A steak is simply a thinly sliced piece of meat. The most popular cuts are typically steaks: Ribeye, Porterhouse, Filet Minon, Tenderloin, T-bone, and Sirloin, all coming from the loin and ribs or middle back part of the animal. The Flatiron comes from the chuck (shoulders) and the Flank, Skirt, and Hanger steaks from the flank and plate (underbelly). I recommend preparing these cuts with a dry heat, typically grilled or broiled. Remember, lower the heat. For grass-fed grilling, this means moving your grill higher or waiting a little longer for the flames to back off. Grass-fed beef is best eaten rare to medium. Sun Prairie Natural Beef comes labeled as either Fillet Mignon (aka Tenderloin), Rib Steak, Ribeye, T-Bone, Club (aka Sirloin), Flatiron, Flank, Skirt, and Hanger.

Other steaks that you may see include Round, Chuck, London Broil, Sirloin Tip, etc. These are very flavorful, lean cuts that mostly come from the chuck (shoulders) or the round (back end); the parts of the animal that worked harder, and will be tougher, but also have more flavor. These steaks should be marinated and/or tenderized to ensure success on the grill or fryer. Use soy sauce as a base and experiment from there (see my section on the importance of marinades/rubs). For a stir-fry or fajita meal, we produce a thin-cut Bottom Round steak that we call the "Fajita" steak. This steak is best marinaded 45-60 minutes, cut very thin across the grain, and fried on a hot skillet for about TWO minutes. I've had all the cuts on the grill and they all work with the right preparation. The only difference is some need a marinade and some don't. They ALL require a lower heat. If you think it's dry and tough, then you probably overcooked it!

Another option for steaks is to use a moist heat and slow cooking to ensure a juicy meal. The leaner cuts are ideal for baked steak, braising, crock pots, casseroles, and stews. Remember, steaks made into big cubes become kebob meat and smaller it becomes stew meat. It is all very versitile for whatever cooking you're into on any given night.