# Steak fat: The best or worst part of the steak? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683 "2009-09-02T21:57:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/21 "2009-09-03T03:20:09Z")
Ugh. I love steak but the huge chunks of fat are just disgusting. Marbling is one thing. Thick lines of nasty fat are another. ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/22 "2009-09-03T03:21:26Z")
> [@TheTerribleTako](#): > > I’m a fan of the fatty chunks. I usually eat it with the leaner parts of the meat to balance the fat to protein ratio. This. I wouldn’t eat the fat all by itself, but if I get a portion on my fork that’s about 1/3 fat and 2/3 steak, that’s about the best thing there is. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/23 "2009-09-03T03:23:04Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Oh, god. I honestly think I may vomit. And I have vomited exactly one time since I was eleven years old. _People eat the fat?_? People who are not, like, Soviet? Obviously, the terrorists have already won. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/24 "2009-09-03T03:52:35Z")
Love the fat- bone in rib-eyes get the meat/fat ratio just about right for me. I also love bacon and chicken skin. My sisters both don’t care for it, and almost always are in charge of buying the meat for our family bbqs- they buy a few ribeyes for the steak lovers and get boring, lean sirloin strips for themselves. Whatever- more yummy stuff for the rest of us! Part of the reason, I think, that I love the fat is that when I was a kid, my grandpa used to CHAR everything he grilled, including steaks. So the fat was the only edible part! ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/25 "2009-09-03T03:54:35Z")
Are we all talking about the same thing here? When I talk about the fat on a steak, I’m talking about this stuff that melts in your mouth and gives the purest savory flavor I can imagine. It’s delicious. You people talking about vomiting and whatnot, are you sure you’re talking about the _fat_ and not the _gristle_? Gristle is pretty bad. But fat, I really can’t imagine someone who likes the way a steak tastes and doesn’t like the way the fat tastes. The fat flavor is pretty much concentrated steak flavor as far as I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/26 "2009-09-03T03:55:02Z")
To those who like the fat: How do you like your meat cooked? Rare? Medium? Well done? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/27 "2009-09-03T04:04:53Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > To those who like the fat: > > How do you like your meat cooked? > > Rare? > > Medium? > > Well done? Ah, this may explain it. When I have steaks with fatty bits, they’re in situations where I tend to ask for medium to medium well. When I’ve had steaks at a place I trusted to cook a good rare to medium rare steak, in fact, there were no fatty bits other than the marbling. I hadn’t noticed this before, but now that you bring it up, if my memory serves correctly, this is how it’s been. It makes sense too–in a rare steak, the fatty bits probably wouldn’t have that “melts in your mouth” quality I attributed to steak fat. In fact, it would probably be kind of gummy–just as some have complained in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/28 "2009-09-03T04:12:25Z")
hmm… I don’t know. I love medium rare and the fat. On the grill, I have no problem making the fat well cooked while the steak is medium rare. When I have prime rib, I usually eat some or all of the fat and also love it medium rare. Heck… I even like lamb fat (especially if its my home raised lamb 🙂 ) on medium rare chops or rack. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/29 "2009-09-03T04:55:23Z")
Fat- as long as the chunk isn’t toooo big- is very tasty. But I have a suggestion: take your steak and a well seasoned cast iron pan. Cut off the largest pieces of fat before cooking. Chop into smallish pieces- size of a large pea. Toss them in the pan, then heat. After they start melting, _then_ put the steak on. See, the best part isn’t really the fat, but the well-browned outer bits of fat. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/30 "2009-09-03T04:57:38Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Oh, god. I honestly think I may vomit. And I have vomited exactly one time since I was eleven years old. _People eat the fat?_? People who are not, like, Soviet? Over react much?:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/31 "2009-09-03T05:42:06Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I guess what I’m trying to say is that people often buy a more expensive cut of meat and end up with less flavor. To some extent this is true. The four “main” cuts of steak that are eaten are sirloin, ribeye, strip, and tenderloin. I know there are others, but those four are the big ones, and what you’ll see in 99% of steakhouses and in the “steak” section of the supermarket. It’s generally considered (and price backs me up on this,) that the quality of these cuts goes, from worst to best: Sirloin Ribeye Strip Tenderloin This takes into account flavor, marbling (ie, fat,) and texture. Tenderloin has the softest, tenderest, barely need a knife to cut it texture, so even though it has less marbling, and as a result less flavor, it’s still considered the “best” steak. The sirloin has more fat (though not nearly as much as a ribeye, and about on par with a strip,) but is tougher. Personally a ribeye is my favorite, bone in preferred, and I won’t eat the large chunks of fat by themselves, but I will if I have some meat with it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/32 "2009-09-03T05:55:23Z")
Fat is the best part. Of course, if there’s a HUGE chunk of fat, I wouldn’t have bought it in the first place. I eat steak so infrequently that it’s more or a rare treat than a staple. So I’m not concerned with the unhealthiness of the fat. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/33 "2009-09-03T06:21:07Z")
Best part on a slice of homemade roast beef (then there’s a layer of garlic, black pepper, coarse salt, and brown sugar) but gross on steaks- I think the cooking method has something to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/34 "2009-09-03T12:19:16Z")
Where’s that barfy smilie? You couldn’t pay me to eat the fat. Of course, this suits the spouse just fine - he’s happy to scarf it down. But I cut the fat of my steak and pork chops, and translucent bacon is right outta the question! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/35 "2009-09-03T12:31:38Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Over react much?:dubious: No, not at all, I don’t think. My father eats parts of the meat on his plate that nobody else eats, but he does that because he grew up in starving abject poverty. He’s like my ex-feral cat, who despite every indication to the contrary is always afraid that this meal might be the last one. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/36 "2009-09-03T12:44:48Z")
Ewww. One of the reasons I like my meat well done is because most of the fat melts out of it. I have to trim the steak before I cut into it. I especially hate when you get those large chunks around the edges. Ick! A little bit of marbling is OK, but if it’s enough that I can feel the texture of it, I have to cut it off. Of course, I don’t eat the fat in the bacon either - I pull it apart and eat only the meat. So yeah, no bacon in restaurants for me . . . It’s a fairly old debate, though and purely a matter of preference I think. [Singing] Oooooooh . . . . Jack Sprat could eat no fat, His wife could eat no lean, And so betwixt the two of them They licked the platter cleeeeaaaaaannnnnn. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/37 "2009-09-03T13:20:53Z")
Medium rare here. A little bit of fat with the meat is fine. Fat alone? Never. Blech. I’m sorta stunned that anyone would not cut whatever fat off that they could. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone just eat the fat. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/38 "2009-09-03T13:38:57Z")
If it’s crispy and not too thick, I will eat it. Otherwise, I cut it off. My step dad eats it all, and we’re both mystified by the other. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/39 "2009-09-03T14:08:47Z")
Love, love, LOVE the fat. I swear, whenever I eat a nugget of pure fat goodness, I hear my Latvian ancestors singing. They drank the stuff like a beverage and spread it on their bread. MMMMMmmmmmmmm, fat. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683/40 "2009-09-03T16:34:41Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Speaking of chew toys: when I grill a steak that has a big rim of fat around the edge, I trim the fat off, grill it until it’s at a soft-bacon level of crispiness, and then give it to our two dogs. They now get worked up whenever I so much as walk near the grill. I once obtained some hunks of fat trimmings and fatty meat from the local grocery store to season a new grill. This grill was the style that captures and drains the drippings through a small valve in the base of the grill. My dog had to be placed in the house during the seasoning process, because she kept sneaking over to the grill to lick the drippings. I prefer my steaks medium rare. Marbling is good; hunks of fat, while good for the cooking process, are disgusting to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steak-fat-the-best-or-worst-part-of-the-steak/508683.md?page=3)