One Of The Best Cuts Of Beef Is A Hearty Slice Fit For A Cowboy

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Howdy partner. We reckon you might have arrived 'round these parts with a hankerin' for some vittle vocab answers. In particular, what exactly is a "cowboy" steak? While you may see the term pop up in the occasional recipe, you don't see it on the typical butcher's diagram. To better identify the cowboy cut's origin, you'd need to zoom in on the cow's rib area, from whence the ribeye and a few similar varieties are sourced. You see, a cowboy steak is just a thick, bone-in ribeye with a more evocative name.

The bone that gives this steak some of its appeal is Frenched in this case, meaning it's been cleaned to expose a polished portion of the material — similar to the presentation of a properly plated tomahawk steak. A cowboy steak must also possess a notable thickness, all of which combines to imbue this piece of protein with the heft and gravitas worthy of its name.

Ask many folks to name a famous cowboy, and they likely cite John Wayne. Wayne made his name in the film world's cowboy genre, and there's even a dish to match. John Wayne's peppered cowboy steaks purportedly took the slabs, seasoned them mightily, wrapped them in tinfoil, and grilled them with the lid on.

However, you can cook a cowboy steak more or less the same way you'd prepare a lot of others. A meat thermometer is key, particularly if you aren't used to working with such portions. It takes a bit longer to get a cowboy steak to your intended rare, medium, and well-done temperatures. Something like ThermoWorks' ThermoPop2 is best for the most accurate reading and an ideal finish. If you're looking to source a cowboy steak, again, you aren't especially likely to find a stack at the grocery store or supermarket. You probably need to request one from your local butcher instead.