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Ribeye steaks are mostly composed of the longissimus dorsi muscle but also contain the complexus and spinalis muscles. The longissimus dorsi is also referred to as the “eye of the ribeye”. It is both flavoursome and tender, coming from the lightly worked upper rib cage area which spans from the sixth to twelfth ribs of the cattle. Its marbling of fat makes it very good for fast and hot cooking.
In Australia and New Zealand, “ribeye” refers to a bone-in rib steak, while the boneless ribeye is known as “Scotch fillet” or “whiskey fillet”. In Argentine cuisine, the rib eye is known as ojo de bife, while the rib steak is known as ancho de bife. In Chilean cuisine, the boneless rib steak is known as lomo vetado. In Spanish cuisine, the rib eye is known by its French name, entrecot. The Butcher’s Guide: What is a Ribeye?
Ribeye is the ideal cut of steak — a perfect balance of tenderness and flavor. A ribeye steak comes from the back of a steer toward the steer’s head. It is made up of two muscles: the spinalis dorsi and the longissimus dorsi. These muscles run along the steer’s spine and on top of the ribs. Because the animal doesn’t use these muscles much while moving around, they stay tender. The spinalis, in particular, is highly-marbled — that is, speckled with fat, which means more flavor in every bite.
A specialty butcher is more likely to have ribeye on hand. In either case, you can always call ahead and special order the cut that you want. If you’re at the store and deciding what to buy, these are the key things to consider. Marbling Marbling refers to the specks of white you’ll see in a steak. So the more little white specks there are, the more flavor the meat will have. Large streaks or hunks of fat are less desirable —these may not cook as nicely.
Beef labeled as “USDA Choice” is supposed to have more marbling than beef labeled as “USDA Select” but this isn’t always the case. Trust your eyes, not the label. Muscle As you’re looking at a ribeye in the store, the longissimus dorsi muscle is the circular section that makes up the majority of the steak. The spinalis dorsi muscle is an elongated section that surrounds one side of the longissimus. The spinalis has the finest marbling of any cut. To some beef lovers, it’s the very best piece of meat on the entire animal.