Updated 7 October 2026
Walk up to any butcher's counter and you will see half a dozen types of steak, each with a different price, texture and flavour. Where on the animal they are cut makes all the difference: muscles that do little work are tender, and hard-working ones have more flavour but need care. Here are the main kinds of steak we sell, the best cut of steak for what you want, how to pick a juicy one and how to cook each to the right doneness.
What is the best cut of steak?
For most people, the best cut of steak is ribeye. Its marbling and central fat eye give it the most flavour and keep it juicy, even if it goes a minute over. If tenderness matters most, choose fillet. Good cuts of steak for every budget:
- Best for flavour: ribeye
- Best for tenderness: fillet
- Best all-rounder: sirloin
- Best value: rump
- Best for sharing: T-bone or tomahawk
Types of steak at a glance
| Steak | Where it's cut | Texture | Fat | Best cooked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ribeye | Fore rib | Tender, juicy | Well marbled, central fat "eye" | Hot pan, grill, BBQ | Flavour lovers |
| Sirloin | Loin, above the fillet | Tender with a bit of chew | Strip of fat down one side | Pan, grill, BBQ | All-rounder |
| Rump | Hindquarter, top of the leg | Firmer, meaty | Lean, with a fat edge | Pan, grill, stir-fry strips | Value and big flavour |
| Fillet | Under the loin | The most tender | Very lean | Quick sear, oven finish | Special occasions |
| T-bone | Loin, across the bone | Sirloin one side, fillet the other | Moderate | Grill, BBQ, pan then oven | Sharing, showing off |
| Tomahawk | Fore rib, long bone left on | As ribeye | Well marbled | Reverse sear, BBQ | A centrepiece for two |
Ribeye
Ribeye comes from the fore rib. It has the most marbling of the everyday steaks, with a pocket of fat in the middle that melts and bastes the meat as it cooks, so it is forgiving and full of flavour. Cook it hot and fast, to at least medium-rare so the fat renders. Our Ribeye Steaks 8x6oz (£38.99) is a freezer-friendly pack of eight, and the Rib-eye Steak 2x 6oz (£10.49) suits a midweek dinner for two. See how to cook ribeye steak or shop ribeye steaks.
Sirloin
Sirloin is the steak most people picture. It is cut from the loin, with a strip of fat down one side and a fine grain with a little chew. Render the fat edge first by holding the steak on its side in the pan. Our Sirloin Steak 4x 8oz (£27.99) is a good weight for a thick, juicy steak. Read our sirloin steak guide or shop sirloin steaks.
Rump
Rump is a hard-working muscle from the top of the back leg, so it is firmer than sirloin but has more beefy flavour for less money. It is the pub steak of Britain. Rest it and slice it across the grain. Try the Rump Steak 2x 6oz (£8.99), see how to cook rump steak, or shop rump steaks.
Fillet
Fillet (tenderloin) sits beneath the loin and does almost no work, so it is the most tender and most expensive steak. It is lean and mild, so baste it with butter or add a peppercorn sauce, and never cook it past medium. The Fillet Steak 2x 6oz (£18.99) is the one to buy for a special dinner. Our fillet steak guide covers pan and oven timings, or shop fillet steaks.
T-bone
A T-bone is cut across the loin with the bone left in: sirloin on one side, a smaller piece of fillet on the other. The fillet cooks faster, so keep it away from the hottest part of the grill. The T-Bone Steak 500-600g (£15.99) is a proper plate-filler. See how to cook T-bone steak and porterhouse vs T-bone, or shop T-bone steaks.
Tomahawk
A tomahawk is a thick ribeye with the long rib bone left on and French-trimmed. It needs a reverse sear: low oven or indirect BBQ heat until almost at your target temperature, then a hard sear. Our Tomahawk Steak 800g-1.2kg (Frozen) (£32.99) feeds two generously. Our tomahawk steak guide has the method.
Other kinds of steak you might see
- Minute steak: a thin slice, usually from the topside or sirloin, cooked for a minute a side. See minute steak.
- Braising steak: cut from the chuck or blade for slow cooking rather than frying. See how to cook braising steak.
- Picanha, bavette and flat iron: popular restaurant cuts that are not on our live counter. We explain them in picanha, bavette and flat iron.
How to choose the juiciest steak
Whichever cut you buy, a few checks tell you whether it will eat juicy:
- Marbling: fine white flecks of fat through the meat melt as it cooks and keep it moist. Ribeye has the most, fillet the least.
- Thickness: at least 2.5cm (1 inch). A thick steak takes a dark crust and stays pink inside; a thin one overcooks before it browns.
- Ageing: dry ageing hangs beef in a cold room for weeks to deepen the flavour; wet ageing happens in vacuum packs. Our T-bone is 21-day matured.
- Colour and feel: beef exposed to air is bright cherry red; vacuum-packed beef looks darker until opened for a few minutes. It should be firm and moist, never slimy.
- Doneness: cook to medium-rare or medium, then rest it.
Can't decide? Try several cuts with our steak boxes or family steak packs, read our rump, sirloin or ribeye guide, or see steak prices UK.
Steak doneness: how each kind of steak should be cooked
Doneness is about core temperature, not the clock. Take the steak off the heat a few degrees early, as it keeps cooking while it rests.
| Doneness | Take it off the heat at | What the middle looks like | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 48–50°C | Deep red and only just warm | Fillet, sirloin |
| Medium-rare | 52–54°C | Warm and red-pink | Every cut, and it is our pick |
| Medium | 57–60°C | Pink with a firmer bite | Ribeye, rump, T-bone |
| Medium-well | 63–65°C | Just a hint of pink | Ribeye (forgiving) |
| Well done | 68°C+ | No pink left | Ribeye, which stays juiciest |
Food Standards Agency guidance says whole cuts of beef, such as steaks, can be served pink or rare as long as the outside has been properly sealed. Anything minced, rolled or pierced all the way through must be cooked thoroughly.
Shop each type of steak
- Ribeye steaks
- Sirloin steaks
- Rump steaks
- Fillet steaks
- T-Bone Steak 500-600g
- Tomahawk steaks
- All beef steaks
For where each cut sits on the animal, see our meat cuts chart.
Shop the cuts in this guide
How we pack your order
Your order is packed at our butchery at St Stephen, near St Austell, in a double-walled box with a sealed thermal liner and gel ice packs, then delivered by DPD next-day on the day you choose. Free delivery over £85.
Extra strong boxWhite double-walled corrugated cardboard
Thermal linerAir-infused, padded and sealed
Gel ice packsRecyclable film, non-toxic food-grade gel
DPD deliveryOn the day you choose
Types of steak FAQs
What are the main types of steak?
The main types of steak at a British butcher's are ribeye, sirloin, rump, fillet, T-bone and tomahawk. Each comes from a different part of the animal and has its own balance of tenderness, fat and flavour.
What is the best cut of steak?
For most people it is ribeye, because its marbling and central fat eye give the most flavour and keep it juicy. Fillet is the most tender, sirloin is the best all-rounder and rump is the best value. The best cut is the one that matches what you want from it.
What is the most tender steak?
Fillet is the most tender, because the muscle does very little work. It is also the leanest and usually the most expensive, so cook it no further than medium.
What is the best value steak?
Rump usually gives the most flavour for the money. It is firmer than sirloin, so cook it hot and fast to medium-rare or medium and slice it across the grain.
How do you choose a juicy steak?
Look for fine white marbling through the meat, a thickness of at least 2.5cm, and firm, moist (not slimy) flesh. Then cook it no further than medium and rest it before slicing. Ribeye is the most forgiving choice for a juicy steak.
What is the cheapest type of steak?
Of the classic cuts, rump is usually the best value per kg, with sirloin, ribeye and fillet costing progressively more. Compare current prices on our meat prices per kg page.
