium as it will easily dry out as it is a lean cut.

get a boneless rib eye, worth the price. go to a butcher or meat market, avoid the grocery store, and buy a prime cut. it'll be worth its weight in gold, and if your girlfriend really does love beef she'll notice and appreciate it...


avoid sirloins and strips, i mean a t-bone would work in a pinch..

I prefer a bone in ribeye. If you can afford it, sure, get a prime cut, but unless you're an expert, there will be very little difference between a prime cut and a choice cut, other than the debit to your checking account.

High heat, until it reaches 135* or 140* (depending on how rare you prefer them), rest for 5-10 minutes, and served a with a simple starch and either steamed broccoli or asparagus with a pat of butter. My recommendation only, but that's how I'd serve it, and I come from beef country where that sort of thing is taken seriously.

Many people abhor the idea of more than kosher salt and pepper,b ut I've been known to use a bit of garlic powder and onion powder, depending on the cut.

Enjoy it, my friend, since a steak is one of the few luxuries most people can afford.

i have never had a bone in ribeye before. i am definitely gonna have to go check in with marcus down at krogers about getting me some of that.

Usually there's some extra protein and fatty tissue near the bone. Adds flavor or something.

I can attest that a properly prepared bone in rib steak tastes better and retains moisture better than a boneless.

Thanks for the input, i'll put this stuff into consideration.

Yeah, go to a meat market or a butcher.

Ribeye's are probably your best bet. Wonderful flavour, and they have enough fat throughout to keep them nice and juicy. Pepper, Kosher salt, whatever seasoning you like. Medium-rare.

Very important: Let it rest for a minute or two before cutting and serving.

Ha, everybody basically recommended a different kind of steak.

What does that tell you? It's personal preference.

All I'll tell you is USDA prime is a grade higher than USDA choice and is "better." More tender, flavorful, etc. But not all stores carry prime. A higher end grocery store, even if it's a chain, would likely have it assuming they have an on-site meat department. Walmart's shit is usually not cut on site.

I maintain that if they're not a connoisseur and eating steak prepared by a highly trained chef, there will be very little, if any, discernible difference between the flavor of a Prime USDA rib steak and a Choice USDA rib steak.

The discernible difference will be on the price. ;)

I maintain that if they're not a connoisseur and eating steak prepared by a highly trained chef, there will be very little, if any, discernible difference between the flavor of a Prime USDA rib steak and a Choice USDA rib steak.

The discernible difference will be on the price. ;)

But his girlfriend will be more impressed that he went to the trouble to buy the more expensive, higher rated, steak.

But his girlfriend will be more impressed that he went to the trouble to buy the more expensive, higher rated, steak.

Then she's a golddigging bitch and he needs to dump the whore!

Or he could lie his ass off and tell her he bought USDA Prime when it is, in fact, not.

Yeah. Lie. It works for politicians!

But his girlfriend will be more impressed that he went to the trouble to buy the more expensive, higher rated, steak.

haha thanks for the info, but i dont think she'd notice the difference. she doesn't seem to mind cheaply made thin steak at some restaurants, and goes back for me.

i may go to my local butcher and ask him what he also recommends, and what meat may be on sale or fresh.

a lot of people have said to let it sit for a minute, some say 5, and some say atleast 10 to allow the flavor and juices to be drawn back into the steak. anyone know how this actually works or how long i should wait? 10 min seems long enough to let it cool down, but i like my meal hot (maybe i should let it sit in the oven at like 50 degrees to keep it warm? but i dont like dry steak either.)

avoid sirloins and strips, i mean a t-bone would work in a pinch..

I have noticed that the sirloins at restaruants are usually very good,thick, tender, and juicy. but at the stores they just suck.

Letting it sit for 3 minutes will be long enough.

I have noticed that the sirloins at restaruants are usually very good,thick, tender, and juicy. but at the stores they just suck.

I haven't noticed this. Sirloin happens to be a helluva value around these parts, all things considered, since it's tasty and far more affordable (to the tune of usually 50% cheaper) than your strip or rib steaks.

Letting it sit for 3 minutes will be long enough.

I think that's a little too short.

ten minutes with a foil tent will really let the juices re-distribute.

The rule of thumb I've always heard was rest the meat for at least as long as you cooked it. So this is really dependent on how thick the steak is, how hot your cooking surface is, and how well you liked the steak cooked.

a lot of people have said to let it sit for a minute, some say 5, and some say atleast 10 to allow the flavor and juices to be drawn back into the steak. anyone know how this actually works or how long i should wait? 10 min seems long enough to let it cool down, but i like my meal hot (maybe i should let it sit in the oven at like 50 degrees to keep it warm? but i dont like dry steak either.)


let it rest for about 2-5 minutes. what is going on during this process is the meat is still cooking a bit an its juice is in a state of motion. while this is happening the meat is not being very efficent at holding onto to moisture, i think it has to do with the heat. if you were to cut into your steak before this was over you would miss out on alot of flavour that the meat could not hold onto yet. but if ya let it rest for atleast 2 you should have no problem.

i would not let it warm in a oven that sounds like it would dry it out.

3 words...Australian Fillet Steak.

In my opinion, Australian is some of the best beef available...I even hold it in as high regard as British beef. It's got a different sort of taste to it, like richer and almost sweet.

If you can get hold of some it's definitely worth trying. Try and get hold of a fillet steak if you can like some on here have said but if not go for a sirloin. You can get matured steaks as well.

There's nothing better than MMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAATTTT.

sirloin is my fav cut but like people have been saying you got to make sure you can buy a thick enough piece

I haven't noticed this. Sirloin happens to be a helluva value around these parts, all things considered, since it's tasty and far more affordable (to the tune of usually 50% cheaper) than your strip or rib steaks.

the problem at the chain stores is they are all thin. They pretty much have NO thick steaks at any stores. i love sirloins when they are nice and thick and cooked medium rare- medium, in my opinion it is just as good as the other types of steak.

Butcher house steak, Ribeye, cooked medium-rare. That's where the cum in your pants while eating a steak comes from mangs.