A plain guide to the cuts worth knowing.
Steak names can be confusing, but the idea is simple: cuts from muscles that do little work are usually tender, while cuts from harder-working muscles often have more flavour and more chew.
The cuts worth knowing are tenderloin, striploin, ribeye, tomahawk, T-bone, porterhouse, flank, skirt and hanger. At Uma Garden, the regular steak line-up includes chateaubriand, Australian wagyu striploin and a Black Angus tomahawk, all cooked over wood and charcoal.
The simple guide: tenderloin is the softest, ribeye is the richest, striploin is the balanced one, tomahawk is a ribeye on the bone, and T-bone or porterhouse gives you tenderloin and striploin in one steak. The best cut depends on whether you want tenderness, flavour, marbling or a dramatic steak to share.
Tenderloin is the softest steak cut, lean and mild. Filet mignon and chateaubriand both come from the tenderloin. It is the cut to choose when you want a delicate texture and the softest possible bite.
Striploin, also called sirloin or New York strip, sits next on the scale. It is still tender, but has more structure than tenderloin, with a good strip of fat along the edge and more flavour.
Ribeye is the marbled, juicy, deeply beefy cut from the rib. The fat running through the meat melts as it cooks, which is why ribeye is richer and more forgiving over fire.
A tomahawk is a ribeye left on a long rib bone. It tastes like ribeye, but the presentation is bigger and more dramatic, making it a strong choice for sharing.
Flank, skirt and hanger are leaner, harder-working cuts. They are not as soft as tenderloin, but they can be full of flavour when cooked hot and fast, rested, then sliced against the grain.
These cuts are for people who like a steak with character: more chew, more bite and a stronger beef flavour.
T-bone and porterhouse steaks carry tenderloin on one side of the bone and striploin on the other. That means you get two textures in one steak: soft tenderloin and firmer, beefier striploin.
The porterhouse is usually the larger version, with a bigger tenderloin section. Both are generous steaks for people who do not want to choose just one cut.
At Uma Garden, the regular steak highlights are chateaubriand, Australian wagyu striploin and Black Angus tomahawk. The chateaubriand is a centre-cut tenderloin for sharing, the wagyu striploin brings richness and marbling, and the tomahawk is the bone-in ribeye centrepiece for the table.
Each steak is seared over wood and charcoal, rested, then sliced. See the dinner menu, read about dry-aged and wagyu steak in Umalas, or compare ribeye vs tenderloin.
The main steak cuts worth knowing are tenderloin, striploin or sirloin, ribeye, tomahawk, T-bone, porterhouse, flank, skirt and hanger. Tenderloin is the softest, ribeye is the richest, striploin is balanced, and tomahawk is a ribeye on the bone.
There is no single best steak cut. Ribeye is best for flavour, tenderloin for tenderness, striploin for balance, and tomahawk for sharing. The best cut depends on what you want that night.
Tenderloin is the most tender steak cut. Filet mignon and chateaubriand both come from the tenderloin, a muscle that barely works.
Ribeye is one of the most flavourful steak cuts because of its marbling. Hanger, skirt and flank can also be very flavourful, but they have more chew.
A tomahawk steak is a ribeye left on a long, frenched rib bone. It is the same main meat as ribeye, but presented as a dramatic steak for sharing.
Sirloin, also called striploin or New York strip, is leaner and firmer with a cleaner flavour. Ribeye has more marbling, so it is richer, juicier and more indulgent.
T-bone and porterhouse steaks both have tenderloin on one side of the bone and striploin on the other. Porterhouse is usually larger and has more tenderloin.
Chateaubriand is the thick centre-cut of the tenderloin, usually cooked and carved for two people to share.
Order chateaubriand if you want tenderness, wagyu striploin if you want richness and marbling, or tomahawk if you want a dramatic steak to share. Your server can guide the weight and doneness.
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