Few meals are as sought after as a quality steak. However, what the perfect steak looks like may vary from person to person. Many people have heated debates regarding the best way to cook a steak. Some people want them as rare as they can be, while others believe that well-done is the only acceptable way to eat steak. Of course, how it’s cooked isn’t the only thing people have opinions on. There are various cuts of steak, including filet mignon and ribeye, and each differs greatly.
If you’re not a steak expert, you might be wondering exactly how filet mignon and ribeye steaks are different, and which you might like best. Knowing what the differences are is key to ensuring you’re ordering something you love.
Where Do Filet Mignon and Ribeye Cuts Come From?
You’ll get a different type of steak depending on the part of the cow that the meat is taken from. Filet mignon is from a section of the end tenderloin. This area is also known as the psoas major muscle. Since this muscle isn’t strenuously used, meat taken from this area is often very tender. Filet mignon also has very low-fat content and is a smaller cut of meat.
Ribeye, on the other hand, is taken from the center of a cow’s rib area, also known as the eye of the ribs. This is where the longissimus dorsi muscle is located, and like the psoas major muscle, it isn’t used frequently, but it is used slightly more often than the psoas. Meat from this area is still tender, but not as much as a filet mignon. However, as opposed to filet mignon, ribeye cuts are very fatty and often come with a lot of fat marbling. Ribeye is often much bigger than filet mignon.
How Does the Taste Differ?
Filet mignon is known for being very lean, tender, and has an almost buttery texture. Due to the low-fat content, filet mignon has a much milder flavor, which makes serving it with sauce or gravy very popular. At Grico’s South, our filet mignon is pan-seared with demi-glace. Filet mignon cooks quickly and can dry out easily because of this, so many people prefer it served rare.
As ribeye has a much higher fat content, it has a stronger flavor than filet mignon. Ribeye steaks also tend to be very juicy. Some believe that ribeye has enough flavor on its own that it only needs salt and pepper. However, at Grico’s South, we pan-sear our ribeye steaks in Burgundy wine, caramelized onions, and compound butter for an unbeatable flavor. Ribeye steak will have an amazing flavor no matter what, but many people agree that medium-rare to medium is the right level of doneness.
Enjoy a Delicious Steak Dinner at Grico’s South
There’s no wrong answer when it comes to filet mignon vs. ribeye. If texture is more important to you, you may prefer filet mignon, whereas those who want flavor above all else might enjoy ribeye better. Whichever is your perfect idea of a steak, you can come to Grico’s South to get a high-quality meal prepared by our expert cooking staff.
Make your reservations for dinner in Nanticoke today!