Nobody can resist a richly marbled steak. Once the marbling melts, it takes the steak to a whole new level. Buttery, juicy, tender, soft, smooth, beefy, full-bodied…Here is a ranking of best 5 marbled steak cuts. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
What is Beef Marbling?
Marbling is the white flecks and streaks of fat inside the steak, which creates a marble pattern, that’s how it gets the name. This kind of fat is intramuscular fat and it is highly related to the steak quality in terms of texture, tenderness, juiciness and flavor. So marbling is an important factor to estimate the grade of a steak. While intermuscular fat is the fat between muscles that we usually trim off.
The richly marbled steaks are generally cooked over high heat quickly. This is because the marbling begins to melt at high temperature and coat the muscle fibers. Thus, gives an excellent plate with buttery mouthfeel, overflowing juice, and concentrated beef flavor. That’s why the steaks with splendid marbling are normally luxurious.
► Read More: 6 Beef Grading Systems In the World (with Marbling Comparison Chart)
No.1 Best Marbled Steak Cuts: Ribeye Cap Steak
What is Ribeye Cap Steak?
Ribeye Cap Steak is the most gorgeous and perfectly marbled steak cut. It is the outer muscle of the ribeye roll. Ribeye roll is the source of Ribeye Steak and Prime Rib, and if it’s sliced, it is the best meat for sukiyaki or shabu shabu.
Ribeye Cap Steak is also known as deckle steak, calotte, or the most appropriate one is “butcher’s butter”. This name completely reflects its features: heavenly marbled, buttery, soft, tender, juicy and flavorful. The steak will melt inside your mouth with a deep beef flavor and give you an unprecedented experience!
It is highly prized by top chefs and true beef aficionados but not well-known among the public. This is because Ribeye Cap Steak is rare, limited and luxurious. Ribeye steak is celebrated with top quality, yet the Ribeye Cap Steak is even superior to it. Owing to its rarity, purchasing this sumptuous cut is not an easy job, but you can try to find it in prestigious butcher shops.
Features of Ribeye Cap Steak
- Perfectly Rich Marbling
- Buttery
- Extremely Tender & Soft
- Juicy
- Deep Beef Flavor
How to Cook Ribeye Cap Steak?
To prepare Ribeye Cap Steak, you only need some simple seasonings. And pan sear quickly over high heat. Make sure to remove the steak from heat before the internal reaches the desired temperature for a certain doneness. Then, rest the steak awhile to let the heat evenly redistribute. This is to keep the steak juicy. Finally, do not forget to enjoy this buttery cut with a nice bottle of wine!
2nd Best Marbled Steak Cuts: Ribeye Steak
What is Ribeye Steak?
Ribeye Steak is another premium steak cut which comes from the rib primal. There is an eye-like fat at the center of the steak—hence the name.
The fatty cap and the plentiful marbling are the wow factors of this famous cut. When the Ribeye Steak is being seared or grilled, the melted marbling would add a wonderful rich flavor and produce an excellent juicy, buttery texture. Other than that, this cut is very soft and tender as the muscles of this section do not move very frequently.
When you shop for Ribeye Steak, there are usually two options, bone-in or boneless, which means whether the steak contains a rib bone or not. Actually, Ribeye Steak has quite a lot of variations. For example, a Cowboy Steak is a thick bone-in ribeye while Tomahawk Steak is another thick bone-in ribeye with a big rib bone.
The bone would add an extra mild flavor to the meat but it also makes cooking harder. It may cause uneven cooking, the meat near the bone would be rarer than the rest of the steak. But you can treat it as a bonus to enjoy.
Features of Ribeye Steak
- Wonderful Marbling
- Buttery
- Tender and Soft
- Juicy
- Rich Flavor
How to Cook Ribeye Steak?
Pan searing or grilling the Ribeye Steak fast over high heat would be amazing. To achieve the best outcome, remember to preheat your cast iron pan or grill beforehand. After that, start cooking from the fat, this could add an extra pleasant smell to the steak. Just quickly sear or grill over high heat to your desired doneness.
A simple seasoning is more than enough for a Ribeye. Because the awesome marbling already plays an important role in enriching the flavor. Never skip the step of resting the meat before enjoying it.
3rd Best Marbled Steak Cuts: Prime Rib
What is Prime Rib?
Prime Rib is a large cut of meat that comes from ribs number six to twelve. In fact, Prime Rib and Ribeye Steak are sourced from the same group of muscles, you can cut Prime Rib into a plate of Ribeye Steaks. Both of them have three major groups of muscles: the large center eye, the cap of ribeye, and the complexus muscle. But they are subtly different due to the different preparation methods. Because Prime Rib is a large cut of meat, it is usually roasted in an oven for 2-3 hours while searing or grilling Ribeye Steak fast over high heat would produce the best result.
Prime Rib has a great deal of marbling and the fancy cap plus center eye. Each bite is extraordinary, they are beautifully marbled, bursting with juice, full-bodied and tender.
This large, scrumptious cut is certainly the best choice for holiday and celebrations. Normally, a 6 lbs cut could feed 6 people (or more!).
Features of Prime Rib
- Beautiful Marbling
- Full-Bodied
- Tender
- Juicy
- Large Cut
How to Cook Prime Rib?
As Prime Rib is large, it’s best to cook slowly. Before roasting, season the Prime Rib with a pinch of salt and black pepper and let it sit at room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F (232.2°C) and then roast for 20 minutes. After that, lower the temp to 350°F (176.6°C) and roast again until the internal temperature reaches 125°F-135°F for Medium. Don’t forget to cover the Prime Rib Roast with aluminum foil before carving it!\
For the complete recipe for prime rib, click here.
4th Best Marbled Steak Cuts: Tomahawk Steak
What is Tomahawk Steak?
As mentioned above, Tomahawk Steak is a kind of bone-in ribeye with an entire long, big rib bone. It is generally 2 inches thick or even thicker so as to accommodate the width of the rib bone, and it typically weighs between 30 and 45 ounces (850 to 1275g). It is called “Tomahawk” because of its dramatic appearance, which is the name of American Indians’ fighting ax.
Likewise the Ribeye Steak, this cut is intensely marbled, soft and flavorful. It delivers a delectable combination of soft mouthfeel, abundant juice and rich flavor. The most outstanding feature of Tomahawk Steak must be its thickness and the long bone. These make it even more succulent and satisfying. Alternatively, you can try Cowboy Steak which is another thick-cut ribeye with a shorter rib bone.
Features of Tomahawk Steak
- Thick-cut and Meaty
- Intensely Marbled
- Juicy
How to Cook Tomahawk Steak?
For the thick cut like Tomahawk, reverse searing is the best way to prepare deliciously. It is the process of baking in the oven and then pan sear to give a browned crust. By this method, thick steak cuts could be cooked evenly but keeping it moist as well.
5th Best Marbled Steak Cuts: Flat Iron
What is Flat Iron?
Flat Iron is the only steak cut that is not sourced from the rib primal in this article. It comes from the chuck primal, the primal that usually produces tough meat, but Flat Iron is an exception. This cut is obtained from the top blade muscle that is situated at the shoulder of the cow, so it’s also named Top Blade Steak.
Flat Iron is not a classic premium steak cut but it has a nice and evenly distributed marbling that creates a wonderful mouthfeel and fragrance. Plus, it is verified as the second most tender cut just after Filet Mignon by meat scientists!
Nice marbling, tender mouthfeel and brimful of juice, all come together in this unrivaled cut.
Features of Flat Iron
- Nice Marbling
- Extremely Tender (second only to Filet Mignon)
- Juicy
How to Cook Flat Iron?
Grilling, searing, or broiling could deliver the stunning taste of Flat Iron. What you need to do is cook it on high fastly. So make sure it’s completely thawed and preheat the grill, pan or oven beforehand. Again, some simple seasonings are more than enough for a good cut. And do ensure to rest the steak before digging in. The recommended doneness for Flat Iron is medium rare to medium.
► Read More: 5 Most Tender Steak Cuts Ranked and How to Cook
Summary
These steaks with gorgeous marbling may cost you a fortune. But they’re worth it! Reward yourself after a tiring day by the above extremely luscious marbled steak cuts.
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