Okay for the sake of availability I mustl limit this thread to pan seered, thats how I cook all of my steaks.



My current favorite cut in terms of flavor, fat content and tenderness, excluding price as a factor is a boneless ribeye.

My favorite cut using price as a factor is a top sirloin, I feel like it has the same fat content and flavor, and possibly even a slightly better taste than the ribeye. Although a top sirloin is no where near as tender in comparison to a ribeye, unless you get at least close to the porterhouse for the sirloin.(outer portion of meat)


I don't use a physical tenderizer, I have in the past but I feel that dry rub tenderizers or marinade tenderizers are the best way to go.


As for wellness, I tend to cook mine to a medium rare~ medium, and sometimes accidentally medium well, which is also not so bad. I like it to still have the juiciness but not the chewiness that some cuts get when they are rare or medium rare.


1) What is the best range of cooking in terms of tenderness? Does it depend on cut, or is there a range of doneness(is that a word?) that is ultimately more tender?(while still perserving moisture)

2) What are some better cuts that are also cost effective, in comparison to a top sirloin, but still maintain tenderness and that buttery-fat flavor if cooked properly? (prices may very by availability so cant really go on price alone, we must compare the cost of one cut to another)



Also on another aspect of steak and beef.



Is cholesterol an aspect of fat content specifically? Would a 100% lean, fat free cut of beef be cholesterol free, or is red meat itself actually the culprit in terms of high cholesterol from beef?


Also any cuts of flavorful steak that are also extremely lean?



I eat steak approximately five times to seven times per week, and when I do not eat steak I eat a cheeseburger.


I do eat a lot of vegetables, although my fruit intake is rather low.

I also take a daily multivitamin for men knowing that I do not eat enough fruits, and probably also not enough of the proper kinds of vegetables.. (I believe the brand is "Alive")

I do eat seafood on occassion in either sushi(fish) or shellfish form (scallops, lobster, crab, oysters, clams, crawfish)


I seldomly eat chicken. (literally I go months at a time without eating chicken)

I seldomly eat pork as a main fish, I do eat a lot of bacon but usually only two pieces a day, maybe three times a week maximum. My bacon intake is usually in form of a bacon cheeseburger(2 strips usually), or bacon pieces minced into a pasta or salad.

I do eat chicken more than pork as a main dish. (bot hare less than four times a month combined)

Occassionally(more often than I eat seafood, chicken or pork) I will opt to just have a large salad or serving of pasta, with approximately 1 oz or less of bacon.




What are other sources of cholesterol that I might not be considering in my concious intake? (coffee, soda, candy, chips, etc; Which are all occassional in my diet)



Thank you for any and all help, heart disease runs in my family although has not officially caused any deaths and I am just cocerned that my 70%~90% beef diet might need some tailoring to ensure a long and healthly life.

i'd like to quote jeb90's advice on cooking technique, we were discussing ribeyes for a dinner party. he's a good egg, u should drop him a pm, he's passionate about food and im sure he'd give u some protips. (hope u dont mind the name drop jeb!)

"To tell doneness, you can cheat and buy a thermometer or cut into it, but here's a good trick (that also impresses people at parties :)). Open your hand and hold it palm up. Now feel around your thumb. The softest part of your thumb (about where it connects to the beginning of your index finger) is about what a rare steak will feel like when you push on it. Move up to a little meatier part of the thumb, and that is medium rare--the firmer the meat, the more it is cooked. This takes a little while to master, but it's a good skill to learn."

it does take a couple tries to gain familiarity, but at the rate u make steaks, u should have it down in 2 weeks. we were discussing 1" thick ribeyes.
and here are some of his ideas for preparation

" If I'm not blackening it (heavy coating of white, black, cayenne peppers, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, fennel seeds) then I usually just cook it with salt and pepper if it's a good piece of meat that doesn't need a marinade. I'd rather have the plain meat flavor and make something like a chimichurri (cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, chiles, olive oil in a blender) or a compound butter (soften butter; mix in herbs or habaneros + limes; chill butter to harden)."

i'd do straight up salt and pepper if i had a good side to go w/ the starch. just tasting good quality meat for itself can be great. for a side (vege), i'd probly do something salty or vinegary, spicy and crunchy mebe. in my case, i ended up doin the compound butter, with italian herbs, cumin, coriander, chipotle powder and a fresh habanero and a couple thai chilis. i also studded the steak w/ fresh garlic. my dinner party guests loved it. dono if they were just trying to be flattering or not tho lol, we had a few drinks by the time this came out. when i tasted it i thought the garlic was a bit too powerful for the other flavors to shine. this was served as part of a meal that featured fried dumplings, fried oysters, and italian herb/garlic/parmesan edamame (appetizers w. korean/japanese style sauce), spicy chicken stew (korean style), italian dressing cucumber/onion/bell pepper salad, and o ya, we also did grilled pork belly, eaten korean style in lettuce wraps, w/ garlic, onion, green onion, red pepper+miso sauce and a spoonful of rice. i have minimal to nonexistant knowledge about how to pair alcohol w/ food, but we just started w/ a good sour beer and then did hennessey w/ apple juice 1:1. my guests werent exactly gourmands like us. on this note, jeb90 recommends for ribeyes:

"Ribeye is perfect for a compound butter. I'd go with a basic garlic, basil, and red pepper flakes combo (about 1 teaspoon of each). Once you soften the butter and mix in the spices, roll the butter into a cylinder about the size of a stick of butter, wrap it in saran wrap, and put it in the fridge to harden (at least an hour). When you serve your steaks, just cut about a 1/2" piece (or more) off the butter and put it on the steak. The butter, as it melts, adds extra moistness to the steak, and the herbs & spices kick up the flavor. It is perfectly decadent.."

i didnt know how to roll it into shape to chill, myself, i just spooned the mix onto the steak, right before cutting it, about 6 min off the heat. i wish i had heated plating so i could let the steak rest for 10 min before slicing. i use the lid when im cooking it, on med high-high heat, mebe 3 min one side, flip 3 min, flip 2 min, flip 1 min, flip 1 min, for a perfect pink center.

and also, ur biggest source of cholestrol is probly from seafood. shrimp is especially bad. wouldnt suggest eating more than 3 or 4 shrimps as a serving. animal products have cholestrol. w/ ur diet of seafood, bacon and steak, u should be concerned about cholestrol. make sure ur getting a lot of dark green leafy veges. spinach is great, arugula is awesome, or lettuce and cabbage are try ur fave dishes w/ mushrooms, tofu, potatoes, etc to substitute for red meat. i also love olives and avocado for the best vegetable fats, u can use these for fat options in salad to have a totally animal free salad. i like salads w/ a nice herby bread or pungent rice.

as for steaks, i really like prime rib but i dono how to make that. filet mignon is expensive but thats def one cut i'd rather just salt and pepper on. skirt steak is also awesome, it has a epithalial quality that is just so tender, like having slow cooked meat in a fraction of the time. its a very popular carne asada choice of cut here in LA. top sirloin is a bit tough when its bbq'd or fried. i'd rather do a braise or broil. i havent really studied t bone and porterhouse, but thats the next step for me. ribs are also awesome. a sweet vinegary marinade is my fave