How to Cut Steak Against the Grain

If you want to get the most out of your steak, you need to learn how to cut it against the grain. This simple technique makes all the difference, and it’s easy to do once you know how.

Checkout this video:

Introduction

In order to understand how to cut steak against the grain, it’s important to first understand what the grain is. The grain of a piece of meat is the direction of the muscle fibers. When you look at a steak, you can usually see the grain running parallel to the sides of the steak.

When you cut with the grain, you are essentially cutting along those muscle fibers, which can result in a tougher piece of meat. Cutting against the grain, on the other hand, means that you are cutting across those muscle fibers, which results in a more tender piece of meat.

So, when you’re ready to cut your steak, make sure that you’re holding your knife at a 90-degree angle to the steak and that you’re cutting across the grain. If you’re not sure which way to cut, ask your butcher or check out this helpful video from America’s Test Kitchen.

What is the grain?

When you look at a piece of raw meat, you’ll notice that the muscle fibers run in a certain direction. This is called the grain. If you were to cut the steak with the grain, or in the same direction that the muscle fibers are running, you would end up with a chewier piece of meat. When you cut steak against the grain, or perpendicular to the muscle fibers, you end up with a more tender piece of meat.

This is because cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, making them easier to chew. When you cut with the grain, you are essentially lengthening the muscle fibers, making them more difficult to chew.

Most cuts of steak will have a relatively short grain, but there are some (like flank steak) that will have a longer grain. In general, it’s best to err on the side of cutting against the grain too thinly rather than too thickly. You can always reheat and cook the steak for a few more minutes if it’s too thin, but there’s not much you can do if it’s too thick.

Why cut against the grain?

If you cut steak properly, you can enhance its tenderness, making it more enjoyable to eat. When steak is cut against the grain, it is essentially being cut across the muscle fibers. This results in shorter fibers, which are more tender than long fibers.

In order to cut steak against the grain, you will need to first identify the grain of the meat. The grain is the direction that the muscle fibers are aligned in. You can see the grain as little lines running through the meat. Once you have identified the grain, you will need to cut perpendicular (or at a 90 degree angle) to the grain.

When cutting steak against the grain, it is important to use a sharp knife A dull knife will simply tear through the meat, resulting in jagged edges and uneven pieces. A sharp knife will allow you to make clean, smooth cuts through the meat.

It is also important to use a cutting board when cutting steak against the grain. A cutting board provides a stable surface for cutting and will protect your countertops (and knives) from damage.

How to cut against the grain

Most of the time when you’re cutting meat, you want to cut with the grain. This means that you’re slicing in the same direction that the muscle fibers are running. This results in long, stringy pieces of meat that are easy to chew.

However, there are times when you want to cut against the grain. This results in shorter pieces of meat that are easier to eat, but can be tougher to chew. When done correctly, cutting against the grain can make a tough piece of meat much more tender and easy to eat.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Look for the direction of the grain. You can usually see it running along the surface of the meat.
2. Cut perpendicular (at a 90 degree angle) to the direction of the grain.
3. Repeat until all pieces of meat are cut against the grain.

Conclusion

When cutting steak against the grain, it’s important to use a sharp knife and to slice the meat thinly. Steak that is cut against the grain is more tender and flavorful than steak that is cut with the grain. When slicing steak against the grain, be sure to slice it thinly so that it will be easy to chew.