There are more than 50 different cuts of steak available in the US, and some go by multiple names. The best, and usually most expensive cuts are from the rib primal, the rib roast and the ribeye. They have a perfect balance of muscle and intramuscular fat to produce optimal flavor and juiciness. Just behind them are the porterhouse and T-bone, similar looking steaks with two muscles separated by a bone. One side has a small round muscle, the filet mignon, the most tender meat on the steer, and the other side has a strip steak also called a shell steak. Filets are cut from a long baseball bat shaped muscle (without the handle) called the tenderloin. Sometimes filets are left on the T-shaped bone, sometimes they are removed. Ditto for the strip. The big difference between the porterhouse and T-bone is the amount of filet. Because the T-bone is further to the rear, near the filet is from the handle of the bat, and is smaller.

As we move towards the hind quarters we find the sirloin from which several different muscles are carved, including the tri-tip. The rear hips down to the knee are called the round. Both the sirloin tend to be leaner, a little chewier, but flavorful. The front shoulder is called the chuck, and the rear of the chuck, where it connects to the rib primal has about two steaks called chuck eyes that are practically the same as ribeyes, only a lot cheaper.

The ribs come in two sections, the curved back ribs and the straighter, meatier short plate, or short ribs. On the underside is the tough sinewy shank from the forelegs. The chest area is the brisket, an ornery cut that is used for corned beef and pastrami. Behind the ribs are the flank steak and skirt steak, chewy little devils, but when sliced properly they can be tender, flavorful, and bargains. Click here for tips on grilling steakhouse quality steaks.

Boneless rib roast. Click for a recipe.	Boneless ribeye. Eye is in center, spinalis on right and bottom.
Bone-in ribeye. Click here for steak cooking tips.	Chuck-eye. Click here for more about the various cuts of chuck steaks.
Eye of ribeye.	Short rib.
Two loin primals with two porterhouses facing us. At the bottom are the filets, on the top are the strips.	Bone-in strip steak.
Round.	Flank steak. Click for a recipe.
Tri-tip.	Whole packer brisket.