Flank, Sirloin, or Rib? Steak Cuts Explained

Emma Christensen
Emma Christensen
Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories
updated Jun 4, 2019
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Because we don’t buy steak all that often, we have trouble keeping all the different cuts straight when we do. Did we like the porterhouse for this recipe, or was it the rib eye? Food Paper has a quick and dirty guide to all the cuts, and we’ve bookmarked the page for just these moments!

This quick guide focuses solely on the common cuts of steak, so we don’t have to sort through dozens of chuck and rib cuts to find what we’re looking for. The descriptions tell us where the cut is from (loin and rib cuts are more tender, flank and belly cuts are tougher) and a bit about the kind of flavor and texture we can expect. It’s just enough to jog our memories and help us pick the best cut for our recipe.

At the bottom of the page is also a quick reference guide to USDA

grades of beef

What is your favorite cut for a simple steak dinner?

• Get the Guide: Beef Cuts 101: A Primer for Understanding Steak Cuts from Food Paper

Related: How to Broil a Steak in the Oven

(Image: Flickr member Star5112 licensed under Creative Commons)

Filed in:
Meat
Steak
Ingredient
Beef