The Cut: Flat Iron Steak

Named for its resemblance to a flat clothes iron, the flat iron steak is a fantastic cut of beef with great marbling and an affordable price tag. At $9.99/lb. at Fleisher's in Park Slope, the flat iron is one of the most cooked cuts of steak in my kitchen. A one pound steak, sliced and served, can feed 3 to 4 people as a main course and the steak can also be easily divided at home for multiple meals throughout the week.

The flat iron steak is cut with the grain, from the shoulder (or chuck) of the animal, producing a cut that tastes good, but is a bit tougher because it's not cross-grain.¹ Butchering a flat iron from cattle consists of removing gristle around the meat and splitting the cut in half. Splitting the cut  reveals additional gristle to be removed as well as helps the butcher remove a tendon which bisects that part of the chuck. Tutorials from butchers (here and here) outline the process your local butcher follows to prepare the flat iron steak you purchase in stores.

A high content of saturated fat and cholesterol make this cut, like most other steak cuts, unhealthy if eaten regularly. With a low sodium percentage and good source of protein, however, a flat iron steak is perfect for the weekend carnivore. Below is the nutrition card for a 6 ounce serving of flat iron steak:



Retreived from http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-omaha-steaks-flat-iron-i127267.

1. Wikipedia | Flat Iron Steak