Choosing a Good Steak Cut

The best steak cuts run along the back of the steer. Boneless rib steaks are cut away from the ribs nearer the shoulder, usually from the seventh to the fifth rib (the rib numbers get larger as you move back along the steer), while club steaks are cut away from the eighth to the twelfth ribs, the ribs nearer the loin—the same ribs that are roasted for prime rib. Rib steaks have a chunk of fat in the middle, which is easy to eat around but which may be the reason rib steaks are often a good value, while club steaks don’t have the fat and are usually more expensive. Nowadays, butchers and supermarkets sometimes don’t make the distinction between rib steaks and club steaks, but sell the club steak section of the ribs as prime rib and the rest—the shoulder end of the ribs—as rib steaks.