The flat iron steak, which comes from the top shoulder muscle of the beef carcass, has only recently been discovered (within the past three or four years) as a very tender cut of meat. This undervalued cut of meat, obscured by the tough connective tissue that runs down the center of it, has formerly been ignored, forgotten, or simply rejected out of hand even by people in the meat industry knowing of its tender, succulent characteristics. Some taste testers compare the flat iron steak to such meat-case luminaries as the loin or strip steak.
One reason flat iron steak may not have yet appeared in the meat case of your local grocer or butcher shop could have something to do with the butchering methods used to acquire this cut. Butchers usually cut meat “with the grain.” To access the flat iron steak, however, removing the tough connective tissue requires cutting against the grain of the meat. Unless a meat cutter has been trained to do this, he or she may simply not know to do it.
Flat iron steak requires some preparation to bring out its best qualities. Marinating enhances both its taste and its tenderness, and for broiling, grilling, or pan-frying, be sure to prepare it this way ahead of time. For braising, which slow-cooks the meat for three to four hours, flat iron steak does not require marinating.
The name “flat iron steak” remains a mystery, though several sources put forth some interesting speculations. One rumor claims the famous old Flat Iron Building in New York City once housed a restaurant that served great steaks, hence the name. Another idea: The flat iron steak resembles the old-fashioned flat irons used by our great-grandmothers to iron the family laundry. We may never know the origin of its name, but we won’t hold that against it – especially when we’re hungry.
Other names for flat iron steak include shoulder top blade, top blade, and top blade chuck steak, so look carefully when you shop. So, with apologies to that quote about a rose: That which we call a flat iron steak by any other name would taste as sweet. Enjoy – and if the price is right, be sure to buy enough for future meals!