Striploin, Chuck or Porterhouse Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What cut of beef is being described here? "The undisputed king of the steakhouse. A composite steak that combines the tenderness of a filet mignon with the meaty flavor of a New York strip." This is cut from the short loin region of the cow which has given its all for your dining pleasure.

Answer: Porterhouse steak

The porterhouse steak comes from the point where the tenderloin and top loin meet. Basically it is an oversized t-bone steak but is usually cut much thicker and has more of the tenderloin than the t-bone.

2. There are eight USDA grades of beef. Which one is the highest?

Answer: Prime

The eight grades of beef from highest to lowest are prime, choice, select, standard, commercial, utility, cutter and canner. Only the top three (prime, choice and select) are likely to be laid out for sale in the butcher's counter of your neighborhood grocery store. If the other cuts are there, they are probably part of the ground beef, sausage, prepared hamburgers or cold cuts.

3. Where on the cow does a chuck steak come from?

Answer: Shoulder of the cow

Chuck steak is cut from the shoulder area of the cow. A cow is broken down into primal areas, like the loin, the rib, the round of the rear leg, the flank, sirloin, brisket, and more. These are each cut down into sub-primal cuts, such as chuck 7-bone, chuck eye steak, shoulder top blade, boneless short ribs, etc.

The chuck steaks have less marbling (fat), so they are not as juicy or as flavorful as other areas of the cow.

4. A cow is broken down into primal areas, like the loin, the rib, the flank, sirloin, brisket, etc. Which part of the cow does a great big, juicy T-bone steak come from?

Answer: Short loin

The T-bone steak is so named because of the T-shaped bone that runs through the center of it. On one side of it is the strip, or New York strip steak and on the other is the filet, or tenderloin. The short loin primal area that includes all these mouth-watering cuts of steak is roughly the top middle of the body of the cow.

5. On the menu you will sometimes see the term "cowboy steak". What primary area of the cow does it come from?

Answer: Rib

A cowboy steak is basically a bone-in ribeye. It is juicy and flavorful with generous marbling. Some say that it is called a cowboy steak because the cowboys would hold onto the bone like a handle and eat it without needing utensils. I think they call it that because in the old days when a cowboy slaughtered a cow, he naturally got first pick of the cuts, and that's the part of the cow he would go for. I can't imagine who wouldn't.

6. Delmonico steaks were popularized by New York City's Delmonico's Restaurant back in the mid-19th century. But if you go to Delmonico's today and order one, just what kind of steak will you be getting?

Answer: Rib-eye steak

A lot of people consider Delmonico's to be America's first restaurant, and it is still one of New York's most popular steakhouses. Back in the 1800s, the cows were slaughtered right on the premises and a Delmonico steak was whatever part of the cow the chef happened think was the best on that particular night.

But now if you order a Delmonico steak at Delmonico's you will get a boneless rib-eye that has been brushed with melted butter and beef fat after it comes out of the broiler. And it is to die for. I think I'm going to have to get me a bus ticket to New York City.

7. Frequently, when you go into any kind of steakhouse, the most expensive item you find will be a filet mignon. Which major part of the cow does it come from?

Answer: Short loin, same part as a porterhouse steak

The name "Filet mignon" comes from the French "filet" meaning "thick slice" and "mignon" meaning "dainty". It comes from the small end of the tenderloin, or short loin which is just aft of the rib cage. They are very tender and cooked right, you can cut them with a rusty butter knife. It represents only 2% or 3% of the meat off the cow and that is why it's so expensive.

8. Where did the term "London Broil" get its name?

Answer: No one is really sure

Suprisingly, the term "London Broil" does not really refer to a specific cut of meat on the cow. It refers to a recipe where a cut of beef is marinated, broiled, then cut across the grain into thin strips. No one is sure where the name came from, but everyone agrees that it has nothing to do with London, England, where they probably don't even recognize the term.

Modern butchers may use top round, coulotte or other cuts to make London broil, so you're not really sure what part of the cow it comes from.

But now you sure know how to prepare it.

9. In which major area of the cow would you get the "hanger steak", also known as the "butcher's steak"?

Answer: Upper belly

The hanger steak comes from the upper belly of the cow. It is so-called because it "hangs from" the diaphragm of the cow. In the past it was also called the "butcher's steak" because it is very tender and butcher's would keep it for themselves. It is sometimes seen on a menu as a "bistro steak".

10. When the USDA grades different cuts of beef as prime, choice or select, what is the primary thing that separates the different grades?

Answer: Amount of marbling

Marbling is the amount of fat that is interspersed with the lean meat. Prime beef has slightly abundant marbling, choice has less marbling than prime, and select has the least. There are other standards that apply, but the most important is marbling. The more marbling, the more juicy and flavorful the meat will be.

Source: Author OldManJack

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor jmorrow before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

I've always been confused about the different cuts of beef. What better way to learn about them than to do a quiz on them. Note: American terms.

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