Sunday, June 19, 2005

A Rib Eye By Any Other Name

There's a lot of confusion around here on this Father's Day. We were trying to discern what to burn on the grill this afternoon (as is the tradition of my people), and the question of Dad's favorite meat came up. I have gained a true and abiding affection over the years for the boneless rib-eye steak. The cut of meat itself is pretty self explanatory - it comes from the center of the rib and is generally more marbled and tender than many other cuts. It has come to our attention that this cut is sometimes referred to as "Delmonico." For a more in-depth dissertation on the subject, I refer you to the following link.
That set me to thinking: For a good many years I had my go-to steakhouse, the Wrangler 2. They did some pretty amazing barbecue there, but I had my favorite and I ordered it the same until they started asking me if I wanted something different before sending my order in, out of courtesy. They called it the Trail Herder. It was a twelve ounce rib eye and I had mine medium and basted with their sauce, with cole slaw and ranch fries. I ordered the "cattleman's cut" as opposed to the "cowgirl's cut." And now we reach my point - the "cowgirl cut" was the same steak, just three ounces less. I would suggest that you have to be mighty solidly in touch with your masculinity to walk into a steakhouse decorated in branding irons and barbed wire samples and ordering a "cowgirl's cut" - if you're a man or a woman. The implication being that maybe you just aren't man enough for those last three ounces of meat. Wasn't it enough that I ordered a "Trail Herder" in the first place, now I have to give the modifier of boy steak or girl steak? Is this the world I want to live in?
Okay - the truth is I still probably wouldn't do the "cowgirl's cut" - enlightened eating habits and all. I want a rib eye steak that makes me have to think about those last couple of bites. And then eat them too.

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