We Asked Beef Experts to Rank Every Steak Cut: What Truly Deserves the Hype

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Beyond the expensive middle meats, professional meat cutters look to the chuck and plate for personal table cuts. These secondary cuts were long retained by slaughterhouses because their uneven shapes made them awkward for retail styrofoam trays.

The flat iron cut, extracted from the top blade of the beef chuck shoulder, ranks as the second-most tender muscle on the steer, trailing only the tenderloin. Once a butcher removes the central connective fascia running through the blade, the flat iron reveals dense, uniform marbling that sears beautifully over direct hardwood charcoal.

The hanger steak, taken from the diaphragm muscle hanging between the kidneys, offers an entirely different sensory profile. Rich in iron, deep crimson in color, and coarse in texture, the hanger delivers an earthy, mineral-heavy flavor profile reminiscent of aged prime beef. It demands high heat, quick searing to medium-rare, and precise slicing against the grain.

Flank steak, cut from the abdominal muscles below the bottom sirloin, provides similar depth. Its broad, flat muscle fibers soak up marinades readily and crisp intensely under a direct broiler.