Delmonico steak

Beef Cuts

Beef cut: Short Loin or Rib
Steak type: Strip Steak
(also known as: New York strip steak, Kansas City strip steak, strip loin, shell steak, strip steak, boneless loin, boneless club steak)

Delmonico steak (alternately steak Delmonico) refers to a method of preparation from one of several cuts of beef (typically the Rib Cut) prepared Delmonico style, made world-famous by Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City during the mid-19th century[1].

There is controversy as to exactly which cut of steak was originally used by Delmonico's Restaurant[2]. There are at least eight different cuts which are claimed to be the original for the Delmonico Steak. According to some sources, the original Delmonico steak was a boneless top sirloin, almost two inches thick with delicate marbling and cooked to the preference of the diner.

Delmonico's steak may now, in the 21st century, refer to other cuts, prepared differently in different parts of the USA. This wider variety of beef cuts may be broiled, fried, or grilled. Some of the steak cuts now commonly referred to as Delmonico steak include:

bone-in top loin steak
(a triangular-shaped, short loin cut, some suggesting the first cut of the top loin next to the rib end) also known as a club steak, country club steak, shell steak, and strip loin steak;
A boneless rib-eye steak
A Delmonico cut rib-eye consists of two heart cuts of ribeye tied together with butcher's twine. It resembles a filet mignon in appearance, but because of the more marbled nature of a ribeye, is moister. The modern rarity of the Delmonico cut of rib-eye may be due to fact that it renders the remaining pieces of ribeye unsaleable as anything but stewmeat, and the profit to be made from a pair of choice ribeyes is almost always more than that of a single Delmonico. A few sources describe the Delmonico cut of rib-eye differently as a bone-in cut.
A boneless top loin strip steak
(also known as a New York strip steak, Kansas City steak, strip loin, ambassador, boneless club, hotel or veiny steak)

In addition to the steak, the original meal also included a potato dish, known as Delmonico's potatoes, prepared by making a mashed potato dish topped with grated cheese and buttered breadcrumbs, then baked until golden brown and served steaming.

References