In this episode of the Dads Toolbox we had the chance to talk with Shane Vaughn of Snake River Farms. When selecting a steak for your family Shane Vaughn of Snake River Farms shared that you have to look at the cut, clarity and color of the steak that you are considering. Shane Vaughn shares his vast experience with you about steak and more in this informative episode.

Shane Vaughn mentioned that when you are considering different cuts you will have different experiences with the tenderness and flavor of each type of meat.

Steaks that you want to place on a grill come in three types:

* Filet Mignon / Tenderloin

* Ribeye

* Sirloin

 

Filet Mignon / Tenderloin

This is the most tender and is the meat with the most beefy flavor. This meat comes from the most tender part of the animal. This cut of meat is so tender that you can cut this with a butter knife or a fork if you select a good one and is not overpowering from a flavor standpoint.

 

Ribeye

On the other end of the spectrum you have the Ribeye that is not as tender as a filet mignon but has a stronger beefier flavor.

 

Sirloin

This steak offers you a medium ground between the filet mignon and the ribeye. The sirloin is not as tender as a filet and does not have as much flavor as a ribeye, but it still offers you a beefy flavor.

 

Cooking Steak in the Kitchen

When cooking in the kitchen and thinking about beef you can cook with there. Shane Vaughn stated that usually you are thinking about purchasing a steak that will be larger but that can be  cut up in smaller portions.  As you are looking at steak online or at your local store you will see names like Flank, Hanger, or Flat Iron as it comes to what you will want to prepare  for others and cut up and serve. Many times Shane Vaughn said you will want to marinate the steak. If you are planning to marinate your steak to bring that flavor into it Shane Vaughn says that typically you can buy a cheaper steak because through marinating the steak you are breaking down the fibers in the steak itself.

When you are thinking about marinating steak and other beef cuts, Shane Vaughn says that depending on what your goal is with the marinade will determine how you marinate the meat. If you want to keep the beefy flavor, you will need to place the marinade onto the meat close to the time that you want to cook. If you want your meat to have a flavor that is very bold and offers more texture you will want to marinate it for at least 24 hours prior to when you want to cook.

 

Grades of Beef

There are three grades of beef that you will see when you are looking at beef. These include:

* Select

* Choice

* Prime

The grades of beef refer to the amount of marbling (or the amount of fat) that you will find in the beef that you are purchasing. Now marbling is not the fat that you see on the outside of the steak but instead it refers to the fat that runs in small little veins throughout the steak. It is this fat that will melt off into the meat while cooking that gives the meat its’ flavor. In general Shane Vaughn says that you want to purchase the highest grade steak for what you are trying to accomplish.

If you are trying to just have a steak on a plate then you will want to have the best quality meat that you can to accomplish this. If you are planning to marinate the steak / meat then you can select a lesser grade quality of beef to accomplish this goal.

The American Kobe Steaks and other