A Look At The Steaks & Sauces On Offer At Lakings
Not that we ever need an excuse to dig a stunning beef steak out of the fridge, we know – for many – indulging in a thick, beautifully marbled steak is a real treat. But the question is, which cut should you go for?
When it comes to beef, we take things very seriously. All of our traditional quality, fresh beef, is hung for 21 days, to ensure we can deliver cuts that are both mature in flavour and perfectly tender. That goes for the steaks here at Lakings too. Each and every cut of steak has its own unique shape, marbling and texture. Each mouthful tells a tale of flavour, versatility, and value.
To help you make the right choice, we’ve put together a rough guide of what you can expect from the steak cuts you’ll find on our butchery here at Lakings, as well as some sauces to serve with your perfectly cooked steak…
Rump – Lakings Recommends
Often overlooked as one of the cheapest cuts in the steak spectrum, rump is a fantastic option if you’re after something quick to cook that still delivers tasty results. Sometimes referred to as the full-face rump, you will find this cut towards the rear of the animal, where you’ll also find bigger cuts such as silverside and topside. A thinner steak when compared to a fillet, the rump is made up of two muscles connected by a thin layer of sinew. Rump is best cooked medium-rare if pan-frying to ensure the best texture. Available from 227g, £4.64-6.95.
Sirloin – Lakings Recommends
Nestled in alongside the fillet, sirloin is a phenomenally tasty cut. Packed with flavour, and with a good bite to it texture-wise, sirloin forms one side of the T-bone steak – with fillet comprising its counterpart. With a bit of fat and marbling throughout, sirloin is a cut that has everything. While the meat itself is full of flavour, especially in the slow-reared grass-fed cattle we butcher, the fat content works to tenderise the meat which is why you tend to get the best of both worlds – flavour and texture. Available from 227g, £8.99 – £13.46.
Ribeye
Quite literally the eye of the rib, as a cut ribeye boasts so many fantastic qualities. While it is not dissimilar to a sirloin, when you opt for a ribeye what can be guaranteed is a mellow, prime rib flavour and a juicy, succulent texture – due the generous marbling present. And let’s not forget, when a beef carcass is being graded (the quality of the meat decided upon) it is the ribeye they look to. This cut is absolutely one for those who value flavour. Available from 227g, £8.17 – £12.47.
Fillet
Arguably the most requested cut, fillet has earned itself a reputation as being the best. As with every steak, it’s personal choice, but fillet has a history of being the best because it’s always been more expensive. The price tag attached to fillet comes from its exclusivity. Out of all the steak cuts, this is the one you get the least of from a carcass. A deep, round steak, the fillet is one long piece of meat tucked away under the rib, in the mid-section of the animal. Well protected – much like its neighbour, the sirloin – fillet is used for all the covetable, show-stopping dishes such as Beef Wellington. Taken from the centre of the fillet, our cuts of fillet steak display very fine marbling to deliver a rich flavour as well as that reputable melt-in-the-mouth texture. Best cooked medium-rare to rare. Available from 227g, £12.25-18.36.
Chateaubriand
The only luxury roasting joint to come from a beef carcass, the Chateaubriand classically refers to the dish rather than a cut of steak. It is in fact a large piece cut from the centre of the beef tenderloin, or fillet. Delicate in flavour, due to the lack of fat in that area of the animal, opting for the chateaubriand will guarantee a very tender steak indeed. We recommend to cook this medium-rare to rare to ensure a flavourful dining experience. Available from 500g, £26.98 – £134.90.
Lakings Finest Steaks
Finest Steaks
Steak Sauces
There are countless sauces you could look to to complement your perfectly cooked steak on Valentine’s night. However, there are four in particular (£1.39 each) that Lakings stocks above all others.
Diane – Lakings Recommends
A retro classic, but one that certainly shouldn’t be relegated to the annuls of history, Diane sauce is traditionally a pan-made sauce combining mustard, Worcester sauce, cream and cognac. Hugely popular in the 50s and 60s, Diane sauce is said to be named after the Roman goddess Diana or Diane. It earned quite a reputation for restaurant theatrics with steaks being flambéed at the table.
Pepper / Peppercorn
Arguably the most popular accompaniment to steak, pepper sauce or peppercorn sauce is a relatively simple combination of cream and peppercorns, combined in the pan while your steak is resting. Simple yet satisfying.
Stilton
A sauce that really packs a punch in the flavour department, stilton sauce or blue cheese sauce, is rich and sumptuous. Essentially a bechamel-style sauce, albeit thicker, if you were to make this at home, you’d blend a roux, and then add milk and stilton. We’ve just done all the stirring for you.
Mushroom
Rich and full of that earthiness that only comes from cooking with mushrooms, this sauce perfectly accompanies steak – or any other meat for that matter, even tossed through pasta it’s delicious. Beef steak, no matter the cut, is best friends with the humble mushroom – just think of Beef Wellington. Creamy and utterly moreish, it never fails to leave a smile on your face.
Remember
- Let your steak adjust to room temperature before cooking. Take it out of the fridge around 30-minutes before you plan on cooking. A cold steak will lower the temperature of your pan making it tricky to obtain that sear.
- Prior to cooking, rub both sides with a little oil and season with rock salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Pick your pan – a heavy-based pan is perfect for cooking steak, be that a frying pan or griddle pan. Make sure it’s hot, but not smoking.
- Resting time is just as important as cooking time – it allows juices brought to the surface by cooking to sink back into the meat.
