T-Bone, Ribeye and other Beef and Steak Questions

A: T-bones always come from the beef loin. After eating, all that good meat, the bone that 's left sometime resembles the letter "t"; thus the name.

Q: How many rib steaks vs. Rib eye's can you get from a front quarter of beef. Are they the same?

A: The only difference between rib steaks and ribeye is that with the ribeye, the bone has been removed.

When buying a forequarter, the rib is only a fraction of the total weight. 12 to 15 steaks would be normal depending on the thickness of the cut.

Q: I just bought a 7.67 lb beef round tip roast cap off. I can't find any recipe of how to cook it. Can you tell me the best way to cook it?

I found a recipe for sirloin tip roast. Would this work? Thank you. P.S. The roast is already tied.

A: As with many cuts of meat, there may be more than one name to the same cut; such as Delmonico & ribeye steak, cottage ham & cottage butt, Boston strip & New York strip. The list goes on.

Round tip and sirloin tip is yet another example. Cap-off means the fatty piece of meat on top (the cap) has been removed.

Q: We used to get Del Monaco steaks - and they were our favorite, but I never see them in the stores anymore. Do they have a different name? What else is comparable? Thank you.

A: A Delmonico steak is another name for a boneless rib eye steak. At Old World Meats, we carry them and call them 'Delmonico'.

Q: I just heard on a television news show that you pay more for steak in a restaurant because they get better cuts of meat than we can get in a supermarket or at a butcher shop.

Is this true? What's the difference and why can't we buy the good stuff?

A: Prime grade beef, which is the highest grade, is served at some high-end restaurants. Most restaurants serve Choice Grade beef, which is what most meat markets carry.

Also, restaurant prices reflect prep techniques, presentations and atmosphere. You should inquire which grade is being served or offered at any restaurant or store.

Q: What is a tip steak? Is it a good piece of meat or is it tough?

A: Tip Steak comes from the sirloin tip. Other names for this cut are round tip or peeled knuckle.

When sliced thin, these are known as flip steaks. Tip steaks are not for grilling. They are better for pepper steak recipes, stir frys, or steak & gravy, etc.

Q: Where does stew (beef) meat come from?

Would I get a better stew if I bought a big piece of meat and cut it up myself? Is the stew meat "leftovers" from good cuts?

A: Beef stew meat usually comes from the same cut as a beef roast. Chuck and sirloin tip are quite common.

You can purchase a roast and cut it yourself if you are concerned about which cut is being offered.

Q: I've heard the terms eye of round, top round and bottom round. Can you explain these to me? Thank you.

A: A full cut round consists of 3 sections. Top-round or steamship round, Eye of Round and bottom round also known as square-cut rump roast.

When looking at a full cut round steak you can easily see the 3 sections.