Flat iron steak
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Beef Cut: | Chuck |
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| Steak Type: | Flat iron steak |
| (also known as: top blade roast, shoulder top blade roast, top boneless chuck, petite steak, butler steak, lifter steak, book steak, chuck clod, lifter roast, and triangle roast.) | |
The Flat iron steak is a relatively new cut of steak from the shoulder of a cow. The steak was discovered by researchers at the University of Nebraska and the University of Florida during the course of a study of undervalued cuts of beef. The study also found that this specific cut is the second most tender cut of meat, after the tenderloin. The major barrier to the flat iron steak was the large band of connective tissue running down the center of the steak, which led people to assume that the cut in general must be tough. Removing the connective tissue, however, leads to a steak that is often described as having both the tenderness of a rib eye or strip steak while still having the earthy character of a sirloin or skirt steak. Whole, this muscle is known as Infraspinatus, and one may see this displayed in some butcher shops and meat markets as a "top blade" roast. Steaks that are cross cut from this muscle are called top blade steaks or patio steaks. As a whole cut of meat it usually weighs around 2 to 3 lbs, is located adjacent to the heart of the shoulder clod, under the seven bone. The entire top blade usually yields 4 steaks, between 8 to 12oz. each.
Restaurants, particularly upscale, have recently begun serving flat iron steaks on their menus. Especially popular are flat irons from Wagyu beef, as a way for chefs to offer more affordable and profitable dishes featuring Wagyu or Kobe beef.
Many recipes suggest marinating the flat iron steak before cooking.
Rather precise instructions for how to cut this piece out from the shoulder can be found in Bruce Aidells' "The Complete Meat Cookbook" - pp. 134-35 ISBN 0-395-90492-7
