I found this article pretty interesting. Especially, since we are moving into grilling season.
SKIRT STEAKAverage price: $4.99 a pound.
What it is: A long, thin piece of meat with tapered ends. It comes from the belly side of the animal.
Jim Garrison, meat manager, and Salvador Martinez, meat cutter at Honey Bee Market, say it should be relatively lean but have some marbling.
Where to buy: Honey Bee Market, 2443 Bagley, and E & L Super Mercado, 6000 W. Vernor Highway, in the Mexicantown area of southwest Detroit. Honey Bee sells 1,000 pounds weekly. Many grocery stores carry skirt steak, but you may need to ask for it.
Taste/texture: Takes on the flavor of the seasoning or marinade. It starts out as a tougher cut, but marinating makes it tender. Cook it no more than medium or it will be tough. Medium-rare is best, about 3-4 minutes per side, depending on how large the piece is.
Best use: It's the preferred meat for fajitas, with many sources saying it's the only meat for fajitas. It needs to be tenderized and marinated before grilling. Great seasoned with southwest flavors like ground chile powders, but takes to almost any seasoning. Garrison recommends Goya's Mojo as a store-bought marinade. Martinez suggests a simple marinade of oil, lime juice and salt.
Best tip: Always let rest it after grilling, and slice against the grain. Marinating overnight is best. Grill entire piece over medium-high heat.
TRI-TIPPrice: $5.49-$5.99 a pound.
What it is: This piece of meat looks like a roast with a thick end that tapers into a thinner end. It has a triangular shape. It's cut from the butt portion of the bottom sirloin. Santa Maria, Calif., stakes a claim to discovering this cut of meat and also its style of seasoning for grilling. It's taken its time to travel east and is now found in many stores.
Where to buy: Trader Joe's carries a Santa Maria-style seasoned and unseasoned tri-tip roast. Some grocery stores and meat shops carry this or will order it for you. They average about 2 3/4 pounds.
Taste/texture: Cook this to medium-rare for melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. It has the same texture and beefy taste of a sirloin. Slice it against the grain.
Best use: It's best done medium-rare or about 130 degrees. Start it out over high heat to sear it on all sides and move it to a cooler part of the grill to finish the cooking. It's a great way to feed a crowd, as this roast goes a long way. Marinate in your favorite meat marinade or season with a rub.
Best tip: Let it rest, tented with foil, a good 10 minutes before slicing. The juices will seal inside and it will be easier to slice. Slice it thin, since it's fork-tender.
FLATIRON STEAKAverage price: $6-$8 a pound.
What it is: This is often referred to as a fabricated cut. It's cut from the top of a top blade roast. You will sometimes see it sold as top blade steak. It's called flatiron because it looks like an old-style flatiron.
Where to buy: Nearly all grocery and meat stores sell this cut. The average steak is 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds.
Taste/texture: This is billed as being second in tenderness to beef tenderloin. It has some marbling, which gives it a terrific mild beefy flavor.
Best use: Marinate as you would any steak, though it doesn't need to marinate long to become tender. This cut takes well to seasoning, but a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground pepper is often enough.
Best tip: Cut into portions and grill as you would your favorite steak, or grill it whole. Grill over medium-high on the first side to sear it, turn and finish on a cooler part of the grill. Let it rest at least 5 minutes before slicing against the grain. This is a good cut for beef satay. For easier slicing into strips for satay, freeze it for 30-40 minutes first.
TOP STRIP LOINAverage price: $7-$8 pound.
What it is: It's wide at one end and tapered at the other. Often called New York strips or shell steaks. Cut from the strip loin or short loin section. It's the porterhouse without the tenderloin.
Where to buy: Any grocery store. Buy it sliced on the thick side with some fat running along the edge, but not too much.
Taste/texture: Slightly chewy if overcooked. It's best cooked medium-rare to medium.
Best use: A good general-purpose steak that typically has good marbling. Season with dry rubs or marinate.
Best tip: Make slits in the fat so it doesn't curl when grilling, especially if the fat is thick. Sear each side over high heat. To tell when it's time to flip it (using tongs), look for little sweat beads on the top. Flip and sear again on the second side until crusty and then finish on a cooler part of the grill, about medium heat. Be adventuresome and use a spice rub that incorporates coarse ground coffee.
RIB-EYE (BONELESS)Average price: $7-$12 a pound.
What it is: This cut comes from the same muscle as a New York strip, but it comes from the front half of the animal instead of the back. It should be well-marbled. Some people refer to these as Delmonico steaks.
Where to buy: Any grocery store will have them. These are cut from the rib roast. If you can, ask your meat cutter to cut these on the thick side, about 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 inches.
Taste/texture: These are similar in texture to a strip. Loren says you'll find it chewier than a fillet and slightly more firm. Much of this cut's great flavor comes from its marbling.
Best use: An all-around steak that has good marbling throughout. Pete Loren of Nino Salvaggio International Marketplace prefers to use a dry rub because it doesn't need a wet marinade to tenderize it. It's a tender cut.
Best tip: Loren recommends cooking a rib-eye to medium rare and over medium heat -- about 350 degrees. Take it off the grill when the internal temperature of the steak reaches 130-135 degrees. Then let it rest; the finished temperature should be 140-145 degrees. The exact timing depends on the thickness.
Susan Selasky, Free Press Test Kitchen director,
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