Expert Tips
HOW TO SELECT A STEAK
How to Choose the Best Cut of Steak
Selecting the best steak can seem overwhelming — there are so many types of cuts to choose from!
Our Kansas City Steak Standards ensure you will always receive the finest quality steak: meat that's meticulously sourced, graded and cut; with the ideal color, marbling and texture; then aged perfectly for the individual cut of beef.
Ultimately, choosing the best cut of steak is really all about what makes a steak right for you. Consider these 3 main factors:
- How many people you are serving. Are you treating yourself to a great steak, having a few friends over, or feeding a crowd?
- How you want to cook your steak. Is grilling your favorite method, or do you like to pan-sear or broil your steaks? Are you looking for a great cut to smoke?
- Your personal taste preferences. Do you prefer the lean tenderness of a beautiful filet mignon or t-bone steaks? The rich juiciness of a great ribeye steak or specialty steak cuts? Or the versatility of a top sirloin steak?
With those factors in mind, use this guide to determine which steak cut best suits your needs and tastes.
Cuts of Steak
Filet Mignon
There are so many reasons Filet Mignon is such a popular steak! Considered the most tender cut of all, a filet mignon is taken from the center of the beef tenderloin. It is lean yet delivers a melt-in-your mouth, buttery succulence. Perfect for grilling, pan-searing and broiling in the oven. Available in several weights, a filet is perfect for 1 person.
How to cook Filet Mignon
Boneless Ribeye Steak
A steak lover's dream! Rich and flavorful, this steak is well marbled and tender. Perfect for grilling and pan-searing. Available in several weights, one steak serves 1 - 2 people.
How to cook Boneless Ribeye Steak
Top Sirloin Steak
Top Sirloin Steak is a lean cut, the top sirloin is meaty, packed with flavor and ideal for grilling, pan-searing and broiling in the oven. It's also terrific used for kabobs on the grill or sliced for a stir-fry. Available in several weights, one top sirloin steak is great for 1 person.
How to cook Top Sirloin Steak
Strip Steak
The strip steak originated in Kansas City, and its popularity soon spread across the nation, hence its many names, including Kansas City Strip Steak and New York Strip Steak. Full of flavor and wonderfully tender, a strip steak has enough marbling to contribute great flavor but is still considered a lean cut. It is perfect for grilling, pan-searing and broiling in the oven. Available in several weights, one strip steak is just right for 1 - 2 people.
How to cook Strip Steak
Flank Steak
This is a very flavorful, very lean cut. Properly prepared and carved, it can be tender as well. Terrific for marinating, it is delicious grilled then sliced thin against the grain. If you would prefer to pan-sear your steak, simply slice it thin against the grain first, then sear the slices in a very hot skillet. Think stir fry or served on top of pasta and grilled vegetables. Depending on its size and how you prepare it, one flank steak can serve 2 - 4 people.
How to cook Flank Steak
T-Bone Steak
Always a favorite, a T-bone steak delivers the best of all worlds: a meaty strip steak on one side of the bone, and a portion of filet mignon on the other. Tender and intensely flavorful, a T-bone is perfect on the grill, pan-seared or broiled. One steak typically serves 1 person, but a large T-bone can satisfy 2.
How to cook T-Bone Steak
Porterhouse Steak
There's a reason this steak is also known as the King of Steaks! Like the T-bone steak, this bone-in cut boasts a full strip steak on one side of the bone, but it also delivers a full Filet Mignon on the other side. This impressive cut is enough for 2 hungry meat lovers and is best cooked on the grill, pan-seared or broiled.
How to cook Porterhouse Steak
Skirt Steak
Loaded with intense flavor, the skirt steak is great grilled then sliced thin against the grain. If you would prefer to pan-sear your steak, simply slice it thin against the grain first, then sear the slices in a very hot skillet. Fabulous in fajitas or on top of a salad, this versatile steak is perfect for 2 - 4 people.
How to cook Skirt Steak
Flat Iron Steak
A flat-iron steak is incredibly versatile. Almost as tender as Filet Mignon and extremely flavorful, it is well-marbled and great for grilling and broiling. You can also pan-sear it; slice it thin against the grain first, then sear the slices in a very hot skillet and use in stir fries, on top of salads or any dish that calls for thin slices of beef. Depending on its size and how you prepare it, one flat iron steak can serve 2 - 4 people.
How to cook Flat Iron Steak
Bone-In Ribeye
Also known as Cowboy Steak, Cowgirl Steak or Tomahawk Steak, a bone-in ribeye offers all the delicious qualities of the boneless ribeye steak: tender, richly marbled and deeply flavorful. Many cooks believe leaving the bone in during cooking adds a deeper beef flavor. It certainly makes for an impressive presentation! This delicious steak is best prepared on the grill or broiled - be aware, leaving the bone in will increase cooking time. It is also a great steak for a cooking technique known as "reverse searing," in which you bake the steak at a low temperature until desired doneness, then pan-sear it for a delicious outer crust. Depending on its size, a bone-in ribeye steak serves 1 - 2 people.
How to cook Bone-In Ribeye
Bone-In Strip Steak
The bone-in strip steak originated in Kansas City, and its popularity soon spread across the nation, hence its many names, including Kansas City Strip Steak and New York Strip Steak. It boasts the same richness and tenderness as the popular strip steak, but, as with the bone-in ribeye, there are many cooks who believe leaving the bone in during cooking adds a deeper beef flavor. Grill, pan-sear or broil this steak. It's also a great candidate for the "reverse searing" technique described for bone-in ribeye steak. A strip steak is just right for 1 person.
How to cook Bone-In Strip Steak
Bone-In Filet Mignon
Bone-in filet mignon is an exceptional, hand-carved cut of steak typically only found at exclusive steakhouses. But you don't have to be a steakhouse chef to cook this incredible cut at home; you just need a grill or oven. Our instructions provide the best ways to cook bone-in filet mignon, from the initial sear to moment you serve it. With all the succulent tenderness you would expect from our filet mignon and with even more buttery rich flavor from the bone, this premium filet offers the impressive presentation and taste your family and friends deserve.
How to cook Bone-In Filet Mignon
Strip Filet
Imagine the lean, tender succulence of filet mignon combined with the bold, meaty flavor of a Kansas City strip steak, and you'll understand why our Kansas City strip filets are a beef lover's dream-come-true! Also known as a baseball cut strip, this extra thick cut comes from the center of the flavorful strip loin. Translation: this lean steak is tender, yet boasts enough marbling to deliver rich, full flavor. Because it's so thick, it's easy to prepare in a variety of ways — grilling, broiling, reverse sear, and pan-sear. Just follow the link below for detailed instructions. Serve Kansas City strip filets and your house may just become everyone's favorite steak house!
How to cook Strip Filet
Center-Cut Ribeye
There's no denying the bold flavor of a great ribeye steak. But what if you want a great steak with less fat around the meat? A steak with all the rich concentrated flavor of a ribeye but in a portion size more like that of a filet mignon? We have the perfect solution: center-cut ribeye filets. These intensely flavorful steaks are cut from the very heart of the rib section, removing the cap and all the fat that you usually find in a ribeye. They're easy to prepare too; grilled ribeye filets are irresistible, pan-seared ribeye filets are amazing, and thick-cut ribeye filets are ideal for reverse searing. Just follow the link to instructions below. So, gather your ribeye-loving family and friends and give them a next-level steak experience they'll never forget with spectacular center-cut ribeye filets!
How to cook Center-Cut Ribeye
Ribeye Cap Steak
Love a great, grilled ribeye steak? Can't resist a succulent slice of prime rib roast? Have the best of both with a phenomenal ribeye cap steak! Ribeye steaks are cut from whole rib roasts, and the cap is the most prized part of the rib roast. Remove the cap from the roast, cut into individual steaks and voila! Heaven on a plate. Rich and juicy, ribeye cap steak is exceptionally marbled and has a unique, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Don't wait another moment to experience the ultimate ribeye cap steak!
How to cook Ribeye Cap Steak
Bistro Steak
The Bistro Steak delivers robust, beefy flavor in a petite presentation, perfect for the Filet Mignon crowd. Each 4-ounce bacon-wrapped Bistro Steak is ideal cooked on the grill, pan-seared or broiled in the oven. They are best prepared rare to medium doneness for optimal tenderness. Serve 1 or 2 Bistro Steaks per person, more for the serious steak lover!
How to cook Bistro Steak
Picanha
The Picanha is a prized, Brazilian-style cut that boasts luxurious marbling and a fat cap that guarantees rich, beefy flavor. Also known as the Sirloin Cap or Rump Cap, it is perfect for the grill and can be prepared many ways: enjoy individual steaks, recreate the Brazilian steakhouse experience with delectable slices carved from skewers, or slice your Picanha into bite-sized pieces that are the ultimate steak lover's treat. One 3 to 4-pound Picanha is ideal for 6-8 people.
How to cook Picanha*Bone-In Strip Steak image courtesy of BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com
Beef Roasts
Tri-Tip Roast
A roast that can do it all! Easily recognized by its triangular shape, this boneless roast is lean, tender and boasts a rich, beef flavor. It is a very versatile choice, terrific for serving to a diverse group of diners because the shape of the roast means you have the option of offering rare or medium-rare slices from the wide end and more well-done slices from the narrow end. Great for grilling, you can also oven-roast or broil a tri-tip. You can even cook it in a slow cooker with just a little broth or wine for flavor. A small roast that usually weighs in at about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds, a tri-tip is perfect for 4 - 6 people.
How to cook Tri-Tip Roast
Beef Tenderloin Roast
The special occasion roast, a tenderloin roast is also known as Chateaubriand or Filet Mignon roast. Incredibly tender, lean and succulent, a tenderloin roast is perfect for grilling or oven-roasting. Guaranteed to impress and a tender delight to carve, a tenderloin roast is perfect for 4 - 6 people.
How to cook Beef Tenderloin Roast
London Broil Roast
Also known as a top round roast, a London broil is lean, flavorful, versatile and economical. It takes a marinade beautifully and is great for grilling or broiling if you like your beef cooked no more than medium — slice it thinly against the grain to keep every bite tender. A slow cooker is another great option if you prefer your meat more well done or for busy weeknights. A 2-pound London broil roast will serve 4 - 6 people.
Prime Rib Roast
Nothing says, "Let's celebrate!" like a beautiful prime rib roast. Also known as a ribeye roast or simply a rib roast, this impressive cut of beef is always a crowd pleaser and perfect for the holidays. Available bone-in or boneless, a rib roast is best oven-roasted and will take a few hours, which leaves the cook free to prepare the rest of the meal — or visit with family and friends. Your wait will be richly rewarded with intense, savory flavor and a fine, tender texture that's sure to please one and all. This large roast can weigh in at 6 to 8 pounds and will easily serve 10 - 12 people.
How to cook Prime Rib Roast
Center-Cut Prime Rib Roast
Looking for a roast that will impress your family and friends but is easy to cook? An eye-of-rib roast is the answer. With all the flavor of a great ribeye steak and the wow-factor of a prime rib roast right out of the oven, this well marbled roast is cut from the center of the rib, so it has no bone or cap — just the deep, rich, beefy flavor of a prime rib roast and a remarkably tender, juicy texture. If you're wondering how to prepare eye-of-rib roast, no worries. Just follow the link below to find the perfect eye-of-rib roast cooking time. This impressive roast also gives you the freedom to cut each slice to please your guests. All that's left is to enjoy their applause!
How to cook Center-Cut Prime Rib Roast
Picanha
The Picanha is a prized, Brazilian-style cut that boasts luxurious marbling and a fat cap that guarantees rich, beefy flavor. Also known as the Sirloin Cap or Rump Cap, it is perfect for the grill and can be prepared many ways: enjoy individual steaks, recreate the Brazilian steakhouse experience with delectable slices carved from skewers, or slice your Picanha into bite-sized pieces that are the ultimate steak lover's treat. One 3 to 4-pound Picanha is ideal for 6-8 people.
How to cook Picanha