How to Prepare Beef Blade Steak
In this article, we discuss what blade chuck steak is, why it's so great, where you can find it, how to prepare it, and how to cook it to perfection.
The chuck primal is well known for all those tough meat cuts that produce excellent flavor when cooked slowly. You've probably heard of the Chuck Tender roast or the Chuck Tender steak, but you may not have heard of the beefy heavyweight that is the blade chuck steak.
This cut is easily recognizable for its thick strip of interconnective tissue that runs through the middle.
It takes a little more effort to understand and prepare, than say a Flat Iron steak from the same primal, but believe us when we say it's worth it.
Learn all about it below. Not only will your meat cut knowledge become next level, but you'll also now have a cut of meat that is versatile, cheap, and full of flavor to add to your BBQ repertoire.
And if this sounds interesting, you should probably also check out our beef cuts diagram and guide.
Contents (Jump to Topic)
- 1 What is Blade Chuck Steak?
- 2 Where Does Blade Chuck Steak Come from on the Cow?
- 3 Other Names for the Blade Chuck Steak
- 4 Flavor, Texture, Fat Content And Tenderness
- 5 Typical Uses
- 6 Blade Chuck Steak Nutrition
- 7 Buying Blade Chuck Steak
- 7.1 Where to Buy Blade Chuck Steak Online
- 8 Blade Chuck Steak Price
- 9 Portion Size: How Much Blade Chuck Steak Per Person?
- 10 How to Prepare Blade Chuck Steak for Grilling or Smoking
- 11 How to Cook Blade Chuck Steak on a Grill or Smoker
- 12 Three Best Blade Chuck Steak Recipes from Around the Web
- 12.1 Gimme Delicious Garlic and Lemon Blade Chuck Steak
- 12.2 The Spruce Eats Slow Cooked Steaks and Gravy
- 12.3 Blade Steaks and Barbecue Smothered Onions
- 13 Conclusion
What is Blade Chuck Steak?
With the name of this cut, we get a bit of a clue as to where it comes from. It comes from the chuck primal near to the … drumroll, please … Blade!
It's a piece of meat that encompasses multiple muscles. It's a big steak of similar appearance to the T-bone, weighing in at 12 to 16oz with a thick piece of fat in the center.
It can sometimes look like several pieces of muscle joined by fat, or it can be more uniform with just marbling and the central fat channel on show.
Where Does Blade Chuck Steak Come from on the Cow?
The chuck primal is the large section of meat around the shoulder area of the cow. It's made up of many intersecting muscles, which means lots of interconnective tissue and fatty marbling through.
The shoulder area also gets a lot of exercise which usually creates tough pieces of meat. However, some parts are much more tender, those that come from the top blade and surrounding areas, such as Denver steak, and our topic for today the blade chuck steak.
If you take note of the intersecting muscles and change of grain throughout, it will help you to understand the best way to cook it.
The different types of Chuck steak are determined by the cut and position in the chuck primal, as well as the amount of cartilage within the meat, which in turn will affect the tenderness of the steak.
Other Names for the Blade Chuck Steak
The blade chuck steak is one of those cuts that can be confused easily with similar cuts. There are many Chuck steak and Blade steak derivatives around, but the blade chuck is easily recognizable for its thick fatty seam through the middle.
The two common names used for it are:
- Boneless Blade steak — So called because you can get a Blade steak with the bone left in that can add to the flavor. The blade chuck is traditionally cut without the bone attached.
- Deluxe Blade steak — This name refers to the size of the steak and that it's deluxe due to its tenderness compared to other chuck and blade cut steaks.
Whichever name you use, if you have difficulty finding it, you can always use the industry ID: UPC–1066, 1073.
Your butcher can use this to find it and give you tips on how to cook it.
Flavor, Texture, Fat Content And Tenderness
The blade chuck steak has one aspect that everyone loves, and that is flavor.
The extensive marbling throughout coupled with the fatty seam means that this steak self-bastes and has a rich beefy flavor with a wide grain, course, buttery texture.
It won't match a Fillet or Porterhouse for tenderness, but it will deliver great taste and texture well above its pay grade.
If you aren't a fan of fatty steaks, we would recommend cooking with the fat seam in and then separating it and removing it before plating it up.
Typical Uses
As a steak made up of several connected muscles, it can be divided into sections and used for stews or fajitas or stir-fry.
It also stands up well to be a good meaty standalone steak. So, versatility is this steak's middle name.
Blade Chuck Steak Nutrition
| Nutrition | Total Amount (Based on 3 oz Serving) | % Daily Value (based on 2000 calories/day) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 210 | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 4.3 g | 23% |
| Sodium | 60 mg | 2.5% |
| Protein | 26 g | 52% |
| Iron | 3.1 mg | 15% |
| Zinc | 8.6 mg | 60% |
Buying Blade Chuck Steak
It's common and will be found at most butchers.
The blade chuck steak is a specific cut that can often be found under different names depending on what the meat manufacturer decides to label it as, or whether the butcher has the specific knowledge to identify it as the correct cut.
It should be readily available from most supermarkets and online meat markets. Just be sure to compare it to the picture on meat master websites such as 'beef it's what's for dinner,' and that way you'll have no problem tracking it down.
Buying steaks online can remove the hassle of finding the right cut, particularly for those more unknown and tricky to identify ones such as this.
They will show you multiple cuts with pictures, so you can see exactly what you're getting.
You'll be given a choice of differing quality when buying beef with varying prices. Paying more for your meat can often mean better quality and will support sustainable farming, which is better for the environment.
Where to Buy Blade Chuck Steak Online
As mentioned, online food shopping can be enjoyable and stress-free for the grill enthusiast, by allowing you to take time to explore new cuts and different cooking methods in the comfort of your own home.
Once decided, you simply place your order and wait for the delivery, leaving you more time come BBQ day to spend with your grill beer in hand.
Here is an online outlet that sells some of the best blade chuck steaks available:
- Eversfield Organic
Blade Chuck Steak Price
It's still a very cheap cut of meat, and at the time of writing, the price is $9 to $16 per lb. Across online outlets.
Portion Size: How Much Blade Chuck Steak Per Person?
It comes in various weights from 8 to 16oz, so how much of it you serve up will be dependent on what you serve it with and who is going to be eating.
If you want the side to be big and bold, and to shine as much as the steak, then an 8oz steak will be perfect.
If you have big eaters and want the meat to be the star of the show, then a 14 to 16oz steak is sure to impress.
How to Prepare Blade Chuck Steak for Grilling or Smoking
It's ready to go when you get it if you like all the fatty marbled goodness.
If, however, you wish to make it less fatty, you can trim out some interconnective tissue, or even the fat seam in the middle. But you have been warned, this will affect the flavor.
If the steak has a fat seam around the edge, you can score or cut through it in a couple of places to stop the steak from curling when it cooks.
Other than that, just a simple seasoning and a rub with some marinade if you so choose will be more than enough before cooking it on the grill.
How to Cook Blade Chuck Steak on a Grill or Smoker
To truly get a feel for the tenderness and flavor you get from this cheaper cut, we recommend cooking as a standalone steak before using it for any other type of recipe.
That way, you can really appreciate how much bang you get for your buck.
The high-and-dry method we've spoken of before is the best way to cook this fabulous cut on a grill.
Here's our simple guide:
- Pat the steaks dry and bring to room temperature.
- Heat your grill to maximum heat. This ensures a good sear meaning all those fats and juices stay in the steak.
- Season well and place the steaks onto the grill.
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes each side until close to medium, 130f internal, being careful not to overcook as it will be very chewy, and you'll ruin it.
- Once at the correct temperature remove from the grill, it will continue to cook for a few minutes after. Tent in tin foil to retain heat.
- Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes, so the meat relaxes and redistributes juices that have been squeezed up while cooling.
- Slap it on your plate and savor the flavor!
Three Best Blade Chuck Steak Recipes from Around the Web
Now that you know how much flavor you can get for your money, it's time to take a look at a few recipes that will show you how to cook this steak to perfection:
Gimme Delicious Garlic and Lemon Blade Chuck Steak
This simple recipe uses just lemon and garlic to cook and marinade the steaks, leaving them tender and flavorful with just a hint of acidity and garlic.
The extra squeeze of lemon when serving really gives the steaks a nice edge.
The full recipe and easy-to-follow instructions can be found here: Garlic and lemon blade chuck steak recipe.
The Spruce Eats Slow Cooked Steaks and Gravy
The joy that is slow-cooked blade chuck steaks cannot be underestimated.
Where most meats fall to pieces with hours of slow cooking, these tasty steaks keep their shape thanks to all the connective fats and tissue.
This makes for a well-presented gravy-soaked steak dinner that pairs well with anything that will soak up all those juices and gravy goodness.
Click here to see the mouth-watering recipe: Slow cooked steak and gravy recipe.
Blade Steaks and Barbecue Smothered Onions
This recipe can be produced in the oven or on the grill, it's up to you.
Once browned, the steaks are placed into an ovenproof dish with the rest of the ingredients, then cooked for 90 minutes covered with foil.
Simple and yet so good!
Head here to see how good it really is: BBQ blade steak smothered in onions recipe.
Conclusion
The blade chuck steak is an all-rounder. Great flavor, endless versatility, and great value for money. It delivers a real beefy smack in the face for those that love a strongly flavored steak.
It's tender enough for the fussiest of steak eaters and can be served as a fat-filled indulgence, or trimmed to produce leaner pieces of meat that can be enjoyed with any type of side.
It can also be sliced up for things such as stir-fry and fajitas, or anything else you can think of.
It will take whatever you decide to throw at it and deliver in heaps of flavor and juicy tenderness. So, go and get some ordered and report back to us how you get on.
Is it amazing? Are you sorely disappointed? Or is it the fantastic all-rounder you've been looking for to fulfill all your steak needs and yearnings? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: https://www.foodfirefriends.com/blade-chuck-steak/
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