6 Types of Steak Everyone Should Try

Ah, steak—the most delicious, exclusive and hearty meal you can imagine. Enjoyed with roasted veggies, potatoes or alone, this meal is one of the staple dishes in many restaurants. But if you’re not overly invested in the meat connoisseur scene, you probably don’t know all the different types of steak you can enjoy, each different yet equally delicious. Want to know a bit more about steak to prepare for your next dinner date? Or do you want to impress someone with your cooking? Here are the types of steak you should try:

Filet mignon 

Very well known in the culinary world, filet mignon is a piece of meat cut from the tenderloin (this is a muscle that runs along the back of the cow, on each side of the spine). This muscle is not super-busy, so you can expect super tender meat you can cut with a spoon. Filet mignon is juicy and tender, and it doesn’t need any marinade. To bring out the taste even more, pair your filet mignon with a nice sauce or smother it with butter. 

Since filet mignon has almost zero fat, it’s crucial not to overcook it. For a nice preparation, just salt and pepper your piece of meat and cover with some herbs you like before cooking in a cast-iron skillet until rare or medium-rare. 

Tomahawk

This cut is probably the most iconic cut of steak out there. Recognizable for its long rib bone sticking out, the tomahawk resembles an axe it was named after. These steaks are thick and big, often enough to feed two or more people. A ribeye is not very easy to cook on your own, but everything is possible if you first sear your tomahawk in a pan and put it in the oven to cook the rest of the way. 

Ribeye

Unlike filet mignon which is not fatty at all, the ribeye steak is very well-marbled. This steak is “harvested” from the rib section, and you can get it with the bone or without it. Ribeye has a lot of flavor but can also be a bit chewier than filet mignon. Also, this steak is easy to cook thanks to all the fat and even if you overcook it a little, you can still end up with a juicy meal. However, if this is your first time preparing a ribeye, you can leave everything to the professionals—just look up a good steakhouse menu and you’ll probably find a ribeye there. And when you know what perfection tastes like you can try recreating the taste at home.

This piece of meat doesn’t need a marinade because it’s pretty fatty and juicy on its own. All you need to prepare a good ribeye is some salt and pepper and cook over dry heat (cast-iron pan or grill) until rare or medium-rare. 

Rump steak

Rump steak or round steak is ribeye’s cheaper cousin, but if you know how to cook it, it can taste just as delicious. Coming to your plate from the back portion of the cow, this cut is full of lean muscle tissue that gets a lot of work (so don’t expect this piece of meat to melt in your mouth). But, if you prepare a good marinade and leave it in it for a few hours, a rump steak can be absolutely mouthwatering, especially when cooked in a cast-iron pan. 

T-bone

The best thing about T-bone (besides its amazing taste and impressive look) is the fact that you can get two types of steak in one—the tenderloin and the strip. T-bone steak comes with the bone and is generally cut from the short loin. When cooking T-bone (or tenderloin and strip loin) use dry heat and a thermometer to check whether the meat is properly cooked because of its thickness. 

Hanger skirt

This piece of meat hangs in between the ribs and the loin, this is where it got its name. It’s quite a cheap cut and extremely underrated in steak-lover circles, but it’s super flavorful and more tender than many other cuts. To make the meat even juicier, marinade your hanger skirt and grill it on high heat quickly and carefully—you don’t want to overcook it and get it tough and chewy. 

There you have it, the best steak cuts out there to try out during your next steakhouse visit or home cookout. You’ll impress others with your knowledge and treat your palate to some amazing tastes.