Nose To Tail

Cow
AKA: Rib Cutlet, Cowboy Steak, Cowboy Chop, Bone-In Rib Eye Steak
Primal: Rib (US)
Cooking Methods: Grill, Pan-Fry, BBQ
Good For: Dinner Steak
Fat Content: High
Price: Expensive

Rib Steak is the bone-in version of the Rib Eye Steak and is known for the same tenderness and amazing flavor for which its boneless counterpart has earned its name. This is a well-marbled and well-grained cut of Beef, which remains succulent even cooked till well done.

The addition of bone to this cut ensures a much more flavorful plate of food. Since this portion has generous proportions of intramuscular fat, which melts during high-heat cooking, it is rich in flavor and texture. This makes it a good cut for dry-heat cooking methods like barbecuing, grilling, broiling and pan-frying. When barbecuing or grilling this cut, all one needs is a drizzle of barbecue sauce and let it be an accompaniment to the meat’s own excellent taste. This cut is also popular in Asian cooking.

Rib Steak comes from the rib primal section of the carcass and has a good amount of fat. The cut is mainly composed of the Longissimus Dorsi muscle, which is also the main muscle of New York, Porterhouse and T-Bone steaks.

The anatomy of this cut inspires its name. According to some sources, this portion got its other name, Cowboy Cut, after Wrangler introduced its cowboy cut jeans towards the end of 1960s.

A large Rib Steak weighing over 2 pounds is colloquially referred to as a Cowboy Steak, with the rib bone used as a handle for eating.