# How do you cut your steaks? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 6, 2002, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905 "2002-12-06T13:26:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/21 "2002-12-06T16:12:12Z")
Well, I guess I have a hybrid style. It’s a cross between the euro and cosmo. I slice off a large piece and then cut and eat it bite by bite. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/22 "2002-12-06T16:27:49Z")
It depends. I do a mix of all three. Lately I have been going American Style though. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/23 "2002-12-06T16:38:16Z")
American style? As an American, I’m insulted that such a juvenile way of eating steak is attributed to our fine, fine country. Hmph. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/24 "2002-12-06T16:38:48Z")
I’m one piece at a time. I agree cutting it all up makes the meat go cold faster, like **RickJay** says, but I also think–since I like my steak (porterhouse, please!) cooked medium at the very most–cutting it in said fashion may dry it out by releasing the yummy juices all at once. Or maybe I’m just totally addled by the thought of a medium rare porterhouse with creamed spinach and a twice-baked potato so early in the day. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/25 "2002-12-06T17:07:45Z")
Euro-style myself. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/26 "2002-12-06T17:10:09Z")
**Euro style** I’m right handed, but I don’t flip my fork back and forth from my left to my right. What makes me shudder is when people hold their fork in their fist like they’re stabbing something and then hack away with their knife. It just looks so uncouth. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/27 "2002-12-06T19:04:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mirrored Indigo Shadows \* > \*\*::stares at his eating habits with a little bit of puzzlement:: I have no clue why you people insist on switching hands. \ > As for the table manners thing, did he also teach you which fork is which and stuff like that? I don’t remember whether my mother taught me it or not, but I had a good conception of what was for which item when presented with a great many pieces of silverware due to their shapes and # of tines. \*\* From what I remember (I don’t have a cite here, friends), the whole switching-hands thing dates back to European or English roots. If you are dining with the King, you want to make sure you don’t threaten him, so Etiquette dictated that when you were done cutting your meat, you would put your knife back down on the table. Thereby, the King would not be menaced by your weilding of a stabbing instrument in your stabbing hand. And the forks, salad forks, spoons, etc. - Yeah. The rule for that goes like this: You start from the outside (left or right) and work your way in, based on what course is being served. In other words, you’ll have one utensile for each course put down in front of you, and you just have to figure out whether you need a spoon or a fork. When in doubt, look to the Host or Hostess. - you shouldn’t start shoveling food into your face before they start, anyhow. The you leave that utensile on the plate the course was server on (or on to), and wait for the next course. It’s no wonder I’m so twisted - being assailed by all of this nonsense when I was yound and impressionable. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/28 "2002-12-06T19:05:55Z")
Note to Self: Don’t forget to check your spelling & grammar next time. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/29 "2002-12-06T19:11:33Z")
**Cosmopolitan style** Funny cause I didn’t realize that the way I cut a steak actually had a name. You learn something new every day. I basically cut a double or triple bite from the larger steak. Then I cut my smaller piece in half or thirds. Then I put my knife down and enjoy two or three wonderful bites of steak in a row. I like my steak medium rare…just like my hippopotamus. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/30 "2002-12-06T19:29:48Z")
Gracious heavens. Please, please, please don’t come away from this thread thinking that cutting up all your food at once is “American Style.” Either cutting one bite at a time or discreetly cutting two or three bites is correct American etiquette. And put down that knife. ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/31 "2002-12-06T19:30:51Z")
I’m a Cosmo girl. ---
**Author:** ![Siemsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Siemsi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siemsi)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/32 "2002-12-06T19:51:52Z")
Euro style w/ Euro style of using utensils. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/33 "2002-12-06T20:09:43Z")
Normally Euro/Euro. Depending on the cut of meat, though, I’ll sometimes hack off a decent sized piece and eat THAT Euro style. On rare occasion, I’ll do American, I might do that with half a steak if the side dishes are difficult for me to eat with the fork in my left hand. Thus, I will cut up a large portion of the steak, switch hands and eat away. Also good for eating and watching TV at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Zoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@Zoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoff)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/34 "2002-12-06T20:14:26Z")
I’m a mix of European and Cosmopolitan, depending on how the mood strikes me. The only time I’ve ever seen the American style was when I was eating with my wife, her sister and her sister’s boyfriend (now husband). The bizarre twist on this was that, as soon as the steaks were served, my sister-in-law grabs her boyfriends plate and cuts his steak into pieces for him. My wife literally had to kick me under the table to make me stop staring in gape-jawed amazement. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/35 "2002-12-06T20:28:39Z")
For chops and steaks, I do a modified European. I keep the fork in my left hand instead of transferring it to my right. If there’s a bone involved I’ll revert to Cave Man Slob and pick the bone up and gnaw at all those little tasty succulent bits I couldn’t get to with the utensils. My Cave Man Gentleman involves spearing the meat with the fork, cutting off a long slice, then taking little bites off the slice. I only do the cave man stuff in front of my wife. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/36 "2002-12-06T22:39:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gorgon Heap \* > \*\* > > So I guess you’re wrong, **Weirddave** , since you know me. \*\* I stand corrected. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/37 "2002-12-06T23:17:10Z")
I filet them. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/38 "2002-12-06T23:17:31Z")
Euro-style. I don’t switch the knife and fork, either - it’s so inefficient. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/39 "2002-12-06T23:27:15Z")
Euro Style. Am I the only one who cuts steak with a fork and _spoon_?(no, i’m not Philipino, but I eat like one). ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905/40 "2002-12-06T23:34:20Z")
I tried using the various styles but I found that the easiest way was to hold the rope in one hand and the knife in the other, otherwise the damn cow keeps running away and trampling all of the good china. Yeah, I like 'em nice and rare. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-cut-your-steaks/140905.md?page=3)