Ranch Steak Delivery or Pickup

Ranch steak is also called rancher's steak, boneless chuck shoulder steak, shoulder center steak, cut steak, shoulder petite, arm steak, and chuck clod arm roast. Ranch steak comes from the chuck, the section of beef that's closest to the cow's head. It's from the animal's shoulder, and grocers call it ranch steak because it tastes similar to more costly cuts of meat, such as rib-eye. It's also shorter and easier to remember than the official name, boneless chuck shoulder center cut steak.

Most ranch steaks weigh about 10 ounces, and they're about an inch thick. Ranch steak is a bit tougher than some other cuts of meat, but it's economical, versatile, and flavorful. It's ideal for people who want to order a small, lean cut of meat through Instacart for same-day delivery! Most ranch steak is beef, but you can also choose lamb.  

Ranch steaks have most of the fat removed, but some have a thin border of fat near the edges called a fat cap. This increases tenderness during cooking. There's also a thin line of gristle or sinew that runs through the middle of each ranch steak. You can divide it into two steaks, or you can just eat around it.

Ranch steaks can become tough if they're overcooked, but they have an excellent, meaty flavor and enough fat to keep the meat moist under most circumstances. They're great for grilling, braising, or roasting.

Before you start cooking, score the meat to encourage even cooking, increase tenderness, and prevent curling during cooking. Use a sharp knife with no serrations to make a series of shallow, even cuts on one or both sides of the ranch steak. People sometimes call this an accordion cut, and you can use it to make a thick steak larger and thinner. To make your ranch steak even more tender, use a meat tenderizer called a meat mallet. It's a hammer covered with small metal pyramids. You can also stuff the shallow cuts you make with spices such as garlic.

For a marinade, you can use beer, red wine, or teriyaki or barbecue sauce. You can also skip the marinade and add olive oil, salt, and pepper instead. To avoid overcooking, watch your ranch steaks carefully and remove them from your heat source before reaching 145 degrees Fahrenheit or medium doneness. You can also serve rare ranch steak at 125 degrees Fahrenheit or medium-rare steak at around 135 degrees, and rare rump steak is around 125 degrees.

If you're grilling or pan-frying, each side of your ranch steak should take just a few minutes to cook. Cover your ranch steak with aluminum foil before serving to help it retain moisture. Ranch steaks are excellent with mushrooms,  sauteed onions, and rosemary, thyme, or orange zest. You can cover ranch steaks with honey and serve them with baked carrots and brown sugar. They also make great kebabs, beef stroganoff, or chicken-fried steak.

Ranch steaks are very lean, so you shouldn't see much marbling. The meat should look bright red, and the edges should be even and not jagged. It should feel firm and cold, and there should be no liquid at the bottom of the package. USDA Prime rump steak is best, and it comes from animals that are younger than 3 years old. Only about 3% of beef is USDA Prime. You can save money and still get a delicious ranch steak with the second-best grade, USDA Choice.