Science: How to Slice Steak and Make Cheap Beef Cuts (like Flank Steak) Tender with Only Your Knife

Summary by Krater

This video from Cook's Illustrated explains how slicing technique affects the tenderness of beef steaks, specifically comparing cutting with and against the grain on flank steak and strip loin. Through texture analyzer tests, it concludes that slicing against the grain dramatically reduces the biting force required, making flank steak nearly as tender as strip loin.

From the video

Answers: Does slicing flank steak against the grain make it more tender?

• Beef steak tenderness
• Slicing with vs against the grain
• Muscle fiber orientation
• Texture analyzer testing

What it concludes

• Slicing flank steak against the grain took an average of 383 grams of force, while slicing with the grain required 1,729 grams.
• Slicing against the grain requires roughly 4 times less force than slicing with the grain.
• When sliced with the grain, flank steak was 193 percent tougher than strip loin, but when sliced against the grain, the difference dropped to 16 percent.