Filet Mignon: The Meat and Types of Cuts

Despite the fact that filet mignon is the most expensive beef cut there is, the price is very well worth it because of its high quality being extremely tender, lean and tasty. Aside from extensively satisfying your taste buds, filet mignon has quite a lot of health benefits.

When it comes to cooking steak, a lot of home cooks usually think that they can just go to the grocery store, purchase any steak or meat cut they see and cook it just like that! However, a lot of us have done this and discovered that this tactic has a great tendency to waste a great beef cut. You might try grilling it, frying it, or even just leaving it in the oven while you play an online game of Foxy Bingo, but if the meat itself isn’t suited to your cooking technique, then you will not benefit from the full flavor. Reason enough to have a closer look at the cuts available in our groceries:

Type of Meat Cut

Filet mignon can be ordered in various cuts and sizes. The prime cut is no doubt the best cut of meat there is. The cut coming from Angus cattle is also a great option. Since these cattle are strictly fed the vegetarian feed, they’re guaranteed to produce beef of highest quality. An option of purchasing a whole filet mignon roast is also available. Filet can also be cut into cubes and made into kabobs. The meat can also be sliced thin to make wraps.

Primal Cuts of Beef

Beef is split into primal cuts. These are basic segments from which steaks are cut along with other subdivisions. Listed below are the different primal cuts:

The Chuck

Hamburger is usually made out of this part. This is the part which receives heavy exerise and is composed of a lot tissues, like collagen. Collagen usually melts during the cooking process thus adding a great deal of flavour. Cuts from this area will do well with stewing, braising or pot-roasting.

The Rib Section

• Rib Eye Steaks
• Rib Eye Roasts

The Short Loin Section

Most tender and most expensive beef cut. Can be prepared without the use of moist heat or long cooking periods. Cuts from the short loin section will do well when sauteed, pan-fried, broiled, pan-broiled or grilled.

• Porterhouse Steak – very famous steak from the short loin’s rear end. It consists of both the strip steak and tenderloin. It is often served as filet mignon
• T-bone Steak –  cut from the short loin’s middle section. It’s quite the same with porterhouse steak and is usually pan-fried or grilled
• Tenderloin – often regarded as the most tender beef cut. It can be cut into single filet steaks (filet mignon) or as a whole meat strip. The meat goes well with sauces, meaning to say the meat doesn’t overpower the sauce’s flavor

Sirloin

Found in the area of the hipbone. This meat cut is less tender in comparison with short loin, but has greater flavour. This cut will do well when sauteed, pan-fried, broiled or grilled.

Round Steak

This cut comes from the part of the hip muscle and is comprised mainly of lean meat. Round steak is suitable for long and moist cooking methods. The most tender part of the round is the top round which can be chopped into thick steaks which are very suitable for dishes which need to be cooked or braised like the pot roast. The most famous cut for pot roast cooking is considered to be rump roast. Low temperature roasting is also great for this.

The Lower Half

• Foreshank – This cut is taken from the front legs of the cow. The meat in this area is very beefy, but a few things need to be considered before purchasing this cut. Strong tendons run through this part’s muscle tissue, which only adds to the muscle’s natural toughness because of frequent usage. Some small muscles are rather lean, which would mean that methods of cooking which require dry heat would just lead to a dry result. Beef stew would be a fitting recipe.
• Brisket – This type of meat cut is obtained from the cow’s shoulder. For best results, it’s advisable for this cut to be cooked slow from low heat. This usually has to types of cuts: Packer which contains all fat cap and trimmed.
• Brisket First Cut – The brisket’s leaner and smaller portion. This cut is suitable when cooking for a small group or when you don’t have enough time for cooking whole brisket. The brisket first cut has a tendency to get cooked up dry since has very little fat.
• Brisket Front Cut – Also known as “deckle” or “deckel”. This cut is the brisket’s thicker half which is fork tender and succulent when the first cut is taken away. Since it contains a lot of fat, it becomes juicier and more flavourful when cooked. It’s advisable to cook this cut with its fat side up, this will allow the fat to melt to the meat, thus keeping it moist.
• Short Plate – Short ribs, beef for stew and ground beef are also called short plate. This meat cut includes the skirt steak and the short ribs which are commonly used to make carne asada. This has a lot of cartilage in it which makes it great for braising. Short plate is also used to make ground beef and considered as the best meat cut for stews.
• Flank – Also known as Bavette or Arrachera. This is a cut of beef steak taken from the cow’s abdominal muscles which is flat, tough and relatively long. Various dishes use flank meat cut including fajitas and London broil. It’s ideal for moist cooking methods like braising.