Are You Ready for Oyster Steak?

According to the National Restaurant Association’s Annual “What’s Hot” survey of almost 650 chefs found that “new cuts of meat” (67%) and “plant-based sausages and burgers” (64 %) were near the top of the list of what’s trending in the food industry.

In modern day processing and butchery, there are certain cuts that are money-makers, which means that other heritage cuts have become scarce and known only to hardcore meat people. When there is such a high demand for ground beef (we do love our burgers), smaller cuts just become too expensive to carefully butcher, and it’s far easier and more economical to just throw it all into the grinder.

The reality is that the cuts that were considered “cheap” even a few years ago—we’re talking hanger, skirt, and flank steak—aren’t even affordable anymore. Meat fans have wised up in a big way to the wonders of these thin, flavorful, and grill-friendly steaks, and butchers have upped the prices to reflect that.

The movement of craft butchery has made a resurgence, essentially bringing back the concept that entire sides of an animal should be broken down in house, and that the consumer can then request specific cuts that may have been previously unavailable. The hope is that craft butchers are driven by taste and technique, rather than the bottom line, and that they will take the time to explore and share the more unusual “butcher’s cuts”.

Delving into the whole cow, and not just the trendy or well-known filets that real butchers can dive into, is the key to offering cuts you’ve never heard of. The good news? They’re just as delicious and much less expensive.

So, where are the new butcher’s cuts? According to Epicurious Magazine these are the ones you should ask for the next time you head to the meat counter:

FAUX HANGER

You’d think with a name like faux hanger, this steak would be a substitute for hanger steak. Wrong. The cut is taken from the bottom sirloin butt, right next to the beef tenderloin. Like skirt steak, it’s extremely thin and cooks very quickly, so you’ll want to sear this in a very hot pan or cook it on the grill. Faux hanger also benefits from tenderization, so consider using a marinade. You might also see this one labeled as bavette or sirloin tip steak.

ENTRAÑA

Nearly every butcher has a different name for this cut, but if you go to an Argentinian steakhouse, it’ll be referred to as the entraña steak. This very thin steak has almost no fat and is actually taken off the top of the faux hanger cut. Like its adjacent cut, the entraña isn’t very tender, so you’ll want to marinate this one as well.

OYSTER

Just as with the “oyster” on a chicken, this cut of beef comes from the backbone just above the rump and looks like, you guessed it, an oyster. It’s small, flavourful thanks to it’s natural marbling and easy to prepare with a quick pan sear. Unlike the faux hanger and entraña, the oyster steak is very tender and, as a result, make sure you don’t overcook it, unless you like it chewy. But the oyster steak doesn’t lack any flavor thanks to its great fat content.

TOP CAP

If you opt for the top cap, you’ll want to make sure your butcher trims away most of the fat that surrounds this cut that’s taken from the cap of the top round. It’s most similar to flank steak and can be seared or served raw as a steak tartare.

SHOULDER TENDER

Finally there’s the shoulder tender. Taken from the cow’s shoulder blade, this very tender cut of beef is a much less expensive alternative to filet mignon. You’ll also see it labeled as beef shoulder petite tender, bistro filet, or teres major steak. You can pan-sear this guy, or treat it as a small roast and cook it in the oven.

—
Photo Credit: bitt24 / Shutterstock.com