What is the difference between striploin, ribeye and tenderloin?

Tenderloin is the most tender and mildest in flavour. Ribeye is medium-tender with rich, buttery marbling. Striploin sits in between, with a firm bite and a bold, beefy flavour. All three are premium steak cuts.

Is striploin a tender steak?

Striploin is medium-tender. It is firmer than ribeye and tenderloin but rewards you with a stronger, beefier flavour. Cook it no further than medium and slice against the grain for the most tender result.

Which steak cut is best value in Singapore?

Striploin and ribeye usually offer the best balance of flavour and price. For wagyu-like richness at a lower price, marbled Meltique striploin and ribeye are popular choices. Tenderloin is the most expensive due to its tenderness.

Where can I buy fresh steak in Singapore?

Tasty Food Affair cuts steak in its own butchery and delivers across Singapore in its own refrigerated trucks, with free delivery on orders above S$65.

Best Secondary Beef Cuts: Flavour Without the Premium

March 8, 2024

Ribeye, striploin and tenderloin get the attention and the price tags. But the cuts butchers and chefs quietly take home are the secondary cuts — the shoulder, plate and leg muscles that carry more flavour per dollar than any premium steak. The catch is that they are less forgiving: each one has a right cooking method, and using the wrong one is why some people think these cuts are tough. Get the method right and they are the best value on the menu.

The one rule that matters: two families of cut

Every secondary cut falls into one of two groups, and this decides everything:

Quick-cook cuts (flank, skirt, Denver, oyster blade, flat iron, rump) have their flavour concentrated in muscle. Cook them hot and fast to no more than medium, rest, and slice thin across the grain.
Slow-cook cuts (chuck, brisket, shin/shank, short rib) are full of connective tissue. They need long, low, moist heat — a braise or stew — to turn that collagen into gelatine. Rushed, they are tough; given time, they are meltingly tender.

Match the cut to its family and you cannot go far wrong.

The quick-cook cuts

Flank

A lean, broad muscle from the abdomen with a strong, beefy flavour and long grain. It absorbs marinades well and is a natural for stir-fries and grilling.

Flavour: strong · Texture: lean, long-grained · Price: budget-friendly · Best for: quick sear, stir-fry, sliced thin across the grain. Shop the young prime grass fed flank steak.

Skirt

From the plate, close to the diaphragm. More marbled than flank, with an even more pronounced flavour. The classic fajita cut.

Flavour: very strong · Texture: coarse grain · Price: moderate · Best for: fajitas, stir-fries, fast grilling.

Denver

Cut from the under-blade in the shoulder, the Denver is a modern favourite — well-marbled and surprisingly tender for a secondary cut, with a rich, buttery flavour.

Flavour: rich · Texture: tender, marbled · Price: slightly higher · Best for: pan-searing and grilling like a steak. Shop the 150-day grain-fed Denver steak.

Oyster blade / flat iron

A heavily marbled shoulder muscle with a line of gristle down the middle. Left whole it is oyster blade; with the gristle removed it becomes two flat iron steaks — one of the most tender cuts on the animal.

Flavour: robust · Texture: tender once trimmed · Price: moderate · Best for: grilling and searing as flat iron; braising as oyster blade.

Rump

Sits beside the striploin and offers much of its tenderness at a lower price. The rump cap in particular is nicely marbled and makes a juicy steak.

Flavour: strong · Texture: firm but tender · Price: mid · Best for: grilling and roasting. Shop the young prime grass fed rump cap.

The slow-cook cuts

Chuck

The shoulder — the benchmark braising cut. Rich marbling and connective tissue break down into deep flavour and tenderness over a long, slow cook. Chuck tender, a smaller muscle from the same area, is leaner and can also be sliced.

Flavour: deep, beefy · Texture: tender when braised · Price: economical · Best for: stews, pot roasts, curries. Shop the grass-fed chuck roll cube.

Brisket

From the chest, worked hard and layered with fat and collagen. Given hours of low heat, brisket becomes one of the most rewarding cuts there is — the foundation of barbecue brisket and red-wine braises.

Flavour: rich · Texture: tender after long cooking · Price: moderate · Best for: braising, slow-roasting, barbecue. Shop the beef brisket cube.

Shin / shank

The leg muscle, dense with connective tissue and rich in marrow. It makes the most gelatinous, full-bodied stews and stocks of any cut.

Flavour: deep · Texture: silky when slow-cooked · Price: economical · Best for: stews, osso buco, stock. Shop the beef shin shank cube.

Short rib

Marbled, meaty and full of flavour, short rib is the most premium of the slow-cook cuts — and worth it. Braised until the meat pulls from the bone, it is hard to beat.

Flavour: very rich · Texture: tender, juicy · Price: higher · Best for: braising, slow-cooking. Browse beef for slow cooking.

At a glance

Cut	Family	Price	Best method
Flank	Quick-cook	Budget	Sear/stir-fry, slice thin
Skirt	Quick-cook	Moderate	Fajitas, fast grill
Denver	Quick-cook	Mid-high	Pan-sear, grill
Oyster blade / flat iron	Quick-cook	Moderate	Grill (flat iron) / braise
Rump	Quick-cook	Mid	Grill, roast
Chuck	Slow-cook	Economical	Stew, pot roast
Brisket	Slow-cook	Moderate	Braise, BBQ
Shin / shank	Slow-cook	Economical	Stew, stock
Short rib	Slow-cook	Higher	Braise

Frequently asked questions

Are secondary cuts tougher than premium cuts?

Only if cooked the wrong way. Matched to the right method — hot and fast for quick-cook cuts, low and slow for slow-cook cuts — they are tender and far more flavourful per dollar than premium steaks.

Which secondary cut is best for a beginner steak?

Denver or flat iron. Both are tender enough to treat like a premium steak, forgiving on the grill, and rich in flavour.

Which is the best value cut for stew?

Chuck and shin. Chuck gives balanced, beefy tenderness; shin adds body and a silky texture from its collagen. Many cooks use both.

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