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I don't know much about steak, but I like it. I decided I wanted to make steak salad this week, and ended up buying "top round" steak this weekend (since I have no clue about what the different cuts are).
I marinated and broiled it (no grill available), and then sliced it for a salad. But I don't like it. The texture seems weird to me. I bought this at a very reputable market with a butcher, so I know the quality is fine.
Is "top round" considered a good cut of steak? Any guesses as to why I don't like it? Maybe its supposed to taste the way it does and I just didn't cook it right. I don't know. I don't want to break the bank, but I'm willing to spend more if it means it will taste better. Any suggestions for a cut that would work with a broiler? I could also pan fry it.
Top round is too dry for a proper steak. Get yourself a nice juicy ribeye. If you want to serve it in a salad I would use New York strip, it makes beautiful slices.
Top round, at least to me, isn't really steak. It takes a long, slow, moist cook with indirect heat. While a lot of people like sirloin, I have a hard time getting it right; I seem to overcook it. Personally I love a rib eye so long as I don't mess it up, though it is a bit pricey.
Ok, sounds like I am not too strange for not liking the texture of top round.
I've never had that reaction to a piece of steak before so it surprised me. Fortunately, this piece I bought only cost $6, so I won't feel too bad not eating it.
I'm thinking I will try New York strip or rib-eye next.
I think I used sirloin last summer in a steak salad and it was decent.
for steak in a salad, you might try using "skirt steak" ... the thin strips that are also used for fajitas.
marinated and grilled, thinly sliced this can be a better choice than the high dollar primal cuts which are best enjoyed as "steaks" on a platter ... such as a filet, porterhouse, T-bone, rib eye, NY Strip, etc.. Lesser primal cuts, such as round or top round, are better enjoyed as ground beef.
Another interesting salad choice for marinating and grilling for thin strips is "cheeksmeat". Not often found except in ethnic markets, this can be a very flavorful cut of beef. Very tough unless given a slow moist cooking prcess to break down the fiber. We slice this cut very thinly, marinate it for 24 hrs, then braise it for an hour or so. Then on to the B-B-que for final grilling.
Any steak graded USDA prime will be an excellent steak. Costco has New Yorks that are USDA prime. I buy those and grill them over charcoal. We eat more New Yorks than any other cut. Rib steaks & porterhouses are also very good grilling steaks.
I pan fry top blade steaks (flat iron steaks) for breakfast steaks & eggs. Sirloin (which has the most flavor, but is tougher) I use for beef stroganoff and also have the butcher shop grind sirloin in with chuck roast to make more flavorful hamburger. I'm not a big fan of filet mignon because it lacks a beefy flavor, but medallions wrapped in bacon can be festive. The tenderloin --the filet mignon-- is the most tender.... here's a chart from Texas A&M.
Shear force (pounds)
"Tender" cuts "Tough" cuts
Tenderloin steak 5.7 Top round steak 11.7
Top blade steak 6.7 Eye of round steak 10.3
Top loin steaks (New York) 7.2 Bottom round steak 9.7
Rib roast 7.3 Rump roast 9.5
Rib steak 7.4 Eye of round roast 9.2
Ribeye steak 7.5 Chuck roll steak 9.2
Chuck roll roast 7.6 Chuck tender steak 9.0
Clod roast 7.9 Top round roast 9.0
Round tip roast 7.9 Bottom round roast 8.9
Top sirloin steak 8.0 Round tip steak 8.9
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