Best tasting fat and why you may not be getting it

[Fracmeister]

I know it is subjective, but hear me out and understand why I think this fat that is USUSALLY trimmed from the ribeye steak before you get it. This is why i buy the whole USDA prime, prime rib roast. Obviously “prime rib” doesnt mean prime grade.

So here is a cross section of a prime rib roast.

(these are from amazingribs.com)

The “rib cap” (technically the spinalis dorsi) is the best meat on a steer and this is a widely held belief. You get your odd proponent of other stuff and I am a big brisket man but clearly this is the best meat. The other muscle (B) is the *Longissimus dorsi * and I love that also. I argue that that big blob of fat at the other end is actually the best fat. I thought it might be the fat separating them but in blind taste tests I ALWAYS picked the former. If you buy a standard ribeye this piece will have been removed as it is a “great big glob” and too much of it is gone to the burger.

Here are two uncooked ribeyes from different ends of the rib roast which goes from between the 5th and 6th down to between the 12th and 13th (as I recall). In a standard ribeye that whole fatty end gets trimmed away along with too much of the other.

I know the intramuscular wispy fat might be the best but no way to taste that separately.

Finally, here is how the fat looks cooked up.

What is your favorite?

[Shinita]

PRETTY pics!

I can’t afford such luxuries but I am happy with my pork chuck, I prefer the fat on/in it Pork shoulder is fattier but I don’t like the taste near that much (and despite that, I tend to overeat it). I always eat fat and meat together. I strongly prefer pork fat over ruminant fat but I didn’t tried the fancy cuts…

[ctviggen]

Where do you get them?

[Fracmeister]

When I am loaded I buy from snakeriver farms, porter road and creekstone. But I made friends (ahem) with the butcher at H-E-B a regional grocer. When they get a brisket with everything I want I get a call.

Each December they put on a sale for the whole USDA prime standing rib roast and I buy 2-3. I do a prime rib and smoke all the ribs over time but cut at least one into steaks (they do it) and maybe some cowboy ribeyes. Not cheap but cheaper than buying individual prime ribeyes!

Also found a local place that carries akaushi and they can get me the whole rib roast of this Wagyu hybrid but I have to do the slicing myself.

[Shinita]

When I bought brisket from a nearby beef farm, it was quite lean. But very, very tasty so I am fine with that It will last almost forever as it’s lean and chewy. But still so good!
I get my fat from elsewhere.

But once I bought a tiny piglet from the nearby pig farm. I love fat and the piglet provided the smoothest, most wonderful lard but that was way too fatty even for me, I like my fat with a generous amount of meat. But the skin was crunchy and wonderful…
I still have no idea why such a small piglet needed that much fat. Isn’t its job to get bigger first? I don’t even know the breed, maybe it was a pig bred for fat - but still, it was small!
Next time I will buy a bigger one, tricky with my small freezer and the price but it was really quality stuff.

I normally buy supermarket meat and choose the fattiness, works for pork.
I don’t think I saw many really fatty beef pieces but that was too chewy/sinewy so we didn’t buy it again…
Local butchers don’t really keep beef, just chicken and pork here. The same for smaller supermarkets though turkey pops up there too and that’s nice.

[anon69861679]

The ribcap and end do taste the best. I only like it on 100 percent grass-fed finished though. It is also the most forgiving when grilling and easiest to digest of steak. It stays moist and tender. Unfortunately grass fed and finished ribeyes from the local farm are expensive.