Tips & Tricks

Marbling

The fat, or marbling, that surrounds the muscle fibers is the key to flavorful beef – because fat is where all the flavor is! When shopping for fattier cuts, look for even marbling. Fat should be bright white. Intensely marbled meats, like our Akaushi steaks, will give off a robust beef flavor profile that will keep you coming back for more.

Connective Tissue

Flavorful fat often comes hand in hand with lots of connective tissue in the form of elastin and collagen. Collagen surrounds muscle fibers and melts into gelatin when heated, turning leaner cuts into super tender bites when cooked properly. For quick, dry-heat cooking methods, choose cuts with as little connective tissue as possible. For slower cooking methods, abundant collagen is a good thing.

Muscle Fibers

The thickness of muscle fibers is what makes meat tender or tough. For dry-heat applications like grilling and pan-frying, choose tender, fine-grain, uniform-textured meat: You shouldn’t really see the individual bundles of muscle fibers, and the meat should feel soft to the touch. For slow-cooked dishes, look for coarse-grain meat, with muscle fibers thick enough that you can see the individual bundles. Coarse-grain meat will absorb marinades better, which is why leaner cuts such as flap, flank, and skirt steaks are often marinated.