8 of the Most Expensive Cuts of Beef You Never Knew You HAD to Have!
You love steak, and even in a recession you want the best that money can buy. But how much money are you really willing to drop to buy the “perfect” steak?
Let’s say you have an unlimited budget…what would be the best steak that your money could buy? Here’s a list of the 8 most expensive types of beef. Prices will vary according to your geographic location, the portion size, and grade of beef selected.
Not all beef is created equal. If you want to eat the best steak of your life, it’s gonna cost you…and it’ll be worth every penny.
The Best of the Best
1) Kobe Beef
This beef comes only from Kobe, Japan; therefore, costs more the further you travel from Japan. What makes it so special? Well, it comes from Wagyu cows that have been massaged with sake-fed grain fodder and given one beer a day. This makes the beef tender, flavorful and wonderfully marbled.
2) American Style Wagyu Kobe Beef
This type of beef comes from a cross of Black Angus and Wagyu cows and are raised here in the U.S. They are rare (there aren’t very many of them) so they are expensive. They, too, are tender and very flavorful.
3) Tenderloin
Typically, the most expensive cuts of beef are taken from the most tender parts of the cow. These are the parts that don’t get “overworked” in the animal’s lifetime. Therefore, they’re tender. Tenderloin is an amazing example of this. This is the Filet Mignon in roast form.
4) Filet Mignon
Now, this is exquisite. Filet mignon is taken from the small end of the tenderloin (called the short loin) and is known as the “king of steaks.” It can often be cut with a fork, it’s so tender. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. You can find delectable filet mignon at most any upscale steakhouse, but I prefer an at-home version delivered by The Kansas City Steak Company. They’re widely known for their corn-fed beef – especially the filet mignon.
Strip steaks, taken from the short loin, are particularly tender, but not as tender as the tenderloin. They can, however, but cut into thicker portions which is appealing to lovers of more rare beef.
Sometimes called New York Strip, you can find strip steaks just about everywhere!
6) Porterhouse
Ahhh, the Porterhouse! Part tenderloin and part strip steak, this hefty favorite divides the two with a bone that helps provide amazing flavor. The Porterhouse has a larger side of tenderloin than on a T-bone. Yum!
7) T Bone
The yin to the Porterhouse’s yang, the T-bone is a more conventional favorite, yet still pricey in upscale restaurants. The fact that this type of steak comes from the short loin section of the cow (and, thus, the most tender) makes it expensive. A good bet.
8) Bone-in Ribeye (Cote de Boeuf)
It’s the bone that gives this cut its flavor. Leave the bone in and you leave the rich flavor intact. The ribeye comes from the prime rib, which gives it its hearty flavor.
November 15th, 2011 at 10:56 pm
Isn’t a beef tenderloin and filet mignon the same thing?
Great site!
April 11th, 2012 at 4:48 pm
great description! very informative. thanks for the info!
August 14th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
What happened to Angus Beef?
September 1st, 2012 at 12:21 am
Max, you are kinda correct its simailar to a prime rib being a rib eye. tenderloin is just cooked whole and then sliced usually in an oven a Fillet is a steak usally grilled
September 29th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
I usually go with the bone-in ribeye but the kobe(wagyu) offering at Eddie Merlot is something to experience.
August 4th, 2014 at 1:17 am
Unfortunately this article is the worst example of confusion and misinformation about beef that I have ever read.
December 31st, 2014 at 7:56 am
I prefer buffalo – rare.
January 16th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
And you’re just going to leave it at that? Nice job, Skippy. Next time, don’t bother.
April 1st, 2015 at 11:45 pm
Not accurate, not correct, and misleading to those uninformed about cuts of meat.
June 8th, 2015 at 4:49 pm
Incorrect about the porterhouse. The tenderloin is not bigger than the strip. The tenderloin of a porterhouse is bigger than the tenderloin of a T-bone. You said “The Porterhouse has a larger side of tenderloin than the strip”
http://www.thermoworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Porter_TBone-300×170.jpg
June 10th, 2015 at 11:20 am
Thanks for pointing this out, Mike! You are absolutely correct.
November 18th, 2015 at 2:19 pm
dat lamb steak doh
January 16th, 2016 at 7:16 pm
Nice job being stupid and not providing factual information son
February 20th, 2016 at 6:22 pm
i’m trying to find out why my store’s meat department has new york steak for $6.99-7.99/lb. as well as new york steak for $13.99/lb. in the same display case. i used to but package meat until i saw the low price new york which cut in half yielding 2 approximately 8 oz. steaks that are just the right size for me. i’ve tried chuck eye, top sirloin, also priced both high and low, and bottom sirloin but for now the new york is the best taste and texture i’ve found.
February 23rd, 2016 at 4:52 pm
Great question! It sounds like your store might offer multiple USDA Grades. Take a look at this post to learn more about the differences: https://www.steak-enthusiast.com/2010/03/how-to-buy-prime-steak-a-guide-to-steak-cuts-grades-aging/
June 11th, 2016 at 1:24 pm
Read more carefully next time guys… The author said
“The Porterhouse has a larger side of tenderloin than on a T-bone.”
He didn’t say strip.
July 27th, 2016 at 1:35 pm
They obviously corrected it thanks to the comment
September 13th, 2016 at 1:20 am
You might as well run and bite the god damn cow if you have to eat the steak done so rare.
September 6th, 2017 at 10:15 am
Ah that’s funny I like it.
November 12th, 2017 at 7:01 pm
HOW so??! You couldn’t take three minutes to share your vast wealth of correct information? Actually, that is sort of rude, I think…
November 12th, 2017 at 7:04 pm
How so????? Share your information!