The Inexpensive Steak Cut Robert Irvine Loves To Cook

Filet mignon may be your first choice for a special meal, but its sky-high price compels you to buy a cheaper, less tender steak. We chatted with celebrity chef Robert Irvine at the recent New York City Wine and Food Festival about his favorite inexpensive steak cut, and he immediately responded: "Baseball steak. It will change your life." Irvine uses this somewhat unfamiliar steak cut in his restaurants "because it ain't expensive. It eats better and it's fattier than a filet."

You may not have seen baseball steak at the market because, generally, it needs to be cut by a butcher or bought from a specialty meat store. And Irvine's certainly right about its price: A 10-ounce baseball steak can cost less than half as much as a 10-ounce filet mignon steak. But what is a baseball steak anyway?

A baseball steak is cut from the center of the top sirloin of the cow, which is located between the loin and the butt, or round. Top sirloin is one of the most popular steak cuts and a favorite for grilling. Similar in appearance to filet mignon, the cut is known for its bold beefy flavor that's accentuated, as Irvine mentioned, by its substantial marbling of fat. We asked Irvine about the best way to cook a baseball steak, and he shared with us his meticulous method for achieving a perfect medium-rare.

According to Irvine, any steak you plan to cook must be at room temperature. "Keep it out of the refrigerator for an hour before you're going to cook it," Irvine says. Baseball steak is often cut at two-inches thick and won't cook evenly if it's still chilled when it hits the pan. Next, Irvine says, "Dry [the steak] with paper towels. Then, you season it with salt and pepper, freshly ground." If not patted dry, the moisture exuded on the surface will steam the steak rather than sear it and prevent the desired Maillard reaction from happening. 

Irvine recommends heating the pan (a cast-iron skillet is ideal) or grill nice and hot, adding oil, and "then put the steak on, and don't move it." Although it might be tempting to lift the steak to see how it's cooking, you'll interfere in letting an evenly browned crust to form. Timing is crucial, and a five- to six-ounce steak takes about three minutes per side. Irvine told us to "turn it after three minutes, take it off the heat, and leave it for three minutes." This brief resting period allows the steak to reabsorb its juices so they don't ooze out onto the plate when it's cut into. Using Irvine's method, we're confident that you'll get a perfect medium-rare baseball steak every time.